THE DAIRY, FARM, AND FIELD.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XXXXII, Issue 94, 5 May 1900, Page 2

THE DAIRY, FARM, AND FIELD.

"The Farmers ara the Founders of civilisation."— Webster.

188 COLONT'S AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE. IT is not generally so well known as it should be that the colony has an Agricultural College at Canterbury, with a competent staff oE teachers, for the purpose of giving scientific and practical instruction in agriculture. In a colony like Now Zealand, where possibly two-thirds of its people are tillers of the soil, it is matterfor sincere regret that the advantages offered by the College have not been better appreciated, and a great number of young people received systematic training in the various branches of agriculture. Possibly the reasons for its past non-success may be that it has not been properly managed as a colonial institution, but has been run as a local affair, which has limited considerably its sphere of usefulness in the colony; consequently the results have not been good, and have had a discouraging effect upon those who would have become students. Again, the expense to students attending may be beyond the means of many who would like to soe their sons have the benefits to be obtained at a College of this character. Whatever the reasons may be which have hindered the College in doing the good work it is intended to carry out, it does not occupy the position in the colony to-day it should do. ANNUAL REPORT. The annual report of the College for the year ending December 3lst, 1899, is now to hand, and contains matter of considerable interest to those engaged in agriculture. It is managed by a Board of Governors, seven in number, three of whom are elected by the Canterbury members of both Houses of the Legislature; three also by the Canterbury Agricultural and Pastoral Association; and one by the Governor of New Zealand. This gives the College a distinctive Canterbury complexion. The present managing director is J. Boyne, M.A., B.Sc. DuriDg the past year 34 students were enrolled. The small attendance fully bears out the contention that the College is not patronised as it should be, for in this colony, where farming is the principal vocation of its inhabit ants, a far greater number should be re ceiving the benefit derivable from the College. Annual examinations are held by external examiners in the two branches of scientific and practical farm work. ,The scientific work includes Agriculture, Chemistry, Natural Science, Applied Mathematics, and Veterinary Science; the practical farm work covers reaping and stocking, threshing, shearing, dairy work, blacksmith and carpenter's work, ploughing, hedging, and ditching. A study of the examination papers is amusing. Here is one taken from the "agricultural paper" No. 3, for second year' students. No. 3 : How much cream would you require to make a pound of butter 1 and how much milk of average quality would you require to separate so as to get sufficient cream I The student who could give a correct answer to that question ought to go

up "higher." Can any factory manager supply "Agricola" with a correct answer i If so, I should be glad, : BXPBRIMBNTS. ' Probably the most interesting portion of the annual report is the result of various I valuable experiments carried out throughj out the year, which are concisely tabulated ; and appended to the report. These oxperi- • ments were with grain crops, root crops, ! cultivation, etc., also with the different ' crosses of sheep for the production of fat ■ lamb* most profitable for freezing pur- ! poses. It is impossible to refer to all the ' experiments J one or two, however, will suflice ' to indicate the nature of them. The first ' was with manures on cereals. Two kinds of > wheat were sown, and each treated in different areas with four distinct manures at the . rats of 2 cwt per acre. One plot received no artificial manure. Sparrow-bill oats were treated in tbp tame way. The manures 1 were all drilled in with the. peed, and the ■ results, which were practically the same for r the different manures, go to prove that the I application of manures to cereal crops on s good land cannot be recommended. Another • experiment was with potatoes as to the reft lative value of whole or cut seed, the soil s being a good clay loam. Thirty-two diffcrs ent kinds of potatoes were planted, and in > nine oases the yield per acre from cut seed i was the heavier and better. Apparently the > heaviest cropper of ajf was the variety i known as "up-to-date," whialt yielded 18 I tons 14 cwts per acre from whole seed. The s last experiment was of great interest —fifty ; cross-bred ewes were put to each of the ; following rams: —Border Leicester, English ; Leicester, Shropshire and Southdown, with I a view tp finding out wbjph i» the most i profitable cross lor obtaining fat lambs for the fat lamb export trade. The Border Leicester pross produced 44 saleable lambs, which realised an average price of 10s G4u per head; the English Leicester 44, average ' price, 10s 7Jd; Shropshires, 51, average 1 price, lis 3Jd; (southdown, 51, average price, ' lis B|d. Tnere can bo no question from u 1 trial like this which sheep pay the bent.

THE NBW DAIRY iOMMISSIONEIt.

I think it was * French King who asked hi» wise men to acpfiip why it was that if you put a large fish into a pai). I}|lp4 with water the water would not run over. This niMSzled them all greatly, until someone suggested that it was nut a fact that the water would not run over. The King, indeed, had not stated that it was a fact. One is reminded of this story whgn we remember the discussion that has taken place on the retirement of Mr. Buddick and the appointment of his successor, 'those who have considered the subject at all have insisted on the fact that a colonial man should receive the appointment, Js it a fact or not that the Government, in conferring the position on Mr. Kinsella, have given it to a colonial man 1 The new Dairy Commissioner is an importation from Canada of less than twelve montliß ago. Notwithstanding this fact I heartily congratulate Mr. Kinsella on his promotion, but cannot congratulate the Government on the choice they have mads. With commendable promptitude—for .once—the (Government have taken action; for which no doubt a disinterested country will be thankful, and many a hopeful aspirant for the coveted position wilj be at rest, As to the new appointment, it wiU probably be ppnoeded by those wlio know Mr. Kinsella that he is a practical man, well versed in the manufacture of bntter and cheese, but is that all we require in our Dairy Qommisr sioner 1 As an instractor he was the right man in the right place. Personally I know little of Mr. Kinsella, and probably I am premature in offering an opinion, but there is a want of personality and strength of character which are essential to success in this business. Our Dairy Commissioner at the present juncture should be a strong man, capable, determined, a. leader o£ men, and thoroughly- good at organisation. When such questions as the t>stiiblishmeot of dairy schools are allowed to hang fire in the manner they have done it is not cjedit- | able to the department, and for this reason I alone we require a man of some force of character, who knows what is best for the industry and will have it done. Does anyone believe for a moment that Mr. Kinsella will influence Mr. J, D, Hitchie, the Secretary of Agriculture 1 is it not likely that the boot will be on the other leg 1 Time settles many differences, and will bring to light whatever is hidden; in the meantime I wish Mr. Kinsella every success in his new undertaking. AGUJCOI/A.

CORRESPONDENCE. [We do not hold ourselves responsible for opinions expressed by correspondents.] + FARM CADETS. TO THE EDITOR. Sib,—Will you allow me through the columns of your paper to state that Mr. Courtney is decidedly wrong in his statement about Mr. John Mynott having advised young men from going to situations obtained for them by the former ? Mr. Mynott only got those who had the good sense not to accept Mr. Courtney's situations. I have a thoroughly comfortable home, with far better wages than Mr. Courtney got them. For example, Mr. Mynott secured me a far better home than Mr. Courtney offered, with £1 per week, and another young man whom Mr. Courtney could promise only 5s a week. Mr. Mynott got him \£l a week, and only charged us 7s 6d, not £3 3s like Mr. Courtney. There are several of the latter's cadets who bitterly regret not taking my advice by accepting Mr. Mynott's situations, which he secured for them in January last, and are now going to resign from farm cadet life, returning back to the Old Country, thus giving New Zealand a name it does not deserve—all through Mr. Courtney.—l am, etc.,

Arundel Marcus Howard. May 4. TO THE EDITOR. Sir, —Having come to Taranaki through the advice of Mr. Courtney, I am sorry to say that the prospects held out to intending settlers are not bo great as Mr. C. would have them to believe, as it appears that the class of men required for this district are not brought out by him, he bringing several young men (myself included) from London who have absolutely no idea as to what farm work out here is like. I am very glad, after what I have seen, that I took Mr. Mynott's advice, and did not go farming.—l am, etc., Robert Martin. May 3. TO THE EDITOR. Sir, —Having heard that Mr. Courtney has been run down by a few people regarding his right in bringing out parties of youths as farm .cadets to Taranaki from the Old Country, I think it my right to say a word for Mr. Courtney. lam one of his last party, and have been put on a farm which has proved to be a good home and also an excellent place to learn farming, and I thank Mr. Courtney for same. I have also heard from some people that the youths who come out through Mr, Courtney to Taranaki do rot find things as they expected to, and as Mr. Courtney says, but I may safely say that everything Mr, Courtney has saiti in his lectures, etc,, in reference to New Zealand has turned out to be true, and not exaggerated as some people suppose.—l am, etc., Eric Stanley Pees, Bell Block, May 4th.