FIX UP THE FARMS.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 30, 30 October 1907, Page 2

FIX UP THE FARMS.

* RICKETY SPOTS THAT NEED REMEDIES. •■ • WHAT THE FARMERS SAY. Numerous farmers hf.ve been invited by Tick Dominion to say what they think to lie tlio most serious defects that are to-day crying out for remedy in the farming industry. Glioauer Lariti, "Land is becoming too dear," said one. "We are building up our land values on-the basis of present prices of wool and produce, and if those prices were going to continue all would be well. But there must inevitably come a slump, and then, the land wili.no longer, be able to carry the burden. Our national debt and our private debt have been increasing by leaps and bounds. By and by, when the climax comes and our income drops down, we shall still have to send out our annual payment for interest, mid wo shall feci the pinch badly. It is true that wc nover had more money than wo have to-day, and that is exactly what is pushing up the prices of land. Farmers with sons think it a good time to place them out on farms of their own." . . . '

Tho Dairy Rush. "The dairy farmers," said another, "are re sponsible for the high prices of land. .The? are paying £30 and £40 an acre throughout Taranaki, paying a very small sum down.and so much per month afterwards off the milk cheque. I paid £27 an acre lately for land that was offered to mo a few years ago for £14. Yet it pays me better at £27 now than it would have paid'me at £14 an aero then. Some day tho old conditions will return, and then " ■ ' \ Local Wool Sales. "Wo must make'the wool buyers come out to us," said a big grazier. Although there havo been no news of a fall in wool prices this year, many sheep-owners have received an average of 2d per pound less for the season's clip. We want the merchants to buy here' under our oyes. ■ 'When, our wool gets Home it is quite out of our control, and wc don't know what happens to it. The merchants may forco a slump on the market, buy our wool at a reduction, and then after manoeuvring i a scarcity sell again at a big profit. They know' how to conjure with supply 'and demand, and are better acquainted than anybody else with the way in which the manufacturers are dependent on the market for thoir supplies; If*we all sold locally, we should be moro likely to get full values for our clips." Tho Labour Drag. :■ ; "The labpur difficulty," said a Manawatu man, who is a sheepfarmer and dairyman, "is a heavy drag on :us; and wo must adopt all tho labour-saving machinery wo can got. 1 am glad to see. that the milking machine is being rapidly taken up by. .the .dairy farmers; It makes us independent of tho milkers. The machine still has its del'eots, but the more it extends, the more rapidly will it be improved. The theorist who makes the machine depends entirely on the'farmer for his practical hints. Perhaps the farm hand is justified in getting good pay when he can secure it, for there is no denying', that: we aro getting excellont prices for oiir produce. ■! But ho is overdoing it." ....-,

"That is also my view," said a Hastings squatter. "I ; invited some men recently' to give me a. price for ploughing 250 acres of easy ..country,. and,'' although they agreed : itwas, not a difficult job,' they wanted from. 15s. to 17s. an acre for the.-.old ploughed part, aud:£l ; an aore .fonvthatv.<which'.:liad-.to, he broken up.' Naturally,, I decided .to got. my o.;vh, teams,'aiid;;do..tlio',w;orlc:-]ii.Vself, i these men, through their unreasonableness, lost a big contract.' Men. nowadays want 3s. 6d. a stroke for disc harrowing.. These exorbitant demands are'seriously keeping vback the industry." .' ; .. , J.'."; Mixed Farming, "We are paying ;'too little attention to .the value of ploughable' land on our grazing runs,"was the chief point that struck another farmer. ''While sc-pous aro.good and the grass keeps growing 'wo do not realise our danger, but if we strike a period of drought, and haro'no land that-wo can crop : wd shall he in a vory disastrous position. 1 recently refused a very rich run and-pur-chased an inferior one solely because it haii more' level' country. I don't like to tako s big risk.' Mixed 'farming is what wo must roly on at a pinch." Roadlessness. ■...'■ v ■' "The Government ought to road its estates before they are cut up. At present some valuable estates are thrown on tbo market with each section loaded: for roads that are not yet constructed, and yet they, compel residence. The roads shoukl.be constructed before settlers are forced to live on it. Mj sympathies,are strong for the people of the back-blocks, and especially the women. Owing to the absence of necessary conveniences, women aro beginning to fight shy of tho'backblocks, and thev are quite right to do so. Tl they go into the : back country thc.v should have telephones provided, so that in time of emergency they can at least ring up. The pinch of the back-blocks is driving people in crowds to the towns and townships. ,

Feed the Dairy Cattle. Mr'.Enderby, of AYanganui, who judged dairy cattle at the recent Hawkes Bay show, said the tiling most urgently .needed was hotter feeding of dairy stock. Dairymen now often grew not a yard of extra feed for winter uso, and' the cattle suffered during tho winter at considerable loss to the owner Dairy farmers should purchase a plough and grow hay or mangels, which cropped heavily aiul'did hot taint the milk. 7 ' '■ '