RURAL NEW ZEALAND UNDER REVIEW.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume L, Issue 12711, 23 March 1911, Page 3

RURAL NEW ZEALAND UNDER REVIEW.

No. 22

(By ft- J. EAMES)

WELIJNGTON

\ PROVINCE

PROGRESSIVE.

CROPS, SULK AND FLEECE

Pushing still further in .a northwesterly direction from Fielding, there is the agricultural excellence of the Rangitikei, between the. rivor of that name and the Wangaehu. "Clay land, hard land,1' soms may say. But/ with intelligent tillage it has proved itself capable of big things. Not only for cropping, but for grazind and' fattening. Thirty pounds per acra was offered for a 600-aere lot—and was refused. This country is used for dry-grazing and fat/tcming, and its computed capacityis three sheep to the 'acre, besides cattle. Of course there is land—lots of it —available at a lower price than that. Away towards Hunterville, again, the land runs into bigger holdings, jsiid where level enough to cultivate it is good for cropping. The, price is from £8 to £15 and £20 per acre. The £8 land is on a two-sheep basis, while the £15 and £20 property is generally xised for mixed farming,'and the extra price is also created by its closer proximity to the centres. From Turakma to Eli Us the land has a gcod cropping value—£ls to £25 per acre. The valley cf the Turakina is all gcod grazing, and part of it is fine for mixed agriculture, commanding £30 to £35 per acre. As the valley becomes narrower, northwards, the luvel parts sell from £30 to £40 per .-»ere, while the hills grazing country, not oversteep, and worth from £]0 to £15 per acre. _ Away still further north there is a wide range of values, according to quality .jjikl situation. Throughout, the whole of the cropping area, between Yielding and Wnngamw there are on record numerous instances of land withstanding the strain cf repeated crops. The l?angitikci sub-soil is heavy clay, and experience is proving the necessity of working'it vigorously. Each year, as thet plough gains in effectiveness, some new earth is brought surfacewards to enliven and refresh the rootspace. Plough-draining is being largely adopted. This work, on a previously unimproved farm, was estimated to have increased the value of'■ the land by £7 per acre. That was the owner's ■estimate* (not for selling purposes), but it u-as necessarily arbitrary. In a number cf places plough-draining hais not been completely _ successful, the capillary service not having proved effect-vet. Here | and there, "however, farmers are working with the determination to bring the soil to its highest point of prodxietion and are tile-draining' their pro- ' pel-ties. Aiitumn sowing appeal's to be gi-owing in favour, and the experience: this year lias proved the wisdom of providing against dry seasons, such ;as the present, by that prcoess. Th& excellence of Southern Itangitikei ryo : Laving been proved, tht farmers to the north are experimenting, and with success As the bush land is cleared the potato crops yield heavily.