346 



THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 



Bteam ploughing, for steam has shown itself capable of 

 carrying out a wider variety of cultural operations than 

 ploughing only— has now reached that stage of progress 

 in which its capabilities can be practically estimated. 

 Taken out of the region of speculative mechanism, it has 

 shown itself ready for the widest possible applications, 

 and its further extension rests mainly with the owners 

 and tenants of large properties— more, indeed, with the 

 landlord than with the tenant. For every day's expe- 

 rience proves the absolute necessity of previous pre- 

 paration of the lands on which the steam cultivating 

 apparatus is to try its power ; and much, if not all, of 

 this preparation must be done by the landlord. All 

 authorities without exception, so far as we know of, 

 agree as to the necessity of this preparation. Much as 

 steam has done in the field, it has yet wonders greater 

 far to show us ; but more can only be displayed when 

 its operations are carried on in a widely extended scale, 

 and over large tracts of land. The farmer has done 

 his part wonderfully : he cannot, in this matter of steam 

 cultivation at all events, be charged with apathy, and 

 indifference as to its practical extension. He has been 

 the first to hail with pleasure its advent — the first to 

 avail himself of its aid; and the marvellously short 

 time which it has taken to make steam culture an ac- 

 complished fact is greatly owing to the enlightened and 

 liberal view which the farmer has taken of the whole 

 subject. Indeed, it seems but yesterday when we, in 

 common with others with abler pens, and possessed of 

 greater knowledge, were explaining as a new thing, al- 

 most speculative in all its details, and drawing, through 

 the medium of the press, the attention of farmers to the 

 subject; when, behold its value is everywhere admitted, 

 and its use in the field widely extended. Usually is it 

 the case that new things have to withstand a large 

 amount of prejudiced contempt, and then are to be 

 advocated for a long time ere they become extended. But 

 steam cultivation has in great measure been an exception 

 to this rule ; practical rn^ have actually out- stripped 

 theorists in the matter ; and enthusiasts, usually chargea- 

 ble with over-exaggeration in their estimate of benefits 

 derivable from any new thing, have in this case been 

 left behind by the generally more sober matter-of-fact 

 men of practice. A striking refutation, all this, of the 

 too-oftfti-reiterated statement that farmers are the 

 slowest of the slow — the fiist to sneer at, the last to 

 adopt improvements. Not so is it in many departments 

 of agriculture, certainly not so in this one we are now 

 describing. So rapidly, indeed, has the power of steam 

 been accepted as practically available in the field, as it 

 has shown itself to be useful in the farm buildings, that 

 to a great extent in some districts is the occupation of 

 the ploughboy gone. Literally the smoke from many 

 steam-engines hangs in clouds over the green fields along 

 which the steam plough is dragged with a power greater 

 and more steady than that of a dozen horses. Already 

 has the day-dream of the enthusiast on steam culture in 

 part been realized ; for " o'er the lea" on which the 

 " ploughman homeward plods his weary way" is heard 

 the scream of the steam whistle, and is seen the wave of 

 the signal flsig. A revolution in culture has been fairly 



and fully inaugurated. Anticipating future from its past 

 triumphs, we see in imagination the steam-engine — pio- 

 neer of true progress — placing itself amid, and rapidly 

 bringing tracts of the dreariest deserts into smiling fields, 

 rich with the fairest of fertility, changing wide 

 expanses of shifting sea-sand, over which the storm 

 winds career, or the gentle breezes blow, into " fresh 

 fields, and pastures new." From level plain to undu- 

 lating hill-slopes, we see it gradually extending its 

 triumphs, till along the mountain sides, now yielding 

 scanty herbage for a few scattered flocks, or places over 

 which the goats scramble, will be seen wide expanses — 

 gladdening the heart and refreshing the eye — of the 

 waving corn, the greenest of pastures, or the richest of 

 meadows. 



'■■ Blessings on Science and her handmaid (SVeam / 

 They make Utopia only half a dream, 

 And show tlie fervour of capacious souls, 

 Who watch the ball of progi'ess as it rolls : 

 That all as yet cumpleted, as begun, 

 Is but the dawning that precedes the sun." 



R. S. B. 



MANCHESTER AND LIVERPOOL 

 AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



The Meeting was held at Bolton, on Wednesday and Thurs- 

 day, Sept, 12 and 13, under very improved management to that 

 which characterized the conduct of the Liverpool Show of last 

 autumn. As usual, however, the prize-lists ran into almost end- 

 less diviaione, and as a consequence but few of the classes were 

 well-filled. It would be utterly impossible to follow out these 

 ramifications ; but Mr. Ambler's Prince Talleyrand was the 

 best Shorthorn bull ; Mr. Sutcliffe's Alma the Second the first 

 two-year old, and Mr. Jonathan Peel's bull calf the pick of 

 four in the entry. Mr. Atherton was first amongst the cows, 

 as well as the two-year-old heifers, and Mr. Jonathan Peel 

 first and second with the yearlings. Mr, Marshall Heaton 

 sent Blaze, the prize cart stallion ; Mr. Ashcroft the best 

 dray horse ; and Mr. Dagyer Sir Harry, the superior of the 

 two thorough-bred ones. Mr. Llewellyn Lloyd had the best 

 Southdown ; Mr. H. Smith, jun., the prize Shropshire, and 

 Sir R. Gerard the finest Cotswold. The Leicester prize was 

 withheld, and the sheep show altogether indifferent. Mr. 

 Harrison, of Heaton Norris, had the best boars of both a large 

 and a small breed ; Mr, Birch, of Sefton, the first large sow, 

 and Mr, Wainman as good a small one. There was an almost 

 infinite succession of other classes for tenant-farmers and dealers, 

 with the entries, as in the open ranks, averaging two, three, 

 and four in competition. In fact, the meeting, as we said last 

 year, wants " pulling together," and its strength combined 

 instead of scattered. The farmers of Lancashire are quite 

 good to facing all England on their own ground ; while at 

 present any honours they may take are by the conditions and 

 divisions almost entirely shorn of their due value. Richmond 

 and Chandler, Ruston and Proctor of Lincoln, Crosskill of 

 Beverley, Ashby of Stamford, Picksley and Sims, and many 

 other county manufacturers contributed to a very good exhibi - 

 tion of implements. 



