GOVERNMENT EXPERIMENTAL FARMS.

Colonist, Volume LIII, Issue 13057, 17 March 1911, Page 4

GOVERNMENT EXPERIMENTAL FARMS.

[IJjfiTEi Pbess Association.] Auckland, aureh 16.----(Government experimental f&fihs, , &8 a whole, were -criticised in somewhat sever© terms at the meeting of the Auckland executive of the Farmers Union WJ-tJay< # .if4mljera considered that in many.cases these, farms were, of no practical use to the farmers, SM were carried out in a manner that could never have.. any good .results. Major Lush admitted that he' .was afraid, a good deal-of what had Feen said was true, and he ; mentioned, a feasfe wlie'rfe i-hey Gjtrald not tell the difference between rye grass seed alia cocksfoot. This started members retailing their experiences, and one stated he once visited a farm and saw a calf being led round on a isilver chain. He inquired, and found thai* the calf was being experimented on as a maize fed. animal. It was then weighed, and the man declared that the calf had : gained' 2cwt in a week! A good word for tile farms was put in by Mr. J. Boduie, who, after five or' six visits to komphaki, believed that good work was feeing done.. . . . Mr. (i. Mac Gill moved that the Union ascertain the opinion of other provincial executives as to whether a commission of recognised practical farmers to inquire into the management and practical benefits derived from the Government experimental farms should not be set up. The. motion was seconded by Captain Cclboek, and carried.