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If you are familiar with the Scottish ploughing scene, you will know the name of the plough maker Robert Begg & Sons, Dalry, Ayrshire.
Robert Begg set up as a ploughmaker in Dalry, Ayrshire in 1864. By 1914 he could advertise in The Scottish farmer: “R. Begg, 50 years reputation, Dalry, Ayrshire”.

We know little of his early activities, though he was advertising his ploughs in the North British Agriculturist in April 1876. By 1903 he is recorded as being an agricultural implement maker, a retail ironmonger, a smith and a smith and farrier. By 1912 he was joined by his sons, naming his business Robert Begg & Sons. It was run by Robert Begg and his son John. Robert died in early 1927, and the business was carried on his son. John died by 1941 and the business was transferred to Robert Wilson, Barrhead, who continued it under Begg’s name. In 1951 the business became incorporated as Robert Begg & Sons Limited, but was out of existence by October 1976 and was dissolved in the following year.

Begg’s business was associated with Sharon Street, Dalry, where it is recorded in 1886 and into at least the 1950s. From 1914 his address was the “Implement Works, Dalry.”

Robert Begg took an important step in developing his business in 1912 when he exhibited at his first Highland Show, held in that year at Cupar. This was the start of an association with the show that continued, more or less continuously, until 1960. Begg also took the important step of entering a plough into the Highland and Agricultural Society of Scotland’s exhibition of farm tractors and tractor implements in 1922. In following years, he also entered ploughs and other exhibits for the Society’s new implement award: in 1923, a double furrow self-lift tractor plough with self-lifting gear, and in 1928, Falconer’s patent mouldboard and Falconer’s coulter.
While Begg’s business changed with the times, so too did his ploughs. In 1914, Robert made a range of ploughs which included drill ploughs, double furrow ploughs, as well as bar point chill ploughs and chill ploughs. His chill ploughs were sold under the name “The Begg”. They were highly esteemed.

The North British Agriculturist provides some nights into the early activities of the company, in its recording of Robert Begg’s obituary. It states:

“The death occurred recently at his residence, Sharon Street, Dalry, of Mr Robert Begg, a noted agricultural implement maker, at the age of 86. Born at Snabe, Frumclog, in Avondale, he left school at the early age of nine to herd cattle in the neighbouring hills, and three years later he commenced his apprenticeship as a blacksmith with his elder brother at Eaglesham. Thereafter he returned to Snabe, where he carried on his father’s smithy until 1868, when he commenced, what later proved to be a very successful business at Dalry. the high-class quality of Mr Beg’s craftsmanship became widely known, resulting in the premises at Dalry having to be extended from time to time. The history of “Begg” ploughs dates back for nearly 60 years,a nd up to the close of his working days he was continually trying some new idea with the view of something still better. At the Highland and Agricultural Society’s tractor trials at Dalkeith, the Begg double-power tractor plough was one of the most efficient forward. Although always leading a busy life in the industrial world he took a keen interest in athletics and the breeding of black Spanish fowls, with which he was very successful in the showered. Mr Begg, who was preceded by his wife about 13 years ago, is survived by a family of three sons and four daughters.”

Today, you can still see Begg’s ploughs at some of the ploughing matches and at vintage agricultural machinery rallies around the country. Ask anyone who Begg was and they will say a leading ploughmaker from Ayrshire.

The photographs of of the Begg ploughs were taken at the Scottish National Tractor Show, Lanark, September 2014.

The combine harvester brought about a revolution in grain handling on Scottish farms and changed the face of the stockyard. Where there were stacks there were now grain bins. These were accompanied by indoor granaries. In the early 1950s corn bins could be purchased from a small number of makers in Braitain. Most were English makers, through A. Newlands & Sons, Linlithgow, manufactured portable galvanised bins to hold 24 bushels, and David Ritchie, Whitehills, Forfar, manufactured indoor and portable field types, which were galvanised.

Some of the English makers ad been well-known manufacturers of iron work since at lest the middle of the nineteenth century. They included Fredk Braby & Co., Ltd, London. Braby also had a premises in Scotland from at least 1949, located on Petershill Road, Glasgow. By the following year the company also had works at Grahanston, Falkirk, and Motherwell. The company advertised itself as: “manufacturers of steel sheets, corrugated and dovetail sheets, black and galvanized; designers and fabricators of pressed steel stairs, locks, steel storage bins, shelving and steel partitions; also presse steel door frames and skirting’s; sheet steel gutters, ridgings and flashings; steel barrows; tanks and plate work; steel buildings; steel windows &c also rollers of light steel bars and sections; manufacturers of ‘Grip Brand’ bar fed boilers”. By 1960 the company specialised in making tanks, galvanised and rustless works; it also held large stocks of rustless furnace parts.

Another key English maker was Hill & Smith Ltd, Brierley Hill, Staffordshire. The company had premises in Scotland from at least 1859 until 1890. In 1859 its premises were at 23 St Enoch Square, Glasgow. It moved premises in 1866 to 195 Buchanan Street so that it could have “greatly increased space to show patterns and keep stock.” It made a wide range of metal products including iron houses and roofs, iron fences and hurdles, iron gates, sheet iron, wire fences, wire stands, and iron girders. Other corn bin makers included Agricultural Supply Co., London, W. Corbett & Co., Wellington, Salop, and B. H. Wilson & Sons Ltd, Keighley, Yorkshire.

The photographs of the corn bins were taken in western Manitoba, Canada, July 2017.

The early farmers who used the mowing and reaping machines were well aware of the difficulties of cutting their grain crops in a wet harvest. In times of difficulty they could draw on older harvesting techniques, in the use of the sickle or the scythe, to cut their crops. However, when these older forms became obsolete or uneconomical to use on a wider scale, the implement makers had to look for a way to get the crop moving onto the binders.

One of the Ayrshire implement and machine makers and agents from the early twentieth century onwards was Robert Howie & Sons, Newmill, Dunlop. By 1927 the business referred to itself as grain and timber merchants. From the mid 1920s it undertook the trades of an agricultural implement maker, agricultural implement manufacturer and an ironfounder. By 1955 ts activities included agricultural, grain, feeding stuffs and seed merchants.

American makers of harvesting machinery started to play an increasing role on the Scottish harvest field from the late 1860s. By the 1890s there were some large names present in the Scottish fields: W. A. Wood, New York, McCormick Harvesting Machine Co., Chicago, Plano Manufacturing Co. Chicago, Johnston Harvester Co., Batavia, New York, D. M. Osborne & Co., New York, Adriance, Platt & Co., New York, W. Deering & Co., Chicago. In the first decade of the twentieth century another name appeared: International Harvester Co.

If we were to think about North American influences on the use of Scottish agricultural implements and machines we would probably think about some of the Americn companies such as John Deere and International. Canadian companies also had their role and we need look no further than the harvest field.

Probably the best known Canadian name in the harvest field is Massey Harris. Massey Harris – as Massey Harris Co., Massey Harris & Co. Ltd, Massey Harvester Co. Ltd, and Massey Manufacturing Co. – has been present in the Scottish fields since at least 1887. The first Massey Harvester reaping machines were exhibited at the Highland Show in 1887 by William Ford, Fenton Barns, Drem, East Lothian. William continued to exhibit at the Show until 1893, by which time other agents were coming on the scene. The Massey Manufacturing Company, 171 Queen Victoria Street, London, did not attend its first Highland Show until 1888, held at Glasgow. It remained an annual exhibitor from 1893.

Visitors to the Deeside Steam & Vintage Club rally at Milton of Crathes at the weekend got the chance to witness a local thrashing team, working with a Garvie threshing mill built in 1950, and which spent many years in that district.

The mill was bought new by Ed Abernathy, Nethermill, Crathes. It was sold on to Clark, Knockhill, Strachan, and on to Alexander, Western, Crathes. It was bought by Jim Donald, Durris, in 1986.

It isn’t often that we feature articles of mills makers from Fife. But there were a number of mill makers in Fife. In the early 1920s one of them was the Balmoral Engineering Works Co., Nelson Street, Tayport. The business exhibited at the Highland Show at Perth in 1924, where it had 4 exhibits.

The firm had a short but colourful existence through one of its engineers, R. G. Begg. For a time he carried on business in Dundee. This was followed by a move to Tayport (as Balmoral Engineering Works Co.), and then to Blairgowrie, where he was working in 1929, under the name of R. G. Begg & Sons, at Mill Street, Blairgowrie. Beg’s business activities were not successful with his business being carried on by his wife for a number of years.

14 August 2017 marks 50 years to the day that Jimmy McGhee of Pollock Farm Equipment started his apprenticeship agreement with A. & W. Pollock, Mauchline. Its quite an achievement to be in a trade for half a century! Jimmy writes of his experiences and the company’s history in his book Pollock: Agricultural Implement Makers 1867-2017 (which can be obtained through Pollock Farm Equipment Ltd or Carn Publishing). (see http://www.pollockfarmequip.co.uk or http://www.carnpublishing.com)

Jimmy is one of a small number of agricultural implement makers who have worked in the Scottish implement and machine industry in the twentieth century. Another was Wm Poole JP, who reached that celebration in October 1922. Poole was of the firm of Armstrong & Main, Edinburgh, later A. & J. Main & Co Ltd, whose name is usually associated with farm buildings, especially hay sheds.

The implement trade had a dinner and celebration to commemorate William’s achievement. The North British Agriculturist carried an extensive piece on that dinner and celebration. It highlights the relationships between the members of the trade and aspects of their businesses. It is worth quoting t length in providing a window on the Scottish agricultural implement and machinery trade in 1922:

“A particularly pleasing and happy function took place in Messrs Ferguson & Forresters’ Restaurant, Princes Street, Edinburgh, on Tuesday night, when his many friends in the implement trade and others entertained Councillor William Poole, JP, of the well-known and old-established firm of Messrs Armstrong & Main, agricultural implement makers, Edinburgh, at dinner, and presented him with an illuminated address and other handsome gifts, in honour of his jubilee in the agricultural implement trade. A company of about 70 sat down at dinner, presided over by Mr James H. Steele, Edinburgh, who was supported at the chairman’s table by Councillor Poole, Sir Isaac Connell, Secretary of the Scottish Chamber of Agriculture; Bailie A. Thornton Hunter (Messrs A. Jack & Sons Ltd, Maybole); Mr W. B. Wallace (Messrs Wallace (Glasgow) Ltd, Glasgow): Major J. kemp Smith (Messrs Kemp & Nicholson, Stirling); and Mr J. K. McAuslin, CA, Glasgow. The arrangements of the committee, with Mr James H. Steele as convener, and Mr J. K. McAuslin as secretary, were admirable, and the proceedings were of the most successful and gratifying character.
After dinner the Chairman gave the toast of “The King”.
Councillor Watt, Edinburgh, gace “The Imperial Forces”, coupled with the name of Major J, Kemp Smith, who replied.
Mr W. B. Wallace, Glasgow, proposed the toast of “Scottish Agriculture”. He referred to the wide variety of sciences embraced in the practice of agriculture, and remarked that from earliest times right down through the ages it could lay claim to a record of progress. It was quite true that agriculture was at present in a sort of backwash, and it was so more than it should be simply because of the renunciation of solemn pledges by the Government of the day. (hear, hear). All industries, however, had been suffering, but he was confident that there were better days in store for agriculture, because just as it was the earliest of their industries, so they were assured in the Old Book that it would be the last, for they were told that there would come a time when they would beat their swords into ploughshares, and their spears into pruning hooks. (Applause). He coupled the toast with the name of Sir Isaac Connell.
Sir Isaac Connell in reply said they were still aware that agriculture to-day was not so prosperous as it had been during the war, but they must not allow themselves to be carried away with the great drop that had occurred between prosperity of war times and the mediocre conditions of to-day. The comparison should really be between pre-war and to-day. (Hear, hear). If they looked at it in that way, they would realise that they were not quite so bad after all. It w2as quite true that in England there had been a very large number of bankruptcies amongst farmers, and an insurance official told him that in Scotland more farmers were asking for advances on their insurance policies just now than he could ever remember; but things would brighten up if they looked their difficulties in the face, and they were going to do it. (Applause) They would find that there would be a lot of people spouting about panaceas for agricultural depression, but many of them were visionaries devoid of practical experience, and did to speak with the practical sense which the mover of that motion had done. (Hear, hear). they ere up against a stiff proposition, but they were not going to die down to it. (Applause) It was right that the Government should help, and that they should get assistance, and they ere getting assistance, in various ways. …
The Secretary then submitted letters of apology for absence from a large number of well-wishers of the guest of the evening, including Sir Hugh Shaw Stewart, Sir David Wilson of Carbeth, Sir Robert Greig, Chairman of the Board of Agriculture for Scotland, Sir Harry Hope, Dr C M Douglas CB, of Auchlochan, and others. Amongst a number of letters read, expressing the kindliest good wishes regarding Mr Poole, was one from Mr James Deering, of Chicago, who offered his heartiest congratulations, and wished the guest of the evening “the greatest possible happiness.”
Bailie Thornton Hunter, Maybole, then proceeded to make the presentation to Mr Poole, and to submit the toast of his health. He saw that the North British Agriculturist described Mr Poole as the “Father of the Scottish agricultural implement trade”. That title was quite correct, but it did seem to him a rather patriarchal cognomen for such a comparatively young-looking man as Mr Poole-(applause)-and judging from Mr Poole’s physical appearance, it looked as if he would remain in undisputed possession of the title for many a day to come, as he was sure it was the wish of his many friends in the trade that it might be. (Applause). Fifty years was a large slice of a man’s life, and he was sure Mr Poole could entertain his friends if he were to review in retrospect some of the many figures he had seen strutting on the agricultural implement trade stage in his time. he doubted, however, if Mr Poole, with his long experience, could point to any agricultural implement maker-in Scotland, at any rate-who made a fortune out of the trade. (Hear, hear). They would agree with him that while they had made some grand implements-none better were produced anywhere than in Scotland-(hear, hear)-they hadna made buckle silver. (Laughter). he often wondered whether the agricultural engineer got the credit he was entitled to for inventing and improving machinery to assist the farmer in his endeavour to make the proverbial two blades of grass grow where only one grew before, but they would agree with him when he said that one of the men in the trade who deserved a share in that credit was their guest, particularly in connection with the development and improvement of the self-binder. (Applause) Bailie Hunter concisely reviewed Mr Poole’s association with the introduction and improvement of the Ransomes’ double-furrow plough, the single-furrow chilled plough and dragging ploughs, the various types of mowers and reapers, and said that Me Poole’s connection with the introduction into this country of the self-binder was a unique and interesting one. He recalled that in August 1878, at a field trial of the Walter A. Wood, and the McCormick wire binders, he superintended and secured for his firm a gold medal for the McCormick machine-(applause)-and in the early ‘eighties he had the honour of starting the first twine binder ever put to work in Scotland. (Applause) It would be conceded that Mr Poole had contributed in no small measure to the art of agricultural implement making-particularly to the self-binder branch of the art-and that a debt of gratitude was due to him by the whole agricultural community for his energy, ability, and enterprise. (Applause) He was a advocate, as they knew, of co-operation in the interests of the implement trade. On numerous occasions he had represented with effect the Scottish implement trade at the meetings of the English Trade Association. (Applause) One of the things he might mention in passing was the continued high charges for space at the shows. He just wondered whether if Mr poole, who was a director of the Highland Society, could induce his fellow-directors to give some relief to the trade in this direction. He had helped them before, and he must help again. It was quite true that a concession as given for the Dumfries Show, after pressure by the Implement Dealers’ Association, but it was time they were getting back to something like the pre-war rates. (Applause) The Chairman made complimentary reference to their guest’s useful work on the Edinburgh Town Council, and remarked that Mr Poole’s imagination and capacity for getting things done had stood him in good stead. (Applause) He had also genius for making friends, which was also a most valuable asset. (Applause) the Chairman concluded by presenting Mr Poole on behalf of the subscribers to that testimonial-with an illuminated address,a nd expressed the hope that it might long adorn the wall of the best room in his house. (Applause)
The address, which was an artistic example of the engraver’s art, set in a handsome frame, gave expression to the subscribers’ appreciation of Mr Poole’s long and successful career in the implement trade, his useful work as a Town Councillor of the City of Edinburgh, and their heartiest good wishes for his continued health and happiness.
Continuing, the Chairman said he had also the pleasure of handing over to Mr Poole that gold watch. Inscribed on an old sundial were the words “I mark only shining hours”. (Applause) If was his wish, and the wish of them all present, that all the hours recorded by that watch should be bright and shining hours for him and his, and as often as he looked at its beautiful face they hoped there would be reflected back to him the esteem, regard, and affection of their many friends in the implement trade in Scotland and furth of it. (Applause) He was glad to know that the Committee had not forgotten Mr Poole’s daughter,a nd it was his further pleasing duty to ask Mr Poole to accpt on her behalf that piece of jewellery as a memento to mark that auspicious occasion in her father’s life, and they hoped that they might both be long spared to each other.
Mr Poole’s health was honoured with much enthusiasm and the singing of “He’s a jolly good fellow.”
Councillor Poole, who on rising to reply was received with hearty applause, said it was difficult for him to speak that night for emotions that were stirring within him through the many kind thoughts that had been expressed about him by absent friends overseas and in distant parts of the country, and by those present who were honouring him with their presence there. They would therefore pardon him of his words were halting. It was his good fortune in 1872, through the instrumentality of the late Mr James A. R. Main, the founder of the firm of A. & J. Main & Co., to become acquainted with the agricultural machinery business. From that time to the present, the just and kindly treatment he had received from his successors, namely his son, Mr J. A. Main; his nephew, Mr Robert Ramsay Main, who was now in retirement at Crieff; and from Mr George R. Main, who had had very considerable business experience both in India and at home, accounted for his still being connected with the firm. (Applause) had time permitted, he would have described the personality and the important work of several of his contemporaries-very dear friends who had passed over to the majority, and through whose inventions the agriculturists have been able to build up their important industry to the high level it now occupies. (Applause) The manufacture of agricultural machinery in this country had been looked upon by many as the condoler of the engineering profession, but in his opinion this was a mis-conception. In the great countries of the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Argentine, and South Africa, the agricultural engineer occupied a position of pre-eminence, and in co-operation with the farmer had helped forward the development of these new countries with a rapidity that otherwise would have been impossible. He made bold to say, so far as his knowledge was concerned, that no description of heavy engineering work had ever been so profitable to the manufacturer as the manufacture of agricultural machinery throughout the United States, and in this connection he would cite the name of William peering, of harvesting machine fame, who started business with a moderate amount of capital, and who, according to report, left a fortune of twenty million sterling; also James Oliver, a Scotsman, of chill plough fame, who was stated to have left a fortune of ten million sterling. (Applause)
During the late war the British Government discovered the importance of the agricultural engineer, and the amount of work entrusted to him through the manufacture of munitions of war and specialities connected with the same was simply stupendous. And it must not eb forgotten that it was in an agricultural engineerings hop at Lincoln that the first War Tank was designed and built. (Applause) As a lad he (Mr Poole) was brought into contact with the late Mr George Greig, a Scotsman, of the firm of J. Fowler & Sons, Leeds. the agricultural engineer, through the enterprise and expenditure of vast sums of money by the then Duke of Sutherland, a truly noble Scottish patriot who had the welfare of our country and the interests of the farmer at heart-(applause)-carried through successfully the greatest and most important scheme of land reclamation and development in Great Britain that had ever taken place in our time; but, alas! through the lack of sunshine, this great effort did not meet with the success which it deserved. For this County of Sutherland scheme, Mr Greig and his firm designed special steam ploughs, cultivators, &c which were necessary for that important work. (Applause) Following up the patriotic and valued services of the Duke of Sutherland, he would call to their recollection the valuable assistance which the Scottish agricultural engineer had always received from the Scottish landed proprietor, his factors, and his agents, and he would say with emphasis that their passing at the present time was nothing short of a national calamity. (Hear, hear)
He had been connected with their important national institution, the Highland and Agricultural Society of Scotland, since the year 1873. With few exceptions he had been present at the many trials and competitions that have been held under the auspices of the Society, and he had no hesitation in saying that the trials of tractors and tractor implements recently held at Dalkeith were, in his opinion, the most valuable and successful, so far as good and satisfactory work was concerned that the Society had ever held. (Applause) He recalled with pleasure the kindly personality of former secretaries-the late F. N. Menzies, who during the Show week used to ride about the show ground on his pony, with an imposing and majestic appearance; also Mr James MacDonald, one of the ablest and best informed men regarding the progress and development of every feature of Scottish agriculture, and in connection with the establishemnt of small holdings, and the prosperity of our Scottish crofters, he, in his (the speaker’s) opinion, was the most accurate judge of the whole situation when he told him that if the agriculturists of Scotland, small and great, were to be placed into a position that would enable them to obtain a just return for their expenditure and labours, the only course to follow out to attain this would be that our Government should impose a tariff on agricultural products, the same as that which the French Government had imposed, and which had brought prosperity to the farmers of their country. …
Mr Robert K. Anderson, proprietor of the North British Agriculturist, submitted the toast of “Our Scottish Capital and its Civic Rulers”. He said that it was only proper, in a gathering like that, when the gentleman they were met to honour was himself a Town Councillor, that they cshould remember his co-workers in the municipal affairs of Edinburgh. (Applause) Looking back over thirty or forty years, as their guest did that night, it was a matter of satisfaction to know that many members of the engineering trade were not so entirely engrossed in their own business as not to be able to devote some measure of their time to the important work of municipal affairs. (Applause) He might remark that they had a good example of this in their friend Bailie Hunter, who made the presentation. (Applause) Although their friend, Mr Poole, had entered the Town Council somewhat late in life, he had, notwithstanding, proved himself a most useful member, owing, no doubt, to the fact that he was a practical man, and endowed with a liberal measure of that quality known as common sense. (Applause) …

The proceedings were pleasantly varied by songs and stories, contributed by various members of the company.

The photographs were taken at Pollock Farm Equipment 150th anniversary celebrations at the company’s works, 12 August 2017.

Grain harvesting technologies have changed considerably in the last 150 years – from the cycle, scythe to the reaping machine and the combine. Back in August 1922 the North British Agriculturist commented on the progress in tractor harvesting.

Back then tractor harvesting was still in its infancy in Britain: tractors were still oly used on a relatively small number of farms and the horse still remained king. But there was some progress:

“There is not the least doubt that the use of the tractor in harvesting is being put to a severe test this season, and if it emerges satisfactorily it will be a triumph for mechanical farming. On the
other hand there is equally no doubt that many farmers are metaphorically tearing their hair – when they have any left – over the shortcomings of their motive power. Many a man is calling himself a particular kind of fool for ever sinking so many hundreds of pounds in an engine. Now, it is unfortunately a very bad season for tractor work of this kind, while no one has as yet had experience enough in the new methods of working the tractor with the binder to get the best results; anyway, there is still much against a successful outcome. Take, for instance, a case known to us. When engine and binder are running all right then the work goes on right merrily. When turning at the corners the man on the binder
steps off, whips one sheaf only out of the way of the tractor in turning, and lithely regains his seat before the binder enters the corn again. Unfortunately, there is a lot of “wire-seed”-a variety of knot-grass-among the corn which frequently chokes the binder, necessitating a stoppage; next, the tractor will not start, from the sparking-plug being choked up or from such other such trouble, and so one worry follows another, and time is wasted; and our particular farmer friend wishes he had never bought a tractor at all! Then, the speed at which a tractor runs shakes a binder all to pieces, and the gear has often to be set on the second speed, which again means less work being done. Many who have been cutting at high tractor speed with the horse binder and finding to their cost how quickly the life of their machine is being reduced. It is possible, of course, to get large, powerful binders specially built for tractor work, but this means a lot more outlay of capital; and, while an 8-ft sitting bar is all right for a light standing crop, it is apt to be muddled up in heavy tangled stuff-especially in a year like this when so many fields have been “laid” by wind and rain, and grass seed has been sown along with corn.
Many farmers, on account of these troubles, who own tractors and believe in their use, have come to the conclusion that they are better served by horses in harvest time, and that the proper function of the tractor engine is rather to do and to make up against time the heavy work of ploughing, sub-soiling, cultivating, &c. Sub-soiling, particularly, is coming to the front in these days, and, as we lately pointed out, it will now be possible to sub-soil in a way which is beyond the power of horses. In the case of the binder, however, three horses-or even two-can go steadily on for a good long day, while, if one horse in a team gets played out, another can be substituted-a point in favour of horse labour. Further, in harvest time, as a rule, the horses might just as well be working as running loose when the tractor is taking their place. Nevertheless, the tractor has come to stay in harvesting as in other kinds of farm work. Every farmer past middle age can remember the introduction of the binder, but some of the old brigade can recall the advent of the original reaping machine itself, and can also remember what a terrible “hash” it made of the job in its early stages. It took a long time to train men and horses to be able to handle one of these machines satisfactorily, and it took a long time to develop and improve them. The same applies to the string binder, and it is only a short time since they were brought to their present state of efficiency. Why! it was only this week that a well-known Lothian farmer remarked to us that he had never experienced a season when the binder had tackled so efficiently laid crops in many difficult positions, and he was quite surprised at the small amount of stuff which had to be dealt with by the scythe. Tis all goes to show that the binder, in its present state of efficiency, is being better understood by those who have to handle it. We are in a state of transition, and as the time goes on we shall get tractors and other machines more and more improved, an -what is of equal importance- we shall learn better how to use them.
A notable English authority believes in, and advocates the harvesting of grain on the Californian method, i.e. the corn thrashed out as it is being cut, so that only the straw has to be stacked for use; but on this system the grain must be kiln-dried to store up. The tractor, of course, would give power such as could never be obtained from horses for this method of working. Such a modus operandi could only be adopted in the South of England, of course, but it would not be safe to condemn it off-hand, for one never knows the inventive age what developments the near future may see! Our grandfathers harvested their corn with the reaping-hook, and never dreamed of even a string-binder; now we have the tractor going with the binder, and time will improve the combination. There are other developments in connection with tractor work in harvesting, however, to which some attention right be given. The stocking machine, though at present unsuited to the wet we have to reckon with in Scotland, is a practical success, and can now be hitched on to the binder, and the tractor will work both. The immediate future will likely see developments in this direction. Again, a common custom in the USA is to hang on a disc cultivator behind the binder and thus scarify the soil as the work of cutting proceeds, thus at one operation helping to get rid of weeds and making good preparation for the next crop. These are two or three subsidiary developments which, as time goes on, will become more and more common as part of tractor work in the harvest field.

It is interesting to note the predictions back in 1922 – and our views of looking back to what they thought in 1922.

The photographs were taken at Scotland’s Farming Yesteryear, September 2014.