A PROSPEROUS SEASON.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVII, Issue 81909, 21 December 1906, Page 4

A PROSPEROUS SEASON.

At the present time New Zealand is enjoying not only a marvellous good season, but a period of prosper ity in nearly every fonn of agriculture that is most gratifying to ali concerned and of benefit to the whole nation. •Jo where you will, particularly in the North Island, and one sees stock knee deep ill feed. There was a mild winter, and dairy rattle came well through it; there was a mild spring, and the lambing returns were excel lent. The price of wool is phenomenal, and the same may he said for butter, whilst many other agricultural products are also commanding high prices. With such favourable conditions helping farmer's duty is mani festjy idam. He should, for liis own every opportunity of im his land and his stock, not Hf in order to take advantage of Bngh prices, but also in order to meet any fall in values, which, however unlikely, it is only wise to be prepared for. In years of plenty only have fanners the opportunity of making extensive improvements. They have, or j should have, money wherewith to pay | off mortgages, to buy implements, to fence off new paddocks, to provide manures, to try new crops, and to make new pastures. When 1 Jitter is high they can afford to cull the in ferior cows from their herds, to pur chase high class bulls, and to make ; provision for harder seasons in the ! way of comfortable sheds, stacks of hay and ensilage, silos, chaff-cutting, and milking machinery.

It is necessary for farmers to im prove their homes and to give to their womenfolk those eonveniene .- which help to lighten tbeir labour and to make house life brighter and pleas anter; but it is worse than folly to spend the fruits of good times on mere luxuries or non-essential detaih