Clarke.] Report on Steam Cultivation. 207 



cultivated at one " setting-down," that is, witliout removal of 

 engine and windlass from their position midway along one side 

 of the field, but with the rope inclosing half the area at one 

 time. The maximum length of rope out has been 1760 yards ; 

 and from four to eight small porters are used in the track of the 

 implement, according to the length of the field. With the 

 3-tined grubber, the tackle will " smash up " 5 acres a day ; with 

 the 5-tined grubber, in crossing already-tilled land, an average 

 of 8 acres per day. The depth of work is from G to 10 inches. 

 The 3-furrow Fowler plough is worked at a depth of 5 or 6 

 inches ; and this is declared to be " the easiest job " done by the 

 engine. Removal of the apparatus, from finishing in one field 

 to beginning work in another, occupies about four hours ; and 

 takes all the hands, with 6 horses, — 6 horses to the windlass, and 

 3 horses to the engine, which weighs empty 2 tons 12 cwts. 

 One hour is required to get up steam. The extent of Mr. 

 Edwards' operations has been about 200 acres in a year, broken 

 up, crossed, or turned over by the plough ; the actual area in 

 different years varying with the nature of the seasons, the rule 

 being to persevere with steam tillage " while the ground remains 

 sufficiently dry." No accurate calculation can be made of the 

 total cost of the work ; because the details of expenditure have 

 not been recorded. But Mr. Edwards states that his annual 

 repairs, executed by a village blacksmith, have been " trifling ; " 

 the breakages have been " nothing material ; " he has met with 

 "no difficulty," and " only had trifling hindrances;" and the 

 first rope, or the chief portion of it, has lasted over 1800 acres, 

 costing therefore about 8o^. per acre. The drums are now coiled 

 with the second rope ; and the wires of this we observed, are 

 about half-worn through. Exclusive of the undetermined 

 " trifling " repairs, the cost of labour, water, coal, oil, shifting, 

 and renewal of rope, amounts to about 65. 8r/. per acre for 

 smashing up with the 3-tined cultivator, and about 45. 2d. per 

 acre for crossing with the 5-tined cultivator. 



The apparatus is not let out on hire; but the engine is em- 

 ployed to do all the thrashing of the farm. In the absence of 

 data as to the precise cost of repairs, the amount of work done 

 by the engine alone, and so on, we cannot calculate the total cost 

 of steam tillage in this example. The price of the tackle was 

 500/. ; the interest upon this at 5 per cent, will be 25/. per 

 annum — depreciation, at 5 per cent., upon a portion, say 400/. 

 (the rope being already stated to be renewed for about 8r/. per acre, 

 while the repairs of wearing parts are not stated), will be 20/. 

 And then if we may set off the cost of the repairs against the 

 lending of the steam-cultivating engine for barn-work, we have 

 only to apportion this 45/. upon about 200 acres worked in a 



