210 Report on Steam Cultivation. [Glakke. 



the land is pipe-drained, and the ploughing " on the flat." Mr. 

 Sowerby has a Ruston and Procter's 10-horse portable-engine ; 

 started a " Smith " tackle in 1859, and after working it five 

 years, exchanged it for a " Howard " set, with a o-tined and a 

 5-tined cultivator, taking 3 feet and 4J feet breadth respectively, 

 to which he has since added a set of steam harrows. His reason 

 for " giving up Smith " was because he found " once over with 

 Howard to be not quite but nearly as good as twice with Smith." 

 Here we see what different conclusions are obtained upon different 

 soils : for Mr. Randell (see farm No. 67, in the Heavy-land Section 

 of this Report) considers the Woolston grubber inimitable for 

 breaking up a clay, while the Bedford tool is better for crossing 

 already -til led ground. Mr. Sowerby considers 5 acres to be a fair 

 day's work with the 3-tined implement ; for which his 5 men 

 and 3 boys earn their regular wages, — engine and windlass-men 

 2^. 9f/. each, ploughmen and two anchor-men 2.S. Sd. each, and 

 three boys Is. each. For all work over and above 5 acres in a 

 day, the gang gets 3^. per acre. Carting about 1000 gallons of 

 water per day costs 2^. 6c/. for the horse, oil costs 2^. a day ; and 

 half a ton of coal, at 14^. Qd. per ton, including carriage, 7^. 3c?. 

 a day. Removal, with no fewer than 10 horses and 2 extra men, 

 occupying about four hours, say once a week (as Mr, Sowerby 

 " sets down " to very large plots at once, one field of 48 acres 

 being done from the engine stationed " midside ") will cost 

 about 2^. Qd. on each day's work. We should say, however, 

 that a cheaper plan for moving is for four horses to take the 

 engine, two returning to fetch the windlass, and two to fetch the 

 rest of the tackle. See Farm No, 38. These items, collected 

 together, are — 



£. s, d. 



Manual labour 15 3 



Water-cart horse 02 6 



Removal 2 6 



Oil 2 



Coal 7 3 



Working expenses per day .. 1 9 G 



Mr. Sowerby estimates his wear of rope at 8^. per acre. He 

 contracts for blacksmith's work, and finds it difficult to arrive at 

 the exact cost of repairs ; but he thinks that 15 per cent, per 

 annum upon prime cost will cover the several items of repairs, 

 wear and tear, depreciation in value, and interest of capital 

 invested. The apparatus cost above 250/. ; the share of the 

 engine, which is employed nearly half its time in thrashing the 

 produce of about 300 acres of corn, may be valued at say 180/. ; 

 and 15 per cent, on 330/. will be 49/. 10^, a year. For the last 

 four years, the apparatus has worked seventy-eight days in each 



