THE MAKING OF A FARM

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1776, 14 June 1913, Page 28

THE MAKING OF A FARM

FROM THE BEGINNING. A SANDON MAN'S UPS AND DOWNS. PIONEERING IN MANAWATU. Some day, in volume form, there will be published the records of the story of tho pioneering work of early New Zealand colonists. It will provide a romantic and thrilling narrative of adventure of the days when New Zealand was practically an unknown part of the world, and when men with large hearts braved the difficulties of early colonisation.

It is not, however, the purpose of these lines to follow the history of settlement of the Dominion, except to relate a few of the experiences of some of tho pioneers who yet survive, and, in the_ telling, to try and record some lessons that will be of value to the present generation. There is still a great work of colonisation going on. Much is being accomplished, and still more is to be attempted. Sons and daughters of tho old hands are in their turn going into back-block localities and courageously upholding the traditions of their forebears, though never again will they bo faced with the samo difficulties that confronted the pi.oneer settler in the past. From one extremity of the Dominion to the other tho story of early settlement is practically the same—a battle against the wilderness, where the strong arm and the stout heart eventually conquered.

For the purpose of this article the reader is asked to leave the well-known and oft-traversed railway route at Palmerston North and follow the main road towards Waiigauui. For the first eight miles or so he will travel through country which about thirty-five or forty years ago was one dense forest extending through the lvairanga to Levin and Rongotea on the one hand, and to Feilding, Cheltenham, and Kimbolton on the other. This belt of heavy bush country was then in the process of being transformed. To-day nothing remains of the virgin growth but here and there a few gnarled stumps and fallen trunks show where the forest giants once held possession. Leaving the natural bush line at Awahuri, a gentle incline brings the traveller to the summit of the watershed of the Oroua and Kangitikei Rivers, l'roni here a magnificent view of what has frequently been described as the finest stretch of level, all-purpose land in the Dominion, presents itself. From beyond Otaki in the south, until the undulations lose themselves to the northward in the hills beyond Kimbolton, and to the westward in the rising ghnmd overlooking Marten, this beautiful tract of country, with its rich pastures and agricultural potentialities, calls forth wonder and admiration. It has been estimated that two million acres lie between the mountains that divide the island and the sea, and within the limits already indicated. Enough land to support a principality. Less than fifty years ago nine-tenths of this area was in its primeval state. To-day, every acre is in occupation, ,and every year sees fresh developments and additional wealth being won.

In the Anricultural Belt. The writer recently gained some firsthand information regarding the history of settlement in the Saudon district from one of tho half-dozen of the remaining original settlers who have seen the transformation of the district from the beginning, and made a complete success of their shares-in tho venture. Most of the original selectors who. came to that part of tho Manawatu have gono to the Great Beyond; others are enjoying well-earned retirement elsewhere than in Sainton. All liad the same difficulties to contend against; and most have left a goodly heritage in the shape of highlyimproved farmi to those who have come h:to possession. The greater part of the Manawatu lying between Mount Stewart and tlie sea was originally covered with dense "flax, toi-toi, and manuka scrub When the first settlers went there a little over forty years ago, the whole of that part of the provinco was destitute of roads, railways, and telegraphic communication. Like most others men who have done things that count, these old pioneers have little to say regarding their own effort. Anecdote and narrative of each other s doings there are in plenty, but,of thenown struggles they are content to allow Ihe results to speak. The following is a brief summary of the experiences that were related by one of the old hands when walking over Bis wellkept farm which bears every evidenco of prosperity and few reminders of early struggle. Forty-one years ago tho settler in question and two mates, who had secured adjoining sections, struck the surveyors' blazed track that ran along the front boundary of the land they had selected in Wellington. With the aid of a chart, tho survey pegs were located and a site selected on the centre section for the tent that was to provide their first dwelling.

The First Wages. During the first five years or so Hie ditch and bank fences had been erected and the majority of the flax and scrub removed, and during that period a fair partner had thrown in her lot with the selector and was taking her part in Ihe home-making. A house had been built for Iter reception out of hand-sawn timber. Meanwhile, main road lines hart been cut and communication established with the outside world. The first wages that were paid out dated from the arrival of two horses .and a swing plough. It was then that the worries commenced. The exchequer was almost exhausted and tho only, revenue that was forthcoming off the farm was a sm»ll cheque for wool from sheep that had been obtained earlier—wool was then wains for one shilling per lb. Money was wanted, and after several' journeys between Wanganui, 30 odd miles away, and Wellington, just on 100 miles, a few hundred pounds were secured at 10 per cent, plus 2i per cent procuration fees, [ end loss of time and travelling expenses. That was the beginning of the agricultural work on tho farm. There was a fair demand for wheat and oats and a few acres were sown for a start and the area gradually extended. At that time there were no-birds or oilier destructive pests to interfere with the crons. The bind was simply ploughed, sown on the furrow, and given a stroke with the liar-, row. Tn later years at harvest time came a back delivery reaper. This was followed by band binders and it was extremely difficult to get men who could do the work well, although Is. an | hour was offering—a big price in those j davs. A portable engine and a threshing combine made its appearance in the district about that time, farmers having to wait their turn until the plant could be drugged to their stacks. A few more breeding ewes and milking cows had be-' i bought in, but the market for products was"not at all attractive. Prime wethers in 1887 were hard to sell at seven shillings, and fat owes for boilin" down went from four to five shillings. There was no sale at all for lambs. These were reared and sold as wethers, the best of the ewe lambs being kept for breeders. It was considered good luck in those days if -10 per cent of lambs reached maturity. Owing to the foul nature of the pastures lambs did not Jo well, and it was generallv necessary to drench them with a specific several times during the year to check the death-rate caused by lung and worm troubles. Tor tho product of the dairy there was scarcely any demand at all, from fourpence to sixpence per lb. for butter in exchange for stores being the best prices offering. Disheartening Years. After the cropping had been going on for some vears the yields began to decline. In" addition the introduction of double-furrow ploughs and self-binders, • that tied with wire bands, enabled fnrni- "" n-s to handle larger areas, and consequently prices fell and the combination ' of poorer crops and bad markets had a ■ disheartening effect. There wore many . who declared that the land was done i'oi ■ cropping and the country was played nut. . A few we're so linn in this belief that . they sold out, and started their pioneerhi" over again in other places. Those I who remained were well rewarded, for, shortly after, when everything seemed to

bo on tho point of failing, tho frozen moat trade began.

Tho Turning Point, ( The introduction of the refrigerator i soon altered tho whole prospect ot farm- < iiijj. Freezing works and dairy factories < sprang into existence, ensuring market prices that were beyond the imagination previously. Methods were slowly changed to meet the altered circumstances. It i is significant in this connection that tho dairy cow soon took pride of placo as a revenue-earner. Herds of from thirty to fifty cows were soon established in tho district, so that farmers could participate in the ready-money cheques thai, were distributed at the end of each month, iho labour required for this branch of enterprise provided profitable work for tho maturing families that had sprung up in the neigubourhood. That was the turning point. While the cows were bringing in the cash, portions of the farm not used lor grazing were being attended to, with the object of providing fattening material for ewes and lambs. Odd farmers began to sow field turnips, but with doubtful success. Seed-sowing drills anU manure had not yet been introduced, buti, the need soon provided the implement, wli\lo a fewsmall experiments taught that some kind of fertiliser was essential. The value ot good cultivation soon became recognised, and disc-harrows, cultivators) Cambridge rollors, and so on quickly made their appearance. Tho growing of gram which had been beset with fresh drawbacks, m the shape of rust and other fungoid parasites was still persevered with, but tho am under cultivation is becoming more restricted every year. First Fodder Crops. As soon as it was learned how to grow rape and turnips successfully, fat-lamb raising gained a great fillip, and the milking of cows having served its purpose, dairying now gave placo to the more pleasant occupation of raising lambs for market. Soil Fertility Hcnewed, As a result of the knowledge gained in the growing of root and fodder crops, and tho application of suitable manures, the producing qualities of the land have rapidly increased. Land that was almost worn out twenty years ago by continuous cropping and primitive- cultivation has been brought to a more profitable state than ever. This is well illustrated in the great crops of rye-grass seed that form one of the most valuable branches of fanning in the Manawatu at the present time. There is now no sickness witn lambs, because the deadly niicrobes have been robbed of their breeding-grounds. There is a ready market for every commodity that can be produced, and farming altogether is plain sailing compared with what it was twenty-five years ago. Tho younger generation of farmers aro now responsible for the and, while the requirements of modern farming and marketing still cry aloud for brains, intelligence, aud applied knowledge, tho means are at hand that will enable agriculturists to keep in tho van of progress, The New Era. So rapid has been the change from the old to the new that customs that were quite up-to-date a few years ago have now to give place to the new order of things, ■ aud so tlio work of production and scientific treatment tff the land will go on. Before leaving the homestead under notice, which is typical of thousands of others, it is interesting to refer to the : changes that have taken place in the i farm equipment during the past thirty years. At that time a plough, harrows, and reaper constituted tho machinery needed. To-day tho plough is still tho most important implement, but other very necessary items in the equipment are cul- : tivators, discs, harrows of different kinds, manure, and seed drills A portable oil--1 engine has recently been introduced to ' provide power to drive the shearing ma- ' chines, threshing machine, and circular : saw that it has been found necessary to ; instal in order to lessen the cost ot production, and meet the difficulties in se- : curing farm labour at particular seasons. ' A hand-separator does away with old ; troubles in the dairy, while tho installa- . tion of a rural telephone has proved a ■ boon both from the domestic and commercial standpoint. No petrol-driven , carriage has yet been found indispensable.

No doubt that vehicle will coma iu duo course.

Tho tendency overywhero is to make each homestead self-contained, an far as equipment goes, and makers of farm machinery have not been slow in meeting the demand.

The Value of Draining. > c Another old settlor on', tho Rangitikei t side related a similar exporienco to tlio j foregoing. He at one time was tempted i to seek fresh fields for his energy because [ of tho diminishing productivity of his farm. It seemed to him at one timo. I that he must either sell out or gain pos- ( session of more land. Tho former alter- ] native was against his inclinations, while i straitened finances and a decided objection i to I ho mortgagee niado tho other impos- j sible. While lie was in that state of mind I ho recalled a practice that his father had adopted in tho Homeland on similar conn- i try, and immediately determined to give it a trial on his colonial homestead. The farm in question, which is typical of the surrounding country, used to become sodden and unworkable after ,wintcr rains and so dry in summer that' tho growing crops were starved and stunted from lack : of moisture. To remedy this ho determined to try the effect of underground drainage, and eventually procured the services of a mole plough'. The few acres treated in tho experiment showed such satisfactory results that it was not long before other and larger areas wore srnii-larly-dealt with. In the course of time the whole farm has been honeycombed either with the plough or with drain tiles, and although hundreds of pounds in cash have been spent in this way tho work done underground has paid handsomely. Other farmers havo 'followed the example with equal profit 'to themselves. The cultivated parts of the particular farm under notice, liko the majority of its neighbours, is mainly used for growing oats for chaffing purposes. Tho benefit of the draining where properly done is found in the fact that the removal of surface water enables tho teams to be worked at times when it would havo been • impossible before > tho drains were put in. This ensures that the soil is always in 'a fit state for cutlivation. In addition!, thi yield of chaff per aero is now two-thirds greater than it was formerly, and a better sample. This experience provides a very instructive ob-ject-lesson of the value of applied knowledge. The Men Who Tackled the Bush. While the early settlers were breaking in tho agricultural lands on the western side of Mount Stewart, the axes were at work on the forest-clad areas to the south and eastward. Numbers of these men who have conquered and earned well-won retirement were asked for their experiences. They have all the same story to tell of hard work, no roads or markets, . and tho difficulty in getting cash to carry on with. Looking over the transformed country to-day, with its rich pastures, carrying thousands upon thousands of well-fed sheep and cattle, and showing other undeniable evidoncc3 of permanent prosperity, it is difficult to realise that some of the present occupants had little more than tho "hope that springs eternal" to .sustain them a . few ■ years ago. Some have made si competence by milking cows, and others by'breeding sheep. It is only a matter of anothpr few years' work when, the present occupiers of tho land will have removed all'traces of the forests that once held sway. The old tree stumps are being uprooted to make wav for the plough, and another decade will almost see the transformation completed. Looking back over iho past many regrets are expressed that forco of circumstances compelled the wilful destruction of millions upon millions of feet of splendid milling timber True, a few sawmills were in operation in different parts, ■ but only the very choicest trees were put on the saw-bench. Giant totaras, matais, and pines were felled and reduced to • ashes. Such'sawmills as existed were, ■ however, the salvation of many a small ■ struggling settler. Here ho could find employment,, and save a. few pounds for ex- . penditure on his allotment. Here and . there men With capital had taken up larger areas, and the ensh that they had available for distribution in tho early '. days provided one of tho greatest aids to "successful settlement. From the Past to the Present. '. Now that tho i farms have been fenced,

grassed, and subdivided* it is easy going for thoso who follow tlio original settlors. There is a good market for everything produced, and dairy factories and freezing works send out an almost continuous flow of cash the year round. Where dairying is followed tho drudgery of former days lias been reduced to a minimum by tlio introduction of power-drivon milking milchines and home separation plants. Work that formerly engaged the attention of the whole family for long hours daily is now accomplished in it lew hours by tlio aid of machinery. The refrigerator has taught tho grazier tho most profitablo breeds of sheep to cultivate, while experience and instruction have provided valuable education in tho moans to be employed in tho management, care, and feeding of flocks, both for tho production of wool and mutton. The (locks of tlio Manawatu require no eulogy here, for they liavo already won for themselves honourable distinction in show rings, and earned a high place on the oversea markets.

The Price of Land. Talks with old farmers on 'tho possibilities and probabilities of the future have all led to the same conclusion. In tho light of present-day knowledge and education in farming matters no ono can foretell what the years to follow have to reveal. One. one point, however, most thinkers are agreed. Tho price of land is increasing at a greater ratio than its productiveness warrants. While it is all very well to point to improved markets and tho employment ot better methods of extracting wealth from the soil, it has also to bo remembered that other changes aro taking place that have a close relation to profits. People live on an entirely different plane of luxirry now to what they did twenty years ago. Simple comforts and pleasures of the past are disregarded in the present days of luxury, and very often lead to extravagance. Again, there are too many speculative land jobbers who look to quick sales of property for a turnover, instead of farm- ! ing the land, as it should be farmed. All these speculations give the prico of land an upward tendency until it reaches a fictitious figure. Men with small amounts of capital who have been attracted towards farming because of alluring tales of bulky factory cheques are too often sadly disappointed with tlio results that follow their own endeavours. When, it comes to paying sixty pounds an acre and upwards ior dairying land the occupier requires to know something, more than tho rudiments of farming. Unfortunately too large a percentage of the young men who ore taking on these stupendous tasks have not the necessary knowledge or the cash required to enable them to make the most of their opportunities. The same thing applies to all classes of farming. Unless a man knows his business thoroughly, and has a fair amount of cash, the prospects of making the farm his own eventually are not at all promising. It is not denied that many families are doing well for themselves by dairying, but it is held that too largo a proportion are working to pay interest charges, and show little, progress financially At the end of each year. On the surface they appear to be doing fairly well when markets and seasons aro favourable, but nnder the temporary stress of unforeseen circumstances many aro forced to tho wall, and at 'the endi of years of labour in which the the family have participated they aro little, if any, better off than, when they started.

Sage Advice, The older men advise caution nnd recommend the beginner with a small amount of capital not to be too ambitious at the outset. Milking on shares has Riven many a good start, .tnd provided tire basis for the division of tho profits is fairly arranged, share milking is to be preferred rather than independent effort. As an alternative, the would-be dairyman is advised to secure the~lease, with a pur-, chasing clause, of a small but rich piece of land, and concentrate his energies on increasing its carrying capacity by growing such crops as will keep Ins cows up to their maximum of production.

The making of a crop into ensilage cnablos the maximum amount to be saved and fed, and produces a greater percentage of feed than hy any other known method. The silo assures a succulent feed for 12 months in tlift year, uliilo tliero are several months in whifch the pastures are out of use, and green feed cannot bo had.