SMALL FARMS.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LXI, Issue 144150, 21 July 1913, Page 8

SMALL FARMS.

ESTIMATE OF PROFITS. In his address to tho Farmers’ Union Conference, Mr. J. G. 'Wilson, the president, made the following reference to the profit to be made from dairying on some farms: — . ‘ “In areas suitable for carrying about 25 cows, £75 was being paid for land in. the best dairying districts. Most people would say that this price was far beyond the value, but there were those who averred that it was not too high, and based that statement on the fact that even at those ijrices men were malting a comfortable living from 25 cows. The time was when £lO a cow was looked upon as a phenomenal return. Now, in some oases, double that amount was made. There was no doubt that people were realising more and more that if such high-priced land was going to pay, that it would do so much better if tho stock were purobreds of their particular breed. They gave more milk and their progeny were, of course, more valuable. It was certain that prices on the whole were very remunerative, and he gave an authentic case of a man who gave £75 an acre coming out very well at tho end of the season. With a milking machine 25 cows were fairly easily managed by one man. 1 About 40 acres would, in the best dairy | districts, keep 25 cows in milk, and i the ordinary £2OOO invested in land, say £250 in the cows, might bo worked out with tho following result;— £ s. d. £ s. d. Int. on £2OOO at 6 per cent 120 0 0 Int. on £250 at 7 . • per cent. 17 10 0 Rates and taxes (say) 20 0 0, Repairs, sinking fund, etc. (say) 50 0 0 Return from 25 cows at £l7 (actual amountreceived) 425 0 0 Return from cal-, ves, 15, at £1 ves, 15, at £3 apiece 45 0 0 Return from pigs (one per cow)... 26 0 0 207 10 0 405 00 207. 10 0 £IBB 10 0 This was no doubt largely a payment for labour, added Mr. Wilson, but ’it had also to bo remembered- that tho family had been housed and probably fed largely from the produce of the farm. It a man had capital sufficient to buy purebreds. his returns would be increased by the .increased value of, tho stock he had to sell. There seemed to be an increasing tendency.for men to go into milking on these small areas, and, as a result, population, in the dairying districts was increasing considerably. When, therefore, good returns were tho result, tho sonoy passed into a great many hands, and got into circulation quickly. ’ *