ENGLISH FARMING.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20649, 22 August 1930, Page 18

ENGLISH FARMING.

WEALTH FROM STOCK. Sir William S. # Haldane broadcast an address, says (lie British Agricultural Journal recently, in which ho pointed out that the prosperity of farming in England deponcled, for marketable produce, to a much greater degree upon stock than upon crops. The revised census of farm production shows that in 1927-28 the value of the produce sold off farms in Great Britain as live stock or its products was £lß<3, (00,000, compared with only £57,800,000 for all the farm crops put together. The decrease of tillage leads Sir William to believe that live stock returns are now probably at least four times those from farm crops. Again, live stock must lie regarded as mechanism for converting crops into marketable form and money, because it is increasingly difficult to sell the crops direct at a profit. Tlio kind ol crops grown on almost any farm will therefore depend mainly on what livo slock will consume them. Sir William is of opinion that because corn is carried cheapest of all forms of foodstuffs, and this country is accessible b_v cheap sea transport, it is immutably established that our brradstuffs shail mainly bo supplied from abroad, and the practice of feeding home-grown cereals on the farm is the best and most profitable way ot disposing of thorn. He dealt mainly with cattle und beef production, and did not neglect to consider the competition of chilled beef from overseas, but h:> feels thai this competition can be mot by the production of beef of high quality. I'lio homo market domands qualily in almost every product, and is prepared to pay for it, and, apart from initial cost, pioduclion and finish of well-bred cattle and sheep is relatively cheaper than in the cas.j of lower quality animals. There are si ill far too many scrub bulls used, although there are plenty of gootl typo bulls to be had at moderate cost. Sir William therefore considers tha,t wo should follow the example of Ireland in discarding the scrub bull, when we should bo rewarded by higher prices such as that country is now obtaining lor good quality store caLI le. lie ended his talk on a Hopeful note by saying I hut, to enable British agriculture once inoro to pay its way, the production of cattle of good beef type is a prime necessity, as the efficient machinery for convening oui main crops into tlio porduct of best value. Of liko necessity is the growing of these crops, so that moat production, summer and winter, may bo spread evenly throughout the year in an economic manner.