FARMINS ON BIG SCALE

Taranaki Daily News, 21 August 1930, Page 19

FARMINS ON BIG SCALE

WESTERN AUSTRALIAN. HOLDING.

PATRIOTIC GROWER OF WHEAT.

From forty tp fifty ploughs are used on two large Western Australian properties owned by Mr. P. W. G. Liebe, who is regarded as being one of the biggest-seale farmers of, the -world. Details of his two properties are contained in a letter received by Mr. F. Pawson,, business agent for.? the New Zealand Railways, from. Mr/L. J* Schmitt, Tourist and Trade Commissioner in Sydney/ ■■ . ■ ■ Mr. Schmitt’s letter followed on the recent tour of. Australia by the party of New Zealand farmers. The party, which was accompanied by Mr. Pawson, was shown in Sydney lantern slides of Mr. Liebe’s property. The slides were so interesting that a request was made by the New Zealanders for. more, information concerning the properties, and Mr. Schmitt’s letter to Mr. Pawsoil was the result The letter states that Mr. Liebe has proved himself to be not only an agriculturist; but also a patriot in settling the country. He is looked upon as one of the largest farmers of the world. At one time he was a successful contractor In Perth. His attention being turned to farming, lie took up in 1915 a property of 20,000 acres known jie Wubin. In 1916 the crop wae of 1500 acres, and to-day the average area was 6000 acres. The plant on the farm is valued at £12,000, and, as well as wheat-growing, 3000 or 4000 sheep are carried.

A new property of 4000 acres was taken up by Mr. Liebe in 1920. The new property, known as Waddy, was practically all dense forest, to clear which ninety men were given work. In 1927, 1600 acres of what had been forest wm cropped, realising 9600 bags of wheat. The cropping area was increased to 10,000 acres in 1928, but, owing to the dry season, only 32,000 bag6°of wheat were harvested. The acreage cropped at Waddy in 1929 was 15,000 and at Wubin 6000. •Mr. Liebe’e definite aim is to obtain 100,000 bags of wheat each year. His work ifi really a national one, for he realises that he will not live to reap the benefit of the money spent on forest clearing, and he has no family. Thirty-nine thousand acres have been cleared at an average cost of'Bos an acre. In addition, it has cost him many thousands of pounds for fencing. The value of the plant on the two properties is £35,000, and includes twenty-seven tractors, ninety-five horses; twenty-five harvesters and headers, from forty to fifty ploughs, from twenty to twenty-five drills and twelve motor trucks. This season Mr. Liebe will be able to Carry about 10,000 sheep, as well as crop from 20,000 to 30,000 acres of grain. The area under crop this year is 20,000; 15,000 a-ercs are under fallow, and 20,000 acres will be fallowed for next year. Wubin is light land, and the Waddy property is heavy forest land. - Mr. Liebe ujses >boiit lewt of superphosphate : tb 'the acre, and from 451 b to; 501 b of seed to the acre. The plant has not been increased, and, owing to the financial tightness, Mr. Liebe does not intend to increase the area under cron above 20,000 acres. His present holding of sheep is from 3000 to 4000, plus lambs.