THE DAIRY INDUSTRY.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 1693, 22 October 1887, Page 4

THE DAIRY INDUSTRY.

During the last session of Parliament there was pesented to both Houses of the General Assembly, by command of His Excellency, a report on the dairy industry of New Zealand from the agricultural branch. The report contains a large amount of interesting information, which may prove useful to the farmer m, we fear, the not far remote period when wheat growing shall have become insufficiently remunerative to engross so much of their attention as it does at the present time. In our opinion the time is not far distant when our farmers will have to rely principally on the produce of the dairy to return them adequate interest on their investment of capital and labor. This may be supplemented, it is true, by fruit culture, though the latter, we think, is not destined ever to become the almost sole substitute here for wheat culture as it has m Califor- 1 ota. Under these circumstances we deem it may be useful to our readers, if the present and subsequent articles, we direct their attention to the salient points ot the paper referred to. The report commences by referring to the fact that during the last year or two attention had been largely drawn to the growing importance of the dairying industry m this colony, and that during 1885 the production of butter and cheese received a great stimulus from the heavy demand m New South Wales for these articles, owing to the lengthened drought m Australia diminishing their own supply to such

an extent that the prices rose to an exceptional height there, greatly to the benefit of the New Zealand butter makers who, for the time being, received good prices for all qualities of butter. The quantity exported was very large, exceeding that of the previous year by upwards of 50 per cent. " Thus showing m a startling manner how readily our farming population can increase their production of an article for which there is a strong demand, even at short notice."

The report then proceeds to dilate thus upon our natural advantages with regard to this industry : — " There is no doubt that the soil and climate of a large extent of both Islands are wonderfully well adapted for carrying on dairying m all its branches, and has numerous advantages over those of other countries, as our climate is not so rigorous as to make it absolutely necessary to house stock during the winter, no do we suffer from protracted droughts like our neighbors m Australia, and the grass of our pastures can be fed off nearly all the year round. With all these natural advantages, dairying is bound to exercise a large influence among the settlers, and as the tendency appears to be towards {he factory system m both butter and cheese-making, a better and more even quality m the manufactured article, will take place to the advantage ot both producer and consumer." Farmers will do well to bear m mind the great natural advantages which we enjoy with regard to soil, climate and the absence of protracted droughts. By so doing they will have better " heart of grace " and morecoDfidence m accommodating themselves to the change — inevitable, we believe — when it comes.