FARM AND STATION.

Otago Witness, Issue 2808, 8 January 1908, Page 6

FARM AND STATION.

THE OLD YEAR AND THE NEW. The year 1907 has been prosperous foT most New Zealand farmers, the exceptions being those who suffered "from the drought which prevailed in North and Central Otago and the greater part of -Canterbury until the latter part of the period. Happily, the visitation ceased, and though there is some recurrence of dry conditions in Canterbury, the agricultural .and pastoral situation in "the; southern part of- the Dominion generally is satisfactory — In Otago particularly so, the season being' one of the best which farmers have experienced. In the North Island the weather has been more variable than in the South, and while in the spring, after a most favourable winter, there was an excess of rain, the summer has in many districts — particularly the East Coast— been very dry, to the detriment of the crops for fattening purposes, tthje growing of which has largely extended in that great pastoral area. Good rains during the last week of the year averted the danger of a scarcity of feed for the rest of the season', and the prospect is now encouraging. Production during the year was affected greatly by untoward influences. The wheat crop proved to be actually the lightest in yield since the drought season 1897-8, though the estimate formed at threshing time placed it rather higher than that disastrous crop. Oats also cannot have been very much more productive last year than they were nine years before, and only the good Southland harvest prevented their being lower. Grain prices advanced soon after harvest, and though' they receded towards th^^close of the year, they are still higher than for many years past. Potatoes suffered both from drought and from disease^, and were to most' growers an exta*emely unsatisfactory crop. The Commonwealth producers were allowed to. .monopolise the North Island market until near the close of the season, when southern potatoes found a. clear market, with "the result that .prices momentarily boomed, only to falT to zero, leaving a large' stock, which might hafe been sold at a payable price early in the.- season, to b*e jettisoned. Instead of Australia being, as formerly, a reliable market for" New Zealand potatoes, the reverse is now the case, the North Island markets being flooded with Victorian and Tasmanian potatoes at prices, duty paid, which our growers have Hitherto declined to accept. Trustworthy information regarding the crops of our competing neighbours is vitally necessary to potato-growers, and some means 'should be taken to obtain it. Live stock have been the New Zealand farmers' salvation during the year. Notwithstanding drought m the great fat lamb districts the exports were larger than ever, and good prices wer^fe steadily realised for all fat stock. Store stpek was almost unsaleable for a period, but the autumn rains very opportunely checked the slump, and there ha? since been a •good demand for all' classes of sheep, with s every prospect of continuance, as much * country is greatly understocked, and many farmers, especially in Southland and the west coast of the North Island, are increasing their operations in sheep. The last season's wool clip was marketed to the growers' great advantage, but various causes have conspired to bring about a sharp .fall fchis season. According to all authorities, the world's supply, though it has been considerably augmented by the partial recovery- of Australian flocks from the effects of the long drought, is by_ no means in excess of requirements, and there ia zoom, for the confident hope that when Business is resumed in the New -Year a better spirit will pervade the markets. .The,- fall" in the ,value of pelts is also serious, "but' appears to be arrested, and may be recovered when.- financial confidence is restored "in the United States. The decreased values of wool and pelts com- , bined has affected the prices of fat sheep and lambs, though these are still afc about the same level as at' this time last year. Dairy-farmers have had a most prosperous, year, and have good in view; though the present high prioes cannot be expected to be permanent. New Zealand hemp is now regarded as an agricultural product.. Its position is very unsatisfactory, the price of the fibre being £8 or £9 per ton less than at this time last year, while in the meantime the price of the raw. leaf has been forced by competition to a level which must be regarded as fictitious. The industry is declared to be on the verge of a crisis which, it is hoped, will result in its being placed upon a sounder basis. , The hemp trade has, no doubt, suffered much from the American financial disturbances, but it has also certainly been subjected to undue inflation, from flrhich the present slump is partly a relapse. Th-as, in most products a lower range of prices -.than in the past year musfe T>e faced," but still production should be profitable-. The greatest danger will be to those, who have' bought land^ at the recent "hifh rates, and nave ■ insufficient capital to withstand a period of low prices and possibly high interest. The labour question, too, is a cause for anxiety. The demands of the farm labourers' unions, if granted, will add materially to the direct cost of cultivation, besides interfering intolerably with the working of farms. The farmer has a good many troubles before Mm in the aatf fear, and fdat he may surmount them

is the beet, wish that can be extended to him. f