BELFAST CO-OPERATIVE EXPERIMENTS.

New Zealand Journal of Agriculture, Volume VII, Issue 5, 20 November 1913, Page 515

BELFAST CO-OPERATIVE EXPERIMENTS.

E. Clifton.

The work undertaken by the Department at Belfast, Canterbury, in conjunction with the Canterbury Frozen Meat Company, is an example of the most valuable type of co-operative experimentation. It conforms almost entirely to the method that has been so highly appreciated in Ireland under the direction of that famous administrator of agricultural development, Sir Horace Plunket. Experimental plots were undertaken under the control of the Irish Board of Agriculture. They were located at convenient country centres, principally where farmers foregather. They exemplified the experiments most in demand in the particular district in which they were located. We have practically similar conditions in connection with the experiments at Belfast, a centre where many of the farmers of North Canterbury have business to transact and thereby have a good opportunity to investigate the work in the experimental fields. The whole of the operations are under the personal direction of Mr. Arthur P. Hopkins, the Manager at Belfast, who is an enthusiast in the work, co-operating in the most complete harmony with the Fields Instructor of the South Island,' Mr. A. Macpherson. Mr. Hopkins’s services are always at the command of visitors, and, realizing as he does the value of complete data, he is always in a position to give exact information in regard to the experimental work in progress. ... The experiments cover many descriptions of root crops, chiefly mangels, swedes, turnips, and carrots. With regard to fodder crops, silver-beet has made the Belfast plots famous. In the opinion of Mr. Hopkins this plant is proving the most valuable of all plants that have lately been included .in the farm economy. Chou moellier is another crop which has been tested well with excellent results at Belfast. Lucerne of several varieties is also being grown, and well merits the most careful attention of visiting farmers. Originally the plots at Belfast covered some 14 acres. Now they embrace a further area of 10 acres, or, in all, 24 acres.