DEMONSTRATION FARM WORK

Taranaki Daily News, 16 August 1933, Page 8

DEMONSTRATION FARM WORK

SOCIETY’S ANNUAL MEETING. EXPERIMENTAL WORK RESTRICTED. That owing to financial reasons experimental work had had to be curtailed but that apart from this feature the season had been a successful one were facts mentioned in the annual report of the Stratford Demonstration Farm Society, the annual meeting of which was held at Stratford yesterday. In the absence at Christchurch of Mr. J. M. Smith, Mr. W. H. Were presided over an attendance of 20, which included several ■High School boys. Considering the circumstances the past season must be considered a very successful one as far as the farm was concerned, stated the sixteenth annual report. As indicated in the previous year’s report the 1931-32 season was one of adverse financial and seasonal conditions, and while if anything the 1932-33 season was worse from a financial point of view the wonderful climatic conditions experienced partly compensated for this. A good spring was followed by a moderate summer with a fairly even rainfall, and this was followed by a wonderful rainfall, with the result that during this latter period the countryside took on a late springlike appearance. Unfortunately owing to obvious financial reasons it was deemed advisable to restrict experimental work, because, although the main objects of the Demonstration Farm were to experiment with unknown factors and to demonstrate proved sound practice, first and foremost the farm must meet its financial obligations. Anyone who had carried out any experimental work would know that this was costly and the number of failures often experienced frequently created heavy financial loss. It was with the knowledge that experimental work was costly that the Department of Agriculture allowed the farm a subsidy, but the subsidy had now been greatly reduced. Consequently the work had necessarily been curtailed. The standard top-dressing and other trials that were commenced years ago were continued, it being the committee’s intention to keep these going at all costs. Each succeeding year enhanced the value of the rye strain trial and emphasised more strongly the necessity for using nothing but certified perennial rye seed in sowing permanent pasture. The trial in connection with the control of club root in swedes was carried along a further season with disappointing results as far as the control was concerned. During the coming season that area would be sown with allegedly diseaseresisting varieties. As in the past years approximately eight acres were under crop, but a larger area was saved as hay and ensilage than previously. The production of butter-fat showed an increase of 6361 b from a slightly' smaller herd than was milked the previous season. The policy of running a small flock of sheep in conjunction with the dairy stock had proved a definite advantage, there being a very definite improvement to those pastures where the sheep have been running. Approximately 80 chains of fence lines were planted with barberry during the year, there being very few fences that had not now been planted. Arrangements were ialso in hand for the planting of a further plantation. While no general field days were held during the year several local days arranged by various districts were held and proved a great success. These smaller parties were really preferable as a more intimate touch with the individual could be made. The death of Mr. E. Martell occurred during the year. One of the foundation members of the society and a member of the executive from the inception, Mr. Martell was a tower of strength and it might well be said that he was “guide, philosopher and friend” to the society.

The thanks of the society were due to the Department of Agriculture for continued assistance and to Mr. Stephens, M.R.C.V.S., for his ready help at all times. Despite economies effected in general maintenance the farm was in splendid condition, all appointments being well maintained. In that connection the manager and staff were deserving of the highest praise for their efficient working of the property in the face of adverse conditions. The livestock account showed stock on hand at June 30, 1932, £lOO7 18s 9d, and at June 30, 1933, £937, sales £144 Is lid and purchases £29 15s 10s, leaving a balance to the profit and loss account of £43 7s 4d. In the dairy and farm working account expenditure was shown as £866 18s lOd—wages £338 Bs,. interest £309, insurance £lO 15s, manure £3B 16s 3d, seeds £l3 8s 3d, food for stock £8 7s 6d, repairs and maintenance £49 7s Id, motor power £2l 9s 3d, sundry expenses £l7 2s 2d, herd testing £5 7s 6d, rates £54 14s 2d. On the receipts side 17,294.11 b butter-fat brought in £614 Is 6d, bonus 1932 season £lBB 5s lOd, sundry milk sales £l2 19s, and wool £4 4s Id, leaving a balance to the profit and loss account of £47 8s 4d.

The profit and loss account showed on the debit side advertising and stationery £4 15s Id, postages £lO 3s 6d, audit £3 3s, bank charges £1 Is, secretary’s salary, £36 15s, legal expenses £7 3s 6d, sundry expenses £1 3s 6d, depreciation £BB 15s 8d and the balance from the working account £47 8s 4d, a total of £2OO 8s 7d. The credit side showed balance from the livestock account £43 7s 4d, Government subsidy £lOO, discounts £2 13s Bd, and member’s subscription 2s 6d, leaving a debit balance to the general fund account of £54 5s Id.

Liabilities were shown as mortgage on property etc. £5167 2s Bd, amounts on deposit £473 12s 6d, bank overdraft £303 14s, sundry creditors £39 3s Bd, and the general fund account £3514 15s less net loss £54 5s Id, £3460 9s lid, a total of £9444 2s Bd. Assets were shown as freehold property £4885 17s 4d, land improvements and additions £1384 19s sd, ■buildings £542 3s, cottage £56 7s 2d, manager’s residence £952 4s, plant and equipment £317, shares £292 10s 6d, live stock £937, sundry debtors £75 Ils Id, and petty cash in hand 10s 3d. Thus the balance of assets over liabilities was shown as the amount of the general fund account £3460 9s Hd. After a long and comprehensive supplementary report from Mr. Smith had been read by the secretary (Mr. W. Power) the report and balance-sheet were adopted. A paper by Mr. Smith on the minimising of the danger of feed taints was also read by Mr. Power. Messrs C. A. Marchant and L. K. Tarrant were re-elected to the committee and Mr. G. A. Carter as auditor. Mr. Power characterised part of the cheese quality loss as due to pasteurisation, which, if it destroyed the adverse bacteria also destroyed the good ones. The pasteurisation process also produced a tougher curd not as smooth and silky as was necessary for good cheese.

The chairman, agreed that many fac-

tories had been forced into the purchase of pasteurisers and now, as Mr. Veale aptly had put it, had to throw them on the junk heap.

v Mr. W. N. Willans asked if the increased use of top-dressing was not responsible in part for bad quality. How could anything that produced a luscious and increased crop of grass be harmful? asked Mr. Polson. The discussion lapsed.

Mr. H. C. Johnson thanked the committee for the invitation for the school agricultural class to be present. They spent much time on the farm and found the opportunity a .valuable one, he said.