AGRICULTURAL IMPROVEMENTS.

Lyttelton Times, Volume LVI, Issue 6474, 26 November 1881, Page 6

AGRICULTURAL IMPROVEMENTS.

(Ccnterhur’j Timet.) No farmer who attended the Metropolitan Agricultural Show, held last week, can fail to to have carried home with him a large fund of new ideas of the most useful kind. It is not, however, our intention to dilate upon that particular show, or shows in general, the subject having been pretty well written out. No one with with eyes in his head, and a mind to observe needs to bo told much about the influence of such exhibitions as a practical means of education. tfnmistakeable signs of progress were to be seen in every department of the show, and more than this, the interdependence of the varioue classes of the community was brought ought in the moat striking manner possible. Now that our farmers compete with other countries in the leading produce markets of the world them existence as a farming population depondsin a great measure on their being provided with all the most efficient appliances for cultivation. They are not slow to appreciate any improvement —in implements and machinery—and it must be said to the credit of importers and local manufacturers, that if the country falls behind in the race, it will not bo for the want of any energy or enterprise on their part. Whenever there is any want to bo supplied the local manufacturers spare no pains to satisfy it, and any invention or improvement, likely to bo serviceable to our agricultural population, is at once pounced upon by the importers, who, by so doing, benefit themselves and their clients as welL

The work of tillage is now carried _ on, not only in the Canterbury district, but in other part* of the Colony at well, on ascale hardly dreamt of a few years ago. It is not bo very long ago that 600 acres of grain was _ con* eidcrcd an undertaking of great magnitude for any one farmer, but now a pretty large number of agriculturists extend their annual breadth of land under crops to thousands of acres. The partial development of the country by railways of course led op to this, but farming on this largo scale would hare been altogether out of the question unless the itvcnlivo faculties of implement and machine makers had kept pace with the growing demands. Economy in every respect is essentia! to successful farming, and especially economy of time. Bustling townsmen are apt to imagine that farmers pass their time in a semi-somnolent state, and live in a “land of dnwtihead,” as it were, but in reality there is no one who need* to be more alert to the stealth and rapidity of the enemy’s march than those whose business is closely connected with the seasons. It roust be admitted that farmers are now well equipped in every department of cultivation, but what is considered perfection one year is forced aside the following year by still more effleieat appliances, and if invention goes on at tbo same rate for a few years longer, our farmers will sigh, not exactly for “ more worlds to conquer," but more fields to cultivate. When we compare the narrow clumsy drills of a few years ago with the broad and ingeniously constructed implements of the present day, or the laborious method of hand sowing with the broad cast sowing machit.es now in use; or if we put the old single furrow plough by the side of the double and treble furrow ploughs ; and last, but perhaps most important, when wo compare the old with the new harvest appliances, the only conclusion to bo arrived at is that the lives of the present generation of farmers have fallen in pleasant places. There is no question that farming is a pleasanter and loss anxious occupation now than it used to be, and if the market would only be a little more accommodating, farmers would, we daresay, bo almost willing to forego their traditional privilege of growling. Perhaps no feature of the Metropolitan, or of any other Important show held in the

colony, would strike a visitor from any of the Australian Colonies more then the variety of the appliances for the cultivation of turnips. This is a feature which distinguishes the agriculture of New Zealand from that of Australia, and of many other new countries. The introduction of the turnip almost revolutionised English agriculture, and wherever it* cultivation on a largo scale Is possible, the permanency of farming may be said to bo certain. It* cultivation is extending every year, and through its agency, in conjunction with irrigation, the most shingly part* of the Canterbury plains are losing the reproach of barrenness. During the month, turnip sowing and the work of preparing the land for it will bo in full swing. When the seed is sown on newly broken up land, what are known os trinod harrow* are invaluable forlmaking the looa bed. They break down the soil without disturbing the furrows. About two strokes are generally sufficient, and the seed is covered deep enough by the chain harrows attached to the broadcast sowing machines. In sowing turnip seed on stubble land it is most important that the soil should be well consolidated, but after the land has been well prepared, the seed is sufficiently covered by rolling. Weeds should bo eradicated as completely as possible, the extra labour thus expended being generally well repaid. With the efficient implements now in use there is really very HtUo excuse for slovenly tillage. Unless the splendid display of implements whion appeared on the Christchurch Show ground last week, boars the fruit of more careful as well as more extensive farming, the reproach will be with the farmers thom-elvcs, and not with the circumstances in which they aro placed. When with the expenditure of an equal amount of manual labour a larger result con be shown, it follows that the land can be more effectually cultivated without additional expense. A farmer should not expect to put tho whole benefit arising from the use of an improved implement into his own pooket, but should divide it with the land. Whatever is returned to the land, be may be sure is in very safe keeping, and will be given back to him with interest. Improved ploughs, harrows, seed sowers, or harvest machinery may be a positive evU rather than a good if they are used only as the moans of exhausting (ho natural fertility of the soil.