FARMING IN FRANCE.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXVII, Issue 17529, 12 July 1917, Page 7

FARMING IN FRANCE.

ASHBURTON SOLDIER’S VIEWS

ANTIQUATED IMPLEMENTS IN

USE.

Sergeant C. M’Keegan, M.C., who before enlisting was land salesman for the Ashburton branch of the New Zealand Farmers’ Co-operative Association, commenting on farming operations in France, writes to an Ashburton resident as follows: —

“ I have only seen one mob of sheep since I have been in France. They were housed in a big barn, and wintered there on swedes, mangolds, etc. They -were very rough and scraggy, with coarse wool, in poor condition, and just looked like North Island sheep brought off a steamer. They wore of a Border and English Leicester cross, and bare on the head and nock. All the cattle in this country are housed during the winter. The farms are not fenced here, and a sort of mutual understanding exists in regard to boundaries. Practically every aero is under wheat and oats. Judging by the straw j it is a great country for graingrowing, hut tho crops might not thresh out as heavy as in New Zealand. The straw is generally from four to six feet- long, hut not too good in head. I hope to see tho harvest in full swing. “I do not know where the French aro going to get tho labour from, although it is wonderful tho amount of work they get over considering how antiquated they aro both in implements and plant. I have seen flails in use, and also several threshing plants driven on the treadmill system by a horse. I also no ticed a dog driving a big .churn by the same method. The dog walked on the inside of a big driving wheel. I have not seen a double-furrow plough in France. The land is all turned over by means of single-furrow ploughs, and the harrows would make ono weep. The latter is an implement consisting of a wooden frame with wooden tines, somewhat after our style? but very antiquated. The laud is rolled with a roller similar to what wo use for a crarden. and is about four feet wide. Tim ordinary farm dray is also a funny affair on two wheels, with a. small wheel in front to take the weight off the horse. Everything seems to be done with a view to studying tho horses, and they certainly show it and appreciate it. They are great bigbodied and topped horses, in the pink of condition, and, in fact, too fat for show purposes. They wonld certainly never stand a- good day’s work in New Zealand or' anywhere else.”