i^LAiiKE.] Report on Steam Cultivation. 213 



ratus is simple and effective ; the engine is kept going, and 

 there is no stoppage whatever at the end. Mr. Dring has 

 several farms lying widely apart — between 800 and 900 acres 

 (about one-third grass), part flinty, part strong alluvial and 

 marsh land ; ploughing being good two-horse work, but re- 

 (juiring three horses when the ground is hard. The surface is 

 pretty level ; and the fields vary from 6 to 26 acres, altered only 

 on one farm, as the I'ound-about system will work into any 

 corner, though, as in the case of horse-ploughing also, not without 

 hindrance. On one occupation Mr. Dring works a second set 

 of tackle — a combination of Smith's and Chandler's method, 

 with a 10-horse engine ; not so cheap an arrangement as the 

 other. He has a turn-over plough, though he seldom uses it. 



The average day's work, in small and large fields, and in- 

 cluding shifts, has been (S^ acres. The daily working expenses 

 are as follow : — five men, including engine-man, at about ?)S. each, 

 and three boys at \s. each. Sometimes the men are at piece-work, 

 at 6f/. per acre ; the boys being paid by the day in addition. 

 Water-fetching requires a horse and barrel. A shift takes four 

 horses about two hours. Oil costs about Is., that is for \^ pint ; 

 and of coal about 6 cwts. are burned, at say \Qs. per ton. When 

 in a large sized field, an 8-horse engine has done 10 acres a day 

 with this consumption ; so the work cannot be very hard. 



Mr. Dring has not kept an accurate account of the time occu- 

 pied during a year's work, but puts it at about 40 days. The engine 

 thrashes, but the tackle is not let out after harvest. No trouble 

 or difficulty whatever is now experienced with the apparatus ; 

 and, while some people are obliged (from the nature of the soil) 

 to leave off" work when rain comes on, Mr. Dring is seldom 

 stopped by rain or wind, as instead of driving by a strap from 

 the engine fly-wheel, he has V-grooved riggers and band, which 

 do not slip, cost no more, and will wear longer. 



The results are summed up thus: — -better drainage, from 

 breaking into the " sole ; " on the better land a greater breadth 

 of corn is grown, and " the crops have been more productive, 

 from being planted at the proper time, and none out of season." 

 This is a very important point — an increase of yield averaged 

 over a whole farm, from the greater equableness of the crops 

 conferred by seasonable sowing. Mr. Dring is one of the ex- 

 tremely few adopters of steam cultivation who have not parted 

 with any of their horse-flesh. He vises the same number of 

 horses as before ; and yet is satisfied that steam culture is an ad- 

 vantage to him, because it always brings him " in time with 

 planting corn and root crops." 



The data in this example of steam-farming are too few to 

 admit of a calculation of expense per acre or per year, but several 



