FARMING IN N.S. WALES.

Franklin Times, Volume 9, Issue 639, 7 June 1921, Page 5

FARMING IN N.S. WALES.

SOME Bf¥IPRESS£GtMS AiMO COM--PARfSONS. (By J. C. Coady.) Not being a practical farmer, f am not in a position to give really reliable information and am guided by conversations with farmers and by actual observation. 1 am satisfied to start with that the New Zealand farmer has nothing to learn from his Aussie brother.

On arriving in Sydney from New Zealand towns one is struck with the greatness of the city, the enormous populace, the grandeur of the city s business houses, the bustle of the -traffic, the sang froid of the people, their costly dresses, their bent for pleasure and the seeming ease with which they secure sufficient money to give full sway to their various pas- . times, is a l -! apt to make one wonder and to draw invidious comparisons between our fities and the big centres of this country, but a visit to the country towns and rural districts easily turns the scale in favour of New Zealand generally. Having visited towns on the great north line and calling at West Maitland, Singleton, and Tamworth, all important agricultural centres, also spending a few days at Wollombi, some 36 miles inland from „ the railway, I have not seen farming in any of those places nearly so well done as in New Zealand. The majority of the small farms present an untidy appearance, the ground is poorly cultivated and the crops very mediocre. . In the Hunter Valley (Maitland and Singleton) the principal crop is maize, which’ is now being garnered. Although this crop has been favoured with good rains, it is far below what could be grown under a better cultivation and with the aid of manure. Manure is almost an unknown item on those farms; no top dressing or other- heip is given. Further north — Tuirindi, Tamworth and Manilla—the principal crop is wheat and although this is considered to be first-class wheat country., !>4 to 30 bushels is considered good. Butter is now one of the big farming features also, and it is noticeable that in the average hold almost all breeds oi cows me to be found, many of which are little use for butter-fat, The writer has seen in herds purebred Devons, which are noton'c’ P oor milkers r and equaby deficient , in butter-fat. Ihe writer would say that tw New muland small farmer is far- aheuw 01 those! in Australia where visits have been 'made. The fruit industry is a big thing in New South Wales. This is carried oil extensively in the central Cumberland districts (that is some 30 miles north of Sydney), also in the southern districts. The orchardists are. .suffering somewhat from various pests, but lire blight has apparently not made its appearance here.

Although Sydney has grown enormously during the'lnst 10 years, the country towns shdvtf, little advancement and some of those well known to the writer show practically no advance. Generally speaking, the New Zealand country towns are superior in both appearance and appointments to those of Australia. New Zealand has made a good impression in Australia and is considered to be a wealthy and well goverend country.