FARMING SYSTEMS.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLI, Issue 2063, 4 December 1919, Page 4

FARMING SYSTEMS.

HEBE AM) IX DENMARK

VIEWS OF A VISITOR

It is characteristic of the present time, when Ihe nations of rhe world are anxious to repair the ravages of war by improved methods and increased -quantities of production, that among the lirst to profit by the renewal of sea-traffic and foreign travel are the official representatives of Governments despatched abroad to gather information useful to their countries in the strenuous conflicts of peaceful commerce now opening. New Zealand lias already received during the current year a number of such visitors, and many more, no doubt, are on the Avar. From our principal competitor in dairy produce, particularly butter, comes Mr R. Kampp, official agricultural adviser to the Danish Government, and an, expert in the modern science of intensiA’e culture, avlio has already toured Australia and the North Island of New Zealand, and is now in the South. His particular mission is to investigate agricvdiural conditions in this country, especially in reference to the improvement of grasses and other fodder -plants. Denmark some years ago, in the effort to support a large population in a, small country almost entirely devoted to ' agriculture, introduced grass seed from outside, and proceeded to lost it out in her numerous experimental stations. Improvements Avere made in due course, and Danish grass seed became so favourably known that a large export trade avos created. Ncav Zealand is also well I:nmvn for certain varieties of grass seed, and Mr Kampp, in pursuance of the progressive policy Avhich lias always marked Danish agricn'lure, is here to see how avc do it. • “ONE HUGE FACTORY.” . “it is hoped," Mr Kampp informed a Wellington Post representative, in an intcrvioAv, “that mutual benefit may result from my visit. "You may find varieties of our grass seeds and roots suitable lor acclimatisation boro, just as wc trust avc may do Avith the grasses you groAV here. You have many advantages over us. Wc liaA'c to groAV a large quantity of mangolds and swedes for our coavs, and aa'c also jnmdm.se abroadevery year a groat deal of artificial feed in the shape of oil cake and cotton cake. Then avc house our cattle during about eight months of the year. Yon can let your cattle run in (he jiasturc all the year round, and yon dispense Avith artificial foodstuffs. Wc have to maintain the fertility of our soil with artificial manures on a large scale, importing Chili nitrates and also t'ae cynnamides manufactured in NorAvay." Danish dairy fanning Avas greatly assisted by the rearing of vast numbers of jiigs, lie continued, and for I hose grain, chiefly barley, was grown. He. was surprised that so little was done with the jn'g in Ncav Zealand, where the conditions appeared almost ideal. From a country one-sixth the area of New Zealand, with a fair proportion of poor soil in the heath lands of Jutland, Denmark exported £7,500,000 Avorth of bacon, as well as £10,000,000 worth of butler annually. The pojJuJation was sumo three millions, and depended almost entirely on agriculture. “We are like a huge faclory." he said, “for the production of butler and bacon and other agricultural commodities, notably sugar noAv from the sugar beet."

WHERE SMALL HOLDINGS PAY. Denmark was described by Mr Kampp as essentially a land of small holdings on tiie freehold system. Speaking from memory, he said there were, roughly, about 150,000 small holdings ranging in area from one to ten acres. Of farms of a larger size, from ten to iifiy acres in area, lie believed there were about 100,000, practically all engaged in dairying. Prices of land before the war had averaged for a good quality of soil at about £SO an acre, but during and after the war values had risen considerably, to nearer £IOO an acre. Special holdings went up to as much as £125. but it must be remembered that this included complete farm buildings and equipment. From what he had heard, prices of land were nearly as high here, and the only way of making such farms pay was a more intensive system of culture. In Denmark there was no break in the round of dairying —no off-season with closing of factories, such as characterised our methods here. The supply went on in Denmark in winter as well as in summer. This, of course, accounted for the necessity of artificial feeding. During the war, when the importation of foodstuffs was cut off, the country had much ado to carry on. The pigs were all slaughtered except those used for breeding, and a great many cattle had to go also. The Government had imposed the strictest food control, and the farmers had to deliver half their grain to the State, and a quarter of their -cattle. Conditions were now coming back to normal, and exportation would be resumed, he considered, on u fairly normal basis.

After louring the South Island, Mr Kampp will return to Australia, and thence take ship to South Africa, wheve he will remain some time before finally going back to Denmark,