Eeed.] Report on Steam Cultivation. 179 



state tliat Mr. Arnot, who keeps little or no stock, contracts very 

 largely for London manure, and applies it with a liberal hand. 

 Our opportunities for seeing the farm, owing to heavy rain, were 

 very limited. What we did see attested the enterprise of the 

 tenant, but showed that ihe season had seriously interfered with 

 the cleansing of land. Mr. Arnot considers that, on light land, 

 10 per cent, on the outlay is sufficient to cover the wear and tear, 

 and maintenance of the whole apparatus. 



No. 30, Mr. Cooper, of Fen Drayton, near St. Ives, welcomed 

 us on the 18th of September, and soon made us feel that he was 

 quite at home with his work. Some years ago he removed to 

 Fen Drayton from Sandy, in Bedfordshire, where he had been 

 accustomed to market-garden culture. He commenced the 

 growth of onions, cucumbers, gherkins, potatoes, for the great 

 vegetable markets, and soon aroused a healthy spirit of emula- 

 tion in the district ; so that he not alone benefited himself, but 

 the neighbourhood generally — particularly the labourers, who 

 are thrifty and well to do. How far they owe their condition 

 to his enterprise may be gathered from the fact, that his yearly 

 expenditure for labour amounts to 2000Z. He did not set the 

 fashion in the employment of steam, but followed the lead 

 quickly, and so successfully as to induce many to do likewise. 

 He swears by Fowler; and it is a noticeable fact, that there are 

 now no less than four double sets and seven single sets of tackle by 

 the same maker at work in this immediate neighbourhood, besides 

 as many more from the Bedford works, and from Woolston, of 

 which he said nothing. 



Mr. Cooper farms 500 acres of land — 300 acres, lying in 

 the parish of Fen Drayton, are his own by recent purchase ; 

 200 acres of hired land lie away at Hilton, a village 3 miles 

 distant. Saving 30 acres, the whole is arable. For the most 

 part it is light, needs no artificial drainage, can be ploughed 

 with two horses, and produces large crops of vegetables and 

 grain. The farm lies in large fields, divided by straight, well- 

 kept fences, destitute of timber ; it is also well supplied with 

 water of good quality ; and is managed on the four-course, 

 except when the market-garden system is followed.* 



The work of the farms is done by nine horses and two sets of 

 steam-tackle. But the tackle do all the thrashing, grinding, and 

 a great deal of contract-work, on which they are principally 

 employed ; the nine horses are more used on the road, carrying 

 produce and manure to and from the railway station, than in 



* The second (double) set was only bought in March last, and therefore had no 

 share in the work, and is not chargeable with expenses. Its purcliase is noticed 

 for the purpose of stating the advantages Mr. Cooper expects to derive from its 

 use, 



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