LINCOLN COLLEGE.

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXV, Issue 18489, 10 February 1930, Page 16

LINCOLN COLLEGE.

REPORT TO A. AND P; ASSOCIATION. The Timaru Agricultural and Pastoral Association’s representative on the Lincoln Agricultural College Board <Mr N. M. Orbell), gave a lengthy review at Friday's annual meeting on the activities of the College. The report stated that the year started with a full enrolment, but owing to various causes, three diploma and three degree students dropped out in the first term, leaving an average number in residence during the year of 45. 38 taking diploma course and seven degree work. Nine students gained a diploma, one completed the degree course, and two completed post graduate degree work. The total number who had taken the College diploma stood at 301, and 39 had now qualified and held the degree of B.Ag. under the New Zealand University, from Lincoln. Last July the Board of Governors decided to hold a short course for farmers at the College. The attendance. 29. was very encouraging, and the course would be offered again this year. Applications for 1930 constituted a record, over thirty applying for admission to the diploma course. The Board decided to erect increased accommodation, and their action was justified as there were 56 diploma students in residence and ten degree students to come. There had been a few changes in the staff. Mr A. Leslie. M.R.C.V.S., of Edinburgh taking Mr Murray’s place as veterinary surgeon and Mr J. Linton, junr., was now in charge of the sheep. Three* new appointments had been made. Mr M. C. Franklin. M.Sc., A.I.C. as assistant chemist, Mr H. J. Geddes', B.Ag., as assistant in field husbandry and Mr R. L. James. A.A.S.E. (civil), B.Sc., as lecturer in engineering and surveying. The latter - appointments had been matfe possible as a result of the grant made by Parliament last session. Dr O. H. Frankel. of the Wheat Research Institute, was located at the College, and was associated with Dr Hilgendorf, in breeding of cereals. The new laboratories, which had been erected by aid of the grant made by Parliament in 1927. were now finished and occupied. This was one of the finest and most up-to-date buildings of its kind in New Zealand. The old biological laboratory had toeen fitted up as a cereal research laboratory. A start had been made with the rebuilding of the farm buildings. It was hoped to have the new work- . shops ready within the next three months, and thereafter to rebuild stables and cowshed and grain store and other outbuildings. This work was being made possible by a grant promised three years ago. The College farm now consisted of 1000 acres, the cropping scheme this year being as follows:—Wheat 120 acres; wheat plots, 21 acres; oats, 150; peas. 26; barley, 25; oats and vetches. 29; rape, 24; turnips, 18; kale. 13; linseed, 5; and Italian for seed, 30. Wheat consisted of three main varieties. College Hunters. Velvet and Solid Straw Tuscan, and was grown for seed for distribution. Crops were only fair, owing to a wet winter and- dry spring. Oats were an average crop. All other crops gave good promise as a result of recent rains. The outlying farm at Ashley Dene, consisted of 878 acres and was utilised as sheep country only, cropping being for supply of feed and was as follows:—Oats. 60 acres; hay, 15 acres; turnips, 90 acres; rape and j grass. 85 acres; green feed oats, 60; and Italian, 40 acres. Stock on the farm at the end of the year was as follows:—Purebred ewes, seven flocks, 530; lambs. 567; ewe hoggets, 238; ram hoggets. 161; old rams. 40; crossbred ewes, 950; crossbred lambs, 902; dry sheep, ewes, and wethers, principally hoggets, 240; lambs sold just before Christmas.’ 210; a total of 3838. Lambing tallies this year werp satisj factory, the average from all ewes put to ram being 110 per cent. Pure bred e ewes averaged 111. the highest being English Leicester. 118 per cent, and the lowest. Corriedale. 85 per cent. The wool yield also was satisfactory, being above that of previous years. An interesting return of the average yield from stud ewes of all ages was as follows:—English Leicester, 101 b lloz; Border Leicester. 91b 8oz; Romney, 121 b loz; Southdown. 51b 6oz; Shropshire. 71b 9oz: Corriedale. 101 b 15oz. The figures indicated that selection of ewes on wool production, might be taken as a line or method of increasing wool production, and it would be a safe line on which to buy and sell rams for wool production. Sales of fat lambs to date averaged 26/9 net returns, and 40 per cent of total fat off mothers. Cattle on the farm total 80 of all ages, registered Shorthorns being graded up to milking type. The progress in this direction was most interesting, showing what could be done by selection in a short time. The average butter fat yield for the whole herd was over 2501 b. and several cows reached the 400 mark on an area and district where the rainfall was against dairying and fro:*i cows used to train students to-milk, and graded from beef cattle. Horses were of ordinary type and mostly bred on the farm. There were about 30 breeding sows kept, Berkshires, Large White, Large Black and Tamworth and the progeny were used for feeding experiments. In reply to a question, Mr Orbell stated that intensive grazing was greatly favoured at the College, and all experiments had proved highly successful. Mr R. Guinness congratulated the Board of Governors on the very fine management of the College, the staff, on their efficient scientific and practical work. South Canterbury farmers should not miss an opportunity of visiting the College. A hearty vote of thanks was accorded Mr Orbell for his report, and for the able manner in which he had represented the Association.