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MR. JOHN GRIGG’S PAPER ON FARMING.

To THE EpiTOE.

Sir,—l have only recently read the above paper, and it has struck me that one portion of it is rather calculated to mislead those agriculturalists who are not aware of the whole facta of the case. I allude to where Mr. Grigg refers to Mr. J. Cochrane’s style of farming. Now, any one judging solely from Mr. Grigg’s remarks and the short notice in your interesting paper, would conclude that by some superior style of farming, Mr Cochrane has brought his land to such fertility as to grow crops double, and oven treble, the average return. No mention is made of the quality of the soil, and this is where the misapprehension may arise, as, if farmers believed that by a certain system of farming, average land could be made to give such returns, I am quite sure that such a style would be constantly and universally followed. The plain fact is, that, for a certain length of the Wakanui Creek there stretches a remarkably fertile slip of land —as good, all-round, farm land, I don’t think it could be surpassed. The richest part is towards the centre, and it is precisely on this spot that Mr. Cochrane had the good sense and discernment to locate himself. And it is right here, as those “guessing” cousins of ours would say, it is right here that the credit and honor comes in. When, some eight or nine years ago, Mr. Cochrane successfully “interviewed” the Band-Office officials he took that tide at the flood -which leads on to fortune.

He bought it against the advice of wiseacres, who exist in all places. From the first skimming and cross-ploughing, the land threw crops that suited the owner’s pocket “all to pieces.” Mr. Cochrane has wisely stuck to the Creek, and refrained from ‘ ‘ the big block on the Plains ” which a short time ago was an indispensable adjunct to to every Ashburton farmer. As your paragraph has it, he is making a home of it,jjand with considerable taste.

■ln these lines I think I 'have written ■nothing but what Mr. Cochrane would himself be the' first to acknowledge as strictly true. To conclude, whilst praying for more such farmers as Mr. Cochrane, I would also pray for more land like that on the Wakanui Creek. —I am, &c. A. Koscob. Hinds, July 14, 1880.

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MR. JOHN GRIGG’S PAPER ON FARMING. Ashburton Guardian, Volume 1, Issue 128, 20 July 1880

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