1S6 



THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 



and here the yield was three-times as much as on that 

 which had not been manured. The fact is, that on clay 

 land superphosphates are of no use unless the land be 

 properly pulverized. Some farmers imagine that by 

 usinw the best artificial manures they do not require so 

 much labour, or any additional labour. There can be no 

 greater mistake, for the best artificial manures often fail, 

 more or less entirely, for want of proper pulverization of 

 the soil. It is of the greatest consequence that the land 

 on which artificial manures are used should be in a high 

 state of subdivision. Artificials can only be used with 

 advantage by farmers who have improved agricultural 

 implements and methods of tillage, and have paid a great 

 deal more attention to the mechanical condition of the 

 land than many farmers of the old school." And I may 

 also quote the distinguished agriculturist, Mr. Hoskyns; 

 " Now our knowledge of the chemical effects of com- 

 minution upon the absorptive powers of the soil (based 

 upon the most accurate demonstration of the lecture- 

 room, and speaking to the eye and to the mind as plainly 

 and irresistibly and by the same evidence, as any fact ob- 

 served in the field can do) is already far in advance of 

 anything which our present means of mechanical divi- 

 sion enables us to realize^ even on the smallest practical 

 scale." 



If, in looking forward to the future, agricultiitists aad land- 

 owners would take an enlarged view of the past and present 

 state of things, they would perceive that not much new land 

 has been added to cultivation during the last fifty years, nor 

 have the imports of food been large in proportion to the con- 

 sumption, whilst, in addition, the population is a more meat- 

 consuming one. On the other hand, the population during 

 that time has doubled itself ; and, perceiving this, they will 

 see how rapid must have been the tendency to increase in in- 

 tensity the cultivation of land. It is not too much to suppose 

 that on an average the produce per acre has nearly doubled 

 itself. 



One principle upon which I base the profits of my system is 

 simply this : spade labour is sometimes used to cultivate farm 

 crops ; it is more costly than horse labour by £3 an acre, and 

 more productive by £3 or £4. And this is true with the same 

 amount of manure in both cases. In testimony of this I refer 

 to many well-known experiments by industrial societies ; to 

 "Morton'a Cyclopaedia of Agriculture," to CiithiU's pamphlets, 

 the " Penny Cyclopsedis," the " Spade Husbandry in Flanders," 

 by the Society for the Diffusion of Useful Knowledge ; the 

 works of Cuthbert Johnson, &c. Now I can perform the 

 operations by steam and guideway in a manner superior to 

 spade labour at less considerably, after paying interest for rails, 

 &e., than the cost of horse labour; the difference, therefore, 

 in produce becomes wholly a profit. 



It may be, however, desired to consider a balance sheet for 

 the year ; I have, therefore, introduced two for farms of 1,000 

 acres, and also one for a market garden of 50 acres. 



Stulemenl of a 1,000 acre Farm on Guideways of creosoted 

 timber, at £10 per acre. 



Rail capital, &c. :— Annual. 



(«) Interest at f Capital for rails £10 00 

 in„prrpnf J Interest On Capital at 4 pi 



10 per cent, <> „ 



capital at 4 per cent. £400 

 id renewals at 6 per 



600 



£1,000 



Farming capital, &c. : — 



(i) Capital for stock, £2,500. 

 ((■) Locomutive cultivator, with 2S-horse power en- 

 gines and shunting machinery complete, £1,900 ; 



implements £300, at 15 per cent £330 



((/) Ten trucks £300, at 8 per cent 24 



Coal, at 203, per day, and 250 days 250 



Oil, &c 10 



Enfjiue driver at 49. per day, man 2j. 6J., boy Is., . 117 



5 eooataut labourers 155 



♦Labourers for hand operations upon the crops. , . , 50 



Farmers' annual field expenses £ 936 



Add interest for rails 1,000 



Cost of cultivation by steam £1,936 



Labour at homestead, expenses for marketing, and all other 

 labour which is paid for as in the present system, need not be 

 here alluded to. 



SlcUement by Mr. IV. Rex, Valuer to Messrs. Chinnock and 

 Gahworlhy, Land Agents, London, and a Farmer, for a 

 Farm of 200 acres, of well-tilled land. 



Annual. 

 Capital:— 8 horses, 4 ploughs, harrows, horse 

 hoes, scarifiers, 2 waggons, rolleia, 4 carts, 

 £300. £ s. d. 



Depreciation of stock at 15 per cent 75 



llorse-keep. corn, 100 qrs., hay 30 tons 245 



Labour, 4 carters, at 129. per week . . £124 16 



1 horse keep extra 31 4 



3 labourers 105 G 



261 6 



100 acres corn hoeing, 4s 20 



Cutting 50 acres of corn at 8s 20 



Multiply by 5 for 1,000 acres 



621 

 5 



3,106 10 

 tDediict 30 



Farmers' annual field expenses for ordinary culti- 

 vation on the fourth or fifth shift system, exclu- 

 sive of all extra labour for harvest, &c., but 

 including all that can be done by machinery in 

 the field 3,076 10 



Cultivation by steam 1,936 



Difference in favour of steam. . . . £1,140 10 

 Which is equal to 11 per cent, upon capital for rails, and, 

 when added to 4 per cent, (already allowed), gives a profit of 

 15 per cent. 



The difference between spade labour and horse labour ia 

 given in " Morton's Cyclopajdia of Agriculture," page 388, 

 article " Capital," at £3 per acre in favour of the spade, when 

 £8 per acre is average produce. If only £l extra per acre be 

 allowed the present horae farming, the profit will be 24 per 

 cent.; if £2 be allowed it will be a profit of 34 per cent. In 

 the above estimate, extracted from Morton, no crops sold off 

 the land, or gardening ones, are considered, only grain and 

 cattle feeding ones. 



The balance sheet of a farm laid down with the brick and 

 iron rails at £20 per acre will be as follows: — Interest of 

 money and depreciation, £1,200 ; annual field expenses (de- 

 ducting £96 due to less friction by this one over the other 

 system of rails) £840, which subatracted from £3,0/6, gives a 



• This itPin refers fo such operations os hand hoiings and 

 wcedinps, combined with the travelling machinery. H nd opera- 

 tions are in this manner more rheaply pertornieci than they are 

 at present. The above incluJes 250 acres weeded or.co, and 250 

 acres weeded twice. 



t There will be saving of £200 In machinery In a large farm 

 over a small one proporiionably, therefore deduct at 15 per cent. 

 on £200. 



