Report on Steam Cultivation. 



[Reed. 



avoided. Coals — " Lascoe," 18s. Gc7. per tou home, consumption about 12 cwt. 

 per day. 



Mr. Arnot has run out tlie expenses of vvorkino;' for three years, 

 from 1st September, 1862, to 1st September, 1865, on the farm, 

 and presented the result in the following Table, which is worthy 

 of consideration : — 



Number of Days. 



Expnnses. 



Ploughing and scarifying 213 

 Thrashing .... 74 



Acres. 

 Ploughing and scarifying 1510 

 Thrashing .... 920 



Wages: ploughing 

 „ thrashing 

 Coals .... 

 Engineering and trades' 



men's accounts . 

 Oil, grease and coals . 

 Shares and renewals . 



£. 



114 14 

 137 14 



s. d. 

 8 6 



If expenses pertaining to thrashing are separated from this 

 account, the sum left to be divided amongst the 213 days will be 

 384/. 14s. 6f/., or 1/, I65. l^d. per day; the difference, 95. 3c?., 

 having to meet the expenses (not included in the daily expenses 

 above) for repairs, &c. &c. 



S* But there is another aspect of this subject. Nine horses have 

 been dispensed with : — 



The cost for 9 horses may be fairly assumed to be, including) , 00 A ri 



attendance of men, harness, implements f 



Hay 108 



12 acres green meat 84 



Depreciation and interest on 9 horses valued at 40/ 45 



420 



Adopting the above calculations, and comparing the total cost 

 of the steam-tackle which replaces, and much more than re- 

 places, these 9 horses, it will be found that the gain is 

 1111. 14s. 2cZ. per annum by the use of steam. Thus, 



£. s. d. 

 The annual expense of 9 horses 420 



The annual expense of steam tackle .. .. 242 5 10 



177 14 2 



Many readers will very justly object that their horses do not 

 undergo depreciation while in their keeping; but that they 

 improve, and are a yearly source of profit, and that allowance 

 should be made for their manure. These objections must, of 

 course, be allowed when they are well founded ; no attempt has 

 been made to balance the two accounts exactly. Having the 

 facts before hirn, the reader may do this for himself. 



With reference to the increase in the crops, it is only fair to 



