LOOKING AHEAD.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 547, 30 June 1909, Page 10

LOOKING AHEAD.

THE RUSTLE IN THE WHEAT FIELDS,

AND THE GOOD SIGNS FOR DAIRYING.

All indications from south strengthen tlio expectations, expressed earlier in tho year, that tho area of New Zealand sqil under wheat this season will be a very largo one. Prgbably it will bo greater, even than the big area of, last year, when 250,000 acres were sown to _ wheat. In this tho" "farmers liavo shown wisdom, if tho present prospects can be depended on-, for tlioro is every likelihood that wheat prices will remain high after tho dwarfed harvest of the Northern Hemisphere is finished. Perhaps it is good for this poor oM earth that' there . aro two; hemispheres with opposite climates. In tho days when Joseph cornered tho wheat supplies in Egypt, there was' always a full year intervening from harvest to harvest, and Joseph was, therefore, on "a sure thing." Patten's corner, on the contrary, emphasised to the world—to two hemispheres—tho . fact that wheat was wanted in the north; and tho farmers in tho south accordingly made hasto to drill in more of it. The weather has helped to strengthen tho hopes of a good yield per acre, and tho young crops aro reported to be making splendid progress. Of. course, there is plenty ot timo yet for weal or W9O to overtake thorn, but bo far as a good beginning counts, the wheatgrowers_ aro fortunate. It is .to he hoped that this oxtensivo wheat-growing, with all the lessons it conveys on the subtle influences of tillage, with all the' close study it. demands, as to the composition, chemical behaviour, and influence of fertilisers, with all the watchfulness it involves. over markot conditions, milling qualities, plants breeding; experiments,' and' other calls upon the higher intelligence—has come to stay. Perhaps the rumours that many, southern pastoralists have sold their sheep and converted their shearing sheds into granaries, and their skoaring machines into reapers and binders, is mainly a picture of someone's imagination. Sheep flocks here and there are sold_ every year,- and old pasture lands be come in due rotation wheat fields. But a few clearing sales of sheep flocks do not constitute a stampede. . It is even pointed out by some who aro well informed-that Canterbury. graziers have been busily purchasing ewes to increase their flocks; And the fact that good young ewes cannot bo. obtained for less than about a sovereign a- head discredits the reported reductions. Nevertheless it is practically certain that, oven with' flocks unreduced, there have been increased areas sown against tho coming remunerative "wheat harvest. - •

": In regard to meat, the rush of the mutton and lamb trade, so far as the farmer himself is concerned, lias now subsided, though shipments afloat,; and to bo loaded,'are,; still heavy. The. low prices certainly damped. tho spirits of .meat raisers, and if wool prices had not recovered so splendidly,'the'/year's .experience; would have - been exceedingly discouraging. To soil a isheep carrying ss. worth of skin and wool for a total of Bs., is not the game that men go farming for.-''But this, plunge has, one hopes, been only temporary. .What is sorely/ needed is more markets. Few products, on tho jnglish. market have increased with such swiftness, in so few years, as have mutton and-lamb, and it is unreasonable to press ■'John . Bull to abandon his. traditional roast beef in favour of "prime and' to, make 'no effort lo gain admittance into, other lands whero inutton' is soarco. There are' many millions of .consumers in ' Europe, outside of tho British Isles, and; if admittance, be refused to all these for New Zealand; meat ; goods, perhaps the next best'-thing'would bo a preferential tariff with Britain, so; that Britain's ovvn colonies should,at least have the full benefit, of her lamb and, mutton trado. Tho prospects of & big clip and a big lambing' aro still as strong as ever, and tho : outlook says as clearly ' aS' possible that skocpfarmers next year will have the-plea-sant experience of making ends -meet. -. The dairying position is.strong:'' The":rise in butter values in Britain is vory .slow-, and on that account it will, bo surer. .:Tho signs are just now, in favour of consigning—a point which factory directors'will iio doubt keep tenaciously in mind; :whcn ! 'th6 day .of bargaining comes. Tho rule to: sell (if possible) on & falling market, and to consign when the market is rising has much common sense behind'it, arid, at present, it looks as if it will be a rising -market when' the bargains take place. This is. all good for. tho 'dairyfarmor. . But, of course, conditions' may change, and the dairyfarmers, and the directors of their factories,,, havo to .watch, for "this. It is a sure-sign .of prosperity when clairy cows are dear. ■ And they aro deal* —very dear—just now. Thanks.to'-the"Jer-sey: breeders, we are soon to havo in Now Zealand-herds of animals whose milking-pedi-grees will -bear tho hall mark of the State. If this movement be successfully carried out the' dairying, industry of ten years -hence ought to ,bn a great business. .....'