224 WHEAT PRODUCTION IN NEW ZEALAND 



receipts from other pursuits, and the opposite is equally 

 true ; and, secondly, the total receipts are the joint result 

 of the several pursuits, and therefore the question of the 

 degree of profit which is obtained from an individual 

 pursuit, does not resolve itself into a matter of isolating 

 that pursuit, if, indeed, isolation were possible. The 

 receipts from wheat production alone may apparently 

 be less than the direct expenditure on that crop, and 

 yet it is quite possible that the farmer will find wheat 

 growing a remunerative pursuit; for this occupation 

 fosters efficiency in the pastoral industries. We, there- 

 fore, see that the system of mixed farming complicates 

 our problem greatly, the true solution of which lies in 

 the collection of data over the whole field of farming 

 occupations. 



A third great difficulty presents itself in the lack of 

 time for a comprehensive investigation. Expenditure 

 cannot be estimated for an individual year. The farmer 

 spends much one year in the anticipation of reaping the 

 benefit at some future date, often spread over years. 

 On the other hand, the growth of certain weeds or 

 the prevalence of pests may incur expenditure in an 

 individual year which would be unnecessary at ordinary 

 times. The expenditure should be calculated over a 

 series of years, at least four in accordance with our 

 rotation system, and even then a considerable part of 

 the total expenses is devoted only indirectly to wheat 

 production.* 



*There is no unanimity of opinion among wheat growers as 

 to whether wheat production has resulted in a net profit over 

 the past, say, 10 years. Some declare that the result has been 

 quite satisfactory, while others are of the opinion that they 

 have been growing wheat at a loss for many years. Strangely 

 enough, in spite of the alluring prospects which pastoral farming 

 offers, many of the latter class have continued to grow wheat. 

 But our debt to them is great, and this will probably become 

 more evident as time reveals the actual shortage of wheat in 

 the world as a result of the ravages of war. 



