The Nelson Evening Mail. TUESDAY, MAY 15, 1866.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume I, Issue 61, 15 May 1866, Page 2

The Nelson Evening Mail. TUESDAY, MAY 15, 1866.

Just now the prospects of the farming community do not seem to be particularly bright — the two articles which are their staple productions, wheat and potatoes, have fallen to so low a price as will scarcely pay for the labor expended in producing them. Wheat, which, in consequence of deficient crops in Australia and America, has for some years maintained a high figure, is now, after more abundant harvests in those countries, again at its usual level — a price that will not pay at the high rates of wages prevailing here; and potatoes, which are largely grown in this province, will uot realise now more than £3 10s. per ton, there being no longer any market to which it will pay to ship them, in consequence of the competition from other places. In the matter of wheat it is clear that it will scarcely ever pay for our farming community to largely depend upon that cereal, as other countries can produce it more cheaply : both Chili and California have great advantages over New Zealand for its production, not only in soil and climate, but also in cheap land and improved machinery ; the system also which prevails in those countries of large farms, with organised labor and efficient appliances, gives great advantages to the grower *of grain over the plodding poor settler here, who frequently has to pay as much rent for his small plot of ground as the American does for his large farm. Australia will soon be in ordinary seasons more than a self-supporting country. The railways are now penetrating into the interior in various directions, where there exist millions of acres of the finest agricultural land, admirably adapted for the production of grain, which land is being rapidly settled upon through the liberal regulations now prevailing . These circumstances point that in future years low prices for wheat and flour will be the rule in the colonies. The competition in potatoes will be more limited, being confined principally to the other New Zealand provinces and Tasmania. It is true that they are largely grown both in Victoria and New South Wales; but the large demand for Sydney and Melbourne will absorb the bulk grown in these colonies. If there was direct communication with Queensland, doubtless a market could be found for large quantities of New Zealand potatoes. Nevertheless it would not do for the farmers here to depend

entirely upon a crop, which is so liable to disease and so subject to fluctuations in price. Some time since we drew attention to the fruit export of this province. We believe that there are few productions -which will payso well in the long run as the various descriptions of fruit which thrive here, and, we would strongly recommend the farmers to plant every year a small portion of ground with trees. No part of Australia or NewZealand can compete with Nelson in this production, and there will always be a great demand for all we can grow, not only in other parts of this colony, but also in the chief towns of Australia. And as the route by Torres Straits to India is now opened by steam communication, a market will be found in that part of the world for the productions of these temperate regions, which will absorb any surplus stocks of fruits that may exist in these colonies. As the time for planting is now approaching, we earnestly commend these facts to the consideration of our farming community.