THE NEW FARMING.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVI, Issue 6, 8 January 1935, Page 6

THE NEW FARMING.

A new era for British farming seems heralded in the pages of the first report of the Agricultural Research Council just published here (wrote the London correspondent of the "Christian Science Monitor" in December). The already noticeable revival in land cultivation is held to give special importance to this official document. The peaceful conservatism of husbandry has now received a jolt from the eminent council, which lias started to probe into existing farming methods. "The idea," the report says, "that success in farming depends on long experience handed 011 from generation to generation can be shown to be erroneous." In this short sentence the centuries-old foundations of British farming arc attacked. Agriculture, the report states, is now changing so fast that experience of past methods is less useful than knowledge of new ones and the adaptability and courage necessary to try theni. And the farmer to-day does not have to look far for evidence of the birth of a new. planned agriculture. Progressive farmers are taking advantage of new enginearing inventions. For instance, giant tractors are turning up the ground to a deptli never before attempted. An age-old crust beneath the surface is being penetrated, bringing a new level of productivity. The costly machines to perform this work are not being bought by farmers, but are owned by a company which sends them round the countryside ; on hire. This is another step away from the traditional individualism of British methods, i