PROSPECT OF PROSPERITY

Taranaki Daily News, 22 June 1928, Page 11

PROSPECT OF PROSPERITY

OUTLOOK FOR THE FARMERS MORE TOP-DRESSING NECESSARY. INCREASED VALUE OF FAT CATTLE A comprehensive review of the position of farming in New Zealand during the past year and the condition of the markets throughout the world was given by Mr. C. H. Weston in hie presidential address to the Taranaki Chamber of Commerce last night. “Although we have had a very dry season indeed yet the amount of but- { ter-fat produced in Taranaki has been only slightly less than tho amount produced last year, and the prices have been a little better,” he said. “Now that the hard times have passed and there is a reasonable prospect of fair prosperity in the future it is pleasant to be able to congratulate the farmers of Taranaki upon the courage with which they have faced adversity. By nature of a high standard of character and intelligence they have used every ounce of energy and brain in the fight j against bad times. Their victory is in every way a personal one. “The testing and culling of their dairy herds and the use of good bulls have improved the productive character of tho animals themselves, while the extensive use of fertilisers has improved the pastures, but I venture to say that such extended use of top-dressing will not satisfy our dairy farmers’ demand for higher production, anti that in the future they will ask for even better pastures, which can only b® gained by the use of still better grasses and still better methods of cultivation. In this direction scientific help is required to ascertain what grasses are most suitable for the particular localities. Such help will surely be given by the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research in collaboration with the Department of Agriculture and its able and willing officers. SHEEP FARMERS’ OUTLOOK. “The sheep farmer, who has had such varying fortunes, can now look towards the future with a certain amount of optimism, too. The prices ho is getting for his wool and his lambs and old sheep will , allow him to keep his best lambs, to cull his ewe flock extensively and to use nothing but tho best rams procurable. By these means lie will increase the weight of his fleece and improve its quality, while his cull lambs and old sheep will command still better prices. “The actual figures with regard to wool are that the export of wool from the Dominion for the 12 months which ended on March 31 amounted to 723,717 bales, valued at £16,691,385, as compared with 4528,355 bales, valued at £11,915,781, for the previous 12 months. There was thus an increase of 95,362 bales, and an extra sum of no less than £4,775,604 found its way into the pockets of our sheep farmers. It is fortunate, also, that beef now is commanding more payable prices, and the glazier should be able in time to raise a herd of beefprodueing cattle which will not only do the work necessary to keep hie farm in order but produce progeny that will be valuable in themselves. Our beef-rear-ing farmers have netted the following amounts from the world’s markets: — £1,043,871 in 1925; £511,985 in 1926, and 583,871 in 1927.

“For some years past the unsatisfactory condition of our cattle industry has given much concern to pastoralists, and it is particularly pleasing to note the increased values that have been paid for fat cattle this year. During the last few months there have been good inquiries for our frozen beef from New York and also from Montreal, and considerable quantities have been shipped to these and other ports, and it is satisfactory to note that tho markets for our frozen meat are being extended. There has been a good demand for our beef for Army orders in Great Britain which, combined with tho demand from New York, Montreal, etc., has raised the value for fat cattle throughout the Dominion. Moreover, at the moment, anyone prepared to face a life in the backblocks who has sufficient experience and knowledge to farm such country can obtain it at reasonable prices. It is obvious that fewer farms are changing hands, and it looks as if men were settling down on their land to make homes for themselves and their successors and to build up flocks and herds of which they will be proud,”