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Question
The coming of new technology proved to be a boon for the expansion of wheat cultivation in USA. Explain
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Solution
(i) The expansion of wheat cultivation in the USA was made possible by new technology. Through the 19th century, as the white setters moved into new habitats and new lands, they modified their implements to meet their requirements.
(ii) When they entered the mid-Western prairie, the simple ploughs the farmers had used in the eastern coastal areas of the USA proved ineffective. The prairies was covered with a thick mat of grass with tough roots. To break the sod and turn and soil over, a variety of new ploughs were devised locally.
(iii) By the early 20th century, farmers in the great plains were breaking the ground with tractors and disk ploughs, clearing vast stretches for wheat cultivation.
(iv) Before the 1830s, the grain used to be harvested with a cradle or sickle. At harvest time, hundreds of men and women could be seen cutting the crop. In 1831,CyrusMcCormicinventedthefirstmechanicalreaperwhichcouldcutitonedayasmuchasfivemencouldcutwithcradlesand16$ men with sickles.
(v) By the early 20th century, most farmers were using combined harvestors to cut grain. With one of these machines, 500 acres of wheat could be harvested in two weeks.
(vi) Thus, the new machines enabled the farmers to rapidly clear large tracts, break up the soil, remove the grass and prepare the ground for cultivation. With power-driven machinery, four men could plough, seed and harvest 2000 to 4000 acres of wheat in a season.
(ii) When they entered the mid-Western prairie, the simple ploughs the farmers had used in the eastern coastal areas of the USA proved ineffective. The prairies was covered with a thick mat of grass with tough roots. To break the sod and turn and soil over, a variety of new ploughs were devised locally.
(iii) By the early 20th century, farmers in the great plains were breaking the ground with tractors and disk ploughs, clearing vast stretches for wheat cultivation.
(iv) Before the 1830s, the grain used to be harvested with a cradle or sickle. At harvest time, hundreds of men and women could be seen cutting the crop. In 1831,CyrusMcCormicinventedthefirstmechanicalreaperwhichcouldcutitonedayasmuchasfivemencouldcutwithcradlesand16$ men with sickles.
(v) By the early 20th century, most farmers were using combined harvestors to cut grain. With one of these machines, 500 acres of wheat could be harvested in two weeks.
(vi) Thus, the new machines enabled the farmers to rapidly clear large tracts, break up the soil, remove the grass and prepare the ground for cultivation. With power-driven machinery, four men could plough, seed and harvest 2000 to 4000 acres of wheat in a season.
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