THE Pukekohe and Waiuku Times PUBLISHED MONDAYS, WEDNESDAYS AND FRIDAYS. WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 12, 1916 PUKEKOHE'S OPPORTUNITY.

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 5, Issue 131, 12 January 1916, Page 2

THE Pukekohe and Waiuku Times PUBLISHED MONDAYS, WEDNESDAYS AND FRIDAYS.

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 12, 1916 PUKEKOHE'S OPPORTUNITY.

" We nothing extenuate, nor set down auaht in malice."

It seems absurd that Fukekohe should during several months of the year he compelled to import vegetables trom Auckland. Not only Bhou d l J ukekohe be supplying (he ljial demand at all seasonp, but there can be no question that there is a remunerative opening for enterprising growers to work up an export trade. Kegular supplies oi seaEoffable vegetables is undoubtedly the great factor for Euccc3B in vegetable growing. What would have happened to Fukekohe's Bmall farmer had the average yield of potatoes this season been seven or eight tons intsead oi about half'.' Such is easily answered. With the chortage ol labour, the extra demands made by labour, added to the fact that there wouli have been glaring overproduction, the prices ruling would have spelt disaster. The dealer is not to be blamed for low prices, cor the retailer for unremunerative returns. Consumers cannot be compelled to consume more. Pukekohe is not the only place that can produce early potatoes. Fukekohe's unique position in the early putato market in seasons past is due to specialisation id potato growing on the part of our industiious small farmer—the men who have made fukekohe what it is to-day. Farmers in other parts of the Auckland Province— profiting by the good example of the Fukekohe farmer—are up and doing and are engaging more largely each year in the early potato industry, it mu-:t therefore be apparent to every grower that Fukekohe must have increasing competition in succeeding years. It Fukekchg can produce early potatoes and early onions successfully it can with equal success produce a hundred and one other things for which there is an insatiabje demand and for which we have a ready market in the Waikato, Kiog Country, Kotorua, Auckland and Wellington. Anyone in close touch with the Auckland produce markets during the last ten years must Know that prictß for all garden products have been gradually rising each year. Nor is the rcaro-i far to eeek. Land in the vicinity of Auckland has reached values atd rentes that are now almost prohibitive. Add to this Ilia fact that Auckland's population has doubled in the last liltecn years and the small cropper Ccin realise where his opportunity lies. Fukekchs possesses the ideal land fur market gardening, the ideal climate, and it is tar and away in the b-st position to cater for the Auckland and Waikato markets with early vegetables. i'ukekone in the near lulure is to be the market garden from which Auckland must supply her ever increasing demand tor . egctabjes. There is no reason why man.; vegetables such as celery, rhubarb, lettuce, marrows, peas, cucumbers, and beans should not be auccesstully grown to reach ths Auckland market fully six w-ccka earlier than is the ce. : now. It is not to be suggested that every grower of potatoes and on/ona should go right out of thai ciasa o| cropping but that must small croppers could profitably sot apart an area for small cropping with considerable profit to themselves. With a regular output j of garden produce would come better railage facilities and insulated vans. ! It is interesting to mark the prices ruling in Auckland for vegetables tbis season. We will take the lust

week in December:—Carrot?, 8d to | Is per dnz i) bundles; parsrips, 80 to la 2d (not new season's, this was last season's that had seeded); beet, lUd to Is; rhubart), 2s Gd to li 6d per dozen; kttucc, scarce, la od to I's .'!d, cabbagf, 2s Gd to Is b'd; celery, cone; peas, Is IUJ a peck; beans, id a lb; cauliflower, 33 Gd to ss; cucumbers, outdcor, 4s 6d to Gs Gd; spring onions, 8d dozen; turnip?, Gd to 8d dozen. Many growers in this district have indulged in vegetable growing in a more or less spasmodic style. What baa made Fukekohe famous as a potato growing district? Good farming and concentration and working on systematic and scientific lines. Sn much so that growers in other districts are proliting by the good example of Fukekohe's Buccessi'ul farmers. And what applies to potato growing applies equally aa well to market gardening. Concentration and specialisation are necessary, and there is an unquestionable profitable opportunity for the small cropper who will engage in maiktt gardening on a systematic basis. A store cannot expect to do good business unless it carries regular supply. Neither can a district expect to do good business in any products unless it is in a position to meet most legitimate demands. Regular supplies will be found to be the secret of payable puces.