520 



The Co nil try Gciitlaiian's Magazine 



4d., or a saving of ^i, is. 8d., or rather more 

 than eight men at 2s. 6d. per day. 



Moreover, a much greater quantity of hay 

 can be stacked in one day with the regular 

 hands on the farm than formerly by an addi- 

 tional force of manual labourers. The ma- 

 chine itself is an endless net, revolving round 

 gullies or sheathes at top and bottom, and it 

 delivers the hay in a continuous stream 

 upon the stack. It is supported at the 

 top by a pole or ladder, which stands in 

 the middle of the stack. It is easily arranged 

 for work, is portable, and can without diffi- 

 culty be taken by a single horse to any part 

 of the farm. It can be worked by hand, 

 horse, or steam power, but we prefer the 

 horse-gin, as there is always more or less 

 danger from fire by having a steam-engine 

 in the proximity of hay or straw. The horse- 

 gin is furnished by the same maker for the 

 express purpose of driving this machine, 

 although it can be put to other purposes. On 

 one of our farms we have it driving a turnip- 

 pulper during the winter months. It is also 

 portable and simple, though somewhat novel 

 in construction. The two — viz., the elevator 

 and horse-gin — may be considered as one im- 

 plement or machine, and one of the best yet 

 introduced to the farm ; and the greatest 

 credit is reflected on the maker, Mr Wright 

 of Boston, Lincolnshire. The cost of the 

 elevator is;^35, ^'^'^^ the horse gin ;^22, mak- 

 ing in all ^57, the interest on which, at 5 

 per cent, would be ^£2, 17s., whereas the 

 actual saving of ^i, is. 8d. per day, calcu- 

 lating that we stacked ten days at the rate of 

 60 tons per day, would give a saving of 

 ;^io, i6s. 8d., or nearly 20 per cent, on the 

 outlay. Figures, however, are scarcely the 

 legitimate criterion by which to judge the 

 merits of such a machine as the above, as the 

 diminution of the hands at stacking adds to 

 the carrying force, and time is gained which 

 is invaluable in such work. Altogether, the 

 work can be done much quicker with the 

 regular workers employed on the farm than 

 formerly with a number of extra hands at 

 higher wages. AVe have frequently had all 

 our hay nicely secured before almost any of 

 our neighbours ; but our good fortune was in 



a great measure due to the assistance of 

 machinery. 



HARVESTING OF CORN CROPS. 



So much valuable experience having of 

 late years been given to the public, of 

 the benefits of machinery in the harvest 

 field, we think it superfluous to say almost 

 anything under this head. The saving 

 effected by the reaping machine in cutting 

 grain approximates pretty closely to what 

 we have stated in reference to the cutting 

 of our hay crop — viz., a reduction of one- 

 half the cost as compared with manual 

 labour, although almost every district will 

 shew some variation in the results attained. 

 This is accounted for by the difference in the 

 facility of getting good labourers (reapers), 

 and the difference of the crops as to weight 

 and bulk. Many of the grain crops, from 

 their lodged and twisted condition, often defy 

 any attempts to reap them satisfactorily with 

 machinery; but, as a rule, the reaping machine 

 is now quite as indispensable to the farm as 

 the plough. 



tilla(;e operations. 



Turnip Culture. — So soon as the land in- 

 tended to be ploughed is cleared of the corn 

 after harvest, the steam-plough (Fowler's) is 

 set to work, and generally first on the 

 stronger clays. The land is broken up with 

 the two-furrow plough to a depth of from 1 2 

 to 15 inches, and, when partially dried, 

 worked with the steam harrow. The com- 

 mon plough, drawn by horses, then ridges up 

 the land in drills of about 30 inches in width, 

 so as to expose a large surface to the winter's 

 frost. When left in this state it is in a nice 

 and mellow condition in spring, and by being 

 then worked with the steam-cultivator the 

 pulverized soil is never turned down. 



In preparing for the sowing of the turnips 

 in May, the horse-ploughs drill up the land 

 afresh, and the manure is laid in the drills. 

 The artificial manures are sown with Reeve's 

 patent manure-distributor, which sows three 

 drills at a time, and much more equally and 

 efficiently than can be done by the hand. 

 It is in every sense an efficient labour- 



