212 WHEAT PRODUCTION IN NEW ZEALAND 



by the extremely intensive culture of many European 

 countries. 



From the point of view of methods of cropping, the 

 farmer must consider two questions: 



(1) The system of crop rotation which he considers 

 the most advisable, and, 



(2) The methods of cultivating the soil for each 

 individual crop. 



In a discussion of these questions it would be in- 

 advisable to consider each individually, because they 

 co-operate in such a manner to produce the common 

 result that it is difficult to trace the operation of either 

 in detail with any exactitude. Thus the intention to 

 grow wheat after a root crop vitally affects the manner 

 of cultivating the soil for that crop. Again, the fact 

 that a particular crop has been grown on a field will 

 have a considerable effect on the method of tilling the 

 soil for a certain other crop. It is, therefore, most 

 advisable to study both questions at once; and for this 

 purpose I have obtained from leading farmers a state- 

 ment of the methods they are accustomed to follow in 

 this matter, a typical example of which is given below. 

 This may be considered representative of the general 

 community of "high" farmers of which this particular 

 farmer is probably one of the leaders. 



(c) A Rotation System. The rotation extends over 

 a period of seven years, during three of which the land 

 is "lying" in grass. The rotation, together with the 

 methods of cultivation for each crop, is as follows: 



First Year. The land is "broken up" from the grass 

 by light or "skim" ploughing in the early summer 

 (November), and left in this state until March, when it 

 is disced twice and then harrowed. In April it is 

 ploughed, this time the ploughing being deep, after 

 which, according to the nature of the season, it is 

 harrowed or disced. The wheat crop is then sown in 



