"Clarke.] Report on Steam Cultivation, 243 



and a peculiar form of windlass made by Mr. Edward Hayes, of 

 the VVatling Works, Stony Stratford. Mr. Hayes had informed 

 us that his machinery has been in satisfactory operation upon 

 large farms for more than seven years ; among other places, on 

 the farms of Mr. Charles Higgins, of Boycott Manor, near Buck- 

 ingham, and Mr. William Hunt, of Shalstone, near Buckingham. 

 The peculiarities of the windlass, and mode of working, may be 

 thus described ; there are three pulleys (or band-riggers) placed 

 between the two coiling-rope drums, the action being stopped by 

 shifting the engine-strap on to the middle or " dead " pulley, so 

 that the engine is never stopped, and consequently there is 

 no need for the complication of double-cylinders, and the atten- 

 tion required for engine-driving is reduced to a minimum. 

 Then, no man is required at the windlass, for the stoppage is 

 effected by means of a spring and trigger on the windlass, pulled 

 by two cords which are laid along the field to the two anchor- 

 men. When the implement arrives at the end, the anchor-man 

 there instantly stops it by slightly checking the cord, and this 

 action is so easy that sometimes even a horse setting his foot on 

 the cord will suddenly arrest the progress of operations. The 

 engine-driver has only to move a handle in order to start the 

 other drums of the windlass ; the braking of the slack-drum being 

 effected by a self-acting steam-pressure cylinder and block. It 

 appears, then, that Hayes' method does for the stationary-engine 

 system (in one respect at least) what two engines do for the 

 moving-engine system ; it abolishes the risky work of signalling, 

 so that the culture can be proceeded with in foggy weather, by 

 dusky twilight, or even by moonlight, with perfect safety to the 

 machinery. And if expedition be indeed the grand point of 

 steam tillage, at certain times of the year this advantage is worth 

 looking at, because relays of hands might be provided if neces- 

 sary, while the steam-horse would not weary though never pulled 

 up for 14 or 15 hours out of the 24. 



Mr. Bartlett told us that his steam tackle was purchased in 

 July, 1862 ; that on the first 100 acres cultivated the work cost 

 3s. 6cf. an acre. The 57Z. rope he considered to last over 2000 

 acres, which would amount to 6|<f. per acre. His blacksmith's 

 bill, for small repairs, was 6/. 2s. 4:d. in 1862 ; 111. 4^. 4^d. in 

 1863 (including an alteration of the snatch-blocks) ; 21. 10s. 9d. 

 in 1864 ; and 3/. 7s. 3d. in 1865. Hayes' lOOZ. windlass has not 

 cost a penny in repairs, and is now in good order. Mr. Bartlett 

 gives his engine-man 3^. a day ; the anchor-men 2s. each ; plough- 

 man 2s. per day ; and two boys Is. each, the wages of ordinary 

 farm-labourers being IO5. a week. The rate of work is 5 acres a 

 day with the 3-tined cultivator, and 8 acres with the 5-tiner. 

 The soil is a stiff clay, taking 3 or 4 horses to plough a furrow 5 



k2 



