RANGIAOHIA.

Waipa Post, Volume VI, Issue 260, 31 October 1913, Page 3

RANGIAOHIA.

(Own Correspondent)

A meeting of the Hairini branch of the New Zealand Farmers’ Union was held in the hall here on Monday evening last. The attendance was.not as large as the circumstance warranted, but still a fairly large number of representative settlers were present. The principal business for the evening was an address by Mr Primrpse McConnell, Manager of the Ruakura Experimental Farm. Mr Geo. Hall, president of the local branch, was in the chair, and in introducing Mr McConnell, referred to the mistaken ideas formerly held by farmers re experimental farms, but that fortunately these farms were now being looked upon as being a great boon to settlers generally, and. a means of importing good advice founded on practical experiments. Mr McConnell, in his preparatory remarks, also referred to the old idea that such farms were the result of “ fads,” etc., but that now all this was altered, and as a proof of this mentioned the thousands of letters handled at the farm, such letters, in most cases, being for the purpose of

seeking advice, and also called attention to the fact of the number of visitors continually coming to the farm to view the experimental work done there. In referring to the value of experimental work in farming, Mr McConnell said that even if only one experiment proved a success it must prove a financial benefit to the whole community, and as an instance called attention to the rust-proof oat that had been produced at Ruakura. This discovery alone should be the means of putting thousands of pounds into the pockets of the farmers of this country. •In speaking of the growth of green foods for dairy cattle, Mr McConnell said that he wished it to be understood that he (the speaker) was yet a learner in this branch of farming, and that instead of laying down any hard and fast rules in the matter, he would prefer to discuss the matter generally with those present and answer any questions as to what he thought best, locality, soil, etc., taken into consideration. Many questions were forthcoming, and this matter of green feed was fully gone into, Mr McConnell giving highly satisfactory replies to the queries put, and also sound advice. . In passing on to the subject of manures and manuring, the speaker emphasized the fact that manure without careful cultivation was, to a certain extent, waste, and impressed upon those present that it is far more economical to do a little and well than to go in for larger areas in a slip-shod manner. Land once broken should be kept cultivated until the time arrived for its again being laid down to pasture. Manuring was a science, and here again experiments_jvere" absolutely necessary to arrive at the most suitable material to use. '

Analysis of soil alone was, not sufficient, for although such analysis would show the different constituents of the soil, yet 'lt did not show whether thes^e, several constituents were in th'p soil in an available form. Ih ferring to the need of scientific experimenting in manuring the soil,- Mr McConnell laid stress on the fact that manure for one particular class of soil would be possibly useless or harmful in a different soil, giving as an instance *he Canadian soil, which generally needs nitrogen, whereas New Zealand soil as a general rule has an abundknt supply of that highly necessary constituent. The speaker then most emphatically impressed on his hearers the great value of ploughing in green crop tor manuring purposes, giving many instances where such had been done and successful growth followed. Nothing on the farm in the form of vegetable matter should be burned, in fact stubble pays for ploughing in. The great benefits derived from top-dressing was then referred to, and the speaker here reminded those present of the rapid deterioration of the soil, especially the higher lands and thus the need for top-dress-ing, and here Mr McConnell sounded a note of warning re over-stocking. Less stocking’and more manure would, in the speaker’s opinion, be a more

economical proposition for the settler generally. Top-dressing is useless in badly-drained soils, therefore draining is necessary in order that such top-dressing may be of benefit to the soil. Lime was a most useful article on the farm, but here again the needs of the soil must be ascertained. In old and rich pastures lime only will have a beneficial effect, as it will also in sour lands sweetening such lands and eradicating sorrel, moss, etc., as well as destroying various parasites. Carbonate of lime, preferable to burnt lime, the latter in some instances being harmful to the soil. Lime must not, as a general rule, be mixed with other fertilisers. In top-dressing a heavy dressing at long intervals is much to be preferred to light dressing often, and the speaker here again stated that manuring was an economical proposition and must be treated as such if the best results were to be obtained, and another point to be remembered by the farmers was that it was

not always the manure that gave the quickest and perhaps the heaviest crop that was to be desired, but such manure as would, while assisting in producing other crop, also confer a more lasting benefit on the soil. Mr McConnell was listened to most attentively throughout and the sound advice given was highly appreciated by all present. Various questions were asked and suitably and ably replied to, after which, on the motion of the chairman (Mr Hall), a very hearty vote of thanks was given to Mr McConnell, who, in reply, very kindly offered his services if at any time he could be of use, and concluded by extending a most hearty invitation to one and all to visit Ruakura and see the work being done there.