Wet Season o/* 1872 07i Steam-Cultivation. 19 'J 



resulting from steam or horse power cultivation, he is none the 

 less satisfied with his investment in steam tackle. Mr. J. 

 Sowerbj has used a set of Howard's roundabout tackle for 14 

 years at Ajlesby, near Grimsby. " My farm is upwards of 900 

 acres, of which 650 acres are in tillage managed on the 4-course 

 system. I have about 160 acres of roots. Previous to the last 

 three or four years I broke this up immediately after harvest ; it 

 lay in that state until spring, when it went through the same 

 process, and was then made ready for sowing ; but lately I have 

 used the steam-plough more in autumn, and in spring have 

 worked entirely with the cultivator before harrowing and rolling, 

 which I have partly done by steam." . ..." I do not think I 

 could get on without steam, and have felt more benefited by it 

 these two or three wet seasons than even in dry ones." 



Mr. G. B. Skipworth, of Moretown House, Caistor, writes : — 



" I have in my own occupation about 1500 acres of land, chiefly arable ; 

 about 500 acres strong land, the rest a mixture and light. That being so, 1 

 can work on some lands in a wet time, when it would not be possible to work 

 on others. 



" (1). The advantages of steam-cultivation are certainly increased by a 

 wet time in this respect, that, though we cannot generally then work to 

 advantage strong land (to which these remarks principally apply) either by 

 steam or horses, we are better able to recover the arrears by the extra force 

 we can put on after the wet weather is over. 



" (2). I do not think, as a rule, deep tillage enables us to dispense with 

 open water-furrows, or obviates the necessity of draining the land ; indeed, the 

 stronger the land, the greater seems the necessity of top-gripping. It sounds 

 reasonable that the deeper we cultivate the greater will be the facilities for 

 the water getting away. 1 have not so far practised such a great depth of 

 cultivation, but intend to do so more and more, and readily believe that the 

 advantages in those respects will be much greater. 



" (3). I cannot say that I have found steam-cultivation hasten or retard 

 the commencement of harvest, though it may be inferred that, if a finer state 

 of tilth be produced, the crop would sooner arrive at maturity. 



" (4). A wet season, of course, increases the labour of transporting steam- 

 tackle, as in dry time one may get anywhere without trouble ; but with a 

 double set of traction-engines, the difficulties and expense are not so much so ; 

 they are more noticeable at the latter end of the year than during the long days 

 of summer. 



" (5). There might be special advantage or disadvantage in steam-culti- 

 vation, as compared with horses, according to jjarticular local circumstances. 

 Horses might get where engines could not ; but if headlands were suitable, 

 steam might be employed more profitably, particularly for ploughing, as there 

 would be no treading of the land. 



" (6). I employ Fowler's double set of tackle — one a 12-horse engine, and 

 the other a 10. The latter I formerly used in a single set, but had it made 

 for a double one when I got the 12-horse, and they both work well together. 

 I commenced steam-cultivation about seven years ago. I have hitherto culti- 

 vated from 6 to 12 or 14 inches deep. 



"In giving the quantities of work done, I regret that it must be a good deal 

 by estimate, as I have not kept a strict account of all work done. There are 

 22 working horses on the three farms, therefore a great deal of work neces- 

 sarily falls on the engines. I plough, cultivate, and harrow (not much of the 



