THE RURAL YEAR

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2826, 18 July 1916, Page 8

THE RURAL YEAR

AGRICULTURAL SEASON 1 • • MINISTER'S REPORT •In the. course of his annual report on ■ _,lhe year's work of the -Department' of ■ Agriculture, the Minister (the- Hon. W. ,D. 5.!.-MacDonald) says:— tho whole of, tho year the agriculture of New Zealand lias proceed«d'under~the stimulus of the Great War, with its huge demand for food and clothing for the Empire and Allied Forces. Another immensely-enhanced record has made in the value of our agricul- . ]tural exports, while the volume of production has also substantially increased. The .resulting great _ surplus of funds credited'to the Dominion has provided the farming industry' with means fcr development at a time when dependence on outside capital . might have proved .1 utile. The buoyancy of the national tevenue—due also mainly to the i'largo- returns ; received by the country from primary products—has enabled State expenditure on agricultural advancement to be well (maintained. Our primary -products-may bo'legitimately . regarded as munitions of war, and money spent by tho State in promoting increased production ik in effect helping to win tho war. Nevertheless, various ■much-required extensions of the activities of the Department of Agriculture could not be undertaken under existing conditions, and several v important schemes involving additional outlay hava •had to. be deferred. - , 'A. very, favourable season in general -was experienced by the larger part of the -Womihion-tbe .whole of the- North .Island, Southland, and South Otago in ; .particular. Canterbury, North Otago, : and to ft great extent Marlborough, unfortunately suffered ' from i prolonged -droughty feather; which, following d : .previous dry season, was very -severely ' -felt.- It is pleasing ,to record that to- ; ..wards the end of tho period under review thoso adverse conditions were re Jieved by genial rains, since when the ,mucli-tried districts have made a good .tecovery. While the year has been one ..oi great prosperity to the agricultural .community in general, it should- not 1* .overlooked that the high prices of tom- , .modities now ruling are not all on the .primary producer's side... The farmer .has had to pay largely, increased prices Joy, implements, Jencing-matorial, fertilisers; and other requirements of his .rise in freight rates .on produce exports has'also been against him.. . The Wheat Yield. ."largely increased areas, as compared with the previous year, were .sown in cereals, and under normal conditions'a - heavy total production of wheat would have resulted. Owing, however, to the persistently dry weather, and other adverse conditions in Canterbury,' which ■ rs the 'granarj- of New Zealand,"-domi-j nates (lie position, the average per-acre yield of wlie.at was reduccd to little moro than two-thirds*,of tlio average Over a number of years. The outcome has been a - total production- ,of wheat hardly greater than that yielded by the previous year's lesser acreage. The' require-. , Meats of the Dominion are, however covered—a matter for genuine ' satisfaction 111 these times of general economic .Disturbance. It is much to be regretted v that wheat-growers as a whole wero ■ neither favoured by yield nor market, and on broad national grounds the. .hope !.•> expressed that- the area . devoted -to • this vital crop may not bo ■ materially reduced for next season in consequence. Commendable enterprise appears to havu been shown in'the chief cereal districts during the past autumn as regards winter-wheat sowing, and if this is fol'^v. Idwed up by. reasonably liberal sowinm the position should. be fairly well assured. Taking the Dominion as a "wlvolcthe production of annual field ci'ofis,' apart, from wheat, last season was fairly--satisfactory, and does not'call for ' special comment. ' "lii-regard to field cropping in the Dominion (generally, there wonld appeal teste some need, for greater, adaptability • ill methods of cultivation. Varying cli"matic conditions require to be anticipated and-provided against to a greater extent. In districts where droughty seasons l.av*. to be not uncommon a modified form of "dry farming" would probably

te sound' practice, profitable both to th& tanner and couiitrv.

Tho Importance of Pastures.

While animal-products, such as meat dairy-produce, and wool, remain th«. chiel agricultural staples of New Ze.v and, the factor of pastures must alwavi be one of supreme importance. With t£fl exception of tho dry districts previously named, the past season's grass crop was good and grazing operations "fav</ired. Although the Dominion as a. whole has a well-deserved fame pastorally, there can be no doubt that the larger" part of thu grass-pasture, especially so-called permanent pasture, is capable of very f.r'eat improvement. This is a subject which i* now receiving particular attention from the Department, and valuable results may be expected in due course from these investigations. There is also great necessity for widespread establishment of moro or less permanent forage crops that will thrive iu dry weather and stand tudicious grazing. Lucerne, well managed, undoubtedly fills these latter'requirements. It is already successfully grown on a fairly large-scale in several districts!and plot tests in every part of the country have put the crop past the -experimental 6tage. The time appears to be ripe for a general forward movement iu lucernccultivation, and there are ■ indications that such a movement is steadily gathering way. 'These remarks are" largely prompted -by consideration of the hard experience last, season of hundreds, if not thousands, of'farmers iu the dry districts and of the great loss of wealth which might have been avoided by more adaptive grazing practice.

Health of the Stock. "The health of the live stock as a whole was good throughout the year. Constant vigilance is needed, however, to maintain the high reputation of the Dominion in regard to freedom from animal disease. Judging by the year's data more active steps are necessary in order to get tuberculosis in cattle and pigs fully under control. With the co-operation of stocjcowners in adopting preventive sures there is no reason why the comparatively small incidence of this disease in New Zealand should not be reduced to /vanishing point. Some troublesome outbreaks of blackleg, among young cattlo in certain parts of the South Auculand district have been met ]>y quarantining and inoculation measures similar to those which have been so successful in controlling this disease, in Taranaki. Several other animal troubles of lesser import have been overcome'or aro under investigation bjv'tlie veterinary officers. "The year's wool-clip was satisfactory in general as regards both quality and quantity, while further advances were' recorded in prices. Wool thus easily maintained its position in point of value at tho top of the list of New Zealand exports. Combining with wool the value of the .mutton and lamb output, together with skins and sundries, the 6Ur premacy of the sheep in New Zealand agricultural production is more outstanding than ever. Frozen Meat Industry. "A further marked expansion of'the frozen meat industry, tobic place during the year, several new works having been completed and others cammenceu A large increase 111 the cold storage accommodation or existing works was also effected. These developments have eiiablell the growing output or tho industry to be ■ handled with comparative ease. A serious block in shipments, owing to' insufficiency ot refrigerated ■ tonnage, attained its greatest height during tno latter part-oi the 191-i-la meat season but accumulated stocks were completely cleared before the new season's trade began 111 any volume. Large accumulations have again taken place at tho works this season, but no anxiety is nowieit 111 regard'to the situation. The output ot frozen meat, mainly owing to the laige increase in beel, lias constituted a tresli record, and the trade has proceedscheme 0 " 5 unuer tlle lni H«'iiil purchase

'•A serious aspect of the meat industry lies in the continued over-sluughteriiil' 01 young 111 particular h- rl y collected slww conclusively tuat this practice is on the increase a .s regards cattle, 1 while the 1915 sheep ■ returns disclosed a heavv decrease in breeding ewes. The keen demand and very high prices ruliug for freezing stock, are, of, course, mninlv responsible tor the movemok * operation of supply and demand might be expected-to adjust the matter as be--5loM? if fo i'i latteuin s and breeding slock but m the ineantimo our flocks and herds are being unduly depleted, and it is becoming increasingly-difficult to secure suitable stock for neivly-cleaml country. This latter fact is, indeed, the giavest side 01 the matter, owing to its far-reaching effects in the economy of settlement and on the couutry's future production" of meat, wool, etc. Definite action appears to be necessary in tho general interest to check the practice referred to, and an opportunity may perliaps be found m the present controlled state 01 the meat export trade. Excellent Dairying Season. "The principal dairying districts were favoured in general, by an excellent seaS ?"'y'. ji ' r . ' 1 ™ nl !»ed .expansion took placg hi the cheese industry, with a corresponding increase in thee, output of ~® f 3 ?', " lle exports showed a slight decrease, but, on the other hand,

a larger quantity than last year was held in cold store at the end of the period, while tlio local market naturally absorbs greater supplies year by year. Tlio good season, combined with tlio exceedingly high prices received for both butter and cheese, have "brought u year of great prosperity to the dairy industry as a whole. Unfortunately the position is not without its adverse features. Part of the'butter output is not maintaining tho high standard so long associated with the New Zealand creamery article. Faulty methods in the home-separation system aro largely responsible ioi'pthis, but conditions on a large proportion of the farms as regards the. cleanly care of milking-machines, separators, and other apparatus are also much at fault. A large increaso of instructional inspection on the farms is a pressing need, and an eilort will be made to supply this service with as little delay na possible. The quality of cheese showed some falling-off as compared with last, yeai, due in many cases to faulty manufacture. Tho unusually hot. weather which set in after the new year also told very adversely on much of the cheese output, throwing up weak points in the industry such as deficiency in cool storage at the factories, in coastal transit, and at somo points of the ports of shipment. Steps aro now being taken, notably at Wellington, tho principal cheese shipping centre, to supply the necessary port cool storage. It is only fair to state that the cheeso industry has been much hampered during the season by war conditions, involving a shortage of shipping facilities and a deficiency of skilled labour, besides the other factors referred to.

"A- noteworthy feature of the dairying year was tlie requisitioning on .Imperial account, at a fixed price, of one-third of the output of the cheese factories, an operation covering approximately 15,000 tons at an outlay of one million sterling.

Big Field for Scientific Research. "It is becoming steadily more recognised that agricultun offers an almost unlimited field for State action in scientific research, education, and practical assistance to the agricultural industry. Iu New Zealand, although much good work has been done on these lines, those controlling tho Department of Agriculture are alive to the fact, that little more than the fringe of the manifold problems has been touched. An extension of systematized and co-ordinated investigation work is pressingly required in several directions. Such activities, however, involve a substantial increase in scientifically trained men and funds to maintain the oxtended staffs. The; winning of a lasting peace will, it is trusted, make available before long both the men and the money. Comparatively inexpensive and simple measures, such as the establishment of small demonstration farms at various points—more especially in the South Island—may probably be undertaken without delay, but projects in tho nature of a proposed central research station fully equipped and staffed must perforce wait."