Clarke.] Report on Steam Cultivation. 275 



with ease, in large fields. A day's expenses (on his own esti- 

 mate) we said, are 775., so that the ploughing costs from 7^. Qd. 

 up to 13s. per acre. With the Fowler cultivator, the area per day, 

 at a depth of 9 or 10 inches, is 8 up to 12 acres ; the former 

 quantity in specially hard work, — which is, to " bursten-up" hard- 

 baked ground in autumn. The cost ranges from 65. 6<f . to 95. Id. 

 an acre. With the wide Howard grubber, 18 acres have been 

 " crossed " in a day, at a cost of 4^. Zd. per acre. These are not 

 unusual cost prices of deep steam-work, and are higher than we 

 have found on some steam-farms ; but they are so far cheap that, 

 considering the depth of the culture and the wonderful shattering 

 of the soil by the exceedingly rapid pace of the implements, no 

 force of horses could execute the same quality of work at all. Yet 

 the resultant advantages have been so great, that Mr. Bomford is 

 willing to saddle them with the additional interest, depreciation, 

 and repairs of 1400/. worth of new machinery (that is, a pair of 

 Fowler 14-horse engines which will " give out more power ;") 

 for, though some contract -work will doubtless be done, it is 

 mainly upon these autumn operations that the additional expense 

 will lie. And the additional cost per acre is ventured solely 

 because the tillage, being executed in half the time, will be 

 worth so much more money.* 



So far, figures appear to justify the expectations of this energetic 

 husbandman: let us see whether they are borne out by the testi- 

 mony of his farming. In the first place, steam tillage has nearly 

 doubled the depth of his staple for him ; and all intelligent 

 managers of good strong land will know what that means. On 

 the lighter portions of the farm, early autumn cleaning is the 

 chief thing conferred by the steam tackle ; but, on the heavy 

 land, a much greater benefit is derived from the simple circum- 

 stance of accomplishing the right process at the right time. 

 Mr. Bomford, unlike many steam men, has not altered his 

 former rotation, or increased the acreage of his root-crops ; and 

 bare fallow had been banished long before the engines made 

 their appearance. But he speaks of a decided augmentation of 

 yield per acre. He is " sure of better crops," — which in itself 

 expresses a great deal, when uncertainty is one great element in a 

 clay-land farmer's misfortunes. " There is no comparison," 

 he declared to us, " between the steam and horse systems," in 

 respect to produce ; he gets a more uniform sample of grain, 

 and, moreover, considers that harvest comes earlier than 

 before. Judging by the stubbles, we believe that he grows 

 very heavy and good wheat-crops. He ploughs shallow for 

 wheat, but finds that deep-grubbing of clover-lea in July pre- 



* I calculate on getting my own lands smashed up by the middle of September, 

 and being then ready for some remunerative contract work. — B. B. 



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