Eeed.] Report on Steam Cultivation. 159 



one-tliird in time. He spoke, too, of the increased pace obtained 

 throughout the farm, and the greater promptitude with which all 

 tillage operations are performed. 



No. 23. Messrs. R. and T. Wagstaff, StIfFord Clays, Grays, 

 Essex, September 3. These gentlemen occupy three farms, two 

 belonging to Mr. Win field Baker, lying together, and one at a 

 distance of 4 miles, belonging to Mr. H. E. Gurney. This 

 gives 1179 acres of arable, minus 149 acres of grass. Having 

 business as potato salesmen at King's Cross and Spitalfields, 

 they find it advantageous to pursue the market-garden system. 

 The three farms consist of light, medium, and heav^y soil, the pre- 

 vailing character being loain upon gravel substratum, reposing 

 upon chalk. They are thrown into blocks, and several engine- 

 roads are constructed. In order to prepare the way for steam, and 

 enlarge the fields which were small, about 4000^. was spent in 

 making roads, grubbing hedgerows, and 1000?. in drainage, which 

 has been done 9 yards apart, and 4 feet deep. The manual labour 

 amounts to about 5000Z. a-year. The horse-power is not reduced ; 

 but a greater number of horses are set free from the land to be 

 employed in carting manure. There are 68 horses. This power 

 is larger than would be required, in consequence of some of the 

 land having come into occupation in a very foul condition. 

 Great difficulty has been experienced in obtaining a supply of 

 good water. A well specially sunk in the floor of the engine- 

 house yields a water which leaves so large a deposit as to cause 

 considerable expense in renewal of tubes and of fire-box too, 

 since a new one will be needed next year. Cleaning out takes 

 3 hours twice a week. We suggested the use of Lefranc's fluid. 

 The benefit here desired from steam was not so much depth of 

 tillage as the power of creating a seed-bed in the shortest space 

 of time. No sooner is one breadth of a crop cleared than the 

 land must be broken up and planted. It followed that an appa- 

 ratus was also wanted that could quickly be picked up, moved 

 without horses, and quickly set down again. The one chosen 

 may be taken up in half an hour, and set down ready for work 

 in one hour. Mr. WagstafF is quite satisfied with the efficient, 

 in fact, the indispensable aid thus rendered him. He speaks in 

 no undecided terms, too, of the increased value steam-tillage 

 has conferred on the drainage works. On land so treated they are 

 deterred from working by rain a less number of days than on 

 any other. The land is now cultivated on the flat, and water- 

 furrows, which used to cost annually on part of the land '• nearly 

 as much as the parochial rates," are abandoned. Not a pint of 

 water stands upon the land after the heaviest rain. With respect, 

 too, to increased produce, he testifies to the greater bulk of all 

 green crops, and to one-quarter per acre of wheat in excess of 

 what was customary, as due to the employment of steam. 



