Implements and cultivation

Abstract

The objects of cultivation are to get rid of the undesirable weedy plants which infest any particular area and to prepare the type of seed bed which is most suitable for the crop or pasture it has been decided to grow. To develop any proper appreciation of cultivation, especially over a range of soil types and conditions, it is essential to know and understand the various implements which are available - their construction and their strengths and weaknesses for the different cultivation operations. Accordingly it is proposed to outline the principal cultivating implements and their chief characteristics in Chapter II. While cultivation practices vary a good deal from district to district, especially from the lower to the higher rainfall areas, there are certain basic principles which are important and these are outlined in Chapter III. Principles of cultivation are still further developed in Chapter IV where some standard or typical cultivation programmes are outlined and these should form a useful guide over the common forms of crop and pasture production. It is not claimed that they cover every case but they do deal with most of the cropping and pasture renewals commonly encountered . In Chapter V an attempt has been made to summarise common cultivation practices in terms of cultivating hours and cultivating costs. Besides forming a useful basis for a comparison of farmers' costs they are intended as a foundation for the compilation of budgets or financial forecasts by those dealing with land administration.