DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXIX, Issue 94, 10 June 1911, Page 7

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE.

A VIGOROUS DEFENCE

In opening the Chitha A. and P. Show on Friday last, the Minister of Agriculture (Hon. T. Mackenzie) vigorously defended the Department. Much money, ho said, had been spent on the dairy, veterinary, and fruit divisions, and on experimental farms and plots in different parts of the Dominion. He noted the work of the Department in detail, mentioning, inter* alia, the efforts to overcome that serious complaint in the North called “bash sickness,” affecting a million acres of land. It was hoped that as a. result of experiments a remedy would be discovered. In the matter of the control of “black deg” in stock, no fewer than 3G,0G0 animals had been inoculated this year. In the dairy division last year £1.1,000 was expended for the ’ benefit of those in the industry. Cow-testing experiments had been established, and 4000 cows had been tested. The best oow produced 11,5001 b of milk and 4911 b of bnltorfat, whilst the production of the average cow was only 56001 b of milk and 2661 b of butterfat respectively. That showed the importance of the experiments. They were about to import from America three animals costing £7.50, and other stock would be imported from Home. The fact of the natter was that, instead of curtailing 11 io Department’s work, it must bo enlarged. If the Dominion was to hold its own in the great commercial race, it must not lag behind in development, and it would always bo bis endeavour, whilst entrusted with its responsibilities, to develop the Department.