HOW BRECON BEATS IT MOUGHING-UP RECORDS
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WITH the aid of a wellorganized fleet of tractors and much other powerfarming equipment, large areas of land in Brecknockshire have beeg reclaimed or improved for agricultgral purposes by the County War Agricultural Executive Committee. In particular., drasticchanges have taken place on the common land and in many of the groups of small fields that previously existed. Uneconomic in many cases for power farming, the latter are now having their dividing hedges eliminated and pushed out of existence by an International T.D.6 tractor and Ruston Bucyrwr angle-dozer; the resultant.
, larger fields have obvious advantages for mechanical handling.
Oommon Land
Brought Under Plough
Good work has also been done oft the common land, extensive tracts of which have been brought under the plough, Mr. Roger Prosser, the Executive Officer, told a staff representative of " The Commercial
Motor." Directly -responsible for reclaimed, land and for certain farms that have been taken over entirely, the Committee also undertakes all classes of agricultural work by contract for farmers in the county.
On some of the commons; previously oused as only very rough grazing by the commoners, the bracken was, in many places, shoulder high, but a forceful programme quickly resulted in the ground being cleared. First ploughed with Caterpillar tractors, Ransome Unitrac and junotrac ploughs up to 15 ins, deep, such land was later
cultivated with Ransome Baronet and Ben tall disc harrows, then planted by gangs of women and schoolchildren.
Two of the most important common-land reclamation schemes in the county are those at Rh awr and LIandefaelle. At the ormer place as many as 70 workers Were employed at one time in planting potatoes with most satisfactory results.
No serious obstacle has been placed in the Committee's way by the commoners. Once the necessary formalities have been completed the general practice has been. for gangs
to set to work to clear away the trees and -big stones, these jobs being performed with the aid of trac,klayers and chains or winches. In passing, it might be merrhoned that much work of a'similar character has been carried out at the request of individual farmers.
After the common land has been cleared of the main obstructions and all is ready for ploughing, a heavy roller is first put on to flatten the bracken which can then be entirely butied by the plough. Usually, three or four digger ploughs are employed in order to keep pace with the roller. The general practice with such land is to sow a green crop for a start, followed by potatoes.
Over 100 tractors are operated, most of them of Fordson manufacture. There are also Ford-Fergusons —which are especially useful for potato planting and for cultivation between the rows—Internationals, John Deeres, and Cletracs.
Officials Responsible for the Work
In charge of the machinery side are Mr. K E. Lloyd, machinery officer, and Mr. M. S. Weale, machinery maintenance officer, under whose direction come four supervisors. The immediate supervision of the work done by the tractor operatives is the responsibility of the tractor-foremen, who make a daily inspection of every job in progress. An efficient outdoor staff has been built up, including men of all ages, from those who drove tractors during the past war to young fellows in their 'teens.
Valuable help is given to the
machinery department by members of the Women's Land Army, a. large number of the girls having been trained to work on the tractor side. More are under tuition and a woman expert has been engaged specially *to give the necessary instruction.
Prior to the war there was little power-operated machinery in the county, but privately own e d tractors h av e greatly increased in number during the past three years. So far as possible the Committee has directed the supply of machines to those farmers who make the best possible use of their equipment and such owners have helped considerably in increasing the amble total to several times the pre-War figure.
Apart from the cultivation side, a useful fleet of 27 lorries and vans has been formed to meet the requirements of the Committee's work and to cater for emergency demands of farmers during the agricultural peak periods. They carry the gangs of workers to their jobs, bring fuel for the machines, transport seed to the farmers and move away the crops for them. For field and similar shortdistance operation there is, in addition, a number of capacious trailers which can be towed by any of the available tractors.
While out on the job, most of the tractors are accompanied . by 120gallon fuel trailers to meet their needs in the field, and three fuel lorries make weekly deliveries to each of the working units.
During recent months a milk-production officet and assistants have been touring the district with the object of increasing the output, but the additional transport required on this side is left entirely in the hands of the milk wholesalers.
Care is taken to keep the machinery in the best possible con dition. Tractor-foremen stationed at the various sub-depots, which are situated at convenient points throughout the count y, are responsible for running repairs and maintenance, but mobile mechanics
travel out from Brecon in .vaus 'and' attend to the more important
mechanical requirements. • In the case of serious trouble, such as a bearing failure, a W.A.E.C. lorry takes out a service tractor from the main depot, bringing back the defective machine to Brecon for reconditioning. Whatever its condition, each tractor is returned to the main depot once a year for overhaul, during which process a replacement is sent to ensure continuity of work in the district concerned.
Apart from excellent progress with reclamation on great spaces of bracken-covered 1 a n the Brecon W.A.E.C. can claim to have dog at least as well as any comparable area in its ploughing-up accomplishments. In the recent past many a hill farm in the country has failed chiefly through , the poor state of agriculture. N o w, however, through mechanization— much land is being given a second chance and plenty of crops are flourishing on ground above the 800-ft. mark.
On this hill work, in particular, the tracklayers have undoubtedly been doing a fine job. Up to the moment the general plan has been to concentrate on reclamation of the drier land, but the forthcoming programme, includesincludes important drainage work which will,enable the Committee to add many more acres to its productive area.
Already the rewards of this enterprise are being reaped in good measure and, as the work proceeds, more and more land will be rendered efficiently productive.