The Pahiatua Herald PUBLISHED EVERY EVENING FRIDAY, JANUARY 31, 1936. AIDING THE FARMERS.

Pahiatua Herald, Volume XLIII, Issue 13100, 31 January 1936, Page 4

The Pahiatua Herald PUBLISHED EVERY EVENING FRIDAY, JANUARY 31, 1936. AIDING THE FARMERS.

It is pleasing to note that this district- has some active branches of the Young Farmers’ movement located within its boundaries, and it is quite evident that the members of these admirable institutions are iully alive to tlie benefits and advantages. available to* their clubs. In the past the clubs have been instrumental in securing the services of wellknown stud breeders, and ,a-s a result of this, much valuable advice on points essential to successful stock raising has come the way of members, who turned the knowledge received to good advantage. Atlas t night's meeting of the Mangatainoka Young Farmers’ Club, the executive availed themselves of an opportunity to attend a series of lectures run under the auspices of tlie Ballance Club, and a- similar invitation was accepted to participate in Field Day lectures at the Wallaceville Veterinary Laboratories and the Fajlmerstfrm Norik Plant Research Station. Tlie fixture organised by the Ballance Club will embrace talks on Southdown sheep, Jersey cattle and practical demonstrations of horse handling which farmers are always quick to absorb, but we cannot, commend too highl3 T the proposed visit? to JMauricevitte and Palmerston North, which will prove of inestimable value to- farmers who are realising more and more that successful farming is as dependent on theory and sciencei as plant growth is* on the sunshine. Take the VeterinaryLaboratories, for instance. Many dairy farmers are perplexed with problems arising out of animal sterility, and this all-important subject occupies tlie attention of the scientists at this institution who arc able to make valuable suggestions to- deal with it. There are dozens of other simple points to be learned concerning the care o»F animal's, and the Veterinary Laboratories are well equipped to pass this knowledge on to farmers. In the Plant Research Station we have another very useful institution, which has already played a big part in advancing the fertility and productivity of our grasslands as a result of. years of experimenting and the application of proven theories. Illustrating the value of research Mr Freeman of the Department of Agriculture told the Mangatainoka Club last- night- that an eminent member of the Department was seen on one occasion creeping along on his hands and knees following a sheep about in a certain paddock. The gentleman had very patiently made the animal used to his presence, and people who saw him thus engaged formed an opinion that he was mad. AVhat the in\ estigator was actually doing wa s making a most minute observation of the grasses the sheep was selecting for its meal, that particular pasture being composed of a special mixture of popular seeds. This numerous -incident illustrates very aptly the thoroughness of the research officers and their scrupulous attention to detail which explores every avenue likely to assist the farmer in his efforts to obtain the utmost for his labours.