LUCERNE FIELD DAY.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 16942, 17 January 1923, Page 9

LUCERNE FIELD DAY.

MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE TO ATTEND. Last Aieek the chairman of the Canterbury Lucerne Campaign Committee. Mr H. D. Acland, communicated with die Prime Minister stating that it was proposed shortly to hold a lucerne field day to be confined to the Prime Min- : i>ter. the Canterbury Members of Pnr1. unenfc, representatives t>f the Board of Agriculture, and a few leading commercial men, to demonstrate, on the areas under the control of the committee and the fields sown under the cun petitions now being held, the great a aiue of lucerne in increasing the productivity of the province. It was jii'cessary to hold the demonstrations by January 10 in order to see the lucerne growing under varying stages, as tlie third series of cuts of crops were developing for the season. The com mittee could demonstrate that many miles of light land in Canterbury were • apable. of increasing their output tremendously by the use of lucerne. It could be shown that where previously one sheep was carried, now fifteen to twenty Avere being grazed, not for one year but continuously for five years to the present, that on medium land ten cows in milk can be carried on six acres, that three acres within four months of sowing yielded £35 value in crops, that properly cared for stands could be made to produce six cuts in ,i year or two cuts and heavy grazing, and that heavy yields were aA r ailable. In naveral cases within ttvelve Aveeks of sowing the seed. In repy to his communication Mr Acland received the following letter from Mr Massey:- ‘ I have read Avith ih© keenest interest your remarks in regard to the success Avhich has to date attended the committee’s efforts and the progress that has been made in lucerne * ulture in Canterbury. Need less to say I am fully alive to the great value and importance of the work being carried out by the committee, and I can assure you had circumstances permitted it would have given me much pieasure to have been able to visit Christchurch in company with the Minister of Agriculture on some date be--1 ore January 20 as suggested, in order to Avitness the demonstrations proposed to be held. Unfortunately, however, owing to extreme pressure of business requiring my presence at headquarters F shall be unable to get down your way at such an early date, but T shall endeavour to pay a A'isit to your city some t.me before the short .session, when F trust there will be an opportunity of my seeing some of the results of the committee’s work. 1 shall communicate with you again a little later on. ” Yesterday tho Ron W. Nosworthy. 3Finister of Agriculture, telegraphed -that Friday. January lb. would lx- 1 convenient for him to attend the proposed field day. Arrangements are accordingly being made to conduct the field day on Friday, with the Minister of Agriculture and the other gentlemen interested.