FARMING.

Tuapeka Times, Volume VII, Issue 343, 1 April 1874, Page 3

FARMING.

[To the Editor.) Sir, —l should like to be informed the reason why farming does not pay in the Tuapeka district. It is raj intention to take up six hundred and forty acres, if I can find out where and how it can be got hold of ; and previous to embarking in the enterprise, I have made a calculation of the outlay required, and give the benefit of myca'culations to your readers, which are as follows :—: —

These figures show a profit of a little short, of £1000, even although the sum of £880 has been paid for the land and for fencing. I have calculated the average crop of wheat at thirty-two bushels an acre, or a little over a half-crop, which, I think, I should be able to depend upon with proper management. Any one who has had any farming experience in Great -Britain will sec no difficulty of achieving what these figures show, and any one interested will see a nice little profit from such a speculation. Some of our colonial farmers no doubt will tell me the thing is impossible. I say it is not. It is an actual fact in our midst, and is powerfully demonstrated on Greenfield estate at the present day. If our Tuapeka style of farming was carried on in the old country for two years, both farm and farmer would speedily be ruined. There are not above fcvro men in the Tuapeka district who can be termed practical farmers, if I may judge from tho appearance of their farms, and no wonder they cannot make their farms pay.—l am, &., Practical Farmer.

140 acres at 20b. an acre - - £640 0 0 !20 chains fencing at 15s. a chain 240 0 0 140 acres ploughed 6 inches deep 640 0 0 Seed at sb. per bushel - - 400 0 0 lowing, harrowing, and rolling at 10s. an acre - - - 320 0 0 leaping and gathering at 15s. an acre 480 0 0 Parting to stack - • - 100 0 0 threshing 20,480 bushels at 4d - 311 6 8 3161 6 8 Produce— 2o,4Bo bushels at 4s. - 4096 0 0 i__*!i. _ j>no: a o 'rot fc £935 6 8