THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 



433 



was uot in such a coiiditiou for work aa the oue exhibited last 

 week at Uppingham. Had the machinery been older and 

 ready for use, the reau'.t would have been very different. It 

 had been his wish to show the best mode of applying an ordi- 

 nary portable engine : that was a very important matter, be- 

 cause there were already so many such engines in existence. 

 The failure of that day they attributed to its right cause, and 

 therefore he would say no more about it. As regarded the 

 results of steam cultivation, he had no hesitation in saying 

 that his experieuce during the last twelve months clearly 

 showed that they must be of the highest importance. On 

 heavy clay land, the difference between the use of steam and 

 of horses was beyond calculation. From the manner in which 

 the last toast was given and received, he had great pleasure in 

 believing that they were fully prepared to receive steam as a 

 cultivator as soon as it was ready to their hands. But a very 

 short time would elapse before that day arrived. So far as his 

 own plans were concerned, they required but little amendment, 

 and he believed would receive but little amendment. Both 

 Mr. Boydell and Mr, Crosskill had brought out machines which, 

 under certain circumstances and on certain kiniis of lands, 

 would achieve very important results ; and on their behalf, as 

 well aa his own, he had great pleasure in thanking the company 

 for the very cordial manner in which they had received this 

 toast. 



Mr. AvEi-iNG, being called upon, stated that last April he 

 ploughed about 100 acres with Fowler's steam-plough. The 

 landjwas exceedingly heavy ; but when they had a good day's 

 work, they ploughed 8 acres in ten hours ; and then the ex- 

 pense did not exceed Ss. per acre. That was not a statement 

 made by guess ; there were numerous farmers who kept an 

 account of the work, and this fact would be borne out by any 

 of them— that the cost did not exceed 5b. per acre when they 

 got on well (Hear). 



A Voice. — Whjt depth did you go ? 



Mr. AvELiNG. — We never plough shallow in Kent— never 

 less than 8 inches. 



Mr. Fowler.— And when you did not get oa well, it was 

 owing to imperfect machinery. 



Mr. AvELiNG. — We are very anxious in Kent to have the 

 steam-plough. I hope we shall very shortly get it, for our 

 land is much heavier than it is here ; and I am certain that if 

 we could plough it by steam, we should grow one-third more 

 produce per acre. 



Mr. R. Young (Walsoken), proposed "The Visitors," 

 coupling with the toast the name of Mr. Ransome, of Ipswich 

 — a name which had long been " a household word" in the 

 agricultural districts. 



Mr. R. Ransome said he felt that the house which he re- 

 presented (as the senior partner of it) was highly honoured, by 

 the manner in which they had received him that day. He 

 looked upon meetings of this kind as having a very important 

 bearing upon the scientific character, the agricultural character, 

 and the welfare of the labouring classes of this kingdom. It 

 was at meetings like this that they had an opportunity of 

 hearing important and valuable suggestions ; it was to meet- 

 ings like this — speaking for the moment as a manufacturer, 

 and speaking alike for some of the gentlemen iu the same 

 character who were then present, and with whom it was always 

 a pleasure to the firm with which he was connected to associ- 

 ate iu honourable rivalry — it was to meetings of this kind that 

 they were very much indebted for the progress they had made 

 in the various inventions which had been the lot of their 

 house. They are, in short, mainly your inventions. Without 

 you, they would never have been brought to the perfection 

 which they have been. And looking back to the introduction 



years ago, of the drill— a simple instrument, and now iu gene- 

 ral use upon the land ; looking at the progress which even 

 that simple instrument (the plough) has made, simple in its 

 original construction, and even to the present day a simple 

 instrument, but greatly improved by the suggestions and by 

 the care which you have occasionally bestowed upon it; theu, 

 again, there is the thrashing machine— you are all aware of 

 the many difficulties it had to encounter, the prejudices, the 

 discouragement ; and now who among you would be without 

 a thrashing-machine? So we may go on to the reaping-ma- 

 chine, which has nearly attained perfection, and which is cal- 

 culated to work very beneficially for the agriculture of this 

 country. And now looking from the little pony plough which 

 you saw to-day working with a single pony— looking from that 

 to the great giant plough which Mr. Fowler has introduced, 

 and with whom we are most happy to be associated, because 

 we have found that that gentleman having "set his hand to 

 the plough" is not inclined to lookback; that having spent one 

 thousand pounds has another ready, and another, and another 

 to the extent of many thousands already, to produce that im- 

 plement which you have seen to-day. Looking at all these, I 

 do ask you to sympathise with the manufacturer, and especi- 

 ally with the inventor. You have seated at the bottom of 

 the table Wm. Mawby, whose name I may mention as being 

 as well known almost as his masters' are in connection with 

 the manufacture and invention of improved implements. 

 For years — not a few, but many — toiling incessantly, under 

 great discouragements, I am proud to confess it here, as one 

 of his employers, that we rejoice in offering to him the tribute 

 which is his due. He will uot take offence, I am sure, if I say 

 that I do like to see in this country the progress of a labour- 

 ing man, risen by his own exertions, by his own character, to 

 the highest position he can occupy, short of being a partner in 

 our business. If I say short of being a partner, I do esteem 

 him, and all the workmen in our employ, partners in our busi- 

 ness; I look upon them gratefully aa means to an end. And 

 so, gentlemen, when I saw your labourers busy hedging and 

 ditching, busy iu various occupations of agriculture, kindly 

 noticed by the master of the farm and by the committee who 

 have them in view for prizes this evening, I did think that they 

 are all links iu one great chain. It is to the labourer we are 

 indebted for our comforts : it is the labourer that must carry 

 out our own ideas. It is to the working man that we are in- 

 debted for perfecting that from which we reap a benefit, and 

 which we enjoy. But if we look to every class in this king- 

 dom, we shall find that there is not one distinct from the 

 other : we are all united in one almost imperceptible link. And 

 when I have the honour to attend a meeting like this, you will 

 excuse me saying I feel as if I were one with you. It is an ex- 

 cessive pleasure, with the earthly distinctions which are justi- 

 fiably kept up in this kingdom, and which are not without their 

 advantage, I do feel that it is an excessive pleasure sometimes 

 to sit as an equal at the festive board with gentlemen of high 

 degree. And there is no reason why we should not. If we 

 are united together for oue good, industrial, beneficial purpose, 

 why should we not, like the crew on board a large vessel, feel 

 that we are one crew, and that we have one common object on 

 the voyage we are going ? My friend Fowler and I do not 

 come here by constraint— not simply as men interested on our 

 own account. I trust you will credit me when I say we have 

 a measure of disinterested feeling. But we are interested in 

 the success of the important machine you have seen to-day. 

 We are interested in a pecuniary point of view ; we are inte- 

 rested as a matter of business. But the very ground of our 

 interest being successful is your interest. If we could not 

 make it your interest to make it our interest to manufacture 



