AGRICULTURAL.

Temuka Leader, Issue 284, 21 August 1880, Page 2

AGRICULTURAL.

♦ It is some comfort to learn that the try ing times to wh ch we have had to bend Our b.icks are, so f.ir as'Son'h Canterbury is concerned, are passing away. Stock of all kinds are htld : ;"'»d value, except horses, which are still barely bringing prices that will pay for breeding. One reason for this is the shortening', of the quantity of land that is being put in crop, and the smaller number of new holdings that ha e been taken up during 1380. Draught horses, as a consequence of the lesser speculation iu land and in croj ping, are not likely to rise much before the result of next harvest is known. Cattle on the contrary have been rising in value during the last three months. What were bought in then at ruinously low prices are now tfale.nble in a good many cases at 50 per cent rise. Fat cattle has been in demand for the South, as we said it would be, on account of the dry summer that prevailed in Southland. Fat cattle and fat of all stotk is likely to hold present rates for some months to come. Store caHle are also in de nand, and if the hue open warm weather that lias prevailed during winter is followed with the needful mild showery weather during the next two months, store cattle will bring a high price, for, notwithstanding that there is as yet no export for fat stock, the supply does not increase. Of course, if shipim nt to London on the freezing principle extends to N.Z., and I'ivercargill is like to open the ball soon ; then the attention of farmers would he turned to grazing iuste-id of cop growing, and the supply of fat stock increased to an indefinite quantity—the lands of a good part of South Canterbury being most admirably adapted for grazing. Sheep keep up their value ; the supply of fat sheep is not larye, and, as turnips and other artificial food will soon be exhausted, while several months must elapse b<fore grass fattened can come into the market, prime mutton will be scarce and dear. Store sheep are not quite so much in demand. It being somej time yet before pastures take on their ! summer covering, and, taken in connection w ith the almost certaintyof lower prices for wool ruling during the next sales, dealt rs are chary of operating at the present, high prices. It may be true that several Bheep runs, both in Ot-igo and 'Canterbury, are understocked, but this is o ly like a drop in the bucket, when con trasted with the enormous increase that is going on in Australia, particularly New South Wales, It would uot surprise us to find the New Zealand markets glutted with Australian sheep before long. The prospect of an exceedingly successful lambing may now be termed a certainty. This, with the larger number of ewes put to breeding, must make both store and breeding sheep only sought ttfter at reduced prices after shearing. The improved quJity of the feed in cultivated past in eg are now tel'ing steadily by the dotiblits and triplits in lambing, as we'll as the increased strength that it gives to the constitution and the improved texture of the wool. Sheep farming is now more and more, likely be, the most safe and most independent pursuit of the New Zealand far 3 re. Wool wiil always find a market, and if the carcase can be forwarded tc the cockneys in a sound and sweet state, they will always pay a remunerative price for it. Piga liave been a profitable speculation thi season. 1 he price for bacon fell at cue timeso low that moat farmers got oisgusted with the business, and young sucklings could sometimes be got for an old song. Now the tables are turned ; good breeds have been and are in demand at high prices, and good bacon and hams almost at a ramsome. This class of stock though can speedily be made to glut the market. This season, grain being so cheap, it paid better to feed pigs with it than sell it ; not only so, but many look to br-eding so much that before next harvest piggy will be abundant everywhere, ai:d price** will likely come down, especially wi'l tliis be the case if prices for corn be moderately high, which we stil believe will bo the case. What with only an average, which means a poor crop in California, and inferior quality, which in America moans unsaleable, Russia short, Austria short, Franoa only barely an average, and that doubtful; England, IroUnd, and Scotland not over an aveiage. Where is a surplus to come from 1 The population of tho I world is increasing faster than the in- I

crease (taking the average of years of the supply) is going 01. Any disaster, therefore, in any of the laigest growi ig districts will turn the scales, and prices will go up. If added to this a wrtaKes place, which, n|twjthatanding t!ie present lull in oa *^ e Continent of Europe, is like to break out any day, prices for food of all sorts will go up. Taking a broad view of the question, therefore, we give it as our opinion that' the worst days of our farmers are past. Another encouraging feature is the abundant supply of money in the Colony, waiting for investment when things get so'uid. And to this the fact, now nearly verified, that theLancashirj delegates have still thtir eye on New Zealand, and will |ike'y soon h ive some of their friends amongst us, and we have ground for hope that better days are dawning. Our statement sometime ago t' at the Levels Run was s Id to the gentleman referred to and their friends was no mere fabrication of ours. Two better authorities we could not have had for the statement, and no doubt it was at least on the boards, but tin negotiations may have filled and they may not. The last encouraging feature that we will mention is the inereised number of individuals that are ngiin rid ing over the country smelling after land . these are to be met with everywhere, »<::d transactions-in-land are-increasing daily. The c< nsequenee of this will he that farmers will hnd their freeholds again accepted as gool security, and again speculation will go on. .