PROFITABLE FARMING.

Patea Mail, 25 August 1881, Page 3

PROFITABLE FARMING.

At the annual meeting of the Otago Agricultural Society, the President read an essay on Dairy Farming, in which he said, When I visited New South Wales, I visited a large dairying district about sixty miles south of Sydney on the coast, where I found an old settlement of small farmers in a high state of prosperity, and where nothing but dairying has been practised for the last twenty or thirty years. As illustrating what may be done by dairying, I will give a short account of this- very interesting settlement. The dairying is confined principally, to three districts, named Woolongong, Kiama, and Shoalhaven ; and as Kiama is the one I went through I speak of it only. The area of the district is 67,4000 acres—the size of some of our freehold estates in New Zealand ; it has. a population of 6500, including the Kiama township and small port used by the district only. There are 28,400 head of cattle, 19,000 of which are milch cows, 2526 horses, 824 sheep, and

10,300 pigs. The farms generally run from 100 to 200 acres, a few being up to 300 acres, and are mostly occupied by the owners, although some are leased from absentees. The land was all originally covered with timber, and clumps still exist, with any quantity of stumps about. No grain or root crops are grown, the only cultivation being a few potatoes, of which they can grow two crops in the year, and a sort of bastard sugar cane called “ planters’ ” which grows a heavy crop, in cut in a half-ripe condition and given to the cows in early winter when grass is scarce. YIELD PER COW. The farmers generally milk from 30 to 50 cows, but some have 80 to 100. Most of the milk is made into butter,• and generally sold in Sydney, but at times the market there gets glutted.and any surplus has to be disposed of wherever there is an opening. The price obtained varies from 6d to Is 6d per lb, the average for the year being about 9d. Very little cheese is made, as butter is considered to pay the best. The returns from the dairies vary a good deal, in accordance with the quality of the cows and the skill and attention given them. I heard of one dairy of 40 cows which yielded an average of Gibs of butter per cow a week for the whole year, and some cows produce as much ns 181bs a week for a few months in the summer; but the average of the whole district is estimated at about IGOIbs per cow per annum, in addition to which a little sweet milk is used for calves and the keep of the family. The cows are not large, and have been bred up from the usual colonial cattle, both shorthorn and Ayrcshire bulls having been used, so that the cross now appears to be about twothirds short-horn and one-third Ayrshire. ECONOMY IN WORKING. The whole work on the farm is generally done by the farmer and his family. The morning milking commences between 5 and 6, according to the season of the year and the habits of the individuals, and the evening milking between 4 and 5, and about two, hours is taken for each. Fifteen cows are considered a full complement for one person to milk. Of course, in addition to the revenue obtained from the butter, there are some surplus stock and a good many fat pigs, the whole actual return being between £7 and £8 a cow—the best dairies going as high as £lO, and the worst not making more than about half that sum. NATURE OF THE COUNTRY. The conformation of the country is somewhat like Otago and Banks Peninsulas, ©illy not quite so steep. It is broken and hilly, witli streams of water all through. The soil is strong volcanic, resting on basalt, and grows grass abundantly, ns may be judged from the quantity of slock carried on so small an area. The whole population may’', be said to exist by dairying, excepting about 100 or so men who are emplojcd quarrying and shipping road-metal for Sydney ; and they are as happy and flourshing a community as I ever met. The land was originally purchased by most of the present settlers from the Government at 20s an aero, but now the ordinary farms sell at from £ls to £4O an acre, from £2O lo £3O being the usual price. Where farms are leased 20s to 25s an acre is the common rent, and, so far as I could ascertain, the farmers are gradually improving their condition, and are very free from debt, the best sign of which is that there are no loan companies in the district. GOLDEN GUINEAS FOB NEW ZEALAND. What I saw there gave me great hope of what we should be able to accomplish here in New Zealand, with the European market open to us, and millions of acres of land so well suited for dairying. I consider that the same land which those men occupy in New South Wales, and value at £2O an acre, if situated in New Zealand would not bring half the money at the present day; but I do not see why we should not make it worth as much, for we have a better climate for dairying, can grow straw and roots for winter feed, and have an abundance of pure water in most places. With this system properly worked, and the large estates cut up into suitablesized farms, every 50,000 acres of moder-ately-good land might carry its 5,000 inhabitants—same as Kiama—prevent our fruitful soil, becoming a barren waste, and return us a plentiful supply of golden guineas for our “ gilt-edged butter,” as the American name their best quality.