HOW IS FARMING TO BE MADE PROFITABLE.

Te Aroha News, Volume III, Issue 107, 20 June 1885, Page 7

HOW IS FARMING TO BE MADE PROFITABLE.

[Vrcm the weekly press.] Those who listened to or have read Mr John Holmes* recent speech, will have much to reflect upon. ''It is not our intention \o here refer to Mr Holmes' pronounced protection views, but rather to j note one or two of his remarks as bearing upon the agricultural interest. In tiie first place, then, <lie tenor of Mr Holmes' remarks would convey the impression that until largo sums of money wore «'evote»l to the development of local iu.lustries— in the wayol uuuufaciuring most of the £4,408,999 worth of imported gt»o Is— the ag. ieu 1 Mli-si! interest* tnHSt languish for want of a local market. We cannot see that this would benefit grain growers to any very greai extent. Gotninunieition is now so com plete and rapid between all parts of tinWorld that* a« soon as wheat, rises in New Zealand to even oi\« shilling pei quarter higher than elsewhere, atrcuti>n would be attracted to this market, ami prices would very soon Hud their level again, Unless, indeed, a he.ivy prohibitive duty were imposed, whicu would mean taxing the majority of the people to earich the niinori* j . This we aypreIhmi ! would not be submitted to. Major A'V nwiiiWas quite right when he said, * if wheat fails go to cheese an I ixitW Am' Mr Holmes was in erroi v u he said " tl at by turning 10v» notes of agneulinr.il land into grassuii, J-.H the services of two men wore dour awiy with, anl ti>at was what would happen if cereal grotfinir w.»re abandono 1 for cheese and butter making/' \\ v have just said that Mr Holmes is in error in making this statement, and w«« 8!iall now po'nt out to the satisfaeti mi of every practical man that we have good grounds for making this assertion No practical man would f -»r a moment sup pose that in abandoning wheat growing for cheese and butter, as suggested by Major Atkinson, the Major for a moment intended to advise the growing of nothing save grass. Every fanner knows perfectly well that to keep a large number of dairy cattle means the culture of « large area of root and fodder crops, »nd the constant renewing of old pastures ? also how impossible it would be %o carry any number of cattle through ihe winter months without an ample supply o! straw, which implies the growth of cereals to a certain extent. What Major Atkinson meant was that the farmers of New Zealand should not depend wholly on wheat growing. We have frequently made the same assertion. So far from a diminution of labour (as predicted by Mr Holmes) being the result of the change of system referred to, employment would greatly increase as tjampired with that required for exclusive corn growing. And not only so, b«1t tUe demand for labour wou! 1 be continuous. This want of a continuous demand for labour has been, and is now, one of the chief causes of distress amongst thea^ricultuial working classes. Even at the present low price for wheat, wheat-growing can still be made to pa? in New Zealand. But to do so only the best Ian Is must be nsed for the purpose —land which cin prod lire from thirty bushels upwards. In reference to dairyfarming, it may be said that as overpro luction has ruinr-d t'ip wh^-it market, may not th" same result he looked for by a general cuange of system from corn to dairy farming. A little reflection will tend to disperse any apprehension which might arise in the minds of some on this point. Dairy farming means not only the keeping of a few cows, but of a mixed system. Feeding stock on roots and corn means the speely enrichment of the soil ; it also means the production of piss and poultry, the demand for which ia at present unlimited. We have only to glance through the home agricultural papers to see that the demand for t.utter ami cheese is also unlimited. Lord Vi-rnon, speaking recently on the subject, said that " over-production of milk is impossible while we import £20,000,000 worth of dairy produce, with a gr< wing deinaud. \s feeding stuffs fall in price, so more cows can be kept on the same acreage 5 an ' he looks forward to the tiim* when double the amount of manure would go in the pastures." This is from an English farmer's stand point. When we consider our own advantages in tlie way of dim ate, soil, and faci itios for getting our produce to i!te Hoin.market, we see no reason why we ehoul I not participate in the profits of thi< enormous trade. But, as we have repeatedly pointed out, we must keep the fact constantly before a*, via., that the market is alily good for really first-das* stuff ; to ship anything else is folly of the worst kind. Referring again to Mr Holmes' remarks, we cannot help thinking that too much attention is being given to matters which at best are untried theories, while such matters ag we have been referring to are entirely overlooked. We have the land and the plant. juet us go with the times, and adapt ourpelves to the new state of things, instead of so frequently calling upon Jupiter to help us. If corn does no( pay, let us take Major Atkinson's adv.ce, and gr«w butter and cueese of the best quality, and the results will be satisfactory to all parties. The feeding of sheep for the frozen meat tra le is, of course, a part of the system of farming we are advocating. New Zealand can no longer compete with America ami other corn growing countries. But we can hold our own ill such things as -neat, dairy produce, fruibs, and a wide range of economic plants

A country paper says in an obituary : " Mr X. was an eHtiinible citizen. H> lived uprightly j Im di 'd witti perfect resignation* He had be*m recently mai - ried."