AGRICULTURAL DEPARTMENT.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LXXXII, Issue 19367, 25 July 1925, Page 8

AGRICULTURAL DEPARTMENT.

RECOGNITION OF VALUABLE SERVICE TRIBUTE PAID TO MR J. W. DEEM A particularly high tribute was paid to Air J. W. Deem, of the Agricultural Department, by Mr W. Morrison at last night’s smoke concert, conducted by the Rapanui, Brunswick and Westmere branches of the Farmers’ Union, at Westmere, when proposing the toast of the “Field Division of the Department of Agriculture.” In Mr Deem, he sfeid. they had a practical man, who was of very groat assistance to the farmers in this district. (Hear, hear.) The speaker said the opinion that the land on this cofest did not require top-dressing as extensively as other parts of New Zealand had been exploded by reason of the instruction and practical demonstrations provided by Mr Deem and other members of the Department. They found that where top-dressing was practised they received infinitely better results. .His personal conviction that the land did no require a good deal of top-dressing had gone by the board, and he found that it wtas essential to top-dress even in this dis-

trict th<at possessed good quality land. Mr Deem and other officers of tha Department had proved conclusively that it was necessary to top-dress continuously. When the matter wae viewed logically, it behoved farmers—particularly the dairymen who took sa much from their land—to put back some of their returns on to the land. “Mr Deem has been largely responsible for the increase in production on this coast, and if it had not been for him we would not have taken on topjdressing so extensively on this coast,” jhe added. (Hear, hear). Mr Deem, deserved groat credit for his efforts tn (stimulate the interest of the fhrmen jin matters calculated to increase pro | duct ion and improve the value of theil | farms generally. The produce exiported from the Dominion to the Home imarket was valued at £50,000,000 fe .year, hut if they could obtain even 25 per cent, more produce from their land by intensive cultivation and close attention to pastures—as he believed I they could —it meant a big thing t< I the farming community. It meant, [perhaps, the saving of the situation. [So when they had men like Mr Deem in their midst they were on safe ground in accepting their advice, remarked Mr Mnrrison in conclusion. (Applauses. Air Deem acknowledged the toast, and in doing so referred to the value of top-dressing.