SHOULD WHEAT BE GROWN?

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 57, 30 November 1917, Page 8

SHOULD WHEAT BE GROWN?

A FARMER'S SUGGESTION,

A farmer of long experience who has been watching tho train of events in New Zealand in regard to tho wheat problem, together with that involving the difficulty of reducing tho amount of moat held in store in this country, I makes a suggestion that may bo too late for adoption this, year,' but may be well worth consideration next season if tho war goes on. Ho maintains that New Zealand would bo in a much happior position to-day if wo had depended wholly on Australia for our wheat—of which grain that country has a super-abundance—and instead of growing wheat utilised the land for tho growing of green feed, which would enablj* the farmers to keep a great deal more stock on foot than they are able to under present conditions. Should thero be tho same or even move acute shortage of insulated vessels to take our meat to England during the coming year, as has been experienced this year, the chances are that there would be insufficient storage accommodation in tho Dominion to cope with the supply of stock offering, and that would mean throwing the stock back on the farmers' hands next year. That would be a very serious matter at any time, but it would not be so serious if there were ample supplies of feed grown on the lands now devoted to wheat-grow-ing. At tha same timo it would relieve Australia of fit least a proportion of her surplus stocks of wheat.

The shortage of steel makes it more and more difficult for dairymen to obtain sufficient milk-cans. A. J. Parton, Dairy Engineer, Pembroke Street, Carterton, states that he has a small supply of steel—probably the last obtainable this seanson, and can accept orders for a limited number of cans. So it is wise to order immediatelly.—Advt.