FARMING NOTES.

Oamaru Mail, Volume XLIV, Issue 14040, 24 April 1920, Page 2

FARMING NOTES.

INSTENSIVE FARMING NECE&BAHY; LESSONS FROM GERMANY. It required the war bring hßiiie to the' people of the Old Country the imperative necessity Of increasing food production; The increase was iinperative then. to feed the country ; it is equally imperative now to enable. the nation to pay its war obligations; That is A necessity as applicable to New Zealand as much as it is to th& Old Land; and we have the advantage here iii the respect that our conditions are "milch more favorable. Science is gradually forcing its way as a factor of dominating importance in farming. Concentrated foods for stock, the enriching the soil by the use of manures, the elimination 'of the 'scrub' animal_ from the farm—no matter whether it is the bull that rules the dairy herd or the domestic hen—so that better stock with consequent better returns will result, the establishment of better pastures and the cultivation of new ones, the methodical rotating of crops, in order to uvoid soil exhaustion, the use of up-to-date machinery, and the utilisation of electricity on "the farm, the irrigation of unproductive lands —are just a few of the necessities that present themselves. How far Britain was behind in food production in the ■ first two years of the war was illustrated by Mr Lloyd George in a -speech"' delivered__recently in London to the Board of Agriculture. "I tell you nOw," he said, "if Germany had pursued the same agricultural policy as we pursued, and neglected her agriculture as we h'ave_negiected ours, she would have collapsed within a year. She would have been unable to replenish her armies, she certainly would have been Unable to feed her population, and it is because she did not do so that, in spite of the blockade, with a much poorer soil than our soil, she was able .to hold out for over four years in a dire struggle. I will give you one or two figures showing what the result has been of the great effort made by. Germany to increase the production of a comparatively poor soil. Do not forget that German soil will not bear comparison for a moment in natural fertility with that of this country. Take 100 .acres of. cultivated land in this country and 100 acres in Germany—arable and pasture. Britain feeds 45 to 50 persons out of that 100 acres, Germany feeds 70 to 75. Britain grows 15 tons of corn, Germany grows 33 tons. Britain grows 11 tons of potatoes, Germany 55 tons. This'is 100 acres. Now I know it is said that if you go on cultivating potatoes and grain and devoting the whole of your strength and srour5 r our soil to that purpose, then meat and milk will suffer. Let me give you the next figures. Britain produces 4 tons of meat to Germany's 4-J tons. Britain produces the equivalent of 17* tons —it is all marked in tons —of-milk to Germany's 28. Britain produces no sugar, and Germany produces 2J tons. These are the figures of comparison, of what Germany with her 6oil makes out of 100 acree with the figure of what Britain with her richer land makes out of hers. The story of Denmark is even a more remarkable one. I give you the figures of 1871 in the number of people engaged on the soil. It has gone down also considerably in what the land produces. In Denmark, on the other hand since 1871 the corn and other crops have increased 2i times; the total head of cattle increased twice in number, the milch cows (I have only got the figures for 1888, 1 have not for 1871) but since 1888 there has been an increase of nearly 40 per cent, in the milch cows; and in pigs there is an increase of 4J times. Every industry has got to increase its production, and as agriculture is the most important of all industries, agriculture must have the greatest share in the increase. And if 1 might be allowed to say so, there is more room for increase." The weighty words of the British Prime Minister are well worth mental digestion by the agriculturists of this country—just as much, indeed, as bv those of the United Kingdom.

GROWERS' LOSSES. | It would seem that with all the talk of organisation and co-operation in glowing and marketing fruit, fruitgrowers will never really organise until the industry is faced with ruin. A statement "was made in Palmerston North by the President of the Horov.henua Fruitgrowers' Association to the effect that at least 75 per cent, of the fruit produced in New Zealand todav was produced not at a profit but at a dead loss. He gave as a reason for the unprofitableness the enormous cost of retailing and the serious losses occasioned bv orchardists growing inferior fruit" Several Auckland experts were questioned on the subject by a representative' of the Star, and though they were not prepared to agreethat 75 per cent, of the fruit was produced at a loss they readily admitted that the percentage of loss was large. In reply to the natural query of who was to blame, it was stated that in many- instances the orchardists themselves were responsible. They grew an inferior quality of fruit, they failed to icaiise the necessity of proper grading, and the/ pa iked it badly. The present system of marketing was bad enough in all conscience, but when in addition to that the market was flooded with inferior fruit there could be only one result. This Kind of fruit should not j>e sold at all except, perhaps, to an evaporating or by-product factory. The urgent need was for greater co-opera-tion, and unless the growers got behind the Federation of Fruitgrowers and united all their efforts they would be faced with increasing difficulties as each year went It.

NEW ZEALAND'S FRUIT. Now Zealand enters the world's markets this year for the first time as an exporter of fruit on a large scale to Great Britain'. The year prior to the war we exported something like 67,000 cases, all of which went to South America. That market is , practically closed now, owing to shipping difficulties. It was a particularly good market, as the fruit could be carried as general cargo, no cool storage being required, and it is still hoped that tile shipping difficulties will be overcome and the market reopened. The first shipment to leave New Zealand for Great Britain was by the Athenic, which completed the loading of about 15,000 cases at Wellington on March 31. This shipment included apples and a number of half cases of pears, the latter from Auckland orchards. Another steamer, the Port Napier, leaves this month, and is booked to take some 13,000 cases. On the Corinthic, which sails, about the end of April, space has been allotted for about 16,500 cases, and it is probable that further shipments will be arranged to follow that of the Corinthic. It can be said, therefore, that the export trade to England has now fairly started, and has every opportunity of increasing, provided' a sufficient quantity of suitable fruit, graded according to Government standard regulations, comes forward. On the Athenic shipment the Government made a guarantee of one penny per lb. The accounts on that shipment were completed on April 7, when cheques were sent to all the shippers for the ! not penny per pound, together with all the costs incurred in placing the fruit on the export steamer., This fruit, will be sold in London' and any surplus beyond the penny per pound and expenses will be paid to the shippers, while any deficiency will be collected from the Government under the penny per pound guarantee. •. This Government guarantee has been very useful, as it has allowed the growers to receive cash for their shipment and repayment of any out of pocket expenses." It is hoped that the fruit mil arrive m England in gooi condition and realise such a satisfactory price as will cause no demand on the guarantee for a refund. Under these circumstances it can reasonably be expected that the Government will continue the system.