Army Mystery Worm. :i9;*) 



States and Canada in combating grasshoppers. About a hundred 

 pounds of bait should he spread to the acre. In general, baiting is 

 most useful in checking the migration of the mystery worm from the 

 veld or from ravaged lands into new lands. It is advised that a few 

 furrows be ploughed immediately in front of the movement and 

 heavily baited. The soil can be harrowed afterwards, and thus any 

 danger to stock be removed.' The baiting should be extended into 

 the lands if many of the worms get past the barriei'. If arsenit* of 

 soda is not available, it is recommended that anj^ strongly arsenical 

 cattle dipping preparation be tried in its stead, employing three times 

 the strength of solution used in long-interval dii)ping. 



Advice on the Farm. 



A well-known farmer in the Caledon district, commenting on an 

 api)lication by the Department for certain instructors and experi- 

 mentalists, says that he strongly advocates the appointment of good 

 ])ractical men able to explain to the farmer on his farm the latest 

 results of agricultural investigations and to demonstrate to him how 

 to apply this knowledge, bearing in mind local conditions. He con- 

 siders practical education on the farm by Government experts of 

 greater value and cheaper than the establishment of numbers of 

 experiment farms, but admits that specially selected stations for 

 experimental work are indispensable. Referring to the wheat and 

 wool industries of his district, he emphazizes the necessity for economy 

 in production, and considers that wheat growing and sheep farming 

 should go hand in hand in order to improve the fertility of the soil 

 and increase its production. He advocates the use of suitable lands 

 as sheep pasturage and the growing* of green crops in rotation for the 

 same purpose to provide for economy in production and aid in the 

 improvement of soil feitility, green crops not consumed to be turned 

 under as manure. 



The policy of the Department follows closely the lines suggested 

 above. Apart from the research and experiments of the various 

 divisions, experimental and investigational work is being' centred at 

 the five schools of ag*riculture and experiment stations, and from these 

 five points extension work is carried out, such as co-operative experi- 

 ments on private farms and lectures and demonstrations throughout 

 the country. Experiments in the feeding of sheep and the increase of 

 soil fertility, very much of the nature outlined above, are now being- 

 conducted at certain of the experiment stations. 



The Department is alive to the value of practical demonstrations 

 on the farm by qualified instructors. The foundation of such advice is 

 laid in the experiment stations and the lessons learned there will in 

 the course of time reach the farmer. It must not be overlooked, 

 however, that experimental work extends sometimes over many years 

 and that suitable officers have to be trained. The country is vast and 

 its problems many, so that time, patience, and money are necessary. 

 As it is, the best that the men and money available can give is being- 

 put before the farmer, and year by year he reaps the benefit of inves- 

 tigations commenced long since. 



