DEMONSTRATION farming

Taranaki Daily News, 11 September 1934, Page 33 (Supplement)

DEMONSTRATION farming

INSTITUTION AT STRATFORD. HISTORY OF ITS DEVELOPMENT. The idea of establishing at Stratford a farm to conduct experiments and demonstrate sound modern methods as a guide for those engaged in the dairying industry emanated from the Stratford A. and P. Association. A conference of various bodies was called and a committee was appointed to formulate a practicable scheme. The result was that a society was formed and duly incorporated 17 years ago. Well-wishers established a credit at the bank by means of a guarantee, and an area of 143 acres of lease-| hold land was acquired, of which the freehold has since been obtained. Thus the Stratford Demonstration Farm scheme was launched. The land adjoins the town of Stratford. It is ■ all fairly level, and of . fair average quality. When the far was taken over there only 20 acres stumped and ploughed. Today the whole farm, except for about three acres of bush, has been stumped, ploughed, i cropped and permanently grassed. How successful this policy has been is revealed in the increasing butter-fat records. From a total of 60001 b. supplied to the factory during the - first year, the output has grown to just-on 20,0001 b. for the year just closed. As the various areas were cleaned, fenced and permanently 'grassed, the time became opportune for conducting extensive top.-dressing trials with various manures and manure mixtures. The results of the experiments have proved very definitely that those manures containing phosphates have proved most beneficial. While up. till the present time potassic manures have given little response there arc indications that the natural potash resources of the soil ye becoming depleted by heavy production and extensive trials are being made with the various potash manures. A grazing trial embodying heavy nitrogenous manuring and intensive rotational grazing demonstrates that the time is/not yet ripe to embark on-this type of pasture management. Another important recent work has been in .connection with rye strains and it has proved conclusively , and demonstrated ' nbly that it does not pay to use anything but certified seed. ■ . Cropping for fodder crops has been extensively followed. All sorts of fod- , der crops known to thrive in this disirict have been grown, and in small plots other fodder crops have been tried. Each year in due season these crops_, were weighed and the results have been tabulated and published. I Daring th? autumn farmers and others interested are invited to make visits ( of inspection. These ‘field days” as they are called are very popular .with farmers, who meet on the farm where they inspect whatever interests them, and. discuss among themselves and members of the committee the different problems they find in their vocation. A new manager’s residence was built ■in. 1921, and the farm in its present condition is one of the most desirable and most highl - productive dairy farms in the Stratford district. The management is ’in the hands of a commit * who diligently and faithfully carry ou their duties. The chairman is Mr. J. M.' Smith, of the Department of Agriculture. , The co-operation between local ideas and departmental methods achieved by the scheme of management is probably beneficial to both. Certainly it results .in the more ready acceptance of results by farmers, and the following of advice obtainable from visits of inspection and perusal of. reports. .