28 WHEAT PRODUCTION IN NEW ZEALAND 
(d) Harvesting—Here, again, it is of the utmost 
importance that the farmer pay attention to the methods 
he employs, and the time at which he performs the 
different operations. Harvesting operations commence 
in New Zealand from January onwards, and many con- 
siderations influence methods adopted. For instance, the 
prevalence of hot winds in Canterbury, very often assum- 
ing the character of gales, necessitates a somewhat prema- 
ture cutting, which places the farmer in rather a pre- 
carious situation should a heavy fall of rain occur. The 
cheapest method of harvesting is the use of the combined 
harvester and thresher, a large ungainly machine, drawn 
by 18 horses, and requiring 5 men to work it. It possesses 
the advantage of cutting and threshing all in one opera- 
tion, and consequently can be used only where the climate 
permits the wheat to become very ripe without fear of 
losing it by shelling out on the ground. It is commonly 
employed in the Western United States and Australia. 
Harvesting operations in New Zealand are somewhat 
more expensive than elsewhere, as we shall see when 
considering the cost of production. It will suffice here 
to point out the method used. English methods pre- 
dominate, the crop being cut by a reaper and binder 
and then stooked. After two or three weeks it may be 
stacked and then threshed, but very often ‘‘threshing 
out of stook,’’ where the drays cart it straight to the 
mill, is the method used. Given favourable weather, the 
method is very efficient in producing good quality, but 
not infrequently autumnal rains prolong the period of 
harvesting so long as to curtail profits very considerably. 
(e) Marketing. —In Chapter I. we discussed the 
question of marketing. There remains little further to 
say on the subject save again to stress the important 
place which marketing holds in the efficient production 
of wheat. The most suitable method for large scale 
production is the use of elevators, but in a country 
like New Zealand where comparatively small quantities 
are produced, their use is impracticable, and all wheat 
