Keed.] Report on Steam Cultivation. 147 



tained in as good condition at less cost : indeed a greater reduction 

 has been thus effected than in the number of horses kept ; instead 

 of 7 stones of meal per horse, he now gives 5. On inspecting 

 the account of labour done, it will be seen that the possession of 

 so many horses has proved a strong temptation to let the tackle 

 rest. That only 217 acres were once cultivated between the 

 autumn of 1865 and the spring of 1866, inclusive, is proof suffi- 

 cient that steam had not often been got up. It was contended 

 that the 300 acres of grain usually cut and stacked could not be 

 harvested with less than 14 horses, which, in order that they may 

 be in readiness, must have work found for them the rest of the 

 year. We ii aintained that, provided the corn was stacked in 

 the field and 1-horse carts used, 11 horses would suffice — 9 for 

 as many carts, 1 for a horse-rake, and 1 for a water-cart. The 

 habit is to use 7 carts and 2 waggons. It is difficult to discover 

 the avowed impossibility of supplying any additional need when 

 the need was felt, and then of reducing the power to its previous 

 dimensions. When horses are kept, the prevailing feeling is that 

 they must be employed ; it would not do to see the steam-engine 

 puffing away, and the horses looking over the strawyard-gate at 

 it, so the engine rests. But this course is frequently bad policy, 

 for it would often prove better to spare the horses and work the 

 engine. The addition of a plough to turn over the clover-leys would 

 enable this gentleman to reduce his horse-power still further. 



Ml'. Bate is of opinion that none but the roundabout tackle 

 and stationary engine is applicable to that part of the country. 

 He spoke of many obstacles to the progress of steam-tillage, 

 particularly on the heavy soils, the fields being very small, the 

 boundaries irregular, and cumbered with trees, which struggle 

 even into the fields, which vary in size from 3 to 12 acres. Yet 

 they are bigger than they were thirty years ago. If steam culti- 

 vation were more generally inti'oduced, he had little doubt that 

 the landlords in this district would allow the removal of many of 

 the trees, and of the unnecessary hedgerows. There seems now to 

 be a disposition to make these fields larger, and to introduce steam. 



No special provision has been made for water, which is found 

 in ponds and is of good quality. 



The Apparatus was bought of Messrs. Howard and Burrell in 

 1862. It consists of — 



An Engine of 12-horse power, double cylinder, traction,! £. s. d. 



made by Burrell, which is used in thrashing, abroad) 450 



and at home, grinding and chaff-cutting ) 



A windlass, cultivator, snatch-blocks, porters, and 1600) r,oo 7 -iq 



yards of rope, made by Howard j "^ 



A Cultivator on Mr. Cooper's model, made by Burrell .. 35 



721 7 10 

 L 2 



