TECHNICAL COLLEGE

Otago Witness, Issue 3510, 21 June 1921, Page 60

TECHNICAL COLLEGE

The usual meeting cf the Board of Managers of the King Kcl ward Technical College was held on tin 15th: present—Mr T. Scott, (chairman), the Hon. G. M. Thomson. Messrs E. F. Duthie, G. Clark. J. Horn, M.P., E. ■Aiosevcare, and J. Wallace. The Director reported that most of the a. poll a - and m• ( k ria 1 1 . ; I n i i Ivo in Kemp‘.home Farm, which was being advert ■ le. In lorn rangement agreed to hv die board, Mr Pearson had entered upon his duties at Balmacewen, and it was anticipated that before the end of the month he would bo able tc plough all the ground that it was proposed to break up this year. Mr Smith, the new agricultural instructor, submitted the proposed scheme of work in connection with the experimental farm attached to the agricultural department of the college. He proposed to set aside an area of two acres in half-acre plots to demonstrate the Norfolk system (four-year course) of cereals followed by root crops, in winch, in the first year, autumn-sown wheat is followed in succession by root crops, spring-sown cereals, and a leguminous crop. Mr Smith has selected six locally-grown varieties of wheat; soft turnips, swedes, and mangels; barley or oats (spring sowing’; crimson and red clover and cow grass. For the threeyear course an acre and n-half has been set aside in half-acre plots for the rotation of the six varieties of wheat, Ma-ori Chief and Arran Chief potatoes, and as leguminous crops, Grey Partridge, Prussian Blue, and Stratagem peas-—all under various manurial tests. A half-acre plot is set aside for the growing of Grim (Hunter’s River) and Marlborough lucerne under inoculated and noninoculated conditions, also showing Tin and Alin drill treatment and lime dressings. Mr Smith described lucerne as the. king of plants, and expressed the hope that they might be able to encourage its growth in Otago. Another acre will be set ndde in one-sixth-nere plots for the growing of supplementary fodders. such as chon mollier. lOOft-head/yl ka ] e t field cabbage, and kohl mb?, which Mr Smifh saw growing af the Government’s experimental farm at Gore. At present. Mr Smith observed, dairy farmers relied 1 on the summer grass, bay. and turnips, and n "h<t«d these valuable supplement arv rvonn and it would be their purpose to find out Ph* right in which to sow them so that they mbdit. c< m in in successi n vV i \ feed was done. O.lmr plots will be devoted 1 1o grasses, agricultural com net U ions, and green manuring experiments, “one of the most necessary tilings that farmers should Mr Smith was thm k d for I is Htei lanoot nml vonnvt