DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE.

King Country Chronicle, Volume I, Issue 4, 16 November 1906, Page 2

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE.

Exhibit at Waikato Show. A striking feature of the Waikato show was the exhibit provided by the Government Agricultural Department, and the officials are to be complimented for the thorough manner in which the various branches were placed before the public. It would be difficult to estimate the benefit derivable from such an exhibit, and it is to be hoped that steps will be taken to have similar exhibits placed in every show in the colony. Its importance to such a district as the King Country is obvious, and it is to be hoped the day is not far distant when we shall be able to prevail on the Department to have such a collection placed before the settlers in suitable centres within the RohePotae. Good work is done by the Department in the distribution of leaflets and pamphlets on various matters of importance, but one such demonstration as that at the recent show is worth bushels of pamphlets to the settlers. The exhibit comprised 120 different varieties of grasses and seeds, from the different species of clover and English grasses to the varieties of cooch grasses and paspalum, together with every des- • cription of weeds, catalogued or otherwise,from thistle to ragwort. There were also a number of codlin moth specimens, together with the recently imported syrphus fly and the Californian ladybird, the natural enemies of many of our orchard pests, from the cultivation of which much good is expected. Mr W. A. Boucher, Government Pomologist, was in attendance, and throughout the day and was busy explaning the relations and workings of the many samples of orchard pests in the varied collection. Specimens of flax fibre of all grades were also included, together with samples of Australian fibre, in addition to an assortment of wattle bark and wood from the Waerenga Experimental Station; a wide variety of grains and fertilizers, and some pens of fowls and ducks from the Ruakura poultry farm. Mr Clifton, Chief of the Department of Agriculture, is deserving of the hearty thanks of both the farmers and the general public, in thus placing before them such a comprehensive exhibit. That its importance was realised and appreciated by those present, was demonstrated by the numbers who took advantage of the occasion, and sought instruction from those in attendance.