THE FARM INDUSTRY.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 14, 11 October 1907, Page 2

THE FARM INDUSTRY.

FRENZIED FLAMMING. ~ ■HUGE INVESTMENTS. OPTIMISM RAMPANT. " •;" Our flax industry is • floating along in a''frantic boom.;.' It was, scarcely more than a fortnight .ago that wo pointed out that tho' famous rich, steaming swamp of Piako, which the Government means to drain, ought to bp able to produce an annual income of .19} million pounds sterling'.. Is it only a Dream? i..-J? Optimists can <r community of niillionairesjlvfl settlement seething with aetivj,Ey;i* where: tho moaning of tho sputc/lrcr.' will bo as common as' the chirpiii'g: of crickets, and where the carbo-hydrate fibre'will bo extracted in its'v-millions of tons without leaving tho v soil<any the poorer. Piako, the world's fibre,factory,.Piako, tho fortress.of phormium finance,.the nest of.,a,;new nio^ogply,...a. massive muscular;., eommiuiityy^f-; .magnates. Piako — nebulous' : to-d'ayjv;but a fierco fact to-morrow. Pialiq-.'jjbworfiil. AVhat a' dream for meii v .'wh6~liavo the' flax fqver! '....,..' The Flax Fever in Wellington. And there are such men in Wellington, A big, fat company (if tho ,_" North Auckland Times" has been informed correctly) has been floated, with £100,000 of metropolitan money, to buy a near DnrgaviHe' —and* has purc.hase'd-itf ; Tho company has secured practically the whole of the flax territory between, Kaihu and Awa- ' ''kino. Great Aims. ~'.','! .'^'..J.'/. The.'Wellington 'company seems to realise' 'that''"flax"growing, to be'the success tho shareholders will desire, nnist bo carried along on proper lines, and there'" aVe 1 indications that' we are to see in this n&wlarea Now Zealand's first oxample of high.farming in flax. It is anticipated that tlveproperty will become a centre of flaxmilling activity second only to that of Manawatu'. linagiho all the flax lands and mills of Manawatu "in-the'hands ■of one vast corporation 1 Ten or twelvo largo mills ■.tire to bo erected in the North Auckland territory, and it is.computed that 500 workmen will be constantly employed.-. '"'"' ' v ' The Labour Aspoct. The flax' industry appears to bo liberal towards labour. A prominent flaxmill owner ostimatcs that half of New Zealand's inc&nb''is''paid away in wages. Thus, there. wilTbe no roqm for unemploymeiit -in New Zealand while flax is flourishing.. . The work is not specially od'sypb'ut'iff is unskilled, and tho wages,, paid considered to. bo the highest wages paid for unskilled labour in Now Zealand. . Fortuno is good to this land of ours, for it has shown,-us.,,wealth even in our swampy wastes.-;-^..,'/'/';. \i~iC~". ■!'■,; Caution-Necessary.-; ■<■ -^ There is need, however,' in this matter of flax speculation for a certain amount., of rcasoiiablo prudence. Flax is not.'.'haloed' by' an immunity . frqm trade'depression'.'that is denied to : other-industries..-yThongh the fertility .of our lands arid tho efficiency, of lotif"machinery'''will"be' steadily pro-,' gr'essivo, ■ there is just now a tendency in ; the old lands for prices to drop. S Tliero is a trade depression. Flax will not os'capo, any more":than will our anjl..chcesp..and,jvool and meat. •Moreover, larger .'quantities of manila • "are coming*forward. ...Flax prices have loiig'/bqwv;i3lippi.ng 'downwards, : ' and' .. ■■'■>!;• The Fali^r^Fla3s'''-P^V;;. v' '';-'/ The |3iiqyemen't,,. qf. prices 'during ; twol|o ,mohths' ; past are: here shown :— Prices iiijjipjido'iv.of good, fair New- . Zealand ,; :r" .'■ - Oct.ilcc., '1006- --IB £35" 0 per ton. Jan.'.,. 5,, 1907 ~ .... £38 10' per ton; March; 23,' \„. : ? '.U;/.- £137 ' 0 per ton. Juno ""■' „'"' ':.:' • £34 10 per ton. Aug.-: 3, „ . - .:..'..'£34 10 per ton. Aug,' 17, „., ~,.,..,£33 10 per ton. Sop.;' 28, „■ "..'. £32 5 per ton. Oct.;: 5, „ ; .-i' i "£32 0 per ton. The .we;."'qu6te will support us in the war'ning/.that "though .judicious progress is'in- every way commendable thore ivill'bo danger in frenzied speculation. '..:,' Y-y:;.'".[%'.'„).'y f ABOUf'THE WEATHER. "' "The ■ recent.\';.w.oather, which has thrown city ipeoplo-into; the bluos, has had its effect upon thpyjsjpirits of their cousins in' the Wairarapa correspondent: thus' dc'spYlbes the gloom that has' seized'his parflcular flock of that community':—'•' It v js considered that' cropping .in .tho..Wairarapa will be fully.a month later than it was last year'. Tho season has; Jbeen wretched,and were it not for the evidence of full blooms on ,tho fruit ..trees,; and tho sickly smell of the'.wattle, ono would imagine that. tho;..V«llo"y,: was. still in the -.depths .•of:.,,winter r ; , ,;;:.Farmers- aro now!'mos'tidub'ious::overv';tho .prospects of : the se'a r s'o!i? r .'Tlioir' crbpsj in many k instances, haye;:jusT been, or are going to-be, .sown,., and thoy fear a dry ■..Spring' and a'sunbaked soil, which " will rcrush. the life .qut-pf everything ■ within. its' influence'.'• 'A";'practical far- : mer,i hbwovor,'prophesies'a wet spring, owing to "tho...provalonco .of Scotch thistle on 'numbers''of" farms. It is 1 said ""'that'"the'""early""appearance of Scotch thistle --foreshadows a wet spring, and if''tliero is anything in the take heart. ■The bqj3tcrbis(s''and wintry weather .has, 'had avbad effect on ;the lambing, on -■•Small tho mortality. iir';;sb'ino case's "dia'S been as much as lOvp'er cent," ~-i UTTER. NEW GRADING SCHEME. i :■«'■'The' new.-scalo-of-.points for tho. ' 'grading of butter 'under ' the Cbmmei'cb 'Act rt (says tho "Sydney Morning. Herald" of September 23) ;; "comes'into-operation to-day, and is ■as .follows:— ..-....,, ' ".'.?; Sifperflrie'.-TrPiilje creamery butter :";c : outaihingnpVmore than 14 percent. ,';pf water,., and at 95 to 100 '.' points.' ' '. "-',.,. 'First 1 ' Grade';—Puro creamery butter, classified at 90 to 94 points. Second Grade—Pure butter, classi- "' ""'fied'at 83 to 89 points, i. .*■ = .butter, classi- ". - -.fied-at?7s-to-82-.points.. ' '. Pastry Bilttei'.—Classified at less '''''''tira'n 1 "'" ■. ''The'advance in the-standard of first class." is .the chief feature. A great prop'o'rtioii of the r butte'r hitherto classifi'c'd' very little over tho proyioiis' >( minimum of 86 "points Tout* "Lbndbn's'h'btion of a first- (, ,class.,butter.,bas ) ,l;qqji,.fo.r some time a butter which does not go below 90 " >pointsi>> "Thcimnimums prescribed by the new scale are generally about two •:; ,ppi.nts,-,abov v p, j \\;hat_thp,.various fnctorymanagcrs' conferences, held in different dairying districts during the past year, indicated as representing their ' ideas of standards. If uniformity id to

A PAGE FOR THE MAN ON THE LAND.

bo insisted upon throughout tho Commonwealth, there will probably • bo troublo with Queensland. It was in order to let Queensland get at least sonio of her butter into " first class " that the minimum for first was formerly reduced to 86 points, a procedure which necessitated tho dividing off of tho top half of " first class" into " superfine." Very littlo Queensland buttor will grado 90 points. THE BACON BUSINESS. Tho annual report of the Wairarapa Bacon and Freezing Company, to bo presented at tho annual meeting on Tuesday, October 22, confirms tho statement previously mado in our columns that the company, as at present constituted, is to be wound up. The report says that notwithstanding the increased amount of business' done for the year ended August 31, in comparison with previous years, there was a loss on the season's work. After fully considering tho position,. tho directors havo placed tho following propositions before the shareholders, to be considered by them at tho . annual meeting:'(l) To lease the factory as a going concern; (2) to soil the property or buildings and plant of the company. Our Wairarapa correspondent ; states that tliero is a strong probability that tho factory will'be taken up as a going concern. THE POSITION IN MANAWATU. There seems to bo some slight likelihood of a revival of tho bacon industry in the hear future. Our Manawatu correspondent writes that " the bacon industry, is being extensively catered for this season in Manawatu, and pigs have taken the place of calves. It is reported that 4d. per lb. will bo paid." • - ■ •• ■ FACTORY WORKERS' DEMANDS., In conversation with Tire Dojiinion's Eketahuna correspondent on the demands of tho Dairy Assistants Union, a representative of ono of tho cheese concerns said none of -the employees in tho district had expressed dissatisfaction at tho conditions under which they at present laboured; and those agitators who wero stirring up strifo between employer and ompldyee should bo locked up. Tho demands, he said, wore out of tall reason. For instanco, his company's first assistant was now being paid £2 ss. per week, with freo house, firewood, milk, and cheese thrown in. Under the demands tho samo man would have to be paid £3 per week, which, with'tho same allowances; would bring . his weekly wago up to approximately £3 15s. This wage iwas entirely out of proportion to tho work -undertaken, as any labourer taken off tho' street was capable of holdingthe position. It meant that companies would only employ experts, and those who wore agitating for tho Union would bo the first thrown out of omployment. .The assistants wero practically soaling their doom by their extortionate demands. DISTRICT REPORTS'. A heavy cold .wind is' blowing over the Manawatu. (telegraphs, our correspondent for that district last evening). Tho stock salos were dull. Entries close for tho Manawatu A and P;. Association's show." to-day.' Up to the present a very large number have been received. The total .number of tho entries will bo an-, nounced to-morrow or Monday. ' A dairy instructor, interviewed by i.our Manawatu correspondent, states •that tho Mahgatohi and:Awahuri far.rnors aro finding that it takes more cows to produce tho samo result as last season owing to tho weather. But although tho weather is so bad as to causo a shrinkago per cow, most factories are putting through more milk on account of. the cows coming in .earlior. Tho Mangatohi Co-op. Company has just installed the most up-to-dato pasteurising plant in the Dominion, and has had an expert experimenting there for the past ten days regarding tho best temperatures at which to pasteuriso to obtain tho best flavour. A quantity of butter at present stored at. tho Patea Freezing works will bo kept thore for two months and regraded at tho end of .that period. Tho Manga weka semi-proprietary cheese factory is 'an example of farm enterprise and industry. A section of land was selected as a site, and in a period of five weeks tho proporty had been cleared, a road run to it, building erected, and the manager, Mr. G. Reoves, was making cheese. -Tliero are thirty-six suppliers, writes our Wairarapa correspondent, and the supply is 900 gallons daily. The output for tho season is estimated at 150 tons. Mr. Reeves, tho manager of tho factory, has had a lengthy experience of chocsemaking in tho proprietary factories of Waimea Plains, Gore, Otamati, and Ratanui. The Mangawcka suppliers, he says, are taking a great interest in tho question of cooling milk boforo it is ..taken 'to the factory, although they do not uso any up-to-date cooling apparatus. Tho milk at present is merely stood in a trough of cold water. If farmers would only go into this cooling business they would find it so profitable that tlioy would no sooner think of doparting from tho method than of using unwashed milkcans. A cooler costs £3 and lasts twenty years. It would therefore cost tho farmer 3s. a year to send his milk to the factory at tho required • temperature. .The Mangaramarama cheeso factory, Pahiatua, is now in its second season. Tho manager is Mr. T.' C. Irving, lato of Mr. H.R. Bunny's private Aluaruhe factory, Wairarapa. There are 17 suppliers. Tho daily supply at present is ahout 560 gallons, which is 150 gallons more than for tho corresponding time last year. The output for tho season is estimated at about 90 tons. • Mr. Fowler, of Kimbolton, informs our Manawatu representative that dairying is on tho increase in his district, and tho season is well under way. Food is not too plentiful as yet, owing 'to tho cold season, which was naturally moro severe in Kimbolton with its olevatipn of 17,000 feet above the sea level. There has been a noted improvement in the growth of feed in tho Manawatu district during tho past few days. Tho weather is mild, and grass should now come away rapidly. .Very satisfactory percentages ; of lambs are reported from various parts of tho Manawatu district, which gives overy reason to supposo that the rough weather has not boon so detrimental as was at first anticipated. GENERAL FARM NEWS. Mr. F. E. A. Gordon, of Potono, writes to point out that tho production and export of oggs in Now Zealand costs at least 6tl. per dozon for food, Id. for labour, 2d. for grading, packing, shipping, 'etc., and Is. fid. per cubic foot space as freight to England, with 10 per cent, pnmago, dock dues, cartage, and soiling commission— a total of at least lOd. or lid. per dozon as the cost landod on the Homo

market. The average price obtained for our eggs in England would, ho thinks, not exceed 7Jtl. to Bd. per dozen, so that wo could not share in Britain's seven million pounds' worth of egg imports, oxcept at a big loss. He considers, however, that the export of frozen poultry of tho right kind would give a margin of profit, although even hero it would be better to sell locally at 2d. per pound less. In tho London " Morning Post," Mr. E. T. Doxat, managing director of Dalgoty and Co., Limited, challenges an assertion of a correspondent, who declared " it would take Australia ten years to organise a butter trado like that of Denmark." Mr. Doxat draws attention to the fact that during tho twelvo months ended December 31 last the total imports of butter into tho United Kingdom from all sources were 4,338,383cwt., of which 857,499 owt. came from Australasia and 192,093cwt. from Canada, practically 25 per cent, being > provided by tho colonies. "Wo may add," Mr. Doxat concludes, " that largely owing to tho competition of Australasia, Danish butter, which used commonly to .fetch up to 160s. per cwt., and even more, on this market in tho winter and spring months, has not made recently more than 112s. or 114s. (in the lattor part of April tho top price was 100s;), tho difference being saved to the con-, sumer'here." ' . In England and Scotlnnd last year the cattle decreased in numbers, but sheep and pigs increased. This year the area under oats and hay has increased, but the areas under wheat, barley, and turnips havo decreased. The cattle in June numbered 6,912,519, showing a decrease of 98,337; the sheep '26,116,503, an increase of 696,143; and the pigs -2,636,808, an increase of 313,347. This year tliero were 3,122,936 acres under oats (increaso 80,010), 1,625,488 acres under wheat (decreaso 130,208), 1,712,166 acres under barley (decreaso 39,072), and 1,563,031 acre's under turnips (decreaso 27,859). Sundry minor crops show increase. The area out for hay this year is 7,187,194 acres, showing an increase of 210,712 acres. The total cultivated area in England and Scotland is 32,244,110 acres, showing a decrease of 22,645 acres. . How increasingly dependent on outsido supplios the United Kingdom is becoming is shown in the fact that whereas 20 years ago tho oversea importation of foodstuffs 'stood' at £111,000,000, last year, if the food had been paid for in a lump sum, a chequo for: £219,000,000 would havo been necessary. _ Not less striking are tho changes in tho make-up of the bill, per head, which that period has been witness' to. Comparison • discloses:— . 1886 1906;'' , Lbs. Lbs. Wheat ... ... 146 ... 239 • Flour .... ... 45 .'... 36 . ltice ... ... 20 ... 22 Potatoes ... 8 ... 10 Sugar 69 ... 86 Meat- ... ... 20} ... 47* Butter and margarine ... ... 7* .:. 13J Che'oso ...' .:. 5j ... "6} Lard ... ' ... 2} ... " 5J " Tho greatost relative increaso," says the. report of the Board of Agriculture, "has taken placo in the imports of. doad meat, of which wo consume twico as much per head as wo did less than.2o years ago. Tho consumption of imported brcadstuffs has increased in a much less degree notwithstanding the. reduction of homo supplies. Tho figures appear to suggest that tho proportion of meat to bread in the national dietary has substantially increased, or, in other words/that tho average standard of living has rison during this period." ; . ' The Corinthic yestorday sailed from Wellington port with , 260 tons-;of cheese and 470, tons of butter among her cargo. .' .'■', : ■...■'•"'. .•■'..■■ OUR DIARY. : WOOL SALES. ' Wellington.—-Nov. 15, Dec. 6, Jan. 17, Feb. 21. Christchurch.—Nov. 21, Deo. 12, : Jan. 8, Feb. 4. Auckland.—Nov. 27, Jan. 14, Feb. .18. ' - . . Dunedin.—Dec. 19, Jan. 23,. Feb. 14, March 5. Timaru.—Nov. 27, Jan: 3, 30, Feb. 27. • , Napier.—Deo. 3, Jan. 14, Fob; 19. • Gisborno. —Dec. 5, Fob. 20. SHOWS.. Oct. 16, 17—Hawko's Bay. • Oct. 22, 23—Poverty Bay. Oct. 24.—Ellcsmere. Oct. 25.—Northern (Rangiora). • Oct. 30, 31—Timaru. Oct. 30, 31, Nov. I.—Manawatu. Oct. 31, Nov. I—Ashbrrton. Nov. 6," 7, B—Canterbury. . n'uy. 8, 2.—Waikato (Hamilton), i Nov. 9.—Bay of Islands. Nov. 13, 14.—'Wanganui. Nov. 14.—Courtonay. "■- Nov. 14.—Waimato Nov. 14, 15—North Otago. ' Nov. 15.—OtaRo Central. Nov. 19, 20—Blenheim.Nov. 20, 21—Egmont. Nov. 20.—Horowhonua (Horticultural). ■ > . . Nov. 20, 21.—Wairarapa.' Nov. 21, 22.—Oamaru. Nov. 23, 24.—Auckland. . MEETINGS. Agricultural associations, etc. :— Nelson second Saturday ' of each month; .Wanganui second and fourth Wednesdays; Masterton, second Saturday; Wairarapa, th'%l Friday. 'Manawatu, second Tuesday. October 14. —North Island Poultry Association, at Palinerston North. October 23.—Butter box conference, Palmerston North.