138 Report on Steam Cultivation. [Reed. 



sheep all the year round. About 300 down breeding ewes 

 are bought in every year and sold off fat. The lambs are carried 

 forward and sold fat in the hogget stage. The 4-course husbandry 

 is adopted on the light land, two green-crops being taken on the 

 fallow-shift : this is only possible with steam. The horse-power 

 has been reduced from 30 to 21. The proportion is now, there- 

 fore, 2 horses to every 70 acres. The reduction might have 

 been pursued until only 2 horses were left to every 92 acres had 

 not Mr. Battcock desired to keep five or six good mares to bring 

 a foal every year. These mares are turned out about May, and 

 are brought up for harvest. Their help and the steam together 

 so much eases the work falling to the other horses that " they 

 require," Mr. Battcock said, "one-third less corn." 



The Apparatus was bought of Mr. Smith in 1856. It consists 

 of the 



£. 

 Engine, of 10-borse power, made hy Messrs. Eoby of Lincoln 260 

 2 cultivators, 5-tine and 3-tine, a windlass, driven by strap, 1 -|Q/^ 



since then a scarifier to take 6 feet, and 1400 yards of rope f 

 And a drill, made by Butlin of Northampton 50 



490 



The windlass and 2 cultivators are of Smith's original model, and 

 were found in a good state. The scarifier, to take 6 feet, was 

 of the same shape, having two rows of tines and front disc-wheels. 

 The engine, with 12|^-inch cylinder, and simple reversing-gear 

 and steel fire-box, which he does not recommend, was in good 

 repair. 



Repairs, Renewals, Wear and Tear. — The repairs are heaviest 

 on cultivators, which is mainly due to the wheels. The wear 

 and tear of rope is very slight. Two new ropes have been pur- 

 chased. The first rope was very bad ; the next very good — it 

 has lasted three seasons. The present rope is now two-thirds 

 gone. The repairs of the engine over the whole period of ten 

 years would be 100/. The present fire-box, a steel one, will last 

 two years longer. The engine being employed in other farm- 

 work, steam cultivation should only be debited with half the 

 repairs incurred. 



IVork done, and Mode of doinp it. — During a day of 10 hours, 

 removals (which occupy 2 hours) included, cultivating 6|^ acres ; 

 scarifying, from 16 to 20 acres ; drilling (9 coulters 8 inches 

 apart), 9 acres. In preparation for roots, the stubble is broken 

 up with the 3-tine, and crossed with the 5-tine ; men are set on 

 to throw out live couch-grass where it may remain ; the land is 

 then manured and ploughed with horses, and sown. 



