274 Rej)ort on Steam Cultivation. [Clarke. 



The engines move themselves and all the apparatus w^ithout the 

 aid of horses, all this occupying less than half an hour, when 

 the next job lies near; so that there is no expense to be added 

 for removals, which simply account for themselves by slightly 

 diminishing the average daily quantity of work done. Oil costs 

 2s. ; and coal, 24 cwts., at \bs. a ton, costs 18s. a day. All these 

 sums amount to 35s. per day, or, for 100 days, 175Z. a year. As 

 the engines are used solely for cultivation, and have done only 

 10 acres for hire, we have to add the whole of the above-named 

 2101. for the machinery — making the total yearly cost of steam 

 tillage, 385Z. ; and the total cost of a day's work, 3Z. 17s. What 

 have we to post on the other page of the ledger ? Probably 

 more horses are kept in this neighbourhood than need be ; 3, 

 now frequently 4, horses plough a furrow 5 or at most 6 inches 

 deep, but more are sometimes yoked, and always tandem ("at 

 length "). But Mr. Bomford's engines have enabled him to sell 

 off nearly 20 horses out of the 45 formerly worked ; and, never- 

 theless, " the farm," he says, " is much better cultivated." At 

 44Z. each, the saving thus effected has been 880Z. a year ; subtract 

 the total outlay for steam cultivation, namely 385?., and there 

 remains a balance of 495/. a year (more than 10s. an acre over 

 all the arable land) gained by the mere exchange of a part of the 

 former horse-team for steam-machinery. Perhaps 44/. would not 

 be Mr. Bomford's estimate, but he quite agrees that steam-power 

 is the more economical. 



We have now to relate what may be classed among the 

 " extraordinary things " met with on our inspection-tour ; al- 

 though this double-engine tackle accomplishes as much work as 

 40 horses could do, in the course of one month's fine weather in 

 September and October, Mr. Bomford is not satisfied with it ; 

 and for that reason he intended (so he told us) — not to get rid of 

 it, but — to buy another ; not in lieu of the present machinery, let it 

 be understood, but a second " double-engine set," so that he may 

 have two pairs of engines at work upon his farm at one and the 

 same time I The reason is this : the present " set " is scarcely 

 used till after harvest, when it is kept running every hour that 

 may be possible ; but so palpable are the benefits of early tillage, 

 that Mr. Bomford wants to get all his autumn ground broken up 

 within a fortnight or three weeks, which the present " set " is 

 unable to compass, and therefore he was buying another to help 

 it. This example is such an illustrative commentary upon the 

 worth of rapid cultivation on a strong soil, that we must follow 

 it out a little more in detail, for the consideration of those persons 

 who cannot see why higher prices should be afforded for steam 

 than for horse work. What does Mr. Bomford's tillage now cost 

 him per acre ? Of ploughing, he does 6 up to 10 acres a day 



