180 Beport on Steam Cultivation. [Reed. 



tillage operations. The same number of horses used to be kept 

 Avhen the farm comprised only 120 acres. Without steam-power 

 fully eight additional horses would be required. There is no 

 little difficulty, however, in ascertaining what amount of power 

 is thus placed at the disposal of, and should be charged to, the 

 farm. Mr. Cooper has kindly supplied us with a tabular state- 

 ment, in which it will be found that the engine's work has been 

 charged so many days against the farm on the same scale as that 

 charged to customers. This of course shows a considerable 

 margin for profit, which throws up the expense per acre much 

 above what it would be were a cost-price scale adopted. Mr. 

 Cooper stated that his customers testify to the results of steam 

 cultivation in the production of larger crops, and crops of better 

 quality. Light land, in his opinion, burns less, and heavy land 

 suffers less from wet. It is a prevalent opinion that steam will 

 do away with covenants and bare fallows, and render leases more 

 than ever indispensable. 



As in Mr. Arnot's case, the value of despatch, where one crop 

 quickly succeeds another, is self-evident. The home-ia.r'm, over 

 Avhich we walked, gave evidences of careful and successful cul- 

 tivation. Where so many hands are at work, it is essential to 

 quicken the pace. The men step out, so that the " agricultural 

 pace," which has become a proverb, is nowhere here to be 

 seen. They work by the piece, and are effectually super- 

 vised. 



The Apparatuses. — The first purchase made of Messrs. Fowler, 

 in 1862, consists of 1 engine, 14-horse power, double cylinder, 

 traction ; 1 4-furrow plough ; 1 cultivator, 800 yards ropes, 

 anchor, and porters : price 945/. 



The second, bought March, 18GG, consists of two 10-horse- 

 power engines with winding-drums, single cylinder, 4-furrow 

 plough, 1 cultivator, 800 yards of rope and rope-porters : 

 price, 13007. 



The daily expense of using this second set, according to Mr. 

 Cooper's experience, is as follows : — 



Manual-labour : — £. s. d. 



2 engine-men 68 



1 ploughman 2 6 



1 .^vater-cart man 2 



2 boys 2 4 



Horse 5 



18 G 



Coal 15 (; 



Oil 1 6 



Total cost of clay's work .. .. 1 15 G 

 N.E. — The 3 men have Ad. per acre, and the 3 boys have 2d. per acre for 



