CROPPING OR GRAZING

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2018, 27 March 1914, Page 10

CROPPING OR GRAZING

SHEEP BREEDING PREFERRED. Tho declining prices for grain, togetlier with the increased values of sheep and wool, are undoubtedly going to have their effect upon the grain sown in the Ashburton County next season (says tho Ashburton "Guard-, fan"), and no doubt the samo applies to many other parts of tho Dominion, local grain-growers state that their harvest has barely paid them this season, and from a careful perusal, of .the expense' of producing a crop, it would seem that where tho yield is only an average ono sue'h statements arc duly too well founded. To the uninitiated, when, a farmer is known to have taken over £1000 for his grain crop irofn 100 acres of land, it seems that one lias only to .go on the land to make « fortune. But the fact must not be forgotten- that this only occurs when tho crop, is an abnormal one -and the price better than that usually obtained. A. Methvon farmer of many years' 'standing told a "Guardian": reporter that though, on account of a prolific yield, his crop had paid him handsomely this' season, such was not the case iwiti many farmers iii his district. He estimated the average yield of wheat at 30 bushels per acre, which, at 3s. Gd. ■per bushel, would return to ;tho farmer exactly £5 ss. per acre.' Against this, lie estimated the expenses as follows:— Ploughing (twice), 12s: per acre; harJrowing,, 25.; drilline, 2s.'■;' manure, os.-;, tolling, Is. 6d.; and seed, 7s. 6d.;..t0ta1,' !£1 10"s. To this has to-be added £1 per acre for rent arid £1 per acre for taking the crop off -the', land, making a total of. £3 10s. When other incidental expenses are added, and they are often not light, and the work _as regards .weather is taken into consideration, it twill bo' seen, continued the gentleman in question, that a farmer with an average crop at present prices cannot count iipou much for himself after all his work and worry.' Another thing that is helping to scare, the grain-growers is the uncertain state of the labour marjket. The farmer never knows nowadays when the -hands will take it into their •heads to strike and sit idly on the fence and watch the sparrows reap the grain crop. A 'little delay, especially if the .weather- is ; unfavourable tor harvesting, >vill result in spoiling, perhaps, the creator part of the crop, the reporter .was told, and >so for his year's work tho man on the land may only have a-debit /balance! to show..

"Yes," concluded, the farmer, "you may safely say that a fair percentage of Ashbur'toh County grain-growers who jiave-.'gorio" in'largely for cropping -pre•viously will reduce tlieir areas for grain considerably and. will go in more extensively for sheep.' And what else can you expect? Look at this price of mutton and wooland the high values; ruling for all classes of sheep. Why, if we continued growing grain under-present-con-ditions, we would be practically robbing ourselves. As' things are now, there is more money in sheep and not nearly the trouble and risk, but though I intend to make sheep breeding my chief occupation' for'the' future, I. still think that those who continue graui-growing will shortly do well."" ■'•■'■-■-