WHEAT GROWING.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIII, Issue 208, 2 September 1932, Page 4

WHEAT GROWING.

USE OF UNSUITABLE LAND. It is fairly generally acknowledged that lower prices for wheat necessitate serious consideration as to its growth, observes the annual review of Pyne, Gould, Guinness, Limited. Be that as it may, we are satisfied that following the appeal in the war years to grow wheat and the attractive prices that were available, many farm®ers have been tempted to grow this crop on land which is not "wheat land," as rccognised in pre-war years. How many growers of this cereal on light land have improved their bank accounts from this source over a long period of years? Is there not a tendency to forget the average crops and the failures in bad seasons which had to be fed off? Encouraged by the remembrance of the heavy yields harvested in exceptional seasons, is not wheat being sown on land known to be unsuitable, on the chance of realising the good return which would be so acceptable in these hard times? Are such growers not apt to forget that every wheat crop on this class of land, besides being a financial gamble as to the return, is taking a toll from the soil, which, with the impoverished quality of the grass for several years, will react on the returns from sheep grazing? The heavier the wheat crop, the worse the subsequent deterioration. If Lincoln College or some other authority could be afforded facilities to study this question closely, we think that it woidd be of great benefit to the New Zealand agricultural farmer. In these days, all possible information to prevent "a penny Wise but pound foolish" policy is urgently needed —the difficulty is to get reliable knowledge.