Farming in England

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XVIII, Issue 225, 5 September 1928, Page 9

Farming in England

Impressions of a H.B. Farmer Many Interesting Comparisons Mr C. Forde Interviewed by “Sundowner” fl By “SUNDOWNER” (Written for the “Tribune”— All Rights Reserved.) A well-known Hawke’s Bay farmer, Mr C. Forde, just returned from a five-months’ trip to the Homeland, where practically all his time was spent motoring through rural England and renewing acquaintance with farmers who were his confreres twenty years ago, had some very interesting experiences to relate to “Sundowner.” As the New Zealand producer is deeply interested in the land which consumes approximately ninety per. cent, of our produce, we feel that “Tribune” readers will be glad to read the impressions of one who is well qualified to discuss English farming practice as compared with New Zealand.

DEVON AND DORSET “Landing at Southampton early in March last,” said Mr. Forde, “we went direct to Devon and Dorset, where the fact that the English farmers had just come through a very severe winter was most noticeable. Reserves of hay were practically exhausted, and the country was very bare of feed everywhere we went, as unfortun ately a late spring and dry summer followed. The change effected in the roads consequent on the popularity of motor transit was most noticeable. Every road is most beautifully surfaced, but hardly a horse-drawn vehicle was to be seen anywhere except on the farms; this applies more especially to the hilly country.

DIFFICULTIES OF FARMERS. “In consequence of the high cost of labour and materials, agriculture is not undertaken to anything like the same extent as it was twenty years ago. As a result, there is less farmyard manure —the popular manure of England —for distribution on the land. Some farmers, certainly, are using chemical manures, but the majority of the old and conservative generation still pin their faith to animal manure. As a result of • this shortage of manure combined with the bad season being experienced, the hay crops were much lighter than those which used to bo harvested some years ago. “The most popular crop to grow for hay appeared to b,e giant cowgrass and Italian (with the accent on the “I”) from which a cut of about 2 tons per acre is secured for hay in early summer, the second growth being cut in autumn for seed. In the North of England, however, the second cut also is reserved for hay. Lucerne is conspicuous by its absence, although there are many parts of the country where it could be successfully grown. SHEEP-FARMING PROFITABLE. “Almost all farmers now conduct mixed farming. Sheep can be seen almost everywhere, and for both mutton and wool good prices are at present being secured. Most of the wool i£ washed on the jheep’s backs, and last year the fr| lers secured a rise of from 5d to 6d per pound on this product. OUR MEAT AT HOME. “In several multiple meat shops visited it was noticeable that the home-killed mutton and lamb looked much more attractive than the frozen meat from New Zealand and Australia. Next to the freshlykilled English meat, that which came from the Argentine and had consequently only been chilled, looked best. Argentine beef, in particular looked almost as attractive as home-killed. Most of this Argentine beef is from young animals topped off on lucerne and it is impossible for us in New Zealand, where the cattle must be used to keep the country clean, can ever hope to produce a similarly good article. “With regard to British lamb, it is usually conceded to have a slightly better flavour than our Dominion product, although the latter is rn» st highly spoken of everywhere. One noticeable fact is that wliil r they prefer lightweight and not-too-fat New Zealand lamb, the consumers at Home apparently do not mind heavyweight Hoftie-grown lamb, for all the carcases of English lamb exhibited are far fatter than our

own. The cheapest Home-grown meat procurable in England is ewe mutton. Most of this is coarse and fat and is largely used for supplying Army and Navy contracts, work-houses and similar institutions. “In the live-stock markets, some of which I visited, sheep were bringing phenomenally high prices and I saw one pen of tegs sold up to 85/- each, while I was told that even higher prices had been ruling. OLD TENANTRY SYSTEM GONE. “It is very noticeable to one returning to England after an absence of some years that the old system of landlord and tenant is rapidly disappearing. Many wealthy landholders were in years gone by content to let their land at rentals which returned little more than 2 per cent, interest, retaining the shooting rights over the land. High taxation and rates have forced these men to sell their estates and in the boom times many farmers purchased their farms. Now they find that they are really worse off than before, for apart from having to pay 5 per cent, interest on the purchase money, they also have the expense of all repairs and upkeep which previously Were borne by the landlord. Many farmers are consequently losing money, but are unfitted to take up any other calling with a prospect of success, so must carry on in the hope of times improving.

YEOMAN FARMERS A FINE TYPE. “The old English farmers, many of whose families have farmed the same land for generations, are a fine type of men, very independent, and doggedly determined to carry on with the land. I know of one instance illustrative of this spirit which came under my notice. The Duke of Bedford, who owned Covent Gardens and much other valuable London property, decided, in consequence of the bad year his farmer tenants were experiencing, to temporarily reduce their rent by 50 per cent. The farmer in question refused to accept the rebate for, he said, ‘I shall sink or sWiin on the contract I have entered into.’ “Although tfie old, delightful, landlord era has ended, the same fine spirit inspires the farmers of to-day who veritably have their backs to the wall. They certainly are one of the finest types of men in the world, but as they are, on the whole, not progressing, the outcome of the present fight to make the land yield a living, remains in doubt. FOOT-AND-MOUTH AND SWINE FEVER. “In Shropshire and Cheshire I saw considerable evidence of the ravages of foot-and-mouth disease. Huge trenches filled with timber forming the funeral pyre for many a good herd of dairy. Some of these herds, though not pure-bred, have been bred for production tor sixty years or more, and whatever compensation the Crown may pay the unfortunate farmer whose stock become affected, he can never replace the animals thus destroyed. “I doubt if the average farmer ip New Zealand realises what foot-and-mouth disease means. It would break the heart and the finances of fifty per cent, of our Dominion farmers if it ever gets a footing in this country. Nothing that wo car. do to prevent, its entry can be too drastic, for I know of whole

choice dairy herds of from 60 to 100 cows, yearlings, calves and pigs slaughtered, and again a substantial herd slaughtered within six years. Even if only one animal is affected in a herd of 100 cows, every animal on the farm which may possibly be a contact must be destroyed. Swine fever is similarly drastically dealt w'ith, and as in these dairying districts large herds of pigs are always kept, the losses are appalling. As Cheshire and Shropshire are not suited to agriculture, the usual treatment directly affected land is out of quarantine is to lime the ground heavily and restock with cattle, but there is even then no guarantee that a further outbreak will not occur. “Farming in England is certainly a very different proposition now t what it was in 1905 when I ranied on farming for five years in D. iset. Apart from the threat of such diseases as foot-and-mouth an I swine fever, wages have doubled, while all materials including stock-food concentrates have more than doubled in cost. THE BIG ENGLISH SHOWS. “While in England I took the opportunity of visiting three big shbws: the Royal at Nottingham, the West of England show at Dorchester, and another which represented the stock from the three counties round Shrewsbury. Naturally, I was particularly interested in the Romney sheep exhibited, but I must say that while English breeders have adhered to the old type fine-woolled, light clipping Romney, this did not appeal to me as comparable with our heavier clipping improved type. I saw also the Wensleydale sheep with which English wool men would have us cross our New Zealand Romneys. Although their wool was no doubt excellent, they were extremely poor-framed animals: narrow backed, and more like goats than sheep. Tn fact they looked like animated wool-bearing clotheshorses. “THE BEST SHEEP I SAW.” “The best sheep I saw at Home were Southdowns, Ryelands, and Lincolns, but I think, for mutton purposes, the Southdown and Ryeland were outstanding. There were many other breeds of sheep at these shows which one had never heard of before and did not wish to see again. Some, such as tho Herdwick, with their speckled faces and legs, and clothed with apparently pure hair, looked much more like goats than sheep, though this breed has the reputation of thriving under the most severe conditions.

ENGLAND’S OUTSTANDING CATTLE.

“The exhibits of cattle were excellent in every show. Undoubtedly England breeds the finest cattle in the world, both in beef and dairy breeds. The popularity of the dual-purpose or milking-Short-horn was most noticeable, and these have now an entirely separate stud book. From a general survey of these cattle I should think it would be very difficult to maintain the happy medium between beef and milk-production, especially as very little herd-test-ing is done at Home.

CHESHIRE CHEESE v. NEW ZEALAND.

“Cheese, the chief product of the dairy farms in Cheshire, is all made on the farm and from there sold at four days old to the factories at prices ranging from lOld to 1/- per lb. This is remade by the factories into small cheeses and sold in 6 or 8 ounce cartons for lOd to 1/-, thus showing a big margin of profit for the factories. As, however, there is no other outlet than through these middlemen, they practically dictate the prices. Some of our New Zealand cheese compares favourably with the best Cheshire, and since my return I have tasted cheese made at the Waiohiki factory in Hawke’s Bay which would hold its own for flavour and texture anywhere, but that inet with at Home was more like soap. OUR BUTTER AND DANISH. “New Zealand butter is well spoken of everywhere, but in spite of its acknowledged good qualities and flavour, Danish always Sells in the shops at about Id per lb. more. For one thing, I saw Danish butter done up in attractive one-pound cartons, marked with the quality, While with ours there is nothing to indicate whether it is first or second grade. N.Z. POORLY ADVERTISED. “Our country, too, is poorly advertised. At all the shows which 1 attended there was no New Zealand booth nor any advertising of our goods and the attractions we can offer to sportsmen and others who might wish to come to the Dominion. I wrote the High Commissioner pointing out that Canada was advertised everywhere and asking him if he could not have a booth at the Royal. His reply, which reached me after this show had been held, was that- no space had been available. This, in spite of the fact that the Royal show covers about ICO acres of land.

GENERAL IMPRESSIONS.

“In reviewing the wonderful fight the Old Country is making to re-establish her industries in spite of the back-breaking financial obligations she has inherited as a result of the War, one feels inclined to thank God he is a Britisher, and at the same time be grateful that he is a New Zealander. In spite of all the obstacles to be overcome both in the manufacturing, mining and rural industries in England, there seems to be a feeling of optimism abroad, and when one studies the character of the people, one feels certain that ultimately all will be well with England. We, at the same time, have every reason to be thankful that we are farming in New Zealand.”