WHEAT GROWING.

Wellington Independent, Volume XXVI, Issue 3275, 11 August 1871, Page 2

WHEAT GROWING.

» TO THE EDITOR OF THB INDEPENDENT. Sir, — I enclose you an artiole extracted from fche " South Australian Register" bearing upon the production of wheat in that colony, which probably may not be without interest to many of your readers. After reading it, probably the inquiry will suggest itself how ifc happens thafc in South Australia, with average crops of twelve to fourteen bushels por aore, wheat oan be grown at a cost upon the ground of 2s per bushel, while here, with double tho average yield, it cannot be, or afc any rate is nofc, grown for double tho prico ? Doubtless some of tbis difference is duo to fcbe fact that the dry climate of South Australia permits fche use of a description of reaping machine nofc adapted to fche climate of fchis province. Bufc this reason will nofc altogether suffice, as the reaping machine of England, if nofc quite os economical, is in some respects superior fco that of South Australia. Probably fche true cause of the difference is fchafc reaping machines are almost, if not entirely, unknown in this provinco. It follows, therefore, that if wo would place ourselves on a lovol with South Australia (and I may add wifch Ofcago and Canterbury) reaping machines must be generally employed. In these days manual labor cannot compete with machinery. Our farmers must either employ machinery/ or be driven oufc of the markofc. If the farmers settled in various agricultural localities would only unite, with a view to introducing and employing reaping machines, this province would soon cease to import wheat, and would produce surplus stores available for other markets — I am, &o, G. M. Waterhouse.