Beed.] Report on Steam Cultivation. 113 



water, horses for removal and one for water-cart. The work is 

 let to the engine-driver (who was formerly a team-drive.), the 

 windlass-man, and the ploughman, who are paid os. an acre 

 first time over, 2^. the second time over. The men find all 

 manual labour, even for removals. In harvest-time they receive 

 Is. extra. The general rate of wages in the district is from II5. 

 to 125. 



The coal used, " Derby Hards," price IC5. a ton home ; con- 

 sumption, 10 cwts. per day of 10 hours. These items thrown 

 together shows the cost of a day's work to be — 



£. s. d. 



6 J acres at 2s. 6r/. (average) 16 3 



Boy, horses, water-cart 5 0. 



Coal, 10 cwts 8 



Oil 9 



Wear and tear and interest 10 



2 10 



The last item Mr. Wallis, in a subsequent communication, " con- 

 siders excessive," resting his opinion in part on the fact that the 

 eng-ine does three times as much of other work as of culti- 

 vating. 



The horses are reduced by two. Six are now kept for the 

 farm (two to 70 acres) and six for the estate. Those now re- 

 maining have much easier work. Eight of the number are 

 mares, which produce four or five foals ; they are turned off at 

 foaling-time, and taken up for harvest. 



In comparing horse-labour with steam in the case of deep 

 work, where many horses have to work together, there is no 

 doubt about the advantage of the latter. The Marquess of 

 Tweeddale's great plough, worked with twelve horses, got over 

 about half an acre a day. The 7-horse pov\fer engine did 3 acres 

 at the same depth with 50 to 60 lbs. steam-pressure. 



Mr. Wallis considers that farms of 400 acres would pay for 

 steam-tackle. His experience at Kimbolton shows that not only 

 is the yield of corn increased 4 bushels per acre, but that its 

 market value is increased 2.?. a quarter. The staple is deeper 

 and better mixed with subsoil, and produces a straw stout and 

 upstanding. The root-crops are also better. Work is not only done 

 with greater dispatch, but with greater certainty. It was once 

 difficult to say when four teams would finish a 20-acre field ; but 

 with steam the time of finishing can be stated within an hour. 

 All correlative work is quickened, and the men had rather work 

 with the tackle than with horses. 



The objections urged against the use of steam in this neigh- 

 bourhood are mainly four in number : 1st, outlay of capital ; 

 2nd, the impossibility of reducing the number of horses ; 3rd, 



VOL. III. — S. S. I 



