AGRICULTURAL CLODS.

Otago Witness, Issue 1852, 20 May 1887, Page 7

AGRICULTURAL CLODS.

Bx an Old Fabmer.

No. 7.— CHASING THE MAEKET.

A speculative spirit is inherent in all large commercial undertakings, and when this principle is acted upon by merchants with prudence and knowledge, large benefits are conferred on mankind, and the agents in conducting such enterprises are frequently and justly rewarded by large profits. ' But in the conduct of agricultural operations it is, as a general rule, a dangerous practice to allow chance to be a guide in the arrangements for the future. Ordinary farmers are of all men least able to take a comprehensive and intelligent view of the various controlling influences at work, which may upset their calculations. Their isolated position, their inability, and not unfrequently their unwillingness to study and collect the requisite information bearing upon their projected plans of cultivating certain crops and of breeding and rearing of various kinds of stock, hinder them from arriving at right conclusions. Hence they often find that the products they imagine will be in demand at fair prices at the time they have them for sale are at a discount and ruinously low in value. This is termed in Scotland " chasing the market." It is and has been a practice far too prevalent in this colony. It must be admitted by all that in the variations and vicissitudes of the seasons, in the unlooked-for devastations by insects, and other contingencies beyond the control of man, there is quite sufficient of the element of uncertainty without importing into the occupation of the farmer the' further risk of glutted markets and consequent depreciation in prices of produce. It was only natural to expect that for some considerable time in a new country there should be a variableness in farming, and an absence of anything resembling a proper rotation of cropping, but in all the older settled districts of New Zealand, it seems desirable that now FARMERS SHOULD LOOK BEYOND THE MERE CURRENT YEAR

in making arrangements for cropping and stock-keeping, and have some determinate system of farming, and not allow themselves to be led astray by the igniis fatuus of anticipated fortune from an exclusive attention to a product or products that maybe temporarily in demand. The season of autumn is the beginning of the farmer's year, and it is at such a time that the management for the year should be matured, always bearing in mind its relation to future years. But how few look any farther ahead than the few months intervening between sowing and reaping, and how many stake their success on some particular crop because it is conjectured it will be scarce next year, ignoring the possibility of a change and the risk of its proving injurious to the farm in succeeding years. I have advocated for a long time

THE MIXED SYSTEM OF FARMING, such as is practised in Berwickshire and other parts in. the South of Scotland as being the best, most reliable, and, in the long run, the most remunerative for farmers in the south of this colony. But there is a kind of mixed farming that is the reverse of being either judicious or profitable, and that is the objectionable system of veering from one kind of oropping and farm management to another like a weather-cork, influenced in a similar way by the winds of rumour and vague expectation. We are, of course, aware that in many districts, especially wh^re there are large estates, a disturbing force is always more or less at work which interferes with the prudent calculations of the most sagacious of farmers. That force is represented by that nondescript class of men who are dignified by the name of farmers, although

ONLY CONTRACTING " CROPPERS," who occupy and cultivate considerable areas of land for one or two years at heavy rents, and who must necessarily grow qnly such crops, as will at once remunerate them at the Smallest outlay of expenditure. In some seasons they grow large quantities of wheat, and in others oats. When there happens to be no outlet in exportation — and this sometimes occurs— the hopes of tbe settled farmer on his freehold or leasehold farm are blasted by the overplus production of these perarnbv\lating robbers of the soil. It was reasonably anticipated that this class of spasmodic cultivation would come to an end when the land so cropped was laid- down in English grasses by the owners of the estates, but it Uaa in reality been found that much of the la.nd so prepared for grass has again to be broken up and recrqppedandresawn. Hence in one year we may have a largo production Qf grain, and in another a reduced quantity. Such fluctuations must, however, soon give place to a steadier supply, and in consequence a rQore regular price will be obtained, Unless when seriously influenced by the markets of the world.

SPECULATIVE FARMING is to be deprecated, because it acts', as a deterrent to systematic agriculture, and because it is injurious to the steady prosperity of farmers. When the price of grain became so low a few years ago as to show Do profit on its cultivation, and when the prospect of sheepfarming was attractive and promising, there was a general rush into that branch of farming. Many undertook the task having little or no knowledge of sheep, and to whom a sheep, not long before, was a & "unclean" animal on a farm. Losses from disease and overstocking were frequent ; and now that mutton and wool have declined iv value there is a general stampede out of the business at huge sacrifices, while there is every probability \hdX before long there will be a reaction, and sheep will he again Scarce, and comparatively dear. The Wholesale slaughter qf sheep now going on cannot fail to have an appreciable effect on Prices, and farmers will then regrets they Vanished from their farms the "goldenJOQted" animal... At the time of the furore for sheep springing up, I uttered a word of Waning ag^nst suoh,- a> universal abandon*

ment of cropping in favour of sheepfarming. But although my anticipations of disaster have been fulfilled, I by no means approve of the opposite course of regarding sheep as unprofitable, for no farm of any considerable size should .be without them as a regular part of its livestock. They should, however, be in proper proportion to its capabilities for maintaining them in a sound and progressive condition.

Barley was a few years since grown largely, and was consequently low in price, and the brewers were so independent that when they saw a farmer with a sample they " passed by on the other side " of the street, and treated his offer to sell with contempt. Now all that is changed, and good sound malting barley is at a premium, and the price for this kind of grain is high and is likely to go higher. The farmers gave up growing it, and now that it is in demand they have none to sell. It is but a precarious crop, but still where there is on any farm a choice piece of land in a suitable condition for growing it to perfection, it would be judicious to chance a little on a crop for which there is always more or less of a demand, particularly if it be of good quality, and every crop on a farm should be the very best that can be grown. Because cheese and other products of the dairy happen for a time to be unsaleable at good profits, the hasty farmer jumps to the conclusion that it is " all up " with dairy farming, and he disposes of his cows and gives the cold shoulder to the dairy factory ; but before he has well completed his arrangements for some other use of his land, the news is abroad that dairy farming is likely to be the leading and most profitable industry in the country. When cultivation of grain gave way to the rush for sheep, horses became a drug in the market, and horse breeding was neglected. It requires but small foresight to prognosticate that ere long draught horses will be in vigorous demand, and the supply will not be forthcoming. Because beef has been lowered in value in sympathy with the fall in the price of mutton, shorthorn cattle have lost their prestige, and bulls and cows of the purest blood and highest pedigree have recently been disposed of at absurdly low figures. Yet it is quite within reasonable conjecture that this grand old breed "for producing animals of early fattening propensities will be again in high favour, and the old fancy figures be offered when few will have them to sell.

THE LESSON TO BE LEARNT from what has been written is apparent. After a due survey and examination of a farm — its near proximity or otherwise to a centre of population or a port — the climate and soil, and everything else that may influence the farmer in favour of some particular kind of farming — it seems to be only in consonance with common sense that he should continue the system adopted until he is convinced by experience and the uncompromising logic of fact that a change is desirable or necessary. Under any circumstances repeated changes in farming, or " chasing the market " are to be deprecated and avoided as only a little less hurtful than a too frequent recourse to the money-lender, and consequent loss of independence.