248 Report on Steam Cultivation. [Clakke. 



a very few new " clips" have been required on the drum. Between 

 300 and 400 acres have been grubbed or ploughed each year, say 

 nearly 2000 acres in the five years, and the renewal of rope has 

 amounted to only 650 yards ; the remaining portion of old rope is 

 still working, and the 650 yards of new is, in our judgment, about 

 one-fourth worn. The consumption of rope due to the 2000 acres' 

 work would appear to be about 900 yards' length, or say about 

 Is. per acre. The daily performance is 6 acres with the digger 

 or the plough, and 12 acres with the cultivator, the coal burned 

 being 15 cwts. per day, at 155. per ton. The water is carted 

 from a brook, or from the homestead, as most convenient. 



To shift the whole machinery from one field to another generally 

 occupies 4 horses and the steam-hands for three hours. 



On the principal part of the farm a 5-course rotation of cropping 

 is adopted, that is to say, (1) turnips, (2) wheat, (3) barley, (4) 

 seeds, (5) wheat ; or else (1) turnips, (2) oats, (3) wheat or barley, 

 (4) seeds, (5) wheat. The steam-work embraces " smashing up " 

 all the wheat-stubble for the fallow-crop or for the barley — the 

 preparation for roots consisting of " three times over" with the 

 cultivator or the plough, while the seed-bed for barley is worked 

 twice. When clean, the land is broken up by the " digger ;" 

 when any twitch has to be eradicated, the cultivator is the first 

 tool employed. Then, further, a portion of the seeds (layer or 

 aftermath) is ploughed by the engine for wheat ; the remainder being 

 ploughed, as usual, by horses. And Mr. Wallis makes admirable 

 steam-ploughing with the shallow furrow slices requisite for 

 a wheat seed-bed by driving five 8-inch wide instead of four 

 10-inch wide furrows — thus obtaining the right proportional 

 dimensions for neatly turning work only 5 inches in depth ; 

 and the drag-harrow hung beside the plough reduces to tilth, 

 without the trampling of horses' hoofs. By a judicious applica- 

 tion of steam-power husbandry, the fallow-break, at first starting, 

 was cultivated only 6 or 7 inches deep ; Avhereas now, the digger 

 is put in 9 or 10 inches ; and this cautious and sensible method 

 of procedui-e has undoubtedly avoided many of the disappoint- 

 ments which have overtaken some adventurous steam-ploughmen 

 before they began to realise the wondrous profits they had ex- 

 pected. 



Mr. Wallis's turnip-crops are certainly very fine, and his prac- 

 tice is to feed off about three-fourths — the other quarter being 

 carted to the homestead. One field of rape was shown us, part 

 of which had been steam-tilled and the other horse-ploughed : 

 the plant was small and somewhat " foxy " on the latter part, 

 but very thick, high, and luxuriant on the " steamed " portion of 

 the land. We had the pleasure of walking over " a good farm, 

 well done :" the stubbles beinjr strons: and the whole farm remark- 



