190 Report on Steam Cultivation. [Reed. 



be worn out." The former engine has been used for thrashing-, 

 grinding, chaff-cutting, about 2 days each week for 30 weeks. 



The rope was supplied in additional quantities last autumn, 

 and the present — 1865, 1866 — the price of which, diffused over 

 the acres cultivated, shows the wear then to be just \s. del. per acre. 



Worli done and Mode of doing it. — The day's work of 10 hours, 

 including removals : — -First time, breaking up 6 inches deep, 

 average 5 acres ; second time, 6 or 7 acres. It is customary to 

 break up the stubbles in harvest, manure, and sow tares to be 

 early fed, and then broken up for turnips : — 



Cost of Worh 



Manual Lahour : — £. s. d. 



Engineer 02 6 



Windlass-man 20 



2 anclior-meu 038 



Ploughman 18 



2 porter lads 18 



Boy, water-cart, horse 05 6 



17 

 Coal and oil 7 3 



Total daily expense 14 3 



N.B, — The men receive 2c?. per day extra, and occasionally a quart of ale. 

 " Ale goes further than money." Coal — " Shipley Hards," from Derbyshire. 

 18s. per ton home, consumption 7 cwt. 



The choice between a long rope and infrequent shiftings and 

 a shorter rope and more frequent shiftings depends, in Mr. 

 Lancashire's opinion, on the nature of the soil. If a sharp 

 soil, very little rope should be out ; some advocate 2000 yards of 

 rope — he does not. 



The old rope is used between the anchors on the headlands, 

 with a sling (Fig. A). He has often seen old ropes coiled up 

 doing nothing ; sometimes served out to act as the top-wire of 

 fencing. He considers 500 acres of arable land the smallest 

 quantity on which steam cultivation should be practised ; would 

 advise no one to go into it without intending to pay thorough 

 personal attention to the machinery. If left to men, it will be 

 sure to be a failure. 



A 





The engine-man is a raw recruit. There is a smith's shop on 



