THE MAORI MESSENGER. Auckland, August 28, 1851.

Maori Messenger : Te Karere Maori, Volume 3, Issue 70, 28 August 1851, Page 2

THE MAORI MESSENGER. Auckland, August 28, 1851.

There is a subject of much importance in the husbandry of New Zealand, —one of such consequence to the advancement of native interests, that we are UNKNOWN desirous of directing the attention of our readers towards it:—that subject is the best manner of preparing wheat, barley, maize, and other grain for market. Whether well or 111 founded, there is an impression existing amongst corn dealers that both the wheat and the flour of New Zealand are inferior to those of Van Diemen's Land ; and the bakers of Auckland persist in asserting that they cannot make good bread without n large admixture of the Tnsmaninn article. Whether this is mer'-' assertion, a trick of the trade, or an unreasonable prejudice, it would be hard to lell ;—tl ere can, however, be no question that the native farmers and the native millers must take a vast deal more care than they have hitherto done, if they would hope to ■pyerc-ome this prejudice, or if they would euccesstully complete with the foreign producer. For rurselves, we feel convinced that the wheat cf New Zealand, if properly reaped, stacked, thrashed, and cleaned, might safely challenge comparison with that of Van Diemen's Land It is not the quality of the grain, but the slovenly manner in which it is prepared for the market, that damages it s<> grievously in the ejes of the miller and the merchant. We feel well assured that were two samples of wheat of equal quality to be offered in Auckland, that the .-upevior e'eaning of that of Van Diemen's Land, which would be piuificd of the husks, drake, and other offal, so painfully consjicuous i" the native grown wheats of New Zea'and—we are certain, w.e say that from this "areful cleansing alone the Tasmahian wheat would not only be much more greedily purchased, but at from Gd to Is more per bushel. This, our native readers, may rely to be a fact, and, being S'j, it behoves them, as a sensible and nn industrious people, to set about rented} ing the delect without loss of time. All light

wheat, drake, darnell, and other ofl'al should l)o screened again and again ; not only because a dean and hr'njlil sample; is to the la*t degree essentid, hut because the rejected ofl'al wi'l not lie lost, as it affords excellent food for pigs, poultry, &e. To assist the native fanner in his endeavour to improve, ve shall collate some of the most approved instructions from tin; host authorities in matters of European husbandry. Treatises on ploughing, sownig, reaping,' swking, thrashing, and oleaninir, slmil he reduced into as simple and as intelligible a shape as our means will permit; because it is quite ch'nr that now that gold has been so largely and so richly gathered in Australia, and that a vast popula'iou is sure to How towards the Southern Ocean, that the immense Agricu'tural capabilities of N>;w Zealand will he tailed into immediate and prosperous activity. The prospect presented to the farmers is indeed a cheering one ; but they must be on (he a'ert if they wou'd proht by it to its fullest extent. And that thev may do so—the phuult nir.l the harrow must supply the place of the spade ami the mattock the ox or the packhorse that of th'-> mule and lenialc beasts of burden. Till > our fertile acres —Rear your broods of poultry and your herds of pigs.—Kxlend your droves of cattle, and your studs of horses. And 'do not forget, the fern, the tea tree, and the brush once cleared off, that New Zealand is the finest country in the world for grass mead >ws, and that with grass lands you will be able to feed extensive tloi ksof sheep and cattle, and thereby become the great provision mart of Hie Southern Ocean. You will thus easily and abund:»»t'y reap your share of Australian gold, n "il become rich and honourable.