210 The Influence of the 



produced a more equable condition of the soil as regards 

 humidity." 



The much less frequent use of water-furrows in the north, in 

 spite of its greater rainfall, than in the south of England, is a 

 natural result of the smaller breadth of wheat that is sown there. 

 So far as the land itself is concerned it is best that all the 

 rain that falls upon it should pass through it, however slow the 

 process may be : but with a plant of autumn-sown wheat upon 

 it, if the land has not been previously sufficiently opened up for 

 heavy rain to find its way freely to the drains, the use of surface- 

 furrows is less objectionable than having the land water-logged 

 and the young plant killed. When thorough drainage has been 

 followed by efficient steam-cultivation continued for several 

 years, we have ample evidence that even on the heaviest soils 

 wheat may be sown without using surface-furrows at all. 



The inquiry as to the effect of steam-cultivation has elicited 

 some difference of opinion. Out of twenty-one replies received, 

 nine report simply that they have not observed that the time of 

 harvest is in any way affected by steam-cultivation, two say that 

 harvest is retarded, while nine correspondents express an opinion, 

 with more or less confidence, that harvest is in some degree 

 hastened by it. Mr. J. B. Greig, of the Kincardineshire Steam- 

 Cultivation Company, says that steam-cultivation " has, under 

 favourable circumstances, been followed by a more luxuriant 

 crop, and a heavy crop will not ripen so quickly. Early sowing 

 and early varieties of seed have counteracted this tendency 

 largely." Mr. F. Sherborn, of Bedfont, Hounslow, has found 

 steam-cultivation retard the harvest on his farm ; it is important 

 to notice, however, that even in the wet season of 1872, he says 

 his " land is so light and dry that, with a few exceptions, the 

 work was uninterrupted." On a " gravelly loam very variable " 

 crops often ripen in a hot summer prematurely, and deep tillage 

 will give not only a later, but a better, harvest. From another 

 farm with soil quite as variable the crops are noticed to ripen 

 more evenly for the deep cultivation. 



Mr. Neilson, from Hainault Farm, in Essex, with soil varying 

 from a stiff clay to loam and gravel, writes, — " Not any per- 

 ceptible difference to be noted in commencing harvest, but the 

 crops after deep cultivation certainly ripen more evenly." 



Mr. W. Bulstrode, of Mount Farm, near Maidenhead, says, — 

 " I do not consider the time of harvest has been affected on my 

 farm by the adoption of steam-cultivation, except that by its use 

 my work has been always more completely in hand, and I am 

 able with more certainty to secure a satisfactory seed-time." 



Among those who express an opinion that harvest is slightly 

 hastened are Mr. Bolden and Mr. Burnet, both writing from' 



