H.—29.

both produce and live-stock were depressed in accord with the. general low level of prices associated with the farming industry, exceptions to this being the prices obtained for wool and lambs. The accommodation available at the Ruakura Farm Training College has been fully occupied during the year, which speaks well for the reputation that the teaching in agriculture at the institution has gained for itself. Te Kauwhata Horticultural Station. The Te Kauwhata Horticultural Station has been conducted on lines essentially similar to those followed in recent years, the main activities relating to the vineyard and the manufacture of wine. As a result of favourable weather, the grape crop was a heavy one, and produced 15,500 gallons of wine. There was a considerable increase in the sales of wine in comparison with the previous year, this being some indication of the public demand for sound wine at a reasonable price. The returns from wine (15,846 gallons) amounted to £6,905. The Plant Research Station. As formerly, much of the work of the Plant Research Station was carried out in co-operation with the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research. Both at Palmerston North (in laboratories and in field trials) and at Marton (on the Experimental Area) pastures are studied in their manifold aspects. The search for improved strains of pasture-plants continues, and trials in progress are designed to throw light upon such practical problems as pasture establish ment, top-dressing, and utilization. A wide range of arable crops is under investigation at Palmerston North, Marton, and particularly at the Government Pure Seed Station, which is located at Lincoln on land leased from Canterbury Agricultural College. Work of prospective fundamental importance at Marton Experimental Area relates to the technique of crop experiments, upon which depends the validity of conclusions from investigational work. The samples of seeds received for examination totalled 15,193—an increase of 3,243 compared with the number in the previous year—and involved 24,000 tests. Extensive work is in progress in the sphere of plant protection— i.e., relative to diseases and pests of economic importance. In general the work of the Plant Research Station and associated areas has been a continuation of and, to a limited extent, an extension of the work of recent years, some details of which are available in the appended statements of the heads of various sections. Wallaceville Veterinary Laboratory. The work organized by the Wallaceville Veterinary Laboratory has been of its previous important, sound, and extensive nature. Greater knowledge of mastitis and grass tetany of cows and more insight into certain diseases of pigs have been obtained. The work on semen samples from bulls, with the practical purpose of classifying bulls for use by means of sperm morphology, has been continued, as has valuable work on diet in relation to disease. A new departure is the providing of accommodation for Dr. M. McOwan, M.A, B.Sc, Ph.D., a Carnegie scholar who is working on vitamin problems. Dr. Moil', of the Dairy Division, is also stationed at Wallaceville in convenient proximity for consultations on matters of possible concern to the Live-stock and the Dairy Divisions. The wide range of activities receiving attention at Wallacevillo are indicated concisely in the report of Mr. Hopkirk, Officer in Charge, which is appended. The Chemical Laboratory. The customary large volume of work of economic value has been carried out by the Chief Chemist and his staff. Financial assistance no longer being available from the Empire Marketing Board, work on the mineral content of pastures had to be curtailed considerably. It was demonstrated during the year that so-called " limonites " from different sources or subjected to different treatments differed greatly in their feeding or curative value. At Morton Mains, Southland, the use of limonite over two years has been associated with successful lamb-raising where previously this was not possible. Previous work relative to pampas grass as a fodder has been continued and confirmed in the field. As this has taken place on soil exceptionally rich in all plant-foods, especially phosphoric acid, it is of moment to determine the feeding-value of pampas grass on poorer soils. Bone analyses have been carried out in connection with disorders in lambs. In co-operation with the Plant Research Station in connection with manurial trials pasture samples have been analysed. An extensive iodine investigation is in progress. That the work which was carried out in connection with soils was of considerable value to the Department and

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