THE PROGRESS OF N.Z. AGRICULTURE

Manawatu Times, Volume LV, Issue 7170, 18 March 1930, Page 8

THE PROGRESS OF N.Z. AGRICULTURE

Dominion Farming Reviewed GROWING- IMPORTANCE OP THE MAN A WAT U Tho art and seienco of husbandry and a review of tho growth, and development of agriculture in Now Zealand were described by Mr, G. H. Holford, B.Sc. (Agriculture), of Christchurch, in’ an address at the weekly meeting of tho Palmerston North Rotary Club yesterday. Rotarian A. A. Langley introduced tho visitor, explaining that he was the New Zealand representative of Imperial Chemical Industries Ltd., England, and was particularly well versed on the subject of agriculture in tho Dominion.

Thero was little need to apologise for speaking on tho subject of agriculture to professional men, the speaker explained at the outset, as it formed tho chief string to the economic bow of the country. Tho welfare of all was dependent on tho production of the soil and therefore, the business man had an equal interest in the matter. This was exemplified in the United States of America recently, when a number of business people set up a commission to assist agriculture. As a third of the population was on the land, an effort was mado to help with rural problems in order to improve the prosperity of tho business community and to-day, most countries were paying special attention to revitalising agriculture. •

N.Z. Pioneer Work. In pre-European days, the Maori revealed that the Polynesians were essentially an agricultural people and history showed that cultivation was brought to a high standard, Captain Cook even eulogising tho neatness of plots under the care of the natives. Weeding and erudo forms of fertilisation had been adopted and the Maoris revealed great enterprise -in their efforts. This was of interest as, nowadays, the majority of the Maoris did not give the same care to agriculture. However, Ratana was tho largest wheat grower in New Zealand and had 800 acres under cultivation this year.

Twenty forms of implements had been used in tho past and 27 various soil types were known, the phases, of the moon and even the stars being taken into account in connection with the production methods while burnt scrub and wood ashes were used to improve pastures. European Effort.

As far as European agriculture was concerned, Captain Cook came into the picture first. In 1773 ho made an attempt to stock New Zealand with sheep and out of a selection of two rams and four ewes, he managed to land one of each at Queen Charlotto Sound. The attempt was not successful but it was of note that the Merino had been taken to Marlborough, now the home of tho breed in tho Dominion. It was also ono of Captain Cook’s crew that had brought tho pig to these shores. Dr. Samuel Marsden, in 1815, also brought sheep to New Zealand although his effort was not of outstanding success, despite tho fact that he practically founded the industry in Australia. It was in his time that the first plough was brought into use and wheat was introduced in North Auckland by a Maori who had received the seed from Marsden. The first attempts once again met with only a small measure of success but later, fhc industry became an important one. In 1840, the first systematic attempts at stocking New Zealand with sheep were, mado and animals were brought from Australia. The loses were heavy and £1 per head was paid for sheep yielding only two and a half pounds of wool. Tho first Shorthorn cattle were then brought over to Akaroa in 1839 but up till tho ’nineties, when refrigeration was introduced, sheep did not command a high price, and thero was a great surplus until 1895, the peak prices being obtained in 1920. To-day the sheep in New Zealand totalled 29,000,000 and great advances had been shown by all types. A Chinese in Taranaki had been the first to start dairying and it had now progressed to such a stage that it was greater than the sheep industry. Giving the greatest returns on good land, the output had been doubled in tho last 10 years and would probably double itself again within the next 15 years.

An Agricultural Centre. Palmerston North in this connection was of outstanding importance as it was becoming the agricultural centre of the Dominion. Established in this city was the Plant Research Station and Massey Agricultural College, while at Feilding there was an important agricultural high school. It was particularly suited for the establishment of such institutions, in view of the fine land in the district and the central position it occupied. There was another matter of importance and this was in regard to permanent pastures. In New Zealand there were 33,000,000 acres in grass and 1,500,000 acres of other crops . apart from grasses and it had been said that 250,000 acres were going into second growth annually. The task of bringing the country back and the question of deteriorated grasslands had to be faced. Thero had been talk of cultivating pumice land but it would bo easier to concentrate on tho better class of land, at less expense. It had been said that the Dominion “capitalised its sunshine and rain” and this was virtually true but New Zealand would need to exercise all its resources to hold its place in the world’s markets and maintain its present standard of prosperity.

The speaker was accorded a hearty vote of thanks on the motion of Rotarian J. Murray.