THE FARMER OF THE FUTURE.

Otago Witness, Issue 1501, 21 August 1880, Page 6

THE FARMER OF THE FUTURE.

By J. Drew Atkin.

Before introducing the snbjeot of this essay I will make a few remarks upon two moat important things. The firat ia the account we read lately in the Witness of the splendid establishment of Mr Shand, of the Taieri. With all due deference to that gentleman's superior knowledge, which I take to be built on New Zealand experience ! solely, I hold that in entering into compete tlon for the purpose of courting the Colonial ! market he is making a grand mistake. The prodnce of such an establishment, if carefully got up and all made from grain, should be of such a quality as to top the London market* It would at once put- not alone the guinea stamp upon, but give the sterling ring to everything that I advance as to our ability' to create a general provision export of enormous proportions and great value. This is the goal that should have been aimed at. The second subject is OT/B WHEAT. How is it that New Zealand wheat grades lower by some pence per bushel than that of other countries ? At 3d per bushel upon our present export, added to the oosb of carriage to market— a by no means inconsiderable item— a heavy loss will be [shown. I will to some extent explain this. Our farmers are in a great measure new to the business, and in too great a hurry — ergo— verify the proverb of "the more haste the worse speed." No man of experience would thick of drawing cider immediately after it had' been racked for the last time, or drinking new wine after it had been bottled ; they both require a proper time, eider in the wood, wine in the bottle, [to acquire both flavour and aroma that will make them acceptable to the palate. It is the same with wheat; after being carefully harvested, staoked, and thatohed it should (be allowed to mature or set in the husk for a reasonable time before being thrashed out,' The hint may be worth having to those who intend sticking to the old-fashionedj style of farming, but such narrow-mindedness and prejudice I would help to obliterate by reminding the followers of that school that we never find the men, who were from necessity brought up on a bean meal or porridge diet in the Old Gauntry, stick to it upon arrival in the Colonies. No, it is chops and beefsteaks, and nothing, bufc, verifying at onoe one of our old proverbs, of "put poverty on horseback and he will ride to the devil." It is somewhat similar with the feeding of stook. Turnips and straw or hay were all very well in the Old Country ibeoause there was no better way to be had, but is that any reason why here in New Zealand we should not pnt them on a higher grade of diet, more particularly when by doing so we will add enormously to the wealth of the country ü by oreating a general provision export, that for quality will top the world's marked? I will now introduce THE TARMEK OF THBJ FUTURE. A most intelligent man, whose conversation is of the exports of the country, foreign markets, London price current, supplies for British navy, mercantile marine, emigrant vessels, &0., not ashamed to be heard, what fools oall talking shop ; delighting in showing samples of choice wool grown on his farm or estate ; glad to hear that America is coming so extensively into the field ; discussing intelligently the probability of China and Japan also helping to increase the demand for our chief product ; believing in free trade j having a good idea of the value of things in general, and evidently being a man Of sound ideas.- How has the change been worked ? Simply by subscribing to one of the leading journals of his province, in the columns of which he finds information that leads him at onoe to see the folly of expecting to make his pursuit a profitable one by sticking to a grain output from his farm, but that by converting his grain and making animal life teem upon it with the extraordinary impetus the system gives, instead of a few almost unsaleable commodities, from their plethora in the colonial markets, he has not less than 35 products all in constant demand for cash in the ohief markets of the world, He has also seen the necessity of beooming an exporter on his own aooount, to avoid meat and grain rings, and does so, through his sea* board mercantile agent. (1) From his stalls : He has fat oalves for the dead meat market. (2} Beef in barrels of 2001b. eaoh for export. (3) Suet, ditto, ditto, slightly touched with salt and packed in flour. (4) Caul and gut fat rendered down, ditto, (5) Canned potted head. (6) Canned oxtail- . (7) Canned soup from shins, neck, and large bones. (8) Neatsfoot oil. (9) Hides. 10) Horns.

(11) Shin bones. (12) Hoofs for glue. 13) Tail hair for upholsterers. 14) Smoked beef tongues. . ' 15) Marrow. 16) From the dairy : Butter. 17) Cheese. 18) From the piggery : Hams. 19) Bacon. 20) Barrels of pickled pork. (21) Smoked pigs' heads. (22) Lard. (23) From his flook : Fat lambs. (24) Carcases of mutton for dead-meat market. (25) Splendid wool for export. (26) Mutton snet, paoked in flour like the beef, ditto. (27) Caul and gut fat rendered down, ditto. 28) Bales of washed sheepskins. 29) Trotter oil. 30) Smoked sheep's tongues. 31) From the poultry yard : Eggs. 82) Poultry, inolnding duoks, turkeys, and geese. (33) From his apiary : Honey. (34) Beeswax. To which may be added : p (35) Picked samples of his wheat for seed xn the Australian market. He also has leaf tobacco for local manufacture, and canned small fruit. In connection with this system of farming a class of men have sprung up that go through the country assisting farmers to kill, Bait, pack, head up, &o. Here is a system of farming in whioh I think every practical man oan reoognise all that I have stated in advocating it. Comprising among its many advantages, immense continuous employment, also a cash system, for the farmer from having monthly consignments to his agent for shipment, upon every one of whioh he can take an advance, is in receipt of funds all the year round, not as, at present. Another excellent result will be that in the colonial market, from being relieved, trade becomes brisk, the "ten-acre section men" get a chance, and a general prosperity is felt all over the land. It is to the country men will be rushing for employment, not hoarding or loafing in our Beaboard towns. The capitalist of every olass, banker and merchant, will see an immense profitable opening for the lending of money, introduction of shipments of pigs from Australia, &c, as the difference between store and fat stook oan be understood, without being a praotioal farmer. It is deplorable to hear of stagnation of trade in a country so eminently suited to create a great and annually increasing valuable export of the very class of goods upon whioh the prosperity of every country so mainly depends— human food and olothing— and I feel confident that in plaoing the system fairly before the thinking men of the country of all olasses, I have but to do so to win for it a general adoption. The great events that are now taking plaoe in trade and ! commerce point to the necessity of exertion on our parts so as not to be behind in the race. To keep up the| value of our jwool and create a geneial provision f export are most vital points. In New South Wales there iB quite a revival among pastoral men. I see by a decennial return of live stook in the Town and Country Journal of 17th July, that their sheep have nearly doubled them* selves in the last tenyears— they now amount to 29,043,392. Have ours done so? I trow not, for our pastoral estate has been sadly neglected. Much of what I advance would apply to'the whole of the Australian Colonies, but ib is for New Zealand I write, which amongst the Colonies, what we are told the wild M'Gregor.is among the Highland slogans—the grandest of them all.