BOARD OF AGRICULTURE.

Colonist, Volume LVIII, Issue 14539, 17 October 1917, Page 2

BOARD OF AGRICULTURE.

The Board of Agriculture Leld several lengthy meetings last week, at which impoitant matters concerning tho agriciltural and pastoral industry were discussed. There was a large attendance of members, nnd *ho piesidcnt (Sir James G. vVilson) was in the chair. The question of the shipping and storage space foi meat and dairy pa-o-duco and other matters was fully "one into,-with the Hon. W. D. S. Mac Donald, Minister of Agriculture, >.vho waa present- at the meeluig.

I ' EXPORT OF MEAT. Jt was pointed out'that, although the I latest sheep leturn:- show a lar^e in-' [crease in the NTorWi Island, there hasbeen a heavy mortality amongst ho<r- i gets, and the lambing in many districts' i» much below the average, which would probably do away witii a considerable percentage of the surplus, yet the board thought it would be in the interests or the country that farmers should be advised that owing to the shortage of shipping it would probably not be practicable to treoze and find space for all the stock «ommg .to hand, and to urge them to provide, winter feed wherever possible to roar any iambs that mi<Wit be left over. It was also decided to recommend tnat farmers should retain the best of their long-woolled ewe lambs lor breeding purposes, and that arrangements should be made to tin & number i>!" .second-class fat old ewes, and in order that this might be done to request tiie Government to make inquiries- as to the possibility of securing a o-ood supply of British or American "tin plates lor the purpose The board also recommended that, to ensure the freezing space being occupied to the fullest ex^ tent with the primest meat, it was' de-Mi-able that the inspectors passing the meat purchased by the Imperial Gove.rnment should be more strict as to the quality, so that only finished animals s-hould be killed and sent Home. I

PRICE OF SHEEPSKINS. \ A member of the board called attention to the fact that butchers and farrmers were complaining that the price they were receiving lor simepskms way under that arranged for with the Imperial Government, and it was decided to request the Minister to make inquiries as to whether suiae steps could not be taken i'o remedy the complaint. |

STUD AND FLOCK BOOKS. ' ' c The board mot a number of representatives from the .Clydesdale tforso Society, the Draught (ior.se Stud Book f Canterbury), the North Island Sheoo Hreoders Association, and the Komnev Marsh Sheep Breeders' Association, ana consulted with-.them as to the possibility of arranging for an amalgamation or the various breed societies for an" one breed, and of forming a National Live Stock Association for New Zealand. After a lengthy discussion, -t was decided to ■refer die question of adopting umffM-m rule's, and 'one or two other points, to the councils of the respective associations for their appro\al. On receiut of replies, should the matter warrant, it, a further meanng of delegates from the societies inter"' chted would bo hold in Wellington to endeavour to come to a fiunl decision. Jt was also agreed that the conference c.t all breed associations should be deterred, pending the adjustment of the question of rules,, etc EXPORTATION OK INFERIOR STUJ; SH-WEP. ■J.Jib board also discussed the advisableness of the Government takm<* power to prohibit the exportation Jf interior stud sheep, and arrangements were made to obtain a report from the Department oi: Agriculture as to tlio ! best method of copiug this trouble '!

COLLECTION OF SHEEI' STATISTICS. A number of suggestions wero received from Mr E. Hardcastle, agnculUiral editor of the Cliristc:hurclr' r \Yeok^ j ly Press/ in regard to tho date of collooting . sheep statistics, pointing O uc that jf tiie .statistics ccw.'d he übiiiin&l earlier in the season farmers would have a better idea whether it was dosir-' able to retain more ewe lambs and ewas suitable for breeding, instead of killing and freezing them, and prices would then automatically rule the position. It was decided to communicate with tho Government Statistician and to ascertain how far it would be. practicable to give effect to this suggestion undothe present stress of work entailed on that department in consequence of iho war. WOOL PACKS. It was reported that the wool packs required by the sheepowners would .probably arrive in the Dominion in time for the present gjvisen's shearing.

EI/ECTHTCJTY ON CHOPS. A report yas recehed ireni Mr E. Parry, Ulnef '^locivcai Engineer, Pub-! he \\urks Departing c, wwi regard to' tho application oi electricity to tho btimulation of crops ami tlio rosuits ob-. tamed by Professor iiiackman, tYofessor of Plant Physiology and Pathology, south Kensington, tor which a special grant had been made by. the Development Commissioners in' l<Jngland. in was stated that in iyjy an increase of about. DO per cent. iv grain and S5 per cent, m straw on a crop of oats -was obtained as a result from overhead electrical- discharge. ,vir Parry, however, doubted whether the -gain to be obtained would be so great in Aew Zealand as in England, wliere thoy Had much less sunshine than thero is iv tuis country but he expressed the ooinion that there was -no doubt a field for its application to the stimulation of special crops such as garden crops and fruit, and hoped to i)O able to maKo arrangements for testing the application of this method to tho purpose named. OTHER BUSINESS. .. | Amongst-other matters dealt with' were, the High Commissioners weeklymarket cable, ear-marking and branding of stock, "draft" on wool; tho importation of grass-seeds, organisation oi female labour lor farm work, pricos ior next season's butter and choose rural housing,.the Scntt-Kilburn process' for direct fixation of atmospheric nit-O' gen, and development of tho poultry industry. THE WHEAT QUESTION. ■ A'committee of die board later met the chairman of the Board of Trade, and again discussed tho wheat question. It was arranged that, anor tlio Board of Trade had made an exhaustive inquiry into tho question in tho South Island, a joint meeting of tho two boards should be held fur tho purpose of giving the matter full consideration. i