FAR AHEAD.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 3 December 1924, Page 4

FAR AHEAD.

NEW ZEALAND DAIRYING. COMPARISONS WITH AMERICA, PROFESSORS INTERVIEWED. [lt would have gladdened the hearts of all South Taranaki farmers to have heard the very complimentary remarks made about New Zealand, its farms and the dairying industry by two professors of the University of Wisconsin in an interview with a Star representar tive last evening.]

Professor H. L. Russell, Dean of the College of Agriculture of the University of Wisconsin, and Professor Theodore Macklin, Professor of Agricultural Economics at the same institution, have been released by the university in order that they may visit New Zealand and study our dairy farming in all its branches. They will spend eight weeks in the Dominion. They have visited the North Auckland and the Waikato and othex* parts of the North Island, and yesterday they were iii South Taranaki, where they spent a very interesting time. In Auckland they gained information on grading and shipping. With Dr. Cockayne, Messrs J. R. Corrigan, M.P., I)eem (Agricultural Department), Grant and Dunlop they discussed at length questions concerning manufacture and handling of produce last evening. In, conversation with a Star representative Professor Russell stated that early in the day they had visited the Moumahaki State Farm, which they regarded as wonderful as showing what can be done in growing forage. “It far outdoes the States,” said the Profssor, ‘ ‘but our agriculture is on an entirely different basis. In the United States we have to stall feed our herds for six months in the year, and capital expenditure upon barn equipment runs to £BOO to £IOOO per farm. The marvellous thing to us is the productivity of your soil, America’s cost of production is much higher than yours.” Nearly half the production of the dairy farms in America went in fluid milk, for which there was a great demand. He and Professor Macklin' were very much impressed with the great, development of dairying in New Zealand, which was far ahead of that in America. The United States consumed the great bulk of its dairy produce, 1 and exported only one-twelve-hundredth —in condensed milk. , Wisconsin State produced 25 per cent of the. total of condensed milk. The States imported cheese more extensively than any other dairy produce, foreign cheese coming from Canada and Switzerland, while a little New Zealand butter was imported. The Americans considered our butter of excellent quality, he said, but it was of very mild flavour. The American produce had to be free of preservatives and had more flavour, the acidity being greater, so that, it had to, be the quicker consumed. American butter was not made for export.

Asked what he thought of our herds and production, Professor Russell said that he did not think there was much difference between our average production and that of the dairy herds of Wisconsin. In that State the average per cow was 1901 b, compared with New Zealand’s 1701 b. New Zealand was far ahead of America in the matter of herd testing, this country testing about 13 to 14 per cent of its cows. In America they had the group system of testing only. Wisconsin had 181 testing associations. “Holsteins (Friesians) and Guernseys predominate in those parts of the United States where there is blood-breeding, but the average cows in America are nondescript,’’ the Professor continued. “Our climate—at least farmers think so—is v considered too severe for Jerseys. Farming in America is diversified, with dairying in a leading line. The average herd consists of under 20 cows, compared with nearly 40 in New Zealand.”

“Are milking machines used to any great extent?” asked the interviewer.

“No. I see no reason under your conditions in New Zealand why machines should not be used, but owing to the difference of climate machines in America may not be as successful. You see we have to .stall our cattle, and to' instal pulsators in long sheds would mean that it would be impossible to keep them clean as your farmers do. We cannot turn the cows out as you do in New Zealand. Your milk is of a higher quality than ours, owing to more outside conditions.”

Speaking of cropping, the Professor said that the American method was a four-year rotation. For forage production clover and grasses ' such as Timothy, suitable for hay, were 6own. In Wisconsin the rainfall was 25 to 30 inches a year, and the weather was very dry in the summer. America did not have permanent pastures such as existed in New Zealand. The New Zealand farmers looked after their pastures much better, as shown by 1 the large quantities of basic and superphosphates imported. America used practically no fertilisers except barnyard manure. In the matter of fertilisers each country had to decide according to its own conditions. The best land in America would carry a cow to two acres. Wisconsin grew hogs, peas, potatoes and corn, as well as going in for dairying. The whole theory was diversification in farming, though dairying was the largest basket. During the period of depression, which had been felt very severely, especially by wheat growers, the dairy farmers had been the best off of all farmers excepting the cotton growers. Dairy farmers had ‘had less trouble, and their industry had been more stable than the other primary producing industries. “What is the price of your best land?” asked the pressman. “I consider that about the highest for general farming is about £4O per acre. It runs at from £2O to £40.” The Professor had already heard of the very high prices for dairying land in Taranaki, and remarked, “You’ve capitalised your sunshine and climate and converted it into land values.” He thought that the prices of land here had been absurdly high. “It turns entirely on productivity,” he added.

Questioned on how taxation affected farmers in America, Professor Russell said that taxes were over 100 per cent higher since the war. “Your farmers are better placed than ours. Yours pay v° ,* ncome tax. but ours have to pay both land and income tax. There are two income taxes—State and Federal the latter runs from one to 40 per cent.” Federal income tax started at £SOO and State tax at £240. There however, certain exemptions which lightened the burden somewhat, hut the total effect of the taxes had been to increase the average man’s payments by oyer two to one. The company taxation system was similar to that in New Zealand, really a double tax. do yon think of the Bovs’ and Girls’ Club movement?” asked the interviewer. “ In the Boys’ and Girls’ Clubs in Wisconsin there are 25,000 members. °l le most preenant movenients in the dairving industry in the l uited States, and is mainly eupporteu by the business people, who realise

fully its great importance. ‘There is no difficulty in getting money from the banks for the movement, for all the people are firm in their belief in these clubs. I recommend the people here to give their fullest support to-the movement. It interests boys and girls at the right age in farming. In America we have the drift to the towns problem, but the Boys’ and Girls’ Club are expected to have a good influence* in stopping the drift.” Professor Russell said that he and Professor Macklin expected to leave for the South Island on Friday, and to return to Wellington about January 1, and sail for San Francisco on January 6. They had met with great hospitality wherever they had gone in New Zealand, and he could not speak tbq highly of the assistance which was being given to them in the prosecution of their study of our industries. PROFESSOR MACKLIN’S WORK. In a snort interview with the Star representative Frofeesor Macklin said that he was here to study New; Zealand’s co-operative system m dairy proauction, tne efficiency of the system, and why it was so far in advance of the methods employed in the United States. American factories are not . a third the size of yours,” said Professor Macklin. “Riverdale is sixteen times as great as one of the American, factories, and it would take, 50 cheese factories in Wisconsin to turn out the volume put out by the Hawera Dairy Company alone, 'this shows the inadequacy of the American methods, and tne cost of production in America is double what it is iu New Zealand. In Wisconsin 54 per cent of the income is from dairying, and the balance from hogs, potatoes, chickens, tobacco, cranberries and fruit. We have nothing like the specialising in dairying which you have. There is one federation-of factories in Wisconsin selling about half the output of Taranaki. I ain studying the economic end of the industry. When we return we are both going to make a report to the university, and *the report will be printed to be used to educate the people.” ■ During the evening Mr Corrigan gave the visitors; a great deal of ih ? formation upon co-operative factories* home separation, pay-outs, etc., the professors expressing to him their great indebtedness for his kindness, professor Macklin went north to New Plymouth to-day, and Professor Russell travelled to Wanganui.