The Taihape Daily Times AND WAIMARINO ADVOCATE SATURDAY, JULY 28, 1917. A CHALLENGE TO FARMERS.

Taihape Daily Times, Issue 220, 28 July 1917, Page 4

The Taihape Daily Times AND WAIMARINO ADVOCATE

SATURDAY, JULY 28, 1917. A CHALLENGE TO FARMERS.

(With which is incorporated The Taihape Post and Wairaarino News).

The two great essentials to human existence at mis stage of the world’s civilisation are bread and meat, and it is the production of these two commodities that is giving more concern

to the various governments in our Empire than do all other primary prouucts put together. Wheat and meat the Empire must have, and strange it is indeed that with all the millions of acres of land under all suns a mortal fear should exist that a wheat famine may arise among the English-speaking peoples. With all ilieir advanced powers of organisation no real provision has been made for feeding the Empire’s millions of people, and now that they are in the throes of a great war it is found that in the want of Avheat lies their greatest danger. It is very questionable whether we, in this young producing country, realise the true seriousness of the Empire’s wheat shortage, but there are some unmistakable signs that it is being fully realised and understood that a famine in one essential of existence will tend to lower the demand and price of every other product coming from our farms. The President ,of the New Zealand Farmers’ Union has stressed the wheat shortage, and he, and the annual conference of farmers over which he is now presiding have earnestly discussed the question and, as a result, have urged upon farmers and the nation to pursue a course that will end in avoiding famine conditions in this country a nd materially assist the old land where almost every man and woman is striving night and day to destroy the Teuton would-be enslavers of the world.

WHAT SHOULD FARMERS DO? it is not for a public journal of this character to write didactically about what should be done under the stress caused by a world shortage of wheat. We know that the daily bread should be obtainable, more especially at a time like the present, and in a producing country like New Zealand is. Public conscience is placed in that body of farmers, the Farmers’ Union, to find ways and means of growing all the wheat possible that will not dis organise the production of other essentials. The Farmers’ Union is taking extreme steps to encourage the growing of wheat; and to induce the best land for the purpose being utilised the Wellington Provincial Executive has instituted a Wheat-growing Competition in which every farmer, large and smaTT, is urged to take part. This competition only involves the use of twelve acres of land, unless it is desired to make two entries, and as every competitor is limited to two entries it gives a fair and reasonable opportunity to the man who farms a hundred acres, as to one who farms thousands of acres, provided, of course, he has suitable wheat land. We think it is extremely desirable that farmers in the Taihape district should freely enter Into this competition, because it will prove a sure means of testing the district for wheat-growing. Years ago it was

stated that this neighbourhood was not worth half-a-crown a mile; our picmeer settlers have demonstrfeted that it is cheap at thirty pounds an acre. They have shown that there are few, if any, parts of New Zealand Avhere pastures of a stock-fattening value can be more successfully grown, and when all is said and done wheat is but a species of grass, improved and developed until it has become an essential to modern human life. This wheat-growing competition, we trust, will result in such widespread experiments that no- portion of the Taihape territory will be left untested for wheat-growing. We appeal to our farmers to devote the twelve acres required by the condition of the competition, because it may tend to disclose that some portions of the district have the special value attaching to good wheat land, and, besides wheat production just now being an urgent necessity to the Empire, the time may arise when it will be the most profitable farming occupation. In any case it is hoped that the Taihape farming community will give whole-soulled support to the scheme initiated by their Union Executive.

THE COMPETITION CONDITIONS. The Competition is open to all farmers in the Wellington Province. Each competing paddock must include the whole area drilled, and contain not less than twelve acres.

Each competitor must notify the committee or secretary of his branch when the crop is to be cut and threshed.

Threshing is to be completed not later than 15th May, 1918. An entry fee of ten shillings must be paid. Entries to close on the 20th September, 1517.

Prizes will be awarded on the gross yield pi«r acre. Second and third prizes will be allotTecT from entry fees received.

Vfe may mention that the first prize is a handsome, valuable challenge 1 cup, presented for the competition by Mr. G. L. Marshall, of Marton. No set views or rigid, stereotyped ideas about what kind of land is required for successful wheat-growing should prevent our farmers experimenting wherever good, luxurious pasture is produced. In looking over the wheat fields of India, Canada, South and Eastern Europe, Russia and Trans-Caspia, we find wheat growing in almost all known soils, which proves that climate has almost, if not as great an influence on wheat production as the nature of the land. Anyway, now that our farmers are particularly asked to join in this competition, it Is hoped a comprehensive test of this dTsfrict for wheat production will be made. For not only on account of its suitability for cereal growing, but on other considerations it would tend to make every acre of land now valued at thirty pounds worth thirty-five pounds.