GENERAL CONDITIONS IN NEW ZEALAND 55 



condition it is very easily " shaken." But, though our 

 methods are costly they are none the less efficient, and 

 the quality of wheat turned out under their operation 

 is as good as general conditions allow. For the most part 

 harvesting operations are divided into three steps: 



(1) Cutting with the reaper and binder and stock- 

 ing by hand. 



(2) Stacking after the crop has been in stook for 

 some two or three weeks and is thoroughly 

 hardened. 



(3) Threshing at any time during the year. 



The last two operations are, as far as is practicable, 

 done in one by the system of "threshing out of the 

 stook/' There is a considerable advantage in this, on 

 account of the quantities which can be threshed in a day 

 with a few labourers; but weather conditions must be 

 suitable and, further, the paucity of threshing plants 

 limits the method very considerably, for farmers cannot 

 wait when the weather is fine enough for stacking. Har- 

 vesting extends over a period of some 5 weeks on most 

 farms under normal conditions, but adverse weather 

 conditions, which of late have been rare, may extend the 

 period considerably. 



The specific cost of harvesting will be treated later. 

 Enough has been said here to show that we have a rather 

 cumbersome method. Circumstances, however, are re- 

 sponsible for this, and it will be shown later that the 

 farmer possessed of good managing capabilities who is 

 far-seeing enough can turn it to advantage, and find it 

 a highly lucrative method. 



Note on the Harvester. 



The combined harvesters include all combinations of machines 

 designed to leave both straw and chaff in the field and to deliver 

 the wheat cleaned ready for market. The machine is the cul- 

 mination of modern invention in harvesting machinery; for with 

 it the wheat is cut, gathered, threshed, cleaned, and even sacked 

 without a single touch from the human hand. Every operation 



