EXPERIMENTAL AREA

Southland Times, Issue 21853, 2 November 1932, Page 12

EXPERIMENTAL AREA

THE WINTON FARM. REPORT OF YEAR’S OPERATIONS, (From Our Correspondent.) The annual report of the Winton Experimental and Demonstration Farm to be presented at the annual meeting on Tuesday, November 15, states: Prices for both dairy produce and stock continue to remain at the low ebb they reached last season, but in spite of the adverse ruling prices, the butter-fat returns for this season amounted to £453 17/7 as against £299 19/5 last season. This material increase in value is the outcome of the policy adopted by the committee some four years ago to establish a dairy herd on the farm. The herd has now reached the stage when it will no longer be a drain on the assets of the farm. This season it is hoped to milk 17 heifers which have been raised on the area, and the following year to bring into the herd, if necessary, 12 very good yearlings, which are the progeny of the highest producing cows in the herd, by the purebred Fresian bull, “Dominion King Matador of Weraroa.” There is also being added to the stock a young Fresian bull, “Pareora Burkje Segis.” The herd has undergone a drastic culling, all the low producing cows being sold at a price above the average. By this procedure, it is hoped to materially increase the production of the herd. Viewing the balance from an impartial point of view, it can readily be discerned that finances were never on a better basis. Apart from the subsidy and additional moneys this season, the value of the farm can be reckoned a most favourable asset. The plant, as a whole has been increased by the erection of a windmill, the purchase of implements and the grassing of fields in true perennial ryegrass and clover and these tend to make the area an infinitely more- up-to-date and valuable farm than in the past. Experimental work still plays a very important factor in the routine work of the farm. The ryegrass strain plots, so favourably commented upon in previous seasons, have, if anything, increased in value to the farming community of Southland. Each year since 1929 the false perennial types of ryegrass are disappearing from the plots, while the true perennial types retain their domniance in their respective plots. Cocksfoot and clover trials still continue to afford useful information, whilst the rotational grazing trials which demonstrate the control of grass by the utilization of small fields for diarying purposes, have been closely watched and provided practical information to the scientific dairy farmers of the province. Many other trials of manurial nature have been carried out on swedes, turnips and chou moullier. Variety trials of a similar nature with turnips have proved a decided adjunct to the growers who suffer from the ravages of club-root. Reference is made to the variety “Bruce Purple Top,” which has shown a high resistance to club-root on badly infested club-root land. All phases of work on the farm are dealt with in an article in the New Zealand “Journal of Agriculture,” of recent date. The generosity of the trustees of the late R. M. MacKinnon has been of material assistance in experimental operations, which would have otherwise have had to be abandoned, and the interest that is being evinced in this work by this body cannot be too highly eulogized. The committee wishes to congratulate the farmmanager, Mr L. Smart, for the marked improvement in the appearance of the farm, and the manner in which he carried out his duties during the year. Messrs D. H. McLean and P. A. de la Perrelle, M.P., retire by rotation, but are eligible for re-election.