FARMING PROSPECTS.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1248, 30 January 1896, Page 19

FARMING PROSPECTS.

The improved prices for wool and the firmer tone prevailing in the wheat market have materially affected the prospects of the farming community during the past halfyear. The probability of there being a shortage in the wheat supply of some of the other colonies in consequence of the excessive heat of the last month must have an appreciable effect on our local markets. Taken as a whole, matters look more hopeful this season than they have done for some years. This is especial]) the case in the North Island, where feed is plentiful and store sheep are in demand at enhanced prices. The cultivation of wheat has not been carried on to any great extent there, consequently the farmers will not benefit directly from the improved rates, but as the whole of the community gain indirectly by the prospei-ity of a section, so we can confidently expect that the improvement of the position of the South Island farmers will have a beneficial effect on all parts of the Colony. On the other hand,the better rates prevailing for mutton, wool and butter, the staple products of • the North Island, will contribute in no small decree to the prosperity of the whole Colony. The farmers will have more heart to go in for improving their land, and will be more readily inclined to expend money in bringing those parts of their holdings now unproductive into cultivation. This will naturally create work, and help to absorb the surplus labour of the towns. Of course the timo that'has elapsed since this upward tendency of prices became apparent is as yet too short to create any very appreciable improvement ; _ whilst a number of settlers are struggling under heavy loads of debt, contracted during years of depression, that will take time to wipe off and leave them in a position to spend money in developing the resources of their holdings to the fullest extent. But they are hopeful, and when the farmer ceases to grumble it is a favourable sign that matters are improving. The average farmer is not an optimist at the best of times ; even when prices are at their highest he is very apt to tike a less pleasant view of the Colony's prospects than other people. If his crops are good he generally considers them only fair, and if wheat is ruling' higher than for a number of years previous, lie will remind you that when he started farming ever so many years ago the price was doub 1 > what it is now. Butif the farmer in th is Q» would only compare his position of his fellows in the other colonies, th&i he would readily see how much superior his prospects are. Not alone had they a bad spring to contend again-t, but a dry summer and poor returns in some places the yield was not more than six bushels to the acre—whilst as a climax to their troubles we hear that in many places the heat has been so excessive that they have had to leave their homesteads and fly to the seaside, leaving their cattle or crops, as the case may be. uncared for. With the cables informing us day by day that the wool market is animated, that breadstuff's have an upward tendency, that colonial butter is bringing over 100 s per cwt in the London market, there is certainly better prospects for our farmers, and if they are less pessimistic than formerly it is because there can be clearly seen the silver lining to the cloud of depression which has been hanging oyer us for so long. It is to be hoped that this is only the dawn of better times, not alone for our farmers, but for everybody, for after all are not the cultivators of the soil the backbone of this Colony ? and it is only when they are prosperous that trade is brisk and money is freely circulated.