RESEARCH IN THE DOMINION

Taranaki Daily News, 17 July 1930, Page 7

RESEARCH IN THE DOMINION

LOCOMOTIVE TRIALS OF COAL,

LIGHT ON FARMERS’ PROBLEMS

The progress of research work in the Dominion was reviewed by MJ. G. Shirtcliffe, chairman of the Council of Scientific and- Industrial Research, a last week's meeting of that body. 0 important feature, he mentioned, • wao that railway locomotive triads ™ direction of using . New Zealand coafl economically by a new system and in which the Fuel Research Committee had collaborated, were now completed, good results having been obtained. Wheat research had advanced, too. Millin'*, chemical, and .baking investigations on wheat and flour from the past season’s crop were now in pioerross. The influence of time of cutting the grain upon loaf quality had shown how important a part maturity played in producing good loaf colour and texture. Problems connected with the conditioning of wheat in the stack, in sacks, and in storage were being o-iven attention. The protein survey of the wheats from all parts of Canterbury "and-O-tago bad not yet been completed, but when done would afford very useful information regarding’ the connection between baking quality and protein content of flour. A very complete survey of the use of header harvesters as a means of. lessening costs of harvesting wheat had been completed, and had shown that these machines had reduced the actual costs from approximately Is a'• bushel, when reapers and binders were used to about 31d- This, of course, was done in a favourable year, such as prevailed in the harvesting season of 1930, but represented the finding of 37 trials under observation, where a range of different makes of implements was being used.

“The knowledge of the right methods of top-dressing to now being rapidly amassed as a result of tho carefully conducted experiments at the plant research station and throughout New Zealand,” Mr. Shirtcliffe continued. “Tho importance of lime toward improving the returns from other fertilisers has become very apparent, Tho good results arising from applications of nitrogenous manures with phosphates and lime, in the dir'etion of prolonging the grazing season, in providing fresh green feed at those seasons of the year when usually there is the greatest dearth, have been clearly demonstrated. One of the most striking features of the work to that showing tho great response secured when these concentrated manures are applied to pastures comprised of cer-

tain strains of ryegrass and clover. “Good progress has been made toward the knowledge of control of some of the most serious fungoid diseases of fodder crops. Dry rot of turnips, club root of turnips, selerotine of lupins, and peas, collar-rot of peas, are being studied, and with the first-named disease free seed is being raised in districts isolated from possible infection. Liberal dressings of lime at definite specified dates, together with the use of disease resistant strains of swede and turnips have been found a fairly effective means of minimising loss through club root.” “Work was proceeding on a preliminary survey of the insect species occurring in the exotic plantations of the Dominion, and opportunity was being taken to work out the life histoiies of a number of the commoner species under New Zealand conditions, this being a necessary step with a view to .devising suitable control measures in the future. Accommodation and equipment was now being arranged at the Plant Research Station, in order that an officer, seconded from the State Forest Service, might be trained in forest mycology. Mr. Shirtcliffe also reported that interesting and valuable results had been obtained from the examination by Biitisli tanners of pelts processed at the New Zealand freezing works by various methods. . Referring to pig recording, ho said that the investigations during the past season, conducted in the Waikato, had shown a number of good results. To quote only one, the Waikato figures showed that in the group the weight of 1043 pigs at the age of eight weeks showed a total increase of some 14,000 lb., as compared with the previous year, or an increased return to owners of about 4s Gd a pig—an increase which could be attributed to the better feeding and nmnagsumnt , whieff the recording had indicated. “The work at Massey College by Dr. Dry and Mr. Scrivener was reported to the last meeting of the Wool Research Committee and indicates good progress in the fuller understanding of the development of kempiness and hairiness in certain sheep,” the chairman continued “Valuable data has been obtained remirdim* the conditions necessary in experiments on yield and type of wool, and the relations of wool, fat, and suint to wool growth. The extent of variation in growth, etc, in a carefully-selected even line of uniformly-bred sheep has been demonstrated to be unusually larce. The experiments at Leeds on spe-cially-selected fleeces from New Zealand are in active operation, and prominent wool buyers, including Sir Frederic Aykroyd, have been good enough to cooperate. Everything is now m train for an active and practical programme of wool research when funds are available.