Seed growing in Canterbury

Abstract

Nearly every country has the chance to produce certain goods and services under more favourable conditions than its rival countries enjoy, The conditions may be those of climate, or natural products such as iron and coal, or cheapness of power, or proximity to a market, or natural aptitude of the inhabitants, or cheapness and efficiency of labour. It will always be found that permanent prosperity is built on the production of those goods that can be produced most favourably; and that attempts to produce goods under difficult conditions are a source of distress, worry and financial loss, often to the producer himself; oftener still to the country as a whole. In New Zealand we have proved that two special industries are so suitable to our conditions that in them we have outstripped the World. These are the sheep and dairy industries. We have more sheep per head of population than any other country in the World. 20 as compared with 17 in Australia and 9 in Uraquay. In dairy cattle the position is still more marked since per head of population we have twice as many cows as Denmark, Holland or Switzerland. This development has been possible because of our climate, the natural aptitude of our people, and the concentration and portability of the product. Is there any other industry in which we have similar advantages. The suggestion is that the seed growing industry is in that position.