188 Report on Steam Cultivation. [Reed. 



in this case reminds one of calling forth the ponderous energy of 

 the steam-hammer to crack a nut ; but still Mr. Woods is satis- 

 fied. If by laying out 50/. he is able to secure lOOZ., he is clearly 

 in the right. Without steam in those 10 days, it -appears that 

 no other power he could avail himself of would enable him to 

 follow out the course of cropping decided to be best adapted to 

 the situation. He gains a crop, and looks to this gain for reim- 

 bursement. 



The average wage for day-labour is 2$. per day. 



The engine burns Newcastle coal, '21s. per ton at home. 

 Consumption from 5 to 7 cwts, per 10 hours. 



No. 32. Mr. J. Lancashire, Micheldever, Hampshire. Catching 

 an early train from Southampton on the morning of the 27th of 

 September, we arrived to breakfast, and subsequently made a 

 tour of the farm and saw Howard's apparatus doing some very 

 good work. The farm contains 725 acres lying on the chalk 

 over an undulating surface. On the uplands the depth of soil is 

 about 3 inches, in the lowlands 3 feet. When Mr. Lancashire 

 entered, five years since, it was exhausted of fertility and pos- 

 sessed by weeds. The change wrought is due to the spirited 

 investment of capital, in which steam has its share. Labour, 

 for instance, costs 1/. per acre, while the annual outlay in arti- 

 ficial manure, cake, and corn may be put down at a little over 

 three rents. For bones and phosphates alone the expenditure is 

 500/. The owner. Lord Northbrook, allowed his tenant to en- 

 large fields which now average 30 acres ; the hedgerows are low 

 and denuded of timber. Something has been done to construct 

 roads. The supply of water is scanty ; and, coming from the 

 chalk, is so bad in quality that a wine-glassful of Le Franc's 

 fluid is used each morning, which costs l^c?., and serves the day. 

 The effect is surprising ; were it not for this remedy the wear in 

 the boiler would entail heavy expense. The course of cropping 

 is as follows : (1) roots, (2) wheat or barley, (3) seeds, (4) wheat. 

 On wheat-stubble tares or trifolium are taken before roots, two 

 crops in one year — a great point, much facilitated by the use of 

 steam. On the inferior land he secures two root-crops, and takes 

 wheat or oats seeded down. The seeds lie two years, and are 

 then broken up for wheat or oats. Mr. Lancashire's great object 

 is to get sheep-feed. A flock of GOO breeding ewes (with the 

 female produce) gives an average of 800 mouths to be filled from 

 the 725 acres, besides other stock. He farms also very much for 

 the great Hay-market which he supplies with large quantities of 

 sainfoin hay. 



For labour he is inconveniently situated. Mitcheldever is two 

 miles distant. He has but eight cottages ; three of which, brick 

 upon wood foundations, have been erected at his own expense. 



