VI PEEFACE 



ambitious task, if it does not, indeed, serve as an introduction. 

 The practical value of the questions discussed, has strongly 

 appealed to me, and it can fairly be claimed that the work is 

 not merely of academic interest. Indeed, it is mainly in the 

 hope that the treatment may prove helpful to farmers, public 

 men, and all interested in the rural industries, that I have 

 decided to publish the work. Should this prove to be the case, 

 it will bring only added pleasure to the author; for already 

 the investigation has afforded more than adequate satisfaction 

 for the labours of preparation. 



My thanks are due to all who have helped me in the 

 preparation of the work and they are many. To the farmers 

 of Canterbury I am grateful for the readiness with which they 

 responded to the many requests I made of them. The various 

 Government Departments which I approached were also always 

 anxious to assist me with statistical material and other infor- 

 mation at their disposal. In particular I must acknowledge 

 gratefully the help which Mr. Malcolm Fraser, Government 

 Statistician, tendered me in this respect. My thanks are due 

 also to Mr. Edwin Hall, of Onehunga, and Dr. Hilgendorf, of 

 the Canterbury Agricultural College, both of whom read the MS., 

 and made many valuable suggestions. Finally, I must tender 

 my special thanks to my teacher, Dr. James Hight, of 

 Canterbury University College, whose guidance and encourage- 

 ment while I was preparing the work were invaluable. He 

 read the MS., as it appeared, and afterwards undertook to 

 watch the book through the press, and correct proofs. It may 

 be stated that this work is but one of many on similar topics, 

 which have been prepared recently at Canterbury University 

 College under Dr. Eight's guidance. 



D. B. COPLAND, 



University of Tasmania, 

 Hobart, 



June 30th, 1918. 



