Claeke.] Report on Steam Cultivation. 241 



that state. If the top is moAed dry, the air will go far into the 

 subsoil, and where the dry air goes the water will follow, and 

 very quickly be down to the drains : the drainage, therefore, must 

 be rendered more effectual by the steam-cultivation." As to any 

 extra facility for feeding off root-crops, he says, " clay-land worked 

 in this dry state, with a good manure, would grow the best 

 quality of roots ; but I think the better you have got your tilth by 

 cultivating, the deeper the sheep would tread into the land, and 

 partly undo what you have done. I cart half off, that is, the 

 biggest and best, eating the remainder on the land." 



No. 53. Mr. William Lavender, of Biddenham, Bedford. — 

 Conclusions drawn from eight years' experience under thoroughly 

 business-like management are quite likely to command con- 

 fidence, although unaccompanied by very elaborate statistics and 

 calculations ; and Mr. Lavender's testimony should have great 

 weight, more particularly with that class of critics to whom 

 figures " prove anything." He occupies 550 acres arable 

 (besides old pasture), of which 300 acres are sound turnip-land, 

 the rest clay and strong loam ; some having a wet clay subsoil, 

 and described as "always wet, that will not fly." Ordinary 

 ploughing is done by 3-horse teams. A set of Smith's tackle 

 was bought (we believe) in 1858 ; consisting of a double-cylinder 

 10-horse engine, made by Ruston and Procter of Lincoln, a 

 4-wheeled windlass, with "No. 3" and "No. 5" cultivators, 

 and also a 7-tined grubber taking 6 feet breadth at once. This 

 latter implement is precisely what is lacking in very many sets of 

 apparatus; but it is essential, in order to get full duty out of the 

 engine in light crossing operations or upon light land, whereas, 

 in too many cases, the engine is seen " wasting her time in play- 

 ing with a o-tined fork." Mr. Lavender informed us that, with 

 his wide implement, he was able to cross-cultivate 20 acres in a 

 day ; with the " 5-tiner " he could manage 14 acres in " a long 

 day." Lie has met with no particular breakages, except from 

 once running into an anchor. This made the men more careful, 

 because their pay is by the acre, and, when anything goes wrong, 

 they " lose time." The repairs, or wear and tear, are declared 

 by Mr. Lavender to be no greater than were incurred by faim- 

 horses. We inspected the rope, and the wires appear now only 

 about half worn through. Evidently by very careful management 

 of the apparatus and a moderate share of work, a heavy expendi- 

 ture has been avoided ; and this result under piece-work is opposed 

 to the experience of many other cases, in which day-work is 

 insisted on as necessary for saving wear and tear, as well as pre- 

 venting the tillage being scamped in depth. The practice here 

 is to give the men 2s. Qd., 2s., or Is. Qd. per acre, for working 

 with the 3-tiner, 5-tiner, and 7-tiner respectively. They divide 



VOL. III. — S. S. R 



