IMPROVEMENT IN AGRICULTURE.

Otago Witness, Issue 3332, 23 January 1918, Page 10

IMPROVEMENT IN AGRICULTURE.

It is more or less generally recognised that the present -war must produce great changes in methods of agriculture, and possibly for the better. Certainly this will be the case at Home. The great improvement in agriculture in Germany, in Holland, and in Denmarh..during the last 25 years may 'be explained. “ The great progress that agriculture has achieved in these countries during the last quarter of a century is the - result of the union of practice with science, and proves' that money spent on research and on education in every class brings in a high rate of interest, and is compensated for by increase in land, taxes and of revenue from State railways,” states one of their professors. He is not far wrong, and would doubtless have been nearer the mark if stress had been made of the extended and skilled use of artificial fertilisers in these countries. It is of interest to note how the chairman (Secretary for Scotland) at a conference of the Highland and Agricultural Society regards the matter of the increased use of fertilisers. He pointed out that provision had been made for the importation of phosphatic rock in more than normal quantities, and for greater supplies of basic slag. With regard to potash manures, although supplies from Germany had been cut off, arrangements had been made whereby home production was encouraged, and some thousands of tons would be available directly, and an unlimited quantity shortly, at a price with which Germany could not compete. It was pomted out by Professor Hendrik, of Aberdeen, at the conference how necessary it was to develop the Empire’s fertiliser resources; how essential it was to encourage and promote new fertiliser industries, and develop trade in fertilisers with new and developing countries. These were matters which demanded the consideration of a new and more scientifically-equipped generation of statesmen and financiers in the Empire. Manure fertiliser no longer meant a muck-heap, important as that was; it also meant a great and rapidlydeveloping world industry of international importance. This appeared to be realised by our great- enemy better than by us. The war had led them all to realise that they must maintain their ''agriculture better. The land of this country was one of its fundamental assets, which was capable of being much more productively used than in the past. It will be necessary to produce more intensively, and the means to economically add to production lay in the increase in the use of artificial manures. It is a truism to write that where fertiliser-consumption was great, crop-production was great. The professor thought farmers should adopt a more sympathetic attitude towards science, and a more critical one towards the so-called practical man. The best type of practical man was really a most scientific person. He was always trying things, observing results, and modifying his practice in accordance with the results. In this country of New Zealand it may be confidently stated that to-day the fertilisers, in addiion to the ordinary farmyard manure, which require to be most widely used are phosphates and lime, and then, perhaps, nitrogenous manures and potash fertiliser. Of course, a good deal depends upon the particular conditions of the soil: but, generally speaking, it will be found to be as stated. In other countries where cultivation of land on an intensive scale was the custom, and lands were kept in full production, more stock can be carried per acre, and yet the fertility of the soil be maintained. Under a system of intense farm and crop production more stock are kept, and all the straw is utilised by cattle, which tread it into dung and maintain the fertility of the land.