The Chronicle PUBLISHED DAILY. LEVIN. MONDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 1915. HOROWHENUA AS A WHEAT DISTRICT.

Horowhenua Chronicle, 22 February 1915, Page 2

The Chronicle PUBLISHED DAILY. LEVIN. MONDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 1915. HOROWHENUA AS A WHEAT DISTRICT.

Wherever wheat may be grown with profit it ie the boumden duty 0 | people to grow it. The world is faced with a present shortage, besides a prospective one likely to result from the drawing into the war arena of hundreds of thousands of agriculturists. Whether the shortage of wheat in Australasia at present is as pronounced as some merchants would have us believe, frankly we doubt, but to any unprejudiced observer the truth is apparent that at least a minor shortage is general throughout New Zealand. For the present year of 1915 the likelihood of any harassing lack of wheat and its products is small. The agricultural statistics of last year showed that although the areas planted with oats and barely were bekew the average, a. greater area was under wheat in 1914-15 than in the season immediately preceding. In the last few weeks there has come the welcome news that the yields of wheat are quite urp to the average; •so wc may take it that the supply of Now Zealand wheat for this year will exceed that of 1914 .in bushels, and its quality be even better. In these facts there is good cause for thankfulness, but also we must keep in mind tlio obverse side of the case. Now Zealand's wheat harvest of 1913-14. against which we have compared favourably the latest harvest, was a much diminished crop in extent when set against those of each of the three years just anterior; in fact (though writing without Stafffstics available) we teel safe : n saying that since 1910 there has 'been an insufficient quantity of wheat for local consumption raised by NW Zcalad agriculturists. In part, we think, this has been led up to by the need for j giving to some of the extensive plains of Canterbury a rest from the exhaustive process of wheat-growing. "Whatever may be the reason, the fact remains incontrovertible that our wheat areas have been used insufficiently for our needs since 1910, and there is a requirement for the immediate utilisation of suitable lands that have been lying fallow during the times when cultivation was a less profitable process than it is now. Around Levin and "Shannon there are many small areas that could be utilised for wheat growing with profit to the holders as well as to the community. No doubt it wouild be difficult to raise a "millers' sample" in our enduringly moist climate, but where so great a quantity of wheat is used for fowl feed as is the case in this district there would be no need to strive for the output of millers' samples. But while this district possesses some special advantages for the growing of wflieat of secondary quality, it must be remembered also that there are one or two disabilities that need to be remedied. One of these which comes within the purview of the Horowhenua County Council, has been coped with so ineffectively in recent years that it is becoming a menace to settlers' prospeots. But as our space limit for today is reached, we must defer to a later issue our further remarks.