AGRICULTURAL AFFAIRS.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXVII, Issue 17206, 28 June 1916, Page 11

AGRICULTURAL AFFAIRS.

SHORTAGE OF BREEDING STOCK. ’ [From Our Correspondent.] WELLINGTON, Juno 27. “Our primary products may bp legitimately regarded as munitions of wat, declares the annual report of the Agricultural Department. A very favourable season in general was experienced by the larger part of the Dominion, the whole of the North Island, Southland and South Otago in particular. Canterbury, North Otago and Marlborough suffered from prolonged droughty weather, which was severely felt, but genial fains since have enabled the much tried district's to make a good recovery. Tho report regrets the adverse conditions suffered by wheat growers, who were neither favoured by yield nor market. On broad national grounds the hope is expresods that the area devoted to this vital crop may not he materially reduced. Commendable enterprise appears to have been shown in the Vliief cereal districts _as regards winter wheat sowing. If this is followed by liberal spring sowings the position should lie well maintained. There appears to he some need for greater adaptability of methods of cultivation in connection with field cropping. A serious asppet of the meat industry is the continued over slaughtering of young stock, females in particular. This' practice is on the increase, particularly with cattle, while the 1910 sheep returns show a heavy decrease. Breeding ev es are boepming increasingly difficult to secure as stock for newly cleared country, which is a grave matter in view of its far-reaching consequence on production. Definite action is necessary to check this practice. Opportunity may be found m the present controlled state of the meat export trade. . . , ~ , * A liii’gc increase in instructional in* spectiou on farms is an urgent need in the dairying industry. The extension of systematised, co-ordinated investigation work in every branch of agricultural industry is urged, the report, declaring that only the fringe of the subject has been touched. Comparatively inexpensive simple measures, such as tho establishment of small demonstration farms at various points, especially in the South Island, may probably be undertaken without delay, hut the larger project, in the nature of a proposed central research station must wait. , ,