NEW ZEALAND PRODUCTS.

Otago Witness, Volume 06, Issue 2899, 6 October 1909, Page 21

NEW ZEALAND PRODUCTS.

MARKETS IN THE EAST. (FROM OUB OWU CORRESPONDENT.)

LONDON, August 20. Another hifrt has been received this week of the genesis of a large market for New Zealand products in the East. And in the present disastrous condition of our export trade it might be worth while for New Zealand to wake up and look about earnestly for alternative markets. In the East are 400 .million people, who are gradually beginning to adopt our European practices, and so to have European wants. If New Zealand would only get. to work on the lines suggested by Mr R. D. D. M'Lean and othors, and put morey and brains into the business, wo might before long have a valuable alternative market with the East. The Japanese, who are as numerous as the population of the United Kingdom, are already eating beef. For some time past earnest attention has been devoted by the Japanese Government (under the direct encouragement of the Emperor) to the improvement of Japaneen cattle by the importation of British bulls to be crossed with native breeds on the Government ?tud farms. - The head of the cattle-breeding department of the Japanese Government (Mr Hashimoto) is at present visiting this country to make purchases of stock He is accompanied by- Mr Nuyama and Major Ishibashi, who -have come to buy horses and agricultural instruments. " Meat^eating," said Mr Hashimoto. " i on the increase in Japan. Us popularity is increased by the recently advanced theory that a-n over-great oonsuntpton of rice is a source of beri-beri. The Japanese peasant doe? not eat much rice; it is tco dear. Barley, vegetables, and fisli are hia staple foods. _ The upper and middle classes, however, who have hitherto eaten large quantities of rice, are now slowly beginning to add meat to their dietary Beef is the favourite dish. It is cut up small, boiled with' a native bean sauce and vegetables, and eaten with the hashi or chopsticks. The wholesale price of beef in Japan is about sixpence per pound. " It is now 10 or 12 years since wo began to import European cattle into Japan to improve our native breeds. For ploughing purposes, Japanese farmers invariably use cattle. For this purpose 'the native breeds are good, but for milk and beef they are poor. Our object is a dual one. Wo. wish to produce a I)east which will be serviceable for draught purpose* And will at the same timo be of value when subsequently killed for meat. We also want to produce a good milch cow. ."For. the fhst purpose -a -brown breed of Swiss cattlo is found to make the best cross ; for the milkers we are introducing AyraWirp3. Jerseys were formerly triad, but are not sufneientlv hardy. A hardy stock is required in Japan, wh»«re. sinco there is little grass land, tho cattle havp to live almost entirely in barns. The result of the cross has i-rodueod a con* that gives double the amount of milk that the native breed used to yield seven yeai-s ago — which was a gallon a day for six months or loss. On an average wo send over 100 beasts a year, and I have psid a-s much as £150 frr a very good heifer. We also import Berkshire and Yorkshire pigs, and sheep from Russia."