AGRICULTURE.

Southland Times, Issue 1049, 2 November 1868, Page 4

AGRICULTURE.

The Southland Agricultural and Pastoral Association may now be looked upon as an established and recognised institution, and the time has come when all interested in the settlement of the Province should come farward and aid the founders of this society in extending and perfecting its operations. The first show was an undoubted success, and there is every reason to believe that the' forthcoming One will be equally as good. It is, however, necessary, if this association is to attain the position its promoters contemolated, that branch societies should be formed in all the agricultural districts. "We have, from the first, persistently advocated the formation of Farmers Clubs throughout the whole Province,, asj adjuncts to the parent ; society. To i all who are acquainted with the working of tlve constitution of the society from "which all such institutions have sprung— i he Highland Society of Scotland— i( will be plain that ail Annual Show %■ not ; alL that should be deemed essential.: The ; most important work should be to collate information of a practicle nature for the

instruction <>f members, which, by being widely disseminated, would infinitely promote the general prosperity of the Agricultural and Pastoral interests. If the Southland Association is to attain the high position its commencement promised, its organisation must be one of continual expansion, and auxilliary societies be formed. We have before us two reports, viz., the Agricultural Society of New South "Wales, and the Agricultural and Pastoral Society of Otago— in both of which we find the system advocated by us recognised as the only one calculated to ensure permanent success. It has been shown by the reports of the Agricultural and Pastoral Societies of New Zealand, and Australia^ that even the best agriculturist or stockbreeder from home, has much to unlearn j before he can succeed in the colonies. The climate is so different, the appearances of disease in crops and stock so sudden, and so varied in the different districts, that a constant stream of information from every locality is essential to success. The following extract from the ' New South Wales Journal of the Agricultural Society' is worthy of endorsement. It says :— " The only safe dependence is in individual experiment, combined with a patient and intelligent observation of effects and causes. Vosr Thaee, a German writer of repute upon the principles of agriculture, remarks :< — " These experiments, it ia true, are not easy ; still they are in the power of every thinking husbandman. He who accomplishes but one, of however limited application, and takes care to report it faithfully, advances the science, and consequently the practice of agriculture, and acquires thereby a right to the gratitude of his fellows, and those who come after." The Pastoral and Agricultural Society of Otago appear to have come to the same conclusion. From its last annual report we learn that it has not been productive of good to the extent anticipated, and this is attributed to the fact of the society having hitherto been looked upon as a merely local association, instead of a provincial institution — Eromthis f eeling-—^^^eielusi 76ll6Bß other -societies had been established in Oamaru, Waikouaiti, Tokomairiro, and other districts, unconnected with the parent association. The consequence was that there were a number of "Annual Shows," but no co-operative action for disseminating information of value. In order to remedy this evil, by the amalgamation of the various societies of the Otago province, the following resolution was submitted to the annual meeting of the subscribers on "the 14th instant, and carried, viz. : — " That the various Agricultural and Pastoral Associations throughout the Province be invited to adopt the following resolution: — That the Societies agree to contribute their share of the G^vernmenfc--«u]3aidsi_to_afand to be devoted towards prizes inconnecfion with an Exhibition of Stock, Grain, Agricultural Implements, &c, to be held during the present season, within one of the following districts, viz.: — Oamaru, Waikouaiti, Dunedin, Taieri, Tokomairiro andClutha." It would certainly be greatly to our advantage to follow the course adopted by the Otago Society, and cultivate the formation of district associations, and hold the annual shows in different districts in rotation. The old maxim that union is strength, is one that all may adopt, and to insure the prosperity of the Southland Agricultural and Pastoral Association union must be secured. This Association is now in a flourishing condition, and therefore in a position to perfect its organisation. It is true that it has not received from the pastoral interest the amount of support it had a right to expect, still, it has prospered. The fact, however, cannot be disguised, that to ensure the certain advancement of the Association, the interest of all classes, in every district, must be obtained. The only means to do this is to establish branch Associations, j anda system of periodical reports from such district socities, or clubs, to the parent Association — to follow the example of the Highland Agricultural Society.