FARM AND DAIRY.

Taranaki Daily News, 22 July 1921, Page 8

FARM AND DAIRY.

HOPE FOR SHEEPFARMERS. Mr. Massey haa such a habit of looking on the bright side of things that it is not surprising to find him offering a word of encouragement to sheepfarmers whose troubles just - now are admittedly serious. At a luncheon given by the Empire Producers’ Association in London Mr, Massey is reported to have drawn attention to the workt’s sheep statistics. During the past ten years the number of sheep in the world has declined by 20 per cent. Mr. Massey regards this as an indication of higher prices for wool and mutton, since the demand must overtake thb supply. Taking account of population increase and allowing for the continuing diversion of sheep-farming land to other uses, they recorded reduction to which the Prime Minister referred assumes added significance. In anythink like normal conditions of international exchange, such a reduction would already be doing a good deal to counteract the adverse effect on wool prices of the mountain of accumulated stocks. More particularly in regard to the market for wool, the prospects of producers in this country are measured by the progress of political stabilisation and economic reconstruction in Europe. It is no doubt with due regard to the present trend in European countries—a trend he is "well placed to estimate with accuracy—.-that Mr. Massey has ventured his prediction that producers of wool and mutton may expect higher prices in the near future. It, of course, would be foolish to base the reduction in the world’s flocks on this remark optimistic expectations of very early improvement, but make n very definitely for an improvement which cannot be indefinitely delayed.

A farmer in the Levin district has tried the experiment of growing lucerne in drills, and has found it to be attended with satisfactory results.