The Feilding Star. WEDNESDAY, JAN. 31, 1883. THE GRAIN TRADE.

Feilding Star, Volume III, Issue 65, 31 January 1883, Page 2

The Feilding Star. WEDNESDAY, JAN. 31, 1883. THE GRAIN TRADE.

Our Southern .contemportry, the Canterbury Times, in an article written on the subject of Agriculture in the North, indulges in a strain half pitying, half - contemptuous, which is not by any means excusable. At the same time it displays a remarkable ignorance of the progress made by the settlements on this part of the West Coast as far as bringing land under grain crops is concerned, and it will now be our pleasant task to endeavor to show how far the following mis-statements are to be borne out by facta. It will be noticed that our contemporary ** damns with faint praise," while he v lauds to the skies " more fortunate Canterbury and its " teemin C plains.*' The Times says — "In agriculture the staple products of the North Island may fairly be set down j as wool on lhe East Coast, grass and ' ' meat on the West; and certainly to those

acquainted with the verdure, the wonderfully luxuriant growth of grass, and the grazing capacities of what is familiarly known to our northern brethren as "' the coast," the latter fact occasions no surprise. But nevertheless Mr Southern Visitor doubts in his mind. There ought to be wheat and oats here, he thinks; why is it there are none? and be puts it down off-hand to lack of energy and enterprize. Even when he is assured that it is cheaper, far, for his northern rival to import his grain from Canterbury than to grow ifc even for home consumption—exportation is out of the question, he is still a trifle incredulous The same story is told him in places with regard to potatoes. But still it occurrs to his sceptical mind that grain-raising on the grand scale never has had fair opportunities on the fertile soil of the sister Island ; ifc has been condemned as a producer without a trial." In the first part of the article the writer says : — '• Tho Canterbury visitor may travel from Port Nicholson to Mokau River, without seeing as much land prepared for wheat or oats as during a two hours railway journey in the Rakaia and Ashburton districts." Assuming that a two hours' journey by rail in Canterbur}' means the same as it does in the North (unless a bountiful providence makes Canterbury miles longer than those in th-* North) thirty miles, we will not take our traveller by rail but on a sound metal road, for the reason that the railway does not pass through all the grain country on the coast, and drive him from Foxton to Marton, a distance of about thirty miles, and we venture to say that at the end of his journey he will admit that much of the land he has passed through will compare favorably with his favorite province. The following will gre aly assist him in forming his opinion : Agricultural returns for Rangitikei and Manawatu for the year 1882. lhe number of holdings in the districts are 996 : . Estimated Acres. , , , bushels.

Total 247,374 These returns only show the estimated yield of grain for 1882, and the average of 20 bushels to the acre. The actual returns were upwards of 30 bushels, the season having been moderately favorable. This good harvest was of exceptional benefit to the farmers, as it put them all, without exception, in good Snancial positions, and enabled them to break up fresh land, which in its turn has been splendidly fruitful and will without doubt add twenty-five per cent, to the crops for the current year. With reference to the importation of grain from Canterbury for Home consumption, this is quite correct, only the way in which it is put is mislead ing. The wheat imported is for the most part used for seed purposes, and a few thousand bushels for mixing. As to exportation being " out of the question," the writer proves that be is» speaking of many years ago, probably during the Native troubles, when farming was neglected. From Wanganui and Foxton there was exported for Wellington upwards of 200,000 bushels of wheat alone, the produce of but a section of the West Coast, for last season, and we may safely assume that 300,000 bushels will be forwarded this year. In fact, Wanganui stores and sheds w- re full to ovei flowing, and grain had to be left standing for days in the trucks for want of vessels to carry it away. We are prepared to admit one thing, and that is that farming on a ''grat.d scale"' has not been attempted on the coast, and we devoutly hope that it never will be. We are better off with the laud held by 996 farmers who belong to the sturdy yecnan class, men who can farm their lands with their own bands, and teach their sons to follow in their footsteps. They have and are now availing themselves of the superior qualities of .agricultural implements imported and manu factured in the .^outh, and profit much thereby. It is just possible therefore that we may be justified in feeling a little hurt that tbe fertile Manawat-i and Rangitikei districts ahould be spoken of in the South, by so respectable a journal as the Canterbury limes as *' lacking energy or ent.ir prise."

Land broken up not under crop ... 2160 nil Land sown for wheat 6873 142,049 oats 4687 122,253 barley 420 12,462 Tons. hay 3288 3362 grass 221,777 „ potatoes 463 2954 „ sundries 8406