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THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 



other day, two 18-horse power engines, which cost a 

 thousand pounds, employed entirely in packing bales, 

 and working the hoists or lifts which carried the men 

 and cotton goods from floor to floor. The hydraulic 

 squeeze given by steam-power caused a bale to be packed 

 in three minutes, which, by manual labour, used to re- 

 quire fifteen minutes. Time, surely, is money as much 

 in agriculture as in any other industrial occupation. 

 Taking the average of farms at the ordinary depth of 

 cultivation, the number of steam-engines required would 

 be enormous for cultivation alone ; but if our clays are 

 (as they ought to be) moved to a depth of two or three 

 feet, then, indeed, great will be the requirement of 

 steam power. As our ordinary depth of cultivation is 

 under five inches, and as our little island is sea-girt, 

 tripling or quadrupling our depth of cultivation would 

 be equal to an immense extension of territory, without 

 additional rent, tithes, or taxes. At present, in our 

 stiff undrained clays, all below five inches is a terra in- 

 cognita, unseen and unavailed of, as is shown by the 

 " going off of the crops in April and May. 



Steam Estimates. — In estimating the probable 

 amount of steam-power used generally in our various 

 industrial manufacturing and commercial operations, I 

 have to tender my thanks to my official and other friends 

 for the kindness with which they have placed statistical 

 facts at my disposal, and for the information which they 

 have otherwise afforded to me. I have been assured that 

 in a circle of twenty miles in and around Manchester 

 there are 50,000 steam-engines ; if so, agriculture owes 

 a deep debt of gratitude to Manchester, which I hope 

 she will repay by similar means. I find that every fifty 

 miles of passenger-railway employs forty locomotives. 

 The number of miles travelled on our railways in 1857 

 was over seventy-four millions ; the average consump- 

 tion of coke, 341bs. per mile. A very great economy 

 has lately been effected by the use of coal : the furnace- 

 door is left open, and the air rushing in, strikes against 

 a deflecting-plate, which throws it on the surface of the 

 fire, and causes perfect combustion without smoke. 

 This is a hint which might be availed of in our agricul- 

 tural portable engines. The air has much the effect of 

 being blown on the coals by a bellows. Flame gives 

 much more heat than red-hot coke. 



Conclusion.— Apologising for the length of these 

 remarks, I hope you will think with me that I have 

 proved that steam is not only an advantage but a neces- 

 sity for agriculture, and that it has not been sufficiently 

 availed of. A great responsibility attaches in this 

 matter to those in high places who have large estates. 

 We know, especially where there is only annual tenure, 

 that a landlord is much looked up to by his tenantry, 

 and that there is somewhat of a patriarchal character in 

 their relations. So long as that exists, a heavy respon- 

 sibility rests with the lord of the soil ; his example and 

 encouragement are required, and almost demanded, in 

 this matter of steam. It may be necessary for men to 

 exercise a gentle despotism in the removal of prejudices, 

 which are often very strong iu agriculture. How all 

 this may be done is easily explained by a reference to 

 the late great Mr. Coke, of Norfolk, who converted a 



poor tenantry and a miserable estate into the opposites 

 of farming wealtli and greatly increased rentals. We 

 have modern examples of this, such as Lord Lonsdale, 

 the Duke of Bedford, and many others, who combine 

 investment, improvement, and encouragement with 

 honour, profit, and progression to themselves, to their 

 tenantry, and to their country. There is plenty 

 of room for such examples to be followed in 

 our at present half-farmed country. The mere value of 

 steam to agriculture in the sawing and preparing of the 

 timber of an estate is considerable ; and I remember to 

 have been delighted, thirteen years ago, with the work- 

 shops and machinery of the Duke of Bedford, at Wo- 

 burn, whose farmeries, cottages, and hedge-rows are a 

 standing censure on the general agricultural non- 

 improvement of this kingdom. In conclusion, agricul- 

 ture has been, in the matter of steam, backward, mis- 

 calculating, and ungrateful. The statistical compari- 

 sons which I have made are humiliating for British agri- 

 culture ; and when I say agriculture, I mean landlord 

 as well as tenant, for property has its duties as well as 

 its rights. When I see that landlord, tenant, and 

 labourer are indebted to steam manufacture for cheap- 

 ness and abundance in almost every necessary they pos- 

 sess, both mental and physical, I do consider that com- 

 mon gratitude should induce them to adopt similar 

 means to feed abundantly and cheaply the enlightened 

 manufacturing population to whom they are indebted 

 for those benefits. My agricultural friends may think 

 me somewhat severe in these my observations ; but they 

 are our best friends who tell us of our faults ; and 1 only 

 enforce what I practise, and practise profitably, too. I 

 shall, therefore, hope to receive their forgiveness for 

 this my contribution to their agricultural literature. 

 Pleased, indeed, should I be to see agriculture so perfect, 

 that "Othello's occupation would be gone." 



PRACTICAL OBSERVALIONS ABOUT STEAM ENGINES. 



I have annexed a few of my practical observations and 

 convictions about steam-engines, for the information of 

 those who will take the trouble to read them. They arc 

 as follows : 



Fixed or Portable Exgines. — There can be no 

 doubt that fixed engines are more economical and dur- 

 able than portible engines. 1 have had one in use ten 

 years, and it is nearly as good as the first day I had it. 

 There is much less wear and tear in a fixed engine than 

 in a portable one. Bringing home the corn in the sheaf, 

 at harvest-time, in Hannam's carts, is quite as econo- 

 mical as stacking and threshing in the field, and after- 

 wards bringing home the loose straw, chaff, &c. But, 

 if we cultivate by steam, we must have portable en- 

 gines ; and then, when used for stiff work at the home- 

 stead, they should be fixed in a strong frame or support 

 to prevent oscillation. Every thing connected with 

 steam-power should be firm, steady, and free from 

 trembling movement. So important is this considered 

 in our manufacturing districts, that their buildings are 

 most substantial. For Mr, Salt's 500-horse power en- 

 gine at Bradford, 1,200 tons of stone, bolted and fixed 

 as one mass, were required as a foundation to hold the 



