BOARD OF AGRICULTURE.

Western Star, 30 October 1917, Page 3

BOARD OF AGRICULTURE.

The Board of Agriculture held several lengthy meetings last week at which important matters concerning the agricultural and pastoral industry were discussed. There was a large attendance of members, and the President (Sir James O. Wilson) was in the chair.

The .question of the shipping and storage space for meat and dairy produce and other matters were fully gone into 'with the Hon. W. D. S. Macdonald, Minister of Agriculture, who was present at the meeting. Export of meat, —It was pointed but that although the latest sheep returns show a large increase in the North Island, there has heen a. heavy mortality amongst hoggets, and the lambing in many districts is much below the average, which would probably do away with a considerable percentage of the surplus, yet the Board thought it would be in the interests of the country that farmers should be advised that owing to the shortage of shipping it would probably not be practicable to freeze and find space for all the stock coming to hand, and to urge them to provide winter feed wherever possible to rear any lambs that might be left over. It was also decided to recommend that farm-, ers should retain the best of their long woolled ewe lambs for breeding purposes; and that arrangements should be made to tin a number of second class fat old. ewes, and in order that this might be done to request the Government to make enquiries as to the possibility of securing a good supply of British or American tin plates for this purpose. The Board also recommendsd that, to ensure the freezing space being occupied to the fullest extent with the primest meat, it was desirable that the Inspectors passing the meat purchased by the Imperial Government should he more strict as to the quality so that only finished animals should be killed and sent Home..

Price of sheep skins.—A member of the Board called! attention to the fact that butchers and farmers were complaining that the prices, they were , receiving for sheep skins was under that arranged for with the Imperial Government, and it was decided to request the Minister to make inquiries as to. whether some steps could not be taken to remedy the complaint. Stud and Flock Books.—The Board met a number otf representatives from the Clydesdale Horse Society, the Draught Horse Stud Book (Canterbury), the North Island Sheep Breeders’ Association, and the Romney Marsh Sheep Breeders’ Association, and consulted with them aa to the possibility of arranging for an amalgamation of the various- Breed Societies in the Dominion so that there will not he more than one Association for any one breed; and of forming a National Live-stock Association for New Zealand. After a lengthy discussion it was decided to refer the. question of adopting uniform rules, ancj one. or two other points to> the Councils of the respective Associations for their approval. On receipt of replies, should the matter warrant it, a further - meeting of delegates fom the societies interested would he held in Wellington to endeavour to come to a final decision. It wasi also agreed that the conference of all Breed Associations to consider the matter of the formation edf a National Livestock Association should be deferred, pending the adjustment of the question of rules, etc.

Exportation of inferior stud sheep. —The Board also discussed the advisableness of the Government taking powers to prohibit the exportation of inferior stud sheep, and arrangements were mad© to obtain a report from the Department of Agriculture as to the best method of coping with this trouble.

Collection of sheep statistics. —A number of suggestions were received from Mr- E. Hardoastle, Agricultural Editor of the Christchurch Weekly Press, in regard to the date of collecting sheep statistics, pointing out that if the statistics could be obtained earlier in the season the farmers would have a better idea as to whether it was desirable to retain more ewe lambs and ewes suitable for breeding instead of killing and freezing them:, and prices would then automatically rule" the position. It was decided to communicate with the Government Statistician and to ascertain how far it would be practicable, to give effect to this suggestion under the present stress of work entailed on that Department in consequence of the war.

Wool Packs.—lt was reported that the wool packs required by the sheep owners would probably arrive in the Dominion, in time for the present season’s shearing.

Electricity on crops.—A report was received from Mr E. Parry, Chief Electrical Engineer, Public Works Department, with regard to the application of electricity to.the stimulation of crops and the results obtained by Professor Blackman, Professor of Plant Physiology, and Pathology, South Kensington, for which a> special grant had been made by the Development Commissioners in England. It was stated that in 1916, an increase of about 50 per cent, in grain and 85 per cent, in straw on a crop of oats was obtained as a result from over-head electrical discharge. Mr Parry, however, doubted whether the grain to he obtained would be so great in New Zealand as in England,

where they had much leas sunshine than there is in this country; but ho expressed, the opinion that there was no doubt a field for its application to the stimulation of special crops such as, garden Crops and fruit, and hoped to be able to make arrangements for testing the application df this method to the purpose named.

Amongst other matters dealt with were the High Commissioner’s weekly market cable; ear marking and branding of stock; “draft” on wool; the importation of grass seeds; organisation of female labour for farm work; prices for next .season’s butter and cheese; rural housing; the Scott Kilburn process for direct fixation of atmospheric nitrogen; ’ and development of the poultry industry. The wheat question. —A Committee of the Board later met the Chairman of the Board of Trade and again discussed the wheat question. It was arranged that after the Board of Trade had made an exhaustive enquiry into the question in the South Island, a joint meeting of the two Boards should be held for the purpose ’of giving the matter full consideration. •