SCOTTISH FARMERS.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1899, 6 November 1913, Page 10

SCOTTISH FARMERS.

- ANTIQTJiTED METHODS.

AUSTRALIANS FAR AHEAD. E. C. Gaisford, of tlie Rangitikei, who lias bean on a Visit ,to the Old Country, spent some time in Scotland, where lie studied faruiiug methods, and came to "the conclusion that Australians and Jiew Zeilanders have nothing to learn from the Scottish farmer, but can give him points, 'particulalry in regard to ploughing. "They mostly us© tlie sirgle-furrow plough in Scotland," Mr. Gaisford said to a Sydney interviewer. "They don't cafe much about the double-furrow machines. In this country ono man will manage a double-furrow plough and four horses. In Scotland it takes three men to run a double-furrow plough and two.to run a single-furrow plough—olio to hold the plough and tho other to drive the 'horses. They mostly sow broadcast, and rarely open up a crop with* a binder, their system being to use the- scythe first. It must, be borne in mind always thati their paddocks are generally Bmaller than.ours, and other conditions aro different; but, broadly speaking tliefir methods aro antiquated. What was good enough for the average Scottish' farmer's father and his grandfather is good enough for him. Tlie Scotsmen who come out 'hero are ready enough to pick up new ideas, but the old type of Scottish farmer is averse to what lo calls tho 'new-fan-gled notions' of tilling.the soil. "Tho labour conditions are very different from ours. A man works there on a twelve-months' .agreement, and you have to keep him whether you' like it or not. Out here, if a man doesn't suit, you can get rid of . 'him with a week's notice. ' Then again the farm hands are paid quarterly, their wages working out at from 12s. to 13s. per week. This seems a very small amount to us, but money goes a ' long way there, and the farm hands get their vegetables free, and don't eat much meat. Tho hours of work on a 'farm are just about tlie safme as here."