WHAT KIND OF FARMING WILL PAY?

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 3077, 7 May 1881, Page 3

WHAT KIND OF FARMING WILL PAY?

Tbe following letter appeared recently in the Waimate Times: —" Sir—ln approaching the consideration of this interesting question, it may be premised that there is no fixed system of farming which will suit all the various climates, soils, and circumstances of this Colony and prove profitable. High farming will not pay, and it is being proved that the American style is also unprofitable in this Colony. Thei*e must be a happy medium somewhere between the two extremes. Each one who is properly educated should be best able to judge of the peculiai'ities of his own situation, to distinguish between the different modes of farming, and to choose the one which is most suitable to his own soil and circumstances. I shall not presume to teach old settlers farming, but I owe so much to the community that I venture upon a few general remarks. Profitable farming must chiefly depend upon the farmer's own intelligence and exertions. ' God helps those who help themselves.' The happy-go-lucky style will not answer in these times, but must be succeeded by more intelligent and scientific methods, and more economy in management all over. Farmers should understand at least the elements of agricultural chemistry. They want a more correct knowledge of what there is to contend with; Want of capital is one great difficulty, but want of intellect to use what they have to the best advantage is painfully evident in many cases. Labo.-saving maohines are a great help, but economy in labor may be carried too far. I think that if corn were dressed over just before shipment, it would be in much better condition after the voyage, and pay a good percentage for the extra labor. There is no use in paying heavy freightage on what would blow out, and which would go to feed stock. Wheat that sweats in the bags must be in an awful state when it is unshipped in five months' time. With a little more care in this respect, and seasons like the last two, the Colony ought to show a sample against the world. Some corn might not need it, but there are always slovens in a mixed company, and "it is better to be sure than sorry." The conditions are different here from those obtaining under the more settled climate of Australia or the short passage from America to Europe. The Middle Island appears to be most suitable for an allround system of farming, to make the most of the land for a number of years, and to he sure of one thing paying when another fails. A modified form of the Yorkshire wold style would suit this Colony best of anything I have seen. Turnips, grass, and crops alternately would pay. better than sticking to one thing, as prices are. , Two white erops'of the same kind are generally considered injurious, but it is a notorious fact that the best barley is grown after wheat when the land is in good condition. 1 here is reason to believe that good malting barley will rise in value now that the tax has been taken off malt in England. You cannot compare with Americans at growing wheat wholesale. They can land it in European ports "under £2 per quarter in some, instances. The average cost of a quarter of American wheat landed at British ports is fairly represented by the following figures: — £ a. d. Cost of quarter of wheat (4801b) delivered at railway depot, grown at _0s an acre, yield 12 bushels 1 G 8 Freight and insurance to British port .. 014 0 Landing charges 0 2 1 £2 2 9 In spite of all calculation cargoes of American wheat of fine quality have been offered off the English, coast at less than 36s per quarter. The only advantage you have is by the seasons being different. If you can manage to land corn in good condition before the main American crops come in, it will command a fair price. You have a still better advantage with meat by being able to land it when the American ships are ice-bound, or the weather is too rough to ship live cattle. Clever as the Yankees undoubtedly are, they cannot do impossibilities. I cannot see how they can make it pay to land meat in England under an average of 6d per lb. They talk about landing it for 3d with the Great Eastern. This they may do for a short time to intimidate other producers. I have seen good American cheese and bacon sold in English markets at 4d per lb, but Americans soon tiro of working for nothing, the same as other people. Many British dairymen gave up in despair, and the effect was that cheese and butter has since got up in value, and the Americans have shared in the benefit. With Pleuropneumonia, Texas fever, and hard winters to contend with, it will require all their ingenuity to displace this country with its favorable climate and extensive sea- | board. A great saving will be effected here in overland transport. It will only require freezing establishments at the principal sea ports. No difficulty need exist about making up cargoes. I should guess that Hawke's Bay alone could supply 20,000 carcases a month when it gets a fair start. There is no doubt that the venture will succeed from the quarter in which it has originated. You may trust Mac to he first where there is anything to be made. Undoubtedly he " Thocht it oot. a wee bit" before he spent a " saxpence " in it. The only reason why they won't find a Scotchman on the North Pole is, "There's is nowt to get there. " Fortune will smile on this colony when it gets a fair start. The chief thing to guard against is allowing the bit of loose money to go out of the country for imports, which might be produced to advantage, now that the labor has come down. The fact that we are importing woollen goods, jam, pickles, malt, beer, and whiskey is a disgrace to the colony. Wo ought to be exporting woollen goods to America in exchange for farm implements, etc., instead of importing inferior articles from England. All these things have an influence over farming, because the country is essentially agricultural or pastoral. The Government have managed remarably well to get into so much debt. Not many new countries of the same size could get so much credit. It reminds mo of a tale about a cobbler who saved a customer from drowning to make him pay for a pair of boots. British capitalists will never let this country go down for the- sake of their own interests. Farmers could not do without those harbor works, etc., to get their produce away. It only requires a few clear-headed and true-hearted statesmen to work for the general good of the country, and make each one with properly (from tho Maori downwards), bear an equal proportion of the taxes.