146 



THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 



of this method of working : it is one of the secrets of 

 their success. They grudge no outlay in mechanism 

 and processes to perfect the material for the action of 

 the higher anfl finishing class of machines. Why should 

 not oiir agriculturists do the same thing, if they are 

 anxious, as we know they are, to avail themselves of a 

 power which is most undoubtedly capable of untiringly 

 and economically doing the work, or a large proportion 

 of it at least, of our farms ? The whole question is one 

 of cost only, not of mechanical or cultural difficulty. If 

 eminent machinists say that with properly-adapted land 

 they can and will construct machines which shiiU do the 

 utmost amount of work, and that far beyond the rea- 

 lized produce of the present system, then the first thing 

 clearly vifhich the farmer has to do, is to begin this work 

 of adaptation, that is if he thinks it worth the cost. A calm 

 view of the whole circumstances of the case tends to show 

 that nothing perhaps has prevented the adaptation to 

 farm purposes of high-class machines, worked by steam- 

 power, so much as tlie obstacles thrown in the way by the 

 peculiar features of the land on which these machineshave 

 to operate. We do not ignore the fact that the soils 

 possess features infinitely more crude, unequal, and 

 varying than the materials on which high-class manu- 

 facturing mechanism has to operate ; but there is little 

 doubt that these peculiarities can be greatly obviated in 

 many instances, and totally removed in others. When 

 many of our engineers — the gifted William Fairbairn at 

 their head — hold opinions such as those we have endea- 

 voured to state, the time is near at hand when our 

 agriculturists will see, with them, the necessity of 

 " beginning at the beginning." It should always be 

 remembered that the adaptation of a new power involves 

 new circumstances of action. The finest locomotive 

 that ever a Stephenson or a Hawthorne made, could 

 creep but quietly on our best-paved road ; but give it 

 the iron rail, and lo I the lightning speed. 



It is just when viewed in this way that the system of 

 steam -cultivation invented by Mr. Halkett presents 

 considerable promise ; so much so, that it is deserving 

 of the most searching inquiry by all those interested in 

 the progress of agriculture. It is just because that, in 

 using a new power, Mr. Halkett has carried out a new 

 method of preparing his land, and that too a method 

 which experience shows clearly enough — the experience 

 of our railways — is well adapted to the new power. In 

 this mutual adaptation of the power and the land lies 

 the secret of the conqylete novelty of the system in an 

 agricultural point of view ; and is that, moreover, which 

 presents a species of fitness and unity which goes some- 

 what towards satisfying the mechanical requirements of 

 the case. 



As to the way in which it satisfies, or is likely to 

 satisfy, the agricultural requirements, we cannot do 

 better than quote Mr. Hoskyns's remarks on the system. 

 We can bring forward no better authority : 



" Any gentleman iraacquainted with the extraordinary diffi- 

 cultiea of a day soil, cannot have the least idea of the benefits 

 to be derived from this mode of cultivation, which will perform. 

 the process of culture without having the animaU poaching, as 

 we call it, the ground ; that is, treading and leaving the marks 

 of 16 iron-shod feet on the soil as the fulcrum of power on 

 the land. As far, therefore, as it is possible to look at Mr. 

 Halket'a plan generally, it appears to me that two great ad- 

 vantages are gained by it. The first is the immense saving of 

 power by means of the rail. I do not here euter into any 

 question of deflRCtion that may be supposed to exist, as that 

 is only a question of detail, which by uo means should 

 stand in the way of ultimate success. The first great advan- 

 tage, I say, is the immense gain of having an iron track to go 

 upon, instead of the moist and sticky earth. Here he has al- 

 ways a clean road, and one on which I can see the greatest 

 amount of power is to be obtained at the least expense. The 

 second advantage is to be able to cultivate clay soil without 

 any weight whatever attached to the machine that cultivates 

 or the power that draws the machine ; that is to say, that if 

 it is for ploughing, the plough is to go through the ground 

 without any pressure on the soil. In the act of lifting there 

 is a degree of pressure by the tugging irregular action of the 

 horses, because we all know that the tug is very unequal. 

 With mechanical action, even when appMed to ploughing, we 

 know that the results are far better; but I say that nothing 

 can be worse than the action of a plough with four horses 

 working on the land, as we see every day in winter. The 

 question, therefore, is the successful solution of the problem 

 of the cultivation of clay soils without having any horses or 

 heavy machines pressing into the soil during cultivation. When 

 we have accomplished that, v/e ahall have done more to advance 

 the value of the clay soils of this country than is done for 

 light soils by the introduction of machinery. Clay soil is more 

 valuable, as it contains a far greater quantity of food of plants 

 in a form more difficult to be taken away either by moisture 

 or the heat of the sun. Then we shall he able to make twelve 

 months' soils, instead of what the farmers call six month's 

 soils." 



In offering our own remarks on this invention, we 

 deem it right to state that they are not given in the 

 spirit of the partizan — they are thoroughly independent 

 of all circumstances save those connected with the me- 

 chanical and cultural features of the invention. It is 

 alone with these features we have to do — any other are 

 completely and altogether indifferent to us. It is our 

 earnest desire to give a fair field to all, and to see all 

 inventions considered with candour and fairness, their 

 good things cordially acknowledged, their faults gene- 

 rously pointed out, remembering always the pregnant 

 words of Bacon, " As the birth of living creatures at 

 first are ill-shapen, so are all innovations which are the 

 birth of time." He were a poor soul indeed who con- 

 temned the child because it possessed not the features 

 nor displayed the vigour of the man. How often as 

 wise a thing is done, iu judging of the merits of an inno-, 

 vation, let the records of the experience of our poor 

 patient inventors tell. 



R. S. B. 



ANNUAL REPORT OF THE LINSEED AND OILCAKE TRADE. 



Sir, — We have agaiu the pleasure to furnish you with our 

 annual circular, and can but regret that the forubodings ex- 

 pressed at the hes^inning of the year just passed should have 

 been realized even to a much g'eater extent than we could 

 then have considered possible. The general iuflation of trade, 

 however, was not without its effect ou the articles in which 

 we are interested, and the speculations of the spring and com- 

 mercial collapse of the autumn will render the liistory of the 

 year 1857 a most memorable one, and in no trades more so 

 than in seed crushing. From the time of the publication of 

 our last circular until now, the trade was never less remunera- 

 tive, but it is to be hoped the lower range of prices now cur- 



rent will place it in a healthier condition, and render business, 

 both to importer and crusher, more profitable thau of late. 

 The last three mouths must have shown how inherently sound 

 the trade was, and we trust that the caution exhibited by the 

 crushers previous to, and during the present crisis, will carry 

 them through the season at a less loss thau might have been 

 feared from the panic occurring just at a time when, of all 

 others, they were likely to have been overtaken with h('avy 

 stocks. 



We have again returned to Black Sea seed as the standard 

 of piires, the import of that description being again greatly in 

 excess of all other sorts. 



