124 WHEAT PRODUCTION IN NEW ZEALAND 



various other industries as having an effect on the course 

 of wheat production. First it was the tendency to sheep 

 farming during early colonisation in the ''fifties" and 

 "sixties" which retarded progress in the cultivation of 

 the cereal, though no doubt the position in many cases 

 was that the land would have been idle if pasture had 

 not been profitable. The prospects for this industry 

 were good at the outset, especially from the point of 

 view of the market, and as early as 1858 the export 

 had reached 3,810,373 Ibs. During the "sixties" rapid 

 progress was made, and in 1870 the exports totalled 

 37,039,763 Ibs. Prices were exceedingly good until 

 1878, when a slight fall occurred, falling more rapidly 

 in the "eighties," as did the prices of almost all 

 commodities. 



During the period 1870-90 sheep farming did not 

 have such a restrictive influence on wheat growing as 

 previously, and during the "seventies" progress was 

 relatively greater in the latter industry than in the 

 former. This was largely due to the fact that, except 

 for the supply of wool which sheep afforded, and 

 their possible use as manure, they were of little value, 

 and consequently of the two pursuits wheat growing was 

 the more profitable and prosperous. 



With the success of the refrigerating process in 1882 

 the situation became somewhat changed. Although the 

 frozen meat industry was an established fact in the 

 early "eighties," it is of course not surprising that 

 for nearly a decade its influence was not marked. The 

 new industry was of such a character that it required 

 considerable capital, machinery, and skilled labour and 

 managers. Moreover, sheep runs were already over- 

 stocked with sheep and there was an ample supply for 

 the small demand from the industry. It is noteworthy 

 that almost a decade passed before sufficient capital had 

 been transferred to the industry to render its influence 



