FARMING PROSPECTS.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1349, 29 January 1912, Page 8

FARMING PROSPECTS.

THE ROAD TO I'HOSrERITT. After all, pays the Auckland "Herald," referring to tlie dairy industry, our prosperity largely depends upon ourselves. Jf the dairy-tanners brin<j into their herds acknowledged butter'-faf-producers, ai»l if they provide them with sticenler.r pasturage, with nuiize and other fjrceii tedders lor the h'it summer weather, viitli hay, ensilage, and rcois for winter, tney are much mure likely to make dairying pay than the men" .who u.-e poor cows, put them 011 indifferent pasture, and make 110 provisions either for drought conditions or winter scarcity. The sanw thin? applies ill all other metnocls of tanning. If a man desires to obtain the Ix-st results from sheep, lie must select the best type of animal'for Ins particular country, and must make proper provision in the way of abundant and varied food, so that mature sheep may roccive 110 cheCk, and the lambs know no want from the time of their birth until tiicy aro ready for the freezing works. It is really the same with field crops ns it js with stock; the fanner who cultivates his soil properly, who uses good seed, and supplies the right kind of manure, is practically as sure of good results as a farmer can be. whilst the man wljo puts 111 any kind o£ seed, anyhow, and begrudge* manure, can onlv get docent results by accident. There are curtain resolutions or ambitions or ideals which the farmer might well niftko for this New Year and for other years to eome. Tie may not bo able to carry his good intentions into effect suddenly, but he can win through eventually. The dairy-farmer should aim at a dairy cow to the acre, and at least -IflOlb. of butter-fat per season from each cow. He will not realise both ideals all in a hurry. As a matter of fact, to MlO many men who are starting on new land with a small amount oY capital, such results may seem impossible: but with the persistent application of energy, forethought, aud the experience of others, these results are within the reach of every farmer in New Zealand. It may take six or seven of some land to keep a cow in some districts, but any modern farmer will acknowledge that where land can be cultivated the manuring and renewal of grasses, with the growth of fodder crops and roots, will readily permit one cow to be maintained in liigh-ciass condition 011 one acre. The farmers of New Zealand should aim high. There are illimitable vistiw open before them. Twenty years ago practically the only products" of the land wc could ship overseas wc-re wool, grain, aud hides. Refrigeration and the. establishment of fine steamship lines have enabled us to send for thousands of miles the most perishable of products—butter and meat. A year ago or a little more New Zea land's outside markets were largely confined to Great Britain, America, Australia, and South Africa. To-day the markets of the world are opening to us. America and Canada -are demanding otii high-class butter, and soon will want our ineats and fruits. The barriers which Continental countries established to keep out importation of frozen mutton and beef will soon be broken down, and we may yet see German, French, Italian, and Austrian buyers in the held for New Zealand lamb. Market prices may iluetuate a little, but they are not likelv ever to come down again to the levels of past years, and moreover New Zealand farmers can, if they like, do much hi regulate the markets for their own produce. New Zealand frozen meat is still shipped haphazard, and delivered into the hand* of agents, who frequently compete witli 0110 another as lo which can sell the cheapest. The bulk of New Zealand meat is not sold under its own name, and much inferior frozen meat is sold n.s prime Canterbury or other, well-known brands.

Much the same thing can be said of New Zealand butter. There is no reason whatever why our prime grades should not sell at as .high a price as Danish butters. Nor is there any reason why we cannot obtain much nearer the retail price for our butter than we obtain now. There are savin;; and profit and wider markets to be obtained in the future by co-operation and organisation among New Zealand farmers, both in their own markets and in foreign countries. It is all very well to hand over the products of the farm to agents and speculators, but the time is fast approaching when it is essential that the men on the land should take a leading part in handling the materials on which they depend for their profits. It is probable that at the present time New Zealand fanners only obtain about one-third or one-half the amount which consumer.-; pay for thsii products. They have practically no control over market prices, or even over the manner in which their goods are handled or supplied to the public. In Ihe happy 7iew years to come no doubt this state of things will be changed, and our farmers, who now have to accept almost any price which their customers like to offer, will fix their own price and be able, to get it. This may seem somewhat optimistic to those who so readily believe that Australia or Argentina or Siberia or China con beat us out of all our markets, but when it is fully realised, that tho industrial populations of tlip world are growing in numbers and wealth .it a greater rate than the agricultural populations, it will bo seen that the farmer is in a stronger position to-day than ever he was in the world's history before, and with the coming years his position is likely to grow stronger. AH this noes to show that our farmers can well afford to be cheerful at the prospects Wore them, and that the good wishes for their future prosperity ha.ve every chance of bcin:: realised.