AGRICULTURAL BIAS

Stratford Evening Post, Volume I, Issue 81, 14 March 1931, Page 6

AGRICULTURAL BIAS

STRATFORD HIGH SCHOOL AND DEMONSTRATION FARM COMMUNITY OF INTEREST "When the school started, the idea of the committee which decided to secure the school was that it should work in conjunction with the Model Dairy Farm, as it was then known," stated the principal of the Stratford Technical School (Mr. A. 11. R. Amess) at the monthly meeting of the Board of Governors last night. "When we started," continued Mr. Amess, "we endeavoured to do something in that way, but were not successful. This was ' slightly owing to the personnel of the committee and the then farm manager, who was difficult to deal with. There was not much success until the present committee and farm manager were in office. "As the arrangements Avere now, he said, they were able to see what was doing each day. Mr. ■ Smith (farm manager) had kindly interested himself in the co-operation of the school and the farm and had already done something by initiating a very intimate working arrangement, between the two bodies. The boys went to the farm daily and took milk samples and carried on with testing, and these were' compared with the tests of the official tester. This in itself was practical work of some .value.

'.ln this connection Mr. Amess read the following proposals of co-opera-tion between the Demonstration Farm Society and the school:: Farm Survey.—At the present time nO detailed plan of the various paddocks and internal fencing of the farm exists, and consequently the committee does not know the correct acreage ot the individual paddocks. It is very important that this information should be available. If it (could be possible to work this survey work in with the school schedule it would give the boys a chance of carrying out the actual surveying and at the same time the work would be of great value to the farm. ■ Ensilage.—As this forms an important part of the annual farm operations on most Taranaki farms, an opportunity could be given to the boys to actually take part in.the filling of the ensilage pit, and, say, with one stack,' providing such work is underway prior to the schol holidays starting. The boys could take the temperatures periodically with a view to determining at what temperature the best ensilage is made. Such points as the determining of the temperature at various points in tne pit and stack might also be undertaken. Another important work that might be undertaken is 'the recording of the weight of the washed ensilage at feeding time. What little has been done in this direction shows that the weight varies greatly at various points in the pit or stack. For instance, a cubic fqot at the top of the pit is much lighter than a cubic foot at the bottom. Before an accurate estimate can be made of the amount of stuff in a pit or stack it is necessary that the weight of the material be known. If two boys could attend at the pit and at a stack, say, every second or third morning and weigh out a cubic foot, this would give us a very accurate recording of the weights. Cropping.—-When weighing out root crops from trials several boys could attend to help weigh out and take down the results. They could also make notes on the various varieties, manures or in whatever connection the trial is with.

Forestry.—lt is understood that the Technical High School grows a certain number of trees each year, experimenting with various varieties of trees. The farm would be prepared tp do the fencing of certain sidlings that require planting and assist with the planting, and the school could then following the growth of the trees year after year until maturity is reached. Genera*. —rThe committee would be willing to, allow a limited number of boys to attend at any time any such farm operation as driliTTig, top-dress-ing, harvesting, etc., if the Technical High School authorities considered that the practical information so obtained would be of value to the boys. The chairman( Mr. H. Trimble) moved that the report be approved of, he being entirely in agreement with the proposals. , In seconding the motion, Mr. E. S. Rutherfurd said they should encourage ; the- staff to co-operate with the Farm Committee to give the boys some technical training. The board had tried to do so years ago, but got no encouragement from the committee. However, lie was glad to say that period was past and the kindliest relations existed between the two bodies. The motion was carried unanimously.