WHEAT-GROWING

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3136, 14 July 1917, Page 10

WHEAT-GROWING

VIEWS OF Dft. HILOENDORI?. In a paper read at the annual conference of tlio Now Zealand Council cf Agriculture, I)r. Hilgendorf came too following eoiicltisi<fns as to the future of wheat-grohvng in New Zealand:—"We nro/very unlikely ever again to become it wheat exporting country. Conditions indicating that ■.wo shall not continue to grow enough for our own use are: (1) Tho tendency to deercaso in area may be maintained; (2) growing permanent pastures will iodiicu wheat areas; (3) wheat-growing n ay therefore go out of fashion; (4) any scarcity or higli price of labour will act as a deterrent to cropping. On tho other hand, there are certain factors that i.-ill mako it profitable to grow enough wheat for homo consumption.' These ave: (1) Increase of price, which is likely to have little effect; (2) extension tif area, also probably, ineffective; (3) improvements in cultivation— no very great results '.ire probable in this direction, but the experience of the past gives some hops for. the future; (4) selection of improved strains or varieties. Past successes in New Zealand, and results in otiier countries, show that by this means our jield may he increased .sufficiently to feed cur increasiTig population. In' the oriticnl stage that our wheat-growing has reached—just on. the-'bbrdering line between under and over-production—it is very difficult to make a confident forecast as to the future. The tendency is distinctly in the direction of failure to meet cmgrowing needs. To avert that failure the most promising—perhaps the oily effective—means to take is to make diligent and extensive research foi improved strains or varieties."