DOES IT PAY TO GROW WHEAT?

Evening Star, Issue 7160, 14 March 1887, Page 3

DOES IT PAY TO GROW WHEAT?

The Christchurch Press has been supplied with the actual cost of wheat-growing on some land in the Malvern district, which appears to show thttt there is a fair profit to the farmer even at the low price for wheat of 3s per bushel. The calculation is based on the assumption that the farmer does not .reside on the land and that all that is necessary for him to is supervision, the work being performed by contract. Taking the price of tho wheat at 3s per bushel gives L 4 10s per acre as tho grower's return, and, as will oo seen from the figures quoted, the amount of cost comes to L2 2s per acre, being a clear profit of L2 8s per acre for 30 bushels. The only item omitted from the debit side is the interest for a few months on the capital expended, in the shape of ploughing, etc. This, however, is but a small itt m, and does not affect the general result. On the other hand, the grower has the straw. The yield obtained in tho case under notice is not by any means unusual in the district selected, and the result shows that with a dry season such as we have had a handsome profit can be made by the growing of wheat. Such being the case, the result shown ought to encourage a larger breadth of land being sown in wheat than has hitherto been the case We append the figures referred to : Actual cost, of wheat-growing in Canterbury, in the Malvern dbt. let, per acre, on a 30-huahcl crop.

It will thus be seen that the wheat costs Is 5d per bushel to produce, and the price received is 3s, thus showing a profit of Is 7d per bushel for merely supervision with the slight deduction in the matter of interest. A correspondent writes to the ' St James's Gazette ': —" A lancer of the Ist Bombay Regiment, an Affridi, happened to be late to fall in with his party in pursuit of some dacoits. He luckily hit upon their track, although the main body of his party failed to find them. He was accompanied by twenty Burman friendlies. Ho found the enemy in a village. He boldly surrounded the village, and, firing one shot, marched in. The dacoits bolted, flinging away their arms, but the lancer captured eleven of them, and tried to drive back some cattle they had looted, but he was obliged to desist, the jungle being very bad, and darkness coming on. He returned to Port Yendaw, looking grand with his prisoners in front of him, his lance and pennon, and a Burman knife. The friendlies arc at best but broken reeds to depend on, and had thi3 lancer not shown the bold front he did, probably they would have bolted also. It is to be hoped that the Bombay lancer will bo rewarded for his brave bearing. Tho above happened near Fort Yendaw, with a detachment commanded by Captain M. Rundle, Bengal Staff Corps." Boycotting has extended to France. All the great bazaars have, it is stated, resolved not to purchase toys of German make for Christmas and New Year.

Ploutihlng (one furrow) .. Discing t nice HarrowiBg Sowing ., Seed o. d, ..5 0 ..2 0 ..2 0 .. 1 0 ..4 0 Rolling .. Cutting, stooking, and stacking Th'e«hinp Carting to station Kent .. 1 0 .. 10 0 .. 7 C ..3 6 ..0 0 Total .. 42 0 Return por acre at 8s per bushel on 30-bushcl crop.. Expenses as above £ 8. d. 4 10 0 2 2 0 Front to the farmer per acre £2 8 0