MODERN FARMING.

Waikato Times, Volume 108, Issue 18167, 4 November 1930, Page 8

MODERN FARMING.

ROMANTIC DEVELOPMENT. LATEST MACHINERY AND PRACTICE AN INTERESTING VISITOR. The romance of modern farming machinery dates back to the year 1837. Before that time the implements used to cultivate the land were mostly crude devices which entailed much manual labour. Economy of work did not in the early days enter much into farming operations. It was only during one of the great migrations' to the middle west of the United States that thought seemed to be given to designing farm implements for the conditions they were to cope with. John Deere, a sturdy blacksmith, joined the great migration of ’37 and established a smithy at the junction of waggon trails. He soon realised the difficulties which the pioneer settlers had to meet. They had carted their oldfashioned ploughs; and harrows with them over the long trek, only to find that they were incapable of coping with the work set them. To John Deere, the smith, they told their tales of woe, and he set to work strengthening the weaknesses of the implements brought to him and to fashioning, on his anvil new gadgets which his practical mind told him would be of ’use to his fellowmen. The pioneers blessed John Deere arid the smith in his turn set himself the task of designing machines not .only capable of doing the work, but of easing the labour of the man on the land. His first job was to fashion a plough that would meet the conditions of the middle west.

Company Formed.

v His efforts were so successful and the demand for Deere implements became so great, that John had to enlarge his smithy and take on hands. This development continued until the business grew altogether too great for John, whose purpose now in life w r as to make machinery that would give satisfaction. The business side of the concern did not bother him much, but he saw that it must be attended to and finally he formed the business into a company, in order to give somebody else the responsibility of the finances while he supervised the work. He had established a reputation which lie very jealously guarded and.he was anxious for the name Deere to remain the hallmark of durability.

Yearly Output.

■ It was from these very small beginnings that the firm of Deere and Company grew. •' The company now makes brie and a-quarter million ploughs a year, ranging from single furrow to the very latest tractor-drawn implement. The company has 14 factories employing 35,000 hands and has a capital of 130,000,000 dollars.- It is, in fact, the second largest agricultural machinery manufactory in the world. The company’s biggest factory is the tractor works, which employs 10,000 men. In tractors and engines alone the company produces 40,000,000 dollars’ worth a year. At the John Deere harvester works 3500 men are engaged and the net production of mowers is 1100 per day. The output ofthe factory last season was over 300,000 machines. The company has 94 experimental farms embracing almost every conceivable type of country and conditions, and has 180 branch houses in the United States. One of the company’s field engineers, Dir. A. G. Fordham, is at present visiting New Zealand. When in Hamilton to-day he gave a Times representative some interesting information relating to modern farming. Mr. Fordham carries with him wherever he goes a special film showing the very latest farming machinery and practice in many lands. Methods of handling ensilage, soil culture, tractor work, and all 1 the very latest farming methods are illustrated on the screen. Tonight he will give a free lecture at the Winter Show Hall, to which all interested are invited. Amongst those to attend will be the students of the Ruakura State Farm.