NOTES ON HARVESTING AND THRESHING GRAIN.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 3629, 28 February 1883, Page 4

NOTES ON HARVESTING AND THRESHING GRAIN.

(From the Weekly. Press.)

The work of the harvest field may be said to consist of three principal operations, viz., cutting-, gathering in, and threshing-. The introduction of automatic harvesters has rendered the first-named operation wellnigh perfect. The influence -which these machines have exercised on the development of the country is much greater than might appear at first sight to a casual ob.SLTvcr. The growth of com has been extended far in advance of what it could have been had the old system of cutting prevailed. Years ago, in England, when machinery began to be largely used in manufactures, a great portion of the people declared that the working classes would be starved out. And so it was with ourselves two or three years ago on the introduction of reapers and binders, when the same cry that the working man would be ruined was made, and threats were rife in some districts that the machines would be smashed up, happily good coimsel prevailed. The application oi machinery in England and America on a large scale, instead of curtailing the demand of labor increased it more than a hundred fold. And so it will be in New Zealand. The extended cultivation of corn means increased fencing, and road and railway making. The large increase in the

yield of corn a\ 111 bring more shipping to our ports, and our railways will produce more. The quantity of excellent grain sent home will bo sure to attract the attention of British agriculturalists, and may have the effect of inducing some of them to turn their steps towards New Zealand rather than to Canada and the Western States of America. Wo have before stated that New Zealand may be likened to a noble ship, well found in every department, and having all the conditions for a prosperous voyage, but lacking one essential element, and that is, a want of hands to work the ship. This is exactly the state of the colony at the present ""time. Our industries are being;, stunted in their awwth for the want of more labor to develop them _ properly. The fai.niiig community can testify to the correctness of this assertion, for it has been no uncommon circumstance to have to pay fif teeiipeiiee per hour for hands, and these of the most indifferent quality. As illustrating what farmers have to contend with in this particular way, we may mention that Aye saw two men, working at a machine, doing one man's work. In pointing it out to tlic employer we were met with the reply that he was aware of it, but if we were to suggest that one could do the work they would probably put on their coats, pick up their swags, and be oil", leaving him in a worse plight. Harvest hands have never been so scarce as has been the case this present season. But for the aid of the machines and the glorious Aveather which has prevailed throughout much of our splendid crops must have been lost. It_ is not long since that the working classes cried out against the introduction of more labor, but the experience of the present reason has amply demonstrated that, instead of the labormarket being overdone, we Avant a much larger number of hands, if fanning and other industries are to flourish. We have every sympathy with the working man, so far as getting a "fair day's wage for a fair day's labor," but these conditions do not exist, as we have pointed out. Were labor of a better quality, and at "Vxc and let live rates," available all the year round, a much larger amount of Avork would bo carried on, and working men Avould find that under such a system they would bo the larger gainers in the end. The present creed of'the orthodox sAvagger seems to be to extort the largest possible amount of wages from the farmer (who may be considered bis victim for the timebeing) during harvest tim?, and to do the least possible amount of work for the same. And as soon as harvest is over where do 'we find him ''the swagger) '■ Invariably in some Avayside public house, talking loudly of his big earnings, and knookhig them doAvnascasUy as he earned thorn. Mr Ollivicr, who presided on the Bench at the R.M. Court Christchurch, mentioned that he had seen, at the Rakaia, a. few days ago, about twenty men idling away their t"nc. They had refused .£3 per Aveek and found for harvest Avork. The wages they wanted Avas €5 per week and "tucker." And noAv the farmer's turn has come —his corn all cut, harvested, and threshed, he naturally feels resentful, and resolves not to spend a shilling in labor that can possibly lie avoided. The picture will be completed when avo sec the former overiudependeut and the harvester again swagging the country, footsore and Avithout money, travelling day after day in search of employment, sleeping in straw stacks, and indulging in all kinds of execrations against a country where no employment is to be found, forgetting that he has only himse u ' to blame for his misfortunes. This is, shortly, a picture of things as they exist to a large extent in Canterbury at least. Of course there arc lots of good honest workmen to be found, but they can ahvays iind employment. We shall hayc something more to say on this question at another time, for we feel sure that farmers themselves arc not wholly blameless in the matter. The system of threshing the grain, as practised this season, demands some little attention at our hands. We refer to threshing from the stock, which avo are snvare that many of our best farmers are doing this season. Nevertheless, avo are of opinion that it is not good fanning to do so, for the reasons Avhich Aye shall briefly enumerate. Knowing the changeabloncss of our climate, avc would ask, is it prudent to lcaA'c the corn lying about the paddocks after it is fit for stacking, to be carted to the machine 'i So long as the weather continues fine, all may go well: but let us suppose a very possible contingency, viz., a two or throe days' pelting sou-wester. We need not folloAV up the thought, culminating in sprouted stocks, damaged grain and consequent heavy losses, the like has happened before, Jand Avill assuredly happen again. This is not the' , only evil which may attend the groAving custom of threshing from the stock. It remains to be seen hoAV grain thus threshed [/will stand the voyage to England. Threshing begins early in the morning - , when the grain is often very damp Avith dew. This damp grain is run through the machine and into the bngs, Avhcre it is sure to sweat more or less. It would be unfortunate if our character as producers of good sound wheats should be injured by a fcAv shipments of damaged grain. It is not many years since the possibility of shipping wheat from Ncav Zealand was earnestly discussed. It Avas thought that the grain would certainly hsive to be kiln dried, but happily such a measure is not necessary. Hoavcvct, avc would advocate caution in the matter of threshing from the stock, for the various reasons avo have indicated. We woidd certainly advise stacking everything as soon as fit. The difference in cost is very trifling, and avc feel sure that the farmer A\ho stacks will be the gainer in the end.