236 WHEAT PRODUCTION IN NEW ZEALAND 



On A, production is relatively cheap, wages for labour 

 and the cost of horse-feed being remarkably low. Culti- 

 vation is easy of accomplishment here, and the land is 

 tilled intensively, which, together with high fertility, 

 obviates the necessity of the use of manure. The yield 

 of 30 bushels per acre is exceptional for this land, as it 

 is not unlike the land at the Agricultural College from 

 which an average yield of 45 bushels per acre is obtained. 

 The low yield for this particular harvest was due to 

 the detrimental effects of a very severe gale in October, 

 while the crop was still only a few inches above the 

 ground. "The wind swept the soil away from the roots 

 of the crop," and consequently, "when the heads got 

 filled, the straw fell down and a great quantity of it 

 was not picked up by the reaper." Had it not been for 

 the wind, the yield would have been 40 bushels per acre, 

 according to the estimate of the farmer who produced 

 it 



Production on land C is much more costly than that 

 on land A or B, according to the estimate. The high 

 cost of production on land C, however, requires a few 

 comments before we can draw conclusions from it. The 

 cost per acre on land C is considerably lower than that 

 for either of the other lands. But the great difference 

 in yield per acre between lands B and C is only in part 

 explained by this difference of cost per acre. 



The valuations of the land are in the ratio of 13 to 18 ; 

 but as B has a superior situational value, this ratio does 

 not measure the difference in fertility. If we allow for 

 the superior situational value of B, then, according to 

 estimated value of the two lands, their fertility would 

 be in the ratio of about 13 to 16. But the yields per 

 acre are in the ratio of 2 to 3, or 13 to 19. Now, were 

 farming methods equally efficient on both lands, since 

 they are situated within an area where climatic con- 

 ditions are very much alike, we should expect the ratio 



