FARMING IN AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND.

Otago Witness, Issue 3016, 3 January 1912, Page 18

FARMING IN AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND.

The opening lecture of. the 1911-12 session of the Glasgow an-cf West of Scotland Agricultural Discussion Society was 'given by Mr James Dunlop, of Hall House. Fenwick, one of the delegates who recently visited the colonies. Mr Dunlop chose for his subject fanning in Australia and New Zealand, and gave what the chairman considered a most interesting and informative lecture; but. judging from the Scottish Farmer’s reiKWt. his audience must have been easily pleased. Mr Dunlop. in opening, said that if a man could drive a team of horses ho would he a good farm hand in New Zealand or Australia. Western Australia, he said, offered the great st inducement to immigrants at the present time. Queensland impressed Mr Dunlop most of the Australian Stales Turning to our Dominion Mr Dunlop said: “In Now Zealand, as in Australia, the principal industry was cheep-fanning. It was strange, he said, that the "higher one went the better the soil became. No better ground could bo had than on the moun-tain-tops, and it was a rather unusual sight to see turnips or rape growing high up or; the mountains for the purpose of feeding the sheep. The wool was very valuable, but the carcases were becoming dearer on account of the great development in the frozen mutton trade. Romney Marsh, sheep were not of much value in Knit until this frozen meat trade started, and, as a result, the value of these sheep for the production of meat becoming generally known, the Kent farmers were now exporting rams to New Zealand at enormous figures. Oats

were a popular crop in New Zealand, but the harvester would not work as in Australia, so they required to be cut and threshed from the stock. Mixed farming, however, was very common here. Dairying, especially, was going ahead by leaps and bounds, and he had no hesitation in saying that through time great competition would bo encountered flora that quarter. In conclusion, he said that the creameries there did not pay the farmer so much per gallon as m this country, the price being regulated by the quality. He would like to sec the Ayrshire creameries adoptting that system, too.”—Applause. The lecture was illustrated with a lengthy series of limelight views depicting the various places visited by Mr Dunlop.