The Waikato Times AND THAMES VALLEY GAZETTE. SATURDAY, AUGUST 23, 1890.

Waikato Times, Volume XXXV, Issue 2826, 23 August 1890, Page 2

The Waikato Times AND THAMES VALLEY GAZETTE.

SATURDAY, AUGUST 23, 1890.

Equal and exact justice to all men, 01 whatsoever state or persuasion, religious or political. i

Tun recent intelligence conveyed to Hritisli farmers, and which, we learn, has hud an inspiriting effect upon them, that the tierce competition from American wheat is almost at an end, is calculated to encourage colonial fanners. It is a. question whether the effect of the enormous wheat yields of America has been felt more keenly in England than in the colonies, the prices of our wheats being regulated not so much by the local and intercolonial demand and supply as by the prices they would fetch in the London market in competition with the American and British product. The particulars of the information referred to go to show that the consumption of wheat ill America is rapidly increasing, while the acreage is becoming more circumscribed, and the yield is decreasing. It is estimated that in five years _ the total American wheat crop will be required for home consumption. This is not surprising;, what other results could be expected, after considering the manner in which the bulk of American wheat is grown. Farming, if we may dignify it by that name, of the most suicidal and reckless kind is indulged in, crop after crop is grown upon originally fertile land, until nature reluses to yield more, when the land is abandoned and fresh soil is taken up, and the same process repeated. During this time, in addition to the natural increase of population, an enormous tide of emigration has been llowing in from all parts of the. world. Is it then surprising to learn that, the demand for wheat wi.ll soon overtake the supply? America is a wonderful country, and the extent; of fertile land available for wheat-growing contained in it lias been simply astonishing. I in t. it is not uuex haustible, and thus result ot' burn ing the caudle at both ends has not been unexpected. However, tlie* oii'ect which this

withdrawal of American wheat from the London market will have upon our own production, is what we have to consider. This cannot be otherwise than beneficial and will certainly be timely. If the production of wheat in this colony is to attain anything approaching large dimensions, if the crop itself is to remain a favored one with farmers and hold its own in the rotation, it can only become so by a considerable rise in price. The present prices are not payable and we have the authority of the most practical farmers iu saying so. It would indeed be hard at the present time to select any branch of agriculture which promises less return for the capital and labour involved than that of wheat growing. This cannot long remain so, and the information, that America will shortly retire from the list of exporting countries, indeed quite possibly sooner than we have stated above, cannot but possess a significance to agriculturalists throughout the colony, and in view of the general advance in prices of produce now noticeable all round, Waikato farmers might, even this coming season, find it to their advantage, to place a small area of their lands at any rate under this cereal. There is a phase of this subject hitherto unnoticed in New Zealand, but which has forced itself upon the attention of farmers in the neighbouring celony of South Australia and may probably do so here. This is the gradual deterioration of their wheat, as shown by a diminution of gluten in the grain and consequent loss of strength iu the flour. Many of our readers are doubtless aware, that our trade in breadstuffs with the I'ijis and other islands in the South Pacific, would be largely increased, if our flour was more popular than it is. The fact being that no matter how good the New Zealand flour may be, when it first reaches the islands, it rapidly goes off in strength and becomes almost useless for breadmaking. This is not the case with American flour, containing more gluten and packed in barrels, it keeps much better and stands in greater favour with the traders and consumers. As we have said, this question of decreasing strength in the flour is being taken up by the South Australian farmers and millers. So far it is not known what has caused the deterioration, whether it is due to exhaustion of the soil, to too long continuance in using the same seed, or to some other unexplained cause. Until this can be ascertained no steps can be taken to remedy it. The subject is of great interest and importance, and in view of permanently higher prices for wheat we commend it to the serious consideration of our own farmers. It would be in dealing with such subjects as the foregoing, that the advantages of an agricultural school and model farm would be exhibited. This question of increasing, not merely the yield of grain per acre, but the life supporting power of the flour, might be practically taken in hand, and the formation, therefore, of such establishments is a subject of immense importance to farmers and to the whole colony. Un«!er a system of carefully-conducted experiments, the results, if successful in throwing any light upon the causes and remedies required, would be of such value, even iu this single instance, as to repay many times over the whole cost of such institutions.