MECHANISED FARMING

Manawatu Times, Volume 61, Issue 157, 6 July 1936, Page 10

MECHANISED FARMING

SPREADING IN ENGLAND. Tho mechanisation of farming is becoming daily more general in New Zealand, following the lead which has been set in this direction by other primary producing countries of the world. Nevertheless the usefulness of a horse will never be totally eliminated in a country such as New Zealand, owing to the natural tonography of the land. This fact was illustrated at two further horse fairs held in Waipukurau and at Hastings recently, when, although the market was quiet, up to £6O was paid for a single draught.

It has been estimated that tho ordinary system of farming in the Ola Country involves from 25 to 30 permanent agricultural workers for square mile. In contrast to this, on a highly mechanised Saskatchewan (Canada) wheat farm, there is one worker per square mile of cultivateh land. The English system is more efficient per acre while tho Canadian system is more efficient per man. Mechanised farming, however, is spreading in England, where tho renditions for this development are more suitable than in New Zealand, and old motor cars are used for a variety of purposes. It is stated that the efficiency of farm carts is increased fifty per cent, merely by the application of rubber-tyred wheels, tho reduction in friction allowing tho horses to pull the loads more quickly.

In some districts, indeed, mechanisation have even been extended to cow sheds, and farmers on poor land state they are producing milk more economically by milking cows in movable milking sheds. The cows are kept on tho pastures all the time and the sheds are taken to tho cows, not the cows to the shed.