Price Signal of Tilled Land in Rural China: An Empirically Oriented Transaction Costs Study Based on Contract Theory

Prices are effective signals of many market conditions, while underpricing of tilled land in rural China poses a dilemma to this common sense. Using n = 191 imputed contracts in rural China, this paper aims to investigate the role of ambiguous property rights in the context of agricultural reforms. Using rank statistics, several candidate variables in the transaction costs function fc(•) were identified, including BMI (Body Mass Index), Knowledge, Subtraction and Farming Experience. The results show clear evidence for underpricing to restrain competition under ambiguous property rights. More illuminatingly, non-parametric regression analysis specifies a well-founded transaction costs function: increasing Subtraction by one unit increases transaction costs by the equivalent of US$513.40, while a one-year increase of farming experience reduces transaction costs by US$116.20, ceteris paribus. It concludes that social costs behind underpricing are detrimental to China’s rural reform. This study contributes to economic theory, with important implications for policy makers. To encourage smooth transmission of price signals, it is important to consider farmer characteristics and develop professional farmers.

NGAHUMA (PLANTING RICE IN THE FIELDS) AND TILLED LAND LIMITATION OF THE BADUY TRIBE IN INDONESIA

Baduy are traditional native Indonesian tribes living in the southeastern part of the province of Banten, and they are considered as a tribe reliable in upholding ancestral traditions. One of their customary laws is the obligation to ngahuma (planting rice in the fields) as a form of worship and harmony. The main purpose of this research is to describe whether the Ngahuma customary law will continue in the dilemma of land limitations. This recent study will propose several solutions related to their customary law sustainability and their economic needs. The descriptive qualitative method was employed as a tool for examining Baduy tribe-related phenomena. Using participatory observation, interviews, and literature study, this exploratory research examines and analyzes traditional activities, obligations, ngahuma in the context of the baduy community. This research study utilized four key informants and three validators to achieve thematic saturation. Based on our findings, we conclude that the Baduy population increases even though the land for ngahuma remains the same. Moreover, ngahuma is a traditional customary obligation that cannot be violated. Some solutions have been found, such as buying or renting land outside customary land, limiting the fallow (do not use the land before replanting), and dividing land to family members. However, several problems remain; for example, unfertile land conditions and lack of rice for the community. Finally, researchers offer solutions and expected the local government of the Lebak Regency to provide new land for the Baduy tribe.

Study of fuel consumption in three tillage methods

Fuel consumption per hectare of tilled land for the conventional or maximum tillage, reduced tillage using a multi-task machine, and no-tillage using a direct drill planter has been studied and compared. Time taken and number of tractor trips needed for performing tillage operations were used for comparison. Yield of crop per hectare was also used for the study. Duncan’s multiple range test was used to compare and analyse the data. Results of fuel consumption were 59.33, 29.67 and 14.33 l/ha for the max. tillage, reduced tillage, and no-tillage cases, respectively. The corresponding yield of crop for these methods were 8.07, 7.90, and 6.33 t/ha, respectively. Therefore, the reduced and no-tillage methods provide enough energy saving per ton of yield to justify their use as good replacements for the max. tillage method in Iran. Also, considering land conditions in Iran, use of direct drill planters is recommended for dry cultivated or traditionally irrigated farms, and multi-task machinery for all types of irrigation systems and land conditions.  

Winter bird numbers and land-use preferences in an arable landscape in eastern England

SummaryThe winter bird assemblage and habitat preferences were studied in a largely arable landscape, dominated by winter cereals, in eastern England in one winter. A total of species was recorded on 70 l-km transects but 11% of transects had no birds. Overall densities were low, Skylark Alauda arvensis being the most abundant species. Bird was highest in the first winter period (October-December). Species richness varied proportion to the available habitat in the first winter period but there was a preference for stubble, grass and tilled land (harrow) in the second winter period (January-February) Skylarks preferred stubbles in the first winter period and stubbles and grass in the second winter period. Some 34% of all birds fed on winter cereals despite a lack of preference for this habitat, while 94% of seed specialists (finches and buntings) were recorded on stubbles. The areas of preferred habitats (stubbles, grass) were probably too limited to allow more than small populations to persist. Only by the widespread adoption of agricultural extensification and/or farming some of the land specifically for conservation benefits can the declines in bird populations on intensively managed arable farmland be reversed.

THE EFFECT OF FALL-APPLIED N AND P FERTILIZER AND TIMING OF N APPLICATION ON YIELD AND PROTEIN CONTENT OF WINTER WHEAT GROWN ON ZERO-TILLED LAND IN MANITOBA

Field studies were conducted to evaluate the effect of the rate and timing of N application and the amount of seed-placed P on grain yield and protein content of winter wheat grown on zero-tilled and conventionally tilled land in Manitoba. Yield increased with increasing amounts of fall-applied N and P. Yield, as affected by time of N application, decreased in the order: spring, freezeup, seeding, and applied on snow in winter. Split application of N resulted in yields comparable to that obtained with N applied at seeding. Protein concentration in grain decreased when small amounts of N led to large increases in dry matter but increased when sufficient quantities of N fertilizer were added to meet the requirements for both yield and protein. The amount of fertilizer N recovered in the grain did not differ with time of application in 1979–1980. However, in 1980–1981, N recovery was consistently higher with spring applications of N than with applications at any other time. Differences between the two seasons reflected the higher moisture availability for crop growth in 1980–1981 as compared to 1979–1980. Key words: Winter wheat, zero tillage, nitrogen, phosphorus, protein

THE EFFECT OF N AND P FERTILIZATION ON WINTER SURVIVAL OF WINTER WHEAT UNDER ZERO-TILLED AND CONVENTIONALLY TILLED MANAGEMENT

A preliminary field study was conducted to investigate the influence of fall applications of nitrogen and phosphorus on winter survival of winter wheat on zero-tilled and conventionally tilled land. Nitrogen fertilization tended to decrease winter survival while phosphorus fertilization tended to increase survival. A N-P interaction was observed, with the decrease in survival in response to added N being more evident in the absense of applied P. Balanced N-P fertilization may therefore result in highest winter survival in both conventionally tilled and zero-tilled winter wheat. Key words: Zero-tillage, winter survival, nitrogen, phosphorus, winter wheat

XXXIX.—On the Great Drift Beds with Shells in the South of Arran

The whole southern part of Arran forms a field by itself, and whatever may be the deeper connections of the agencies that have fashioned the north and the south of the island, the result is a trappean area to the south, as distinct as if it lay in another hemisphere from the north, with its granitic nucleus, and encompassing rings of stratified rock.This district is little visited, and is almost, if not quite, undescribed; it presents, however, much beautiful scenery, and for the geologist, problems of extreme difficulty and interest, which deserve more attention than they have got.It may be divided into two belts of tilled land and moorland, above which are the hill tops. This division corresponds roughly to three regions, the lowest chiefly of sandstone, the middle where felstone prevails over the sandstone, and the highest of greenstone.