142 Report on Steam Cultivation. [Reed. 



5-tine Cultivator, windlass, ploug-h, and 1600 yards of steel- 

 rope ; 525/. 



The engine drives the windlass with a strap. It is used also 

 for thrashing sometimes, when Bury and Pollard's mill-sails 

 can catch no wind for grinding and chaff-cutting. 



Repairs, Renewals, Wear and Tear. — The engine and tackle 

 have cost about 20Z. at the yearly overhauling. Mr. Morgan 

 calculates that if worked 100 days in the year, 20 per cent, on 

 the prime cost would keep all in repair, and supply the means 

 for a new set of tackle in 8 years. His would amount to a 

 charge (taking half the price of the engine) of 75/. per annum, 

 2 ropes of 500 yards each (50/.) supplied since 1861. The 

 rope and rope- porters have been the greatest expense. The in- 

 clines are so frequent and sharp that the porters are cut through 

 in astonishingly short time. 



Work done and Mode of doing it. — During a day of 9 hours 

 4 or 5 acres may be cultivated per day, 6, 7, 8, and 9 inches 

 deep, which requires as great a strain as an engine will exert 

 with 60 lbs. of steam. The work done in various fields from the 

 9th October, 1865, to the present date, is as follows : — a 16- 

 acre field worked in October the 9th, 10th, 11th, 12th, 13th, 

 14th, and November 6th. The tillage executed once, twice, and 

 some parts three times, amounted to 40 acres ; which, divided 

 by 7 days, gives 5f acres per day. The next was a field of 

 12 acres. The working days were the 7th, 8th, 9th, and 16th 

 of November, 4 days to 12 acres (only once cultivated), or 3 

 acres per day. The apparatus worked during March, 1866, 

 10 days. 8 days in April were consumed in cultivating and 

 harrowing SO acres, which gives 7 J acres a day. These facts are 

 given, not to show the great use which was made of the ap- 

 paratus, for less could scarcely have been done, but to show 

 what really was done. 



Cost of Work. 



Manual and Horse-labonr : — £, s. d. 



Engine-driver 03 



Ploughman 2 3 



2 anchor-men 04 6 



Windlass-men 02 3 



2 boys 14 



1 boy and horse 040 



17 4 



Coal and coke 10 6 



Oil 1 



1 8 10 



N,B. — Men are paid for overtime od. an hour. Fuel — Coke and coal : coke, 

 17s. a ton ; coal, 25s, ; consumption, 8 cwts. per day of each. 



