AGRICULTURAL INSTRUCTION.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 144666, 28 April 1915, Page 7

AGRICULTURAL INSTRUCTION.

THE WORK M ITH THE FARMERS. Mr. H. G. Sergei, agricultural instructor under the Taranaki Education Board, submitted the following report on the work with the farmers to the monthly meeting of the board to-day : During the last month I have visited mainly the coast districts. 1 was interested to hear front Mr. Looney, of Opunake, that he has a good limestone deposit on his section, and the samples he showed me are apparently good and the Government analysis is high. This is of much importance to the coastal districts, which at present suffer from lack of railway communication. Besides much of the country has been and is in course of being drained. The use of lime should be invaluable. 1 do hope there will be further developments.

1 also consider the experiments in tree-growing by Mr. .Maxwell towards Oaonni of great importance. Wo may not have yet developed much interest in this part of our business, but the time will come when wc shall. I hope to make a special investigation when next visiting the coast. It was very refreshing to see a cultivated paddock grown by Mr. Burgess, of Wuroa. This is another; fact of importance to the coast.

With tho great advance in the Jersey, Holstein and Ayrshire breed in Taranaki, wo have not seen a corresponding effort by milking shorthorn breeders. I mean, of course, in the direction of using the semi-official test and other methods of satisfying as to the milking qualifications. I am glad to find this in progress of being remedied, and I have seen some splendid specimens of the milking shorthorn. Most of us in our time found some pt our best milkers shorthorns, and it will be gratifying to know that these will be able to bo mated with really pedigree animals of guaranteed milking strain. I am coitnnencing my lectures now, and I trust the farmers will conic in large numbers. The winter is the time when wo are able more than tho summer to set our minds on the different problems before us, and perhaps my views on the same may he of interest and value. Besides, too, it" is only by coming into personal contact with individual farmers that I can fill my position with advantage to them ami be of service to my fellow farmers in perhaps leading them to a greater measure of successful produption.