THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 



195 



that great invention steam, has raised up an enormous 

 population of customers non-agricultural, placed at the dis- 

 posal of agriculture cheap and abundant clothing, as well as 

 more perfect and less costly implements of agriculture. 

 In 1487 three quarters of corn were given for one yard of 

 fine broad cloth ; now the quantity obtainable would be near 

 eight yards ; nobody wore knitted stockings until Queen 

 Elizabeth's reign. She is said to have been the first person 

 in England to wear them. She received them as a present 

 from the Spanish Ambassador. We all know that our plough- 

 shares and other agricultural implements harmonize in re- 

 duction of prico with our cheap cotton and woollen manu- 

 factures. The village church on the Sabbath presents the 

 pleasing pattern card of elegance and cheapness. The wife 

 and children of the agricultural labourer, whose weekly wages 

 represent the value of one bushel of fiour, are clad in colours, 

 patterns, and qualities that convince the observer how much 

 agriculture owes to the science and skill of manufactures. 

 The recent discovery of the sewing machine has multiplied 

 by millions the powers of the seamstresses. But how has 

 all this been brought about ? Not by an obstinate adherence 

 to old customs, but by a recognition of the value of science 

 and by an availment of its powers. In this respect agricul- 

 ture has much to learn from manufactures, and must make 

 haste to follow its example. 



The Future of AjrkuV.ure must he based on a General Use 

 of Steam Power. — This has made manufacture what it is, 

 and will make agriculture what it ought to be. At present 

 we can scarcely say that agriculture has used steam — pos- 

 sibly she may now have 50,000-horse power : she will soon 

 have at least a million of horse power. I speak practically 

 and guardedly on this matter. Every farmery of 100 acres 

 will, for the purpose of cultivation and ijeneral manipula- 

 tion, require four-horse power. If 100 acres require four- 

 horse power, sixty millions of acres will require 2,400,000 

 horse power. 



The Topography of our Farms inflicts a Gigantic Charge 

 on Farm Produce. — It is singular that, whilst 1,400 years 

 ago the civilized Romans left with us indestructible exam- 

 ples of facile intercommunication by broad and well-made 

 roads, straight as the flight of an aiTow, we content ourselves 

 with i^erfect contortions in our roads and lanes. To sit 

 down and calculate in detail the loss occasioned by these de- 

 viations from rectitude, would produce an alarming and 

 astounding aggregate. But how is this now to be remedied ? 

 No one will attempt the task with our present cumbrous, 

 costly, and ridiculous mode of transfer ; and so one item, or 

 rather one means, of a successful competition with foreign 

 production is debarred from us. The financial history of 

 the cost of a quarter of wheat, in all its details, would aflford 

 an instructive and profitable lesson, and would exhibit a 

 biting satire and a severe rebuke. It would humble our 

 agricultural pride, and would show that we cannot, as agri- 

 culturists, stand the test of commercial criticism. When 

 I say this, let it be understood that I especially refer to the 

 duties and shortcomings of landowners, who, being princi- 

 pally our law-givers, have the power (if they choose to ex- 

 ercise it) of amending the Laws of Conveyancing. Assum- 

 ing that the frequent removal of heavy steam-engines and 

 machinery from one part of the farm to another, or from 

 one farm to another, will render necessary temporary rail- 

 roads, or very improved public and farm roads, it becomes 

 of the utmost importanoe, on the score of economy, that our 



agricultural topography should he amended. A farm of 640 

 acres would fill one square mile — the buildings being central 

 and the roads straight, every portion would be readily acces- 

 sible ; but if a survey were to be given to us of the existing 

 topography of every farm of that size, it would reveal a bar- 

 barous waste of means intolerable in this age of practical 

 economy. 



The importance of Improved Means of Locomotion fur our 

 Farm Steam Engines is well illustrated by the following 

 fact: — On a recent visit to a spu-ited improver, on a heavy- 

 land farm, I saw Fowler's steam plough working a circular- 

 saw instead of drawing the ploughs. " You see," said my 

 friend, "here is my X'700 worth of power unavailable for 

 cultivation, It weighs seven tons, and although our laud is 

 drained it is impossible to get it about our stitF clays. I 

 purpose laying down a light rail for it, through the centre of 

 this 250-acre piece, so that its power may be at any time ex- 

 erted, either on the land or in the farm-yard." And this 

 reminds me how unreasonable it is of the Eo.yal Agricultural 

 Society of England to try all their implements in the hot, 

 dry month of July, when the wiater difficulties of a stifi"- 

 clay farm are thus practically ignored. Let us hope that 

 the prize-sheet of tliis Society will offer prizes for the best 

 and cheapest railway means of rendering steam-power 

 available at all seasons, except during severe frost. I am 

 gradually coming to the conclusion that such means will be 

 a necessary concomitant of steam culture, as it has been to 

 our locomotion. It must not be forgotten that one merito- 

 rious feature of Mr. Smith's (of Woolston) system of steam 

 culture is, that there is very little necessity for removing 

 the heavy engine — a great advantage in wet seasons on 

 a heavy-land farm. While on this subject permit me to 

 quote a letter from Mr. Pike, which illustrates most forcibly, 

 clearly, practically, and truthfully the enormous advantages 

 resulting from The Use of Steam in Cultivation, and of the 

 necessity for fixity of engine in wet weather on stiff clays. 

 " Steviugton, near Bedford, Dec. 31, 1860. Gentlejien, — 

 I very willingly send you my views and opinions upon the 

 Steam Cultivator. Before 1 came into Bedfordshire I farmed 

 in Buckinghamshire, when I knew the land of Mr. Smith, of 

 Woolston, and having witnessed the great improvements he 

 subsequently made by his system of steam cultivation, I 

 was induced to order a set of the apparatus from you, in the 

 spring of 1858. I have now worked my apparatus for three 

 seasons, and having done upwards of 2,000 acres of land 

 with it, I am in a position to speak with some confidence as 

 to its success. The effect on the crop has been very visible 

 each season, but I think the greatest advantage was mani- 

 fest last harvest. My wheat crop was particularly good, 

 which, after so much wet, I had no right to expect on such 

 heavy land ; but I find, after steam cultivating, the water 

 gets down to the drains so much quicker, indeed I have now 

 dispensed with the furrows altogether; one field, which is 

 rather steep, containing fifty acres, all lies on the flat, and 

 I never saw any water stand upon it, although the land is 

 very stiff. My farm, belonging to the Duke of Bedford, con- 

 tains about 370 acres of arable and 130 acres of grass land, 

 I formerly worked fifteen or sixteen horses, but since I have 

 got my steam cultivator I have managed with seven or eight, 

 and have always been much more forward with my v:ork than 

 when dependent upon my horses; indeed I should be very 

 sorry to farm this strong hilly land without steam power. 

 I am also enabled to grow a 'much larger acreage of root 



