MASSEY COLLEGE

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVI, Issue 111, 11 April 1936, Page 14

MASSEY COLLEGE

MEETING OF COUNCIL.

REPORTS ON INSTITUTION.

The "Massey Agricultural College Council met this week, Professor T. A. Hunter presiding. Others present were Messrs P. Levi, A. Morton, 11. B. Stuckey, L. H. Gollinson, Morton Francis, G. Campbell, and T. U. Wells. The principal (Professor G. S. Perm) was also in attendance. Apologies for absence were received from Messrs J. D. Hall and 0. Monrad.

The principal reported as follows on farm operations for the month ending March 28:—“The weather has been very broken and a tremendous amount of rain has fallen. This has interfered considerably with the progress of seasonal work and it has been necessary to engage additional labour to avqid the farms getting seriously behind with their programmes. As matters now stand, the autumn topdressing and the sowing down of autumn grass are well in hand. There has been considerable trouble with bloat among the stock. This is not surprising in view of the softness of the feed. Unfortunately a few animals have been lost. Conditions have, of course been anything but suitable for hoggets, although no unusual losses have occurred.

“As regards erosion by the Manawatu River, I have asked Mr E. Fisher to report to the farm committee. The channel through the bar downstream is gradually widening and at the moment Mr Fisher is rather inclined to the idea of increasing the size of this channel, using the tractor and scoop. Erosion upstream continues and it is doubtful if it can be allowed to continue unchecked very much longer. It therefore seems to mo that the choice must be made at an early date between the erection of the proposed groyne and the aforementioned widening of the channel downstream.” ■ The sheep farm manager (Mr A. C. Morton) reported as follows:—“The strong pasture growth has been maintained, and at present there is an abundance of fresh grass with little sign of rust. All crops have grown well, particularly the swedes. The white butterfly and diamond-back moth are becoming unpleasantly active and are doing damage, minimised to a certain degree by the strong growth of both swedes and chou moellier. A third cut of lucerne was made into hay. The oat crop vvhich was so promising was cut on the day preceding the storm and suffered badly. After several re-stookings the crop was harvested in reasonable condition. During the period under review all surplus stock, with the exception of 45 light conditioned ewes, have been sold. Ewes for stocking the Pahiatua block were obtained from the Upper Pohangina and Mangaweka districts. An excess over requirements was obtained to enable a reasonable culling and the surplus ewes were sold in the Feilding saleyards. The price obtained for the cull 2-tooth ewes, 39s 3d, was gratifying. The purchase of the imported Southdown and Ryeland rams and a 2-tooth Romney ram is the outstanding feature of the present year. These animals have been a source of great interest to the many recent visitors and have been much admired.

“The sheep farms suffered very severely from the gale on February 2 and much time and labour had to be spent in straightening fences, etc. Two gangs of men have been employed in cutting fallen trees into fencing timber and cord wood. Unsettled weather hampered the working up of the ground for sowing out to seeds. However, with the employment of an additional team for cultivation and one for topdressing, work is well in hand. The dairy farm manager (Mr S. McGuinness) reported as follows:—“The I ploughing of all paddocks for autumn | grassing has been completed, with the 1 exception of two small paddocks. Some' 51 acres have been sown 'in peirmanent pasture and 5 acres in temporary pasture. Thirty-five acres remain to be sown. Topdressing of pastures has been continued as opportunity offered. Three acres of peas for pig feeding were harvested and baled. These were not threshed and will be fed to the pigs in the straw. The estimated total yield is 6 tons. Fifteen acres of second growth red clover have been cut and stacked for hay and eight'acres of a third cut of lucerne have been cut and pressed out of the cocks in the paddock. All this came in in good order. “General farm work has included cleaning and cutting boxthorn and barberry hedges, shifting and re-erecting- of 6 chains of fencing, painting of roofs of pig houses, pulling of lupins in two accretion paddocks and cleaning out of all water troughs. The donation of one Austrlian-bred Rhode Island Red cock bird and six hens was accepted with thanks from Mr W. E. Jones (Stratford).