AGRICULTURAL SCIENCE.

Timaru Herald, Volume XCIV, Issue 14354, 28 January 1911, Page 2 (Supplement)

AGRICULTURAL SCIENCE.

CLASSES AT HIGH SCHOOL. A NEW DEPASTURE. As will be seen in our advertising columns, the Timaru Boys' High School is this year making a new depaiture in establishing classes in Agricultural Science in connection with the school. These classes will bo carried on under tho direction of Mr J. Brown, B.Sc, N.D.A., F. 0.5., the Agricultural Instructor for the South Canterbury Education Board. Mr Brown submits the following interesting memorandum on the work he intends to carry on: — Timaru, 25th Jan., 1011. G. Simmers, Esq., Timaru High School. Dear Mr. Simmers. —

With tli© particulars you gave me as to the hours at your disposal for instruction in agricultural subjects, and as to the assistaneo available from tho members, of your staff, I have gone carefully into tho whole matter, and am now in a position to state my views and mako some suggestions. In the first place, I take it that your object in instituting thi3 course is, pnmarilv. to give tho boys a good science training involving methodical work, careful observation, and accurate reasoning and deduction from observed facts. ' In this course, tho objects with which the agriculturist has to deal, — the ooil, fertilisers, crops, stock, etc., will ho made the vehicles for tho conveyance of scientific truth, i.e., tho course will have an agricultural bias, and incidentally wtill enable tho pupils to carry away with tilwin from tho school a body of facts and knowledge which will, bo directly serviceable to them in their future careers as farmers. I think it is hardly necessary to point out that tho course cannot protond to bo n strictly vocational ono. Tho proper place to learn farming is on the farm. What we sihould aim at chiefly i» to stimulate the intelligence of the boys, and give them a Knowledge of applicable science, so that the pursuit of agricuU turo may bo peon by them to bo a highly intellectual one, instead of the haphazard and mechanical routine it too often is. ,1 am nwaro that, under tho old system, farming- in tho colony has been quite successful. But it will be less so in future, and the man who has a knowledgo' of scionce to hack up a sound practical training, will be able to effect economies and- improve his practice to the end th.it his business may be more remunerative. 1 would not, however, lay much stress on this aspect. • I would raiher sook simply to instil a love for tho soil by revealing its potentialities in the light of science.

With regard to subjects. Botany and Chemistry are fundamental. They must be taught in separate clasi.es, but always as far as possible with agricul. turo in view, and so as to co-ordinate with the more purely agricultural work. Tims in tho second year, the syllabus of the former would deaf more specifically with the Botany of Agriculture, and in the third year would be followed' by a .course in Agronomy—the science which deals with field crops and their cultivation. .In the case of Chemistry I would recommend a three yours' course in* pure chemistry on account of the pupils w-ho may have leanings towards other professions, such as teaching, medicine, pharmacy, chemical industry, etc.; but I would also have a supplementary course in Agricultural Chemistry in the second and thiid years. Tints in the second year thorn should be a course in the Chemistry of Soils and Manures, and in the third, more advanced work on these, with tho addition of the Chemistry of Sprays, Fund Stuffs and Dairy Produce. Tho latter would embrace all matters of first importance in connection with the d-airying industry, in so far as it is possible to ileal with thorn in a lalioratory, 'with the exception of a. study of tho dairy breeds, for which I shall presently make a suggestion.

We have allowed for farm crops,, soils, manures, dairy chemistry, etc., and there only remains the subject of Animal Husbandry. This would call for a class in the third year, and wo would require to make provision for Saturday excursions to stock farms for instruction in the points and characteristics of the various breeds and practiro in judging. I think this is perfectly feasible, —but it is not one of our immediate concerns.

With these-provisions, I think you havo a fairly complete course, and there does not appear to be any need for a class in Agriculture as a subject apart in the first year. It would, how. ever, increase the interest of the boys, and prepare the way for subsequent work as well as give them a working knowledge for the more complete understanding of the plot experiments, I propose to start this year, if we arranged for an elementary and prelim, inary course in soil science, and the nature and functions of manures. This will, to a certain extent, anticipate the work of the second year, but for the reasons given, I consider that such a class would have a proper place iu the first year also. You will observe that the course 1 have outlined is a continuous one, and the greatest advantage can accrue only to the student who pursues it diligently from beginning to end. I hope, you see what I mm nt. It would bo quite possible, and, indeed, easier for me to commence right away a class in which I would drill tho boys in popular agricultural science, giving thorn the pointers and tips, and tit-bits that appeal to the practical man. But that would not be truly educational, and would not be worthy of a High Schol curriculum, however much it might appeal to the popular mind. You should,- therefore, tako even- opportunity of impressing upon parents tho advisability of entering their bovs for the complete course, and of awaiting its completion before they of' its value. Finally thero is the question of outdoor experimental work. Pupils can bo taught to observe and reason in a laboratory, but the farmer has to exercise his powers in the larger laboratory of the field. The future farmer input, therefore be trained to make careful obsorvntions in the field and to drawcorrect inferences therefrom. I have not yet fully considered xhnt is to be done in this connection, but T might indicate briefly what I bad in view when I asked you to reserve the

plot ;it. ilie Iteetmy in North Struct* A part of tlm w.'tiuu wil! bo laid in mid nil plots, Kumo of which will bo of ii muru tjr loan iw'Miiujirnt nature and will lio used for instruction in the characters and agricultural vaJueg of grasses, (.lovers, forage, plants and furm (Tops goimrally; observation of new- K|x'cjufl und varieties ill order to find out those that aro likely to be of economic vnluo in tiio district. 1 n ooiijiinotion with tljo laboratory work on tho examination of smali «.«i ( wood seeds, (germination nnd purity tc»U, and grain grading »>id judging, this should form a viUnnblo part of our course. A similar series of plots will bo sown with weeds, carefully kept under control, for tho purpose of toating different methods of eradication, effects of sprays, etc. Tlio main part of tlio ground will be devoted to trinl.i of different vorietk* of root crops to detwrmino thair respeo» tivo cropping jxnvora, resistance to disease, insect attack, etc. I also propose to conduct a scrips of experiments on tlio potato crop. This year I have mode a start on the breeding of new varieties. This work will bo continued nt> the Rectory Grounds, os well as experiments lo determine such points ns tlio best existing varieties, the value of sprouting and spraying, tlio best size of setts, etc. Another series will 1)0 devoted to mnmirial experiments, and tillage and manuring demonstration plots. Root* variously manured will be reserved for analysis in order to ascertain tlio effect of various manures on tlio nutritive quality of tlio crop to which tliej ut applied. 1 understand that, if neoesatry, tiie two acres next the Sports Grounds will also bo put at our disposal. Wq shall roquiro it, and I would propose to utilise it-us follows:—We sro to grow all tho various grasses e14., ill demonstration plots ou the small section oa provided above. Hut, as yoli ltrioiv, » single species of gross is rarely sown alone for a crop, but generally as bno constituent in a, mixture of soeds. It is necessary, therefore, that tlio boys should observe how tlio various grosses and clovers behavo when grown in colonies, i.e. as members of a pasture. They should liave an opportunity of observing the effects -of varying, tlio into of seeding, the kinds of plants included, tlio proportions of each ingredient, etc. Experiments along thow lines have been started by Mo this season on two farms in South Canterbury and I think they will prove interesting and valuable. 1 Suppose' we *et aside 1 acre for -that purpose, wo liave still 1 acre left f'.r ivol-k ou cereals. If wo can control the sparrows, and I think we shall—this latter' will iiicludo tho testing of introduced .varieties and the improving (if' existing varieties by selection. We. may be able to do something in the way of breed, inc new varieties filong the / linns followed by Biffen at Cambridge, Hays in America, Farrer in Australia, mid others. But our tnrtst hopeful work will lx> the improvement of the Acclimatised nnd established varieties by careful selection.' liocfil improvement of cereal crops must largely be the results of selective woflc on tlio part of formers themselves. Hence tho importance of interesting the boys in 'this work, which, having -started at the school, th»v would in ninny enso* oontinue at liome, thus forming a, link between the "old hoys" l nnd the fresh- ■ mon whioh should lis of tho greatest importoftoo to the. »oli<sol in futur# years. Tlicso brief, tentative. outline* will •crve to indicate to you the lines along! which wo may proceed, • tours faithfully, J. nnowN, Agricultural Instructor.