IiEED.] Report on Steam Cultivation. lol 



The difference here is clue to the heavy nature of the land and 

 the smaller area of the fields in jVIr. King's case. Mr. Cooper's 

 fences are straight, his fields are large, his soil comparatively 

 light. By placing his 731 against Mr. King's 315, the latter is 

 thrown up in the scale ; but, beyond this, Mr. Cooper gets over 

 more ground. 



Mr. King's tackle is under no circumstances let out, lest it 

 should either be badly used or the men dawdle when removed 

 from the master's eye. Mr. Bate considers that it would be prac- 

 ticable in the neighbourhood of Diss for farmers of 300 or 400 

 acres to lay out 300/. in tackle, and to hire an engine when re- 

 quired. In some cases, such as isolated districts, the engine 

 would find full employment, thrashing, «Scc. ; then, of course, 

 the whole apparatus should be obtained. 



No. 21. The same day that we inspected Mr. Greene's farm, 

 we paid a visit to that which Mr. Kersey Cooper holds of the 

 Duke of Grafton, Avhose agent he is. The Bowbeck Farm is in 

 the parish of Bardwell, 9 miles from Bury St. Edmunds. The 

 land is moderately stiff, the subsoil a brick earth, lying at 

 various depths. Upon two-thirds of the farm a stubble furrow 

 6 inches deep is turned with some difficulty by 2 horses ; on the 

 heavier part of the land 2 horses will not plough more than 3 roods 

 a day at such depth. The whole is quite level and under-drained, 

 3 feet deep, and laid into good-sized fields, only 3 less than 20 

 acres, but most of them over 40 acres, with straight hedges, 

 trimmed low, and destitute of timber. This farm is particularly 

 well situated for water supply, as in almost every field there is a 

 water pit from which clay has been carted out, and against which 

 the engine usually is set — a small boy is sufficient to put it into 

 a tub. The farm has been in Mr. Cooper's possession for 20 

 years ; on a strip of his own land adjoining he has exercised 

 good judgment in building a block of cottages which ai-e models 

 of good taste and convenience. They speak to the discovery on 

 his part that a good house has something to do with a good 

 workman. If it does not help to make him, it serves to attract 

 him. In the centre of the block is a large room, which is 

 lighted and warmed, supplied with papers, books, games, and 

 coffee, hung with diagrams of machinery, <Scc., and opened 

 to the farm labourers and others during the evening hours 

 for a very small charge. With men so cared for and im- 

 proved, he has brought his farm to a state of uncommon per- 

 fection. The Committee did not in the whole of their tour see 

 one more worthy of remark, and they can but express their 

 regret that the rain falling in torrents prevented such an inspec- 

 tion of it as they could have wished, to enable them to make 

 an adequate report. Their opinion is, however, confirmed and 



