HISTORY OF WHEAT PRODUCTION IN NEW ZEALAND 127 
It has already been pointed out that in many districts 
wheat growing is best carried on with sheep farming,— 
in a word, that mixed farming is the most profitable 
method in New Zealand. For the frozen meat industry 
some form of cereal growing is almost necessary for the 
purpose of fattening sheep and lambs. Moreover, the 
best wheat crops are grown under a good and systematic 
crop rotation of which root crops, very useful for winter 
feed, form an essential part. Thus, although wheat grow- 
ing has suffered at the expense of more extensive sheep 
farming, it is nevertheless very unlikely that, while in 
occasional years, such as 1914, there is a temporary 
tendency to abandon wheat production, agriculture will 
finally give way to pastoral pursuits. During the past 
two decades this tendency has been manifest, but how 
far it is likely to continue is a matter for speculation, 
of which more will be said in the concluding chapter. 
2. Dairy Farming.— The second industry which is 
becoming a competitor of wheat growing for the use of 
the land is the dairying industry. This industry has 
long been established in the Dominion, the exports of 
butter and cheese in 1854 being 807 cwt. and 169 
ewt. respectively. Up till the end of last century the 
industry, however, was not very important, but it then 
began to attract attention as a pursuit, for which the 
country had great advantages. Since then many factors 
have stimulated its progress. The establishment of 
‘‘creameries’’ throughout many parts of the country, 
the development of the refrigerating process, and the 
success of home separators have been very active factors; 
of recent years prices have shown a rising tendency; 
lastly the Government has given much encouragement 
to the industry. 
Under these stimuli the exports of butter and cheese 
each considerably over 100,000 ewt. in 1900, have steadily 
risen, and in 1914 were 434,067 cwt. and 863,776 cwt. 
