Claeke.] Report on Steam Cultivation. 247 



other pebbles and small fragments of chalk; four large fields 

 are of stiff clay ; some of the land has clay-and-sand veins, 

 which are noted for being " either all bricks or all mortar ;" 

 and a portion of the farm is of a lighter description, adapted for 

 turnip as well as bean growing. There is very little stone to 

 interfere with the progress of the implements or to grind the rope. 

 The surface presents gentle slopes, without being steep or hilly 

 in more than two or three fields, and the enclosures are large, 

 having been squared and fences straightened some time before 

 steam-ploughing was adopted. In some fields an exchange of 

 property has enabled a straight fence to be struck, in place of a 

 most crooked boundary ; and old parish bounds and the sites of 

 grubbed-up hedges are seen across several of Mr. VYallis's fields 

 by the big timber-trees still left standing in line in the middle of 

 green crops and stubbles. Were it not for these remnants of 

 "the forest primeval," this farm would be splendidly laid out for 

 steam tillage ; as it is, we know from experience in similar 

 situations, that many plough-skifes must be broken in the course 

 of a year against the huge roots of these field-trees ; and the 

 necessity for going at a snail's pace when under their shadow, 

 and shifting the ropes twice at each tree, must lose the engine and 

 men a great deal of precious time. We observed, too, that while 

 Mr, Wallis sides up his thorn-fences to perfection (topping, how- 

 ever, only in the winter, so as not to weaken the growth by cutting 

 away too much green) many of the fences are over-crowded with 

 timber — a state of things eminently mischievous, we should say, 

 to the tenant, and of no earthly advantage to the proprietor, seeing 

 that the trees are damaging one another, and the felling of one- 

 half would both enhance the picturesque effect and promote the 

 growth into profit of the remainder. Perhaps we may be per- 

 mitted to name here the example of Lord Leicester, whose practice 

 is to sell injurious hedge-row or outstanding timber to his tenants 

 at below market-price, with an order for immediate cutting-down. 

 At the Leeds meeting, in 1861, Mr. Wallis purchased a Fowler 

 14-horse engine, cultivator, and plough, with drag-harrow to work 

 at the side ; and added a " rope-carrier," or light 4-wheeled car- 

 riage, with reel upon it, made by Amies and Barford, of Peter- 

 borough, which he finds very handy in removals, and for taking 

 care of the most costly Avearing-part of the tackle. Elaborate book- 

 keeping has not been pursued with respect to the steam tillage, so 

 that we can record only the experience and results as they appear in 

 the long run. The engine is used entirely in field-work, an old 

 portable doing duty with the thrashing-machine, «Scc., and no steam- 

 culture has been undertaken off this one farm. The " road-gear " of 

 the engine has stood well ; no difficulty or special delay has arisen 

 with the anchorage, the implements, or " slack-gear ;" and only 



