ORIGINAL CORRESPONDENCE.

Southland Times, Issue 1114, 16 August 1869, Page 2

ORIGINAL CORRESPONDENCE.

WE DO NOT IDENTIFY OTXBSEI.VE3 IK ANY WAY WITH THE OPINIONS BXPBBfUTB BY Oi..t OOBBE SPONDENTS. 3 • (TO THE EDITOR OP THE SOTTTHLAin) TIMES.) 1 Sib — It is stated in your paper of the h 9th that " official statistics recently issued s shew that the total value of grain and • flour imported into New Zealand during t the year 1868 was £313,470. The total , value of the same articles exported during , the same period was £122,266. Of this, 3 however, only £119,129 was the produce f of the colony, thus making the excess of 9 imports over exports, £] 91,341, or 163,13 per cent." A fact in itself so I important to every province in thia island j demands the attention of the public generally, and of our agricultural population in particular, £313,470, is, in our present financial position, a large sum, and, after making due allowance for seed, corn of an improved kind, necessarily L required, would, as flour, represent the ' major proportion of the consumption of ' the colony. Assuming our population to be 200,000, and the imperial quarter ■ of eight bushels to be consume ; on average annually by each individual 1 (the quantity, I believe, generally esti--1 mated iv Great Britain) the price of ' wheat at ss. per bushel shews us as dei pendant for more than one half of our consumption on other countries. It is to : be hoped that farmers are getting suffii ciently numerous to be able to raise a supply, and if they are true to themselves, , will at once determine that this ought not, and shall not be the> case any longer, through any want of effoi 'c on their part. I am fully alive to the numerous difficulties producers have to contend with in this colony. The high price of labour, the costly nature of many implements, the difficulties and expense attending the repairs of complicated labour svaing machines, imported and recommended often by men without practical knowledge, unsuited for the purpose to which they are applied, or, if adapted, placed in unskilled hands, they are —broken, injured, and condemned, for want of instruction from some more competent advisers and operators. But these are matters that will mend themselves. Any practical person who will take the trouble to examine many of the samples that are brought in, will notice that cleanliness, purity, and quality, do not seem to constitute the requirements of the producer to the extent that they ought to do. If proper attention were paid to succession of crops this need not be. A better system of farming, combining deep cultivation, draining, manuring, and cleaning ; careful attention to the quality and a change of seed, from dissimilar- soil — drilling, horse and hand-hoeing in season, so that when the corn was ripe there may be little besides the corn and straw to take off the land. If a smaller breadth is cultivated well, it will give quantity with quality, and obtain a better price. The skilful and enterprising farmer is ever the successful man. Many years resident in a leading agricultural county in England, I am not aware that I ever saw a field of wheat sown broadcast, and of late seldom

ay other grain, Mr Mechi tells us he Lad tried thin planting, and that /'baepeclc f seed, set on an acre of land, produced lim forty-four bushels. Up to 1844 I >,, tad not seen wheat cut with any thing except a sickle or reaping hook (farmers clubs vere then not thought of), but thing 3 tre changed, and now it is rare to »cc a ickle in use within the district. All now lotions are apt to be suspected, till proved i success. Cavil and doubt precedes jnquiry, but practice will follow. A Farmers' Club has been formed iv the Aparima District. This is a step in the right direction, deserving commendation md encouragement from every practical and scientific man within the district, pecuniary help from others, the countenance and assistance of the Government to promote the extention of Buch associations, and last, tho' not least, the aid of the press, of which, if they will take the proper means to avail themselves, it will doubtless be cheerfully given. A long pull, a strong pull, and a pull altogether, success is certain, and our " official statistics" will soon ass u me a different aspect, when sound practical experience shall lead the van, and guide the development of our rich agricultural resources. I am, sir, yours obediently, Speed the Plough.