TME SCOTTISH AGRICULTURAL OUTLOOK

Ashburton Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 1927, 24 August 1888, Page 3

TME SCOTTISH AGRICULTURAL OUTLOOK

An Edinburgh correspondent writes as ' follows to the "Danedln Star" under date June 29: — The extreme depression over the agricultural ilor zon is but. very slightly lightened by the better trade In sheep and cattle, and by a fairly good crop last year. When leases expire farms have to be let at much lower rents. As yet grain, especially wheat, is very low In prloe, and the gra»t inflai of dklry produce from abroad is beginning to tell on the dairy farma-a, who have hlth< rto escaped wonderfully. You New Zsa* landers are now Bending us cbeeie which, from some of the factories, suoh as the one at Gore, beats the Yankees, and I have no doubt, with lessened oharges for height and carriage, a great trade will be oreated. Quality Is everything when there ii keen oompetltiun. The Wlgtonihiro farmers pay the beat cheese-maker m their country some £500 a year to act as Inspector or Instructor. He goes round all the dairies as it suiti his convenience, without notloe, and checks any carelessness on the part of the makers, This keeps the artlole up to the highest level m regards quality. I look on Southland as likely to become a great <Uiry district. Of course the Yankees have an advantage ove* you of ohet>p freight. For instancy wheat from Chicago to London costs 4s a quarter ; from New Zealand the cost is 12i » quarter— that is, before it is m the miller's hands. Though the tenants and the landlords and thcaa dependent on them have suffered greatly, they form after all the great minority of the people, and the faot is undoubted that the other classes of the community have profited largely by their loss. Food being obeap, and wagps good, those la»t are comparatively well i ff.