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Story: Topdressing

Spreading by hand

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Spreading by hand

Hill pastures needed fertiliser to maintain production and prevent the pasture reverting to fern and scrub. For many years the only means of applying it was by hand, which was slow, dusty and difficult work.

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Archives New Zealand - Te Rua Mahara o te Kāwanatanga

Reference: AANR 6329 52 K4,197

Permission of Archives New Zealand Te Rua Mahara o te Kāwanatanga must be obtained before any re-use of this material.

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How to cite this page

John Maber, Topdressing – Origins of aerial topdressing, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/photograph/16552/spreading-by-hand (accessed 24 June 2026).

Story by John Maber, published 1 March 2009.