Clarke.] Report on Steam Cultivation. 2G1 



oolite hills, but neither gravel nor stones to grind his steam- 

 j)lough ro])e. There is no lime in the neighbourhood. The 

 custom of the country is to plough 4 to 6 inches deep I)y 4 horses ; 

 the fields laid up into high-backed lands. And Mr. Holland 

 has found it necessary to keep to the old serpentine water- fur rows 

 in his deep-pipe drainage — the parallel system not being found 

 to answer. He has gradually levelled his ridges, by working 

 the steam-cultivator diagonally across them, thus wearing them 

 Hat in a course of years. And, when so done the land drains 

 well, drying very much faster under steam tillage than it used to 

 do under horses ; still, though the superficies is now flattened, 

 ^^ ater-furrows have not been abandoned, there being, of necessity, 

 a " water-table " in these fields presenting very gentle gradients. 

 A piece of globe-mangolds was shown us, where the ridges have 

 been onlv partially lowered, and this too quickly; the effect 

 being visible in two stripes of inferior crop upon each ridge, 

 half-way between the crest and the water-furrows. 



The inclosures are spacious, ranging from 17 to 100 acres ; 

 and a straight hard road has been formed through a portion of 

 the vale farm, from which the engine (a Fowler) can command 

 the fields on both sides. Seven years ago Mr. Holland purchased 

 a 10-horse power single engine, and anchorage, Leeds tackle, 

 which was subsequently enlarged for a 12-horse set ; the first 

 cost being 730/. ; exchange of tackle on making exchange of 

 engine, cost lOZ. ; * and the addition of a Fowler cultivator, 60/. ; 

 making a total present investment of 800/. The breakages, 

 repairs, and renewals of rope during the seven years have cost 

 about 400/., or 57/. a year. About 100 days' work have been 

 done in each year; the annual performance, however, is accu- 

 rately given in the following Table : — 



Acreage of Land Ploughed mid Cultivated in one year, including Removals, 

 and Stoppages from Weather or other causes. 



151 -I- 325 = 47G acres. 



Part of the work (a large quantity upon a 367-acre farm) was 



* The payment on exchange was 40Z. ; the total cost 830?. — E. H. 



