FARM AND DAIRY.

Taranaki Daily News, 7 October 1916, Page 9

FARM AND DAIRY.

"MOPPIXG DP" THE LAND. . (By Our Travelling Reporter). There was a time, and not many years back, when there was a strong likelihood of Taranaki, particularly South Taranaki, being the home of the small farmer. This was tlhe object aimed at by the late Sir John Mackenrie, probably one of the ablest Ministers for Lands the Dominion has ever known. It was then confidently believed 'that as the land became more broken up it would be held in smaller holdings and- prove more beneficial to' neighboring towns. At first things pointed that way, but experience has proved that instead of land areas being smaller there is a tendency now to aggregate farms. This undoibtedly is profitable to the fortunate faimer wjio has been able to possess the ready cash to inencase his holding, but it is unfortunate that it frequently means a family less for the butcheT, baker, etc., to call upon.

The writer knows personally of three instances on one road, within four miles, where six families have dwindled down to three. Schools Mat formerly had two or three teachers and a good roll of scholars have shrunk to ene teacher and many empty benches. More cows are certainly being milked, but the increased value of the monthly cheques ore circulating through fewer hands'. • On top of this word reaches mc that there are several farmers now "mopping up" large leasehold sections, evidently hoping that when the war is over the Government wdll introduce a better and easier method of converting the leasehold into freehold farms, and that they, the present possessors, will naturally secure the first call on the Government's leniency. So far the evil, owl 1 suppose it can be called an evil, is not pronounced, but when the returned soldier and the emigrant starts to once more make New Zealand a permanent home there will be. a. rude awakening for someone or other.

One of our largest factories in South Taranaki is reported to have paid out m bonuses £4OOO to one farmer, but in fchiLs instance his area was much too large to (handle, and thus it is necessary for 'him to employ several shere-milk-ers, and the latter will 1 .receive a portion of this slim. This crrse of land-aggre-gation impeded the progress of Haw he's Bay for many years, and although there are several large stations still in existence over there, the evil has been, greatly minimised. Land in Taranaki is fax too valuable to tlie province to be only partially worked, and the way to get the most out of it is for intense cultivation, .but in some instances this is not being done. SHEEP v. DAIRYING. Last week the writer of these lines was in conversation with a fanner with many years' experience in both North and South Taranaki. He frankly stated that many men on the land at this end of the province would be better advised to go in for sheep instead of dairying. With the price of 'land thigh arid tlhe great quantity of fertilsers necessary to build up pastures for dairying, he considered- it would be toe hard for' a new beginner, whereas sheep would not require anything like the same attention, and good prices ruling both for the wool and carcase made this appear to him a much better proposition. On good lands and with plenty of labor dairying is all right. On poor pastures and with few hands it is drudgery and all wrong. The farmer was very emphatic on the matter, and probably he is not alone in looking at the question in thiß light. CASEIN AND THE PIG INDUSTRY. W'liilst in South Taranaki recently I got in touch with a pig 'buyer and the latter expressed the opinion that the utilising of skim-milk for the manufacture of casein will hit the ibacon-curer •hard. The whey-fed pig isn't much of a catch to the eurer, but some farmers believe any sort of carcase will do. He instanced one factory in Northern Taranaki that lost season broke away from butter and went on to clheese. The difference in the quality of pigs was very noticeable. Whilst there are some farmers wJilo wiH (introduce sucrosinc and beans into the whey diet there are also several who endeavor to raise pigs solely on whey. They manage to produce a carcase, but that is' a'bout the best that can be said. With the skinimilk further treated for casein the but-ter-factory pig is in for tlhe same treatment as the cheese-factory Berkshire. The pig buyer said he believed that if the farmers can secure an extra 2d per lb 'butter-fat by way of casein they will «ot bother about jearting home the "swill" left after treating for casein, and, considering the value of the liquid, he would not bother about' it himself if he were a farmer.

STANLEY ROAD CHEESE FACTORY. The opening of the dairying season during the past few years "has always been signalised by a number of factories changing from the manufacture of butter to cheese. This season, probably owing to the high cost of materials for the erection of the necessary buildings and the cost of installing the plant, as well as the relatively high price ruling for butter, there has been a lull, and though several factories have discussed the question of installing cheese, there is only the erection of one cheese factory to be chronicled in Taranaki this yean, and that is at Stanley road, where the settlers, who have formerly been supplying a creamery of the Midhirst Dairy Company, have formed a co-opera-tive company of their own and intend manufacturing cheese. The suppliers, though few in number, are to be congratulated upon the enterprise they have' shown. At present there are only nine shareholders, representing some 300 cows, but this number should be largely increased in the near future, as there is a considerable tract of country now devoted to sheep that could advantageously be milked upon. The factory is charmingly situated, alongside the Ahuroa river, which flows below in a deep gorge, and provides excellent drainage. The old creamery has been re-modelled and enlarged and is now converted into the making room. It will easily accommodate two vats, but at the present only one will be installed, as this will cope with the first year's output, estimated at from 50 to 60 tons. The floor is of concrete, special attention being paid to the drainage for the whey and waste water. The machinery is up-to-date, including the newest patent which revolve round the vats on a circular overhead rail. The whey vat is at present below the ground level and the whey will accordingly have to be pumped by hand by the suppliers. This, however, should have one good effect—a supplier will not tako more than his quota when he has to do the pumping himself. The curing room is a new addition, being large enough to liold about 14 tons of cheese. A whey butter plant will not be installed at present, as the supply hardly warrants it. The settlers of the district are assisting, in the work of erection by supplying voluntary labor in the cartage of shingle, mixing of concrete, etc. It is expected that the factory will be ready to commence operations in a few days. Mr. J. Cooke, of the Eltham factory, has been appointed manager.' The provisional directorate comprises Messrs. 6. C. Knox (chairman), J. T. Oldridge, M. M. Knox, J. W. Gibbs, and A. W. Agent.