FARM AND STATION. THE WINTER SHOW.

Otago Witness, Issue 2569, 10 June 1903, Page 20

FARM AND STATION.

THE WINTER SHOW.

(Continued from page 9.)

The Otago Agricultural and Pastoral Society may congratulate itself upon having held a thoroughly successful "Winter Show. Despite the unpropitious weather, expectations were more than realised ; and not only was there a large attendance at the show right up to the i hour of closing, but the exhibits were quite up to anything previously shown. Such functions have a distinct educational value, and that fact seems to be pretty generally recognised by country people, who flocked to town in such numbers that the hotel accommodation was taxed to the utmost. At the same time, large numbers of city people patronised the .show. That is as it should be, for while the educational advantages of such an exhibition appeal more directly to country settlers, it is well for town dwellers to know something of tho work of the producing class, whose toil so greatly enriches both town and country. The present is an age of invention, and the farming implements of the fathers are discarded by the sons. There are working farmers in Otago today who have seen the whole cycle from .sickle to fcythe, from scythe to reaping machine, and from reaping machine to self-binder. Those who in the days of their youth threshed out tho corn with the flail can now fold their arms and stanu by while the steam-driven threshing machine does the work they performed of yore with an infinitude of toil. It is a marvellous triumph of inventive genius to have witnessed within the span of a single generation. Quite the latent development of useful appliances for the farm is the oil engine, of which a good many different varieties were seen in operation at the show. Rapidlyrecurring improvements are making thU typo of engine more useful every year, and for- many of the minor operations on the farm it should prove invaluable. It is almost needless to f-ay that thc-e ' new appliances for the development of motive potter attracted no small amount of attention. The display of dairying appliances also proved an attraction to j those interested in the great industry j destined to make the name of New Zealand famous yet in the chief produce markets of the world. Apart from the show, and yet in conjunction with it, the re were conferences of farmer-, held at which matters of importance to ti'.e agricultural interest were discussed. That on the increasing small birds nuisance- had a very difficult ta<-k before it. Birds which were introduced from both sentimental and utilitmi.in conMdcra'ions havo not proved entirely li.irmle--, and most of the <-o-callo>d ' insectivorous birds have developed an unwonted penchant for devouring the farmer- grain. The yearly toll levied upon the cereal crops of the rolony is onormou-., and as tho nuisance is growing apace it is recognised that the time has fully arrived when concerted action will have to be takm. Tho profitable account to which rabbits are now turned ' has mitigated that nuisanco to a considerable extent, and if the rabbits do reduce the stock-carrying capacity of j the iiiib in the "back country there i-, a measure of compensation in tho proceeds from the sale of the carca-e«. Not fo the small biids, however; they cannot be turned to profitable account. They aie birds of far too .sober plumage to be u^ed in the milliner's decorative art, con-equently the de-truction of the=e feathered pests represent* an outlay for which the only compensation will be the increased yield of grain at harvest time. The only practical .solution of tho difficulty the conference could arrive at was the petting apart of ;l day for universal poisoning throughout the

country. One of the dclegntes pointed out the disadvantage of excluding the boroughs in the general scheme of poisoning. The Act disallows the laying of poison within a certain radius of a dwelling liou=e, but manifestly the intention of the Legislature was to j protect farme-rs'*~fowls } which, generally , run about the farmhouse, and not to I prohibit the laying of poison in cities, j where there are few fowls to poison, i The towns are ideal sanctuaries for the sparroV, which i«, perhaps, tho most mischievous of the whole destructive ■ crew ; yet no where could poisoned grain be laid to better advantage. It is quite evident that unless a day of universal poisoning is held but little will be acj complished, for these birds, in the j absence of any natural enemies, are | marvellously prolific, and partial poisoning will be of little avail. During show week a deputation liom the Farmers' Union waited upon the Minister of . Agriculture, and, amongst other things, asked that additional veterinary surgeons I should be appointed by the Government. Mr Duncan, in reply, said the matter would receive consideration. Similar applications were coming from all over the colony, but there was a difficulty about getting trained men. Ho suggested that the best way to in-ure a supply would be for them to train their own men within the colony, as the Government found it too expensive to i import them from Home. Mr Duncan i might further have informed the deputation that the remuneration offered by tho Government was not sufficient to induce good men to- remain in the service, and on that account some had already left. The occurrence of a good i deal of disease amongst the flocks and , herds in the colony calls for the attention i of a staff of veterinary surgeons. The j staff at present employed is unequal to j the task of visiting the whole of tho j colony to report upon outbreaks of dis- ! ease among stock as the.so occur. In ' consequence no small loss often occurs before adequato steps are taken to .stay the ravages of the disease and to prevent all chance of infection. In the ca^e of several mysterious outbreaks of disease the experts have been able to trace it to the u«e of imported bone-dust, and in order to prevent a recurrence of anthrax Parliament has authorised the steaming and disinfecting of all imported bones. It would also appear that the veterinary experts of the Department have at la.st run to earth the mysterious '' Winton disease," which has proved so destrictive to cattle, horses, and .sheep. Tho weed commonly designated ragwort appears to be tho undoubted cause, and when adequate steps are taken for its eradication it is .safe to predict that ''Winton disease" will disappear from the veterinarian's calendar. In connection with tins matter Mr Duncan indicated that there was no institution in the colony suitable for educating veterinary surgeons but the Medical School attached to the Olago University. Xo doubt if the Government subsidies a veterinary chair the Senate will make, provision for teaching the subject. It might prove cheaper in the end to educate our own men for the veterinary : section of tho Department than to import experts who would have much to learn concerning local conditions on ' arrival. There were other matters j ' touched upon by the deputation, but we I ] need not refer to these here. On the ; whole the show week ha> been of con- , siderable importance to the agricultural community, and we hope to <-cc even better achievements in the future. ,