ORIGINAL CORRESPONDENCE.

Southland Times, Issue 1065, 30 November 1868, Page 2

ORIGINAL CORRESPONDENCE.

we do not Identify otjbselves in ant way "with the opinions expressed by our ooebespondents.

(to the editos of the southland times.) Sir — There is a general belief in this province, amongst occupiers of land in ! the country, that it is cheaper to buy flour than to grow wheat for their own use. Now, Sir, I have proved and can show it to be a great mistake. Last season (which was, by the bye, an unusually bad one for wheat) I had an acre of land under wheat, from which I thrashed a little over twenty-three bushels, which I sent to the mill and got returned 1001 lbs fine flour, besides 380 lbs of seconds and bran. The whole cost of labor, grinding, and seed came to £4 10s, except thrashing and carting to the mill, which the seconds and bran will easily clear. Now I have half a ton of excellent flour for £4< 10s, which would cost me ten or twelve pounds to buy even at present prices. This shows not only a gain to myself but a gain to the province, as nearly all the flour sold here is imported. My object, Sir, in writing this is simply to show that a settler even on the smallest scale can produce his own flour, if he will only make the effort. The land I refer to is open land cropped with potatoes the previous year, and if the season had not been a bad one for wheat would have yielded thirty bushels at least. _ Bush land or alluvial flats would yield eight or ten bushels more. — I am, &c, Geoege Beown. Ladbrook, near Ryal Bush.