Eeed.] Report on Steam Cultivation. 191 



the premises, but no engine-slied ; the rope is dressed with tar 

 and grease before being put away. 



No. 33. Mr. Redman, Abbotstone, Alresford, Hampshire, 

 September 28th. This gentleman is known to have used Fowler's 

 tackle for several years upon extremely heavy land near Swindon, 

 in Wilts. Within the last two years he removed to the above farm, 

 where he occupies 1100 acres upon the estate of Lord Ashburton, 

 He has taken his steam tackle with him, which may be regarded 

 as an indication that he values it and cannot part with it. He 

 speaks strongly of the improvement effected in the drainage of the 

 strong land lately relinquished, by deepened tillage ; but declined 

 to admit any increase in yield. The main advantage, he says, 

 consists in the expeditious manner in which the fallows are 

 cleaned, which facilitates the sowing of a large breadth of corn. 

 Of the whole area of his present occupation 750 acres ai'e arable, 

 50 are water-meadow, 50 dry-meadow, and 250 down-land. The 

 staple is thin — of a red calcareous nature — upon chalk subsoil ; 

 it needs no drainage, and is well supplied with water from the 

 river Itchen. Two horses make easy work of a furrow 4 or 5 inches 

 deep. The 4-course system of cropping prevails throughout the 

 neighbourhood. Mr. Redman is proposing to change it to the 

 following: 1, roots (swedes) ; 2, roots (rape or turnips) ; 3, wheat; 

 4, barley ; 5, seeds ; 6, oats. The horses kept are 15 — 2 to 

 100 arable acres. Without steam he must have had 20. 

 Although possessed of steam, he is convinced that there exists 

 no power so cheap on light land as a pair of horses ; but horses 

 fail where expedition is wanted. The landlord has let the ad- 

 joining mansion and park to a sportsman. The game harboured 

 in the neighbouring preserves must prove a serious hindrance to 

 anything like successful farming. 



The Engine was of 12-horse power, double-cylinder, traction. 

 The Apparatus was bought in 1858, when Mr. Redman was farm- 

 ing 450 acres of very strong land. An agreement being made 

 with Mr. Fowler, who was a great friend and a native of the 

 same place, that, as improvements were made, he should have 

 them, these improvements are now embodied in the present 

 tackle. Mr. Redman uses his own cultivator, which he considers 

 superior to any yet brought out. We were prevented from seeing 

 either it or the tackle, from their being at work some miles 

 away. 



Repairs, Reneioals, Wear and Tear. — The repairs of the 

 engine cost about 40Z. per annum, 30^. of which should be 

 charged to steam-cultivation. The wear and tear on other parts 

 of the apparatus is slight, except the rope, the shares, and the 

 points, when the ground is much baked. 



