Clarke.] Report on Steam Cidtivatioii. ■ 285 



also a lever drill-presser, each press-wheel rising and falling at 

 liberty from the others ; and a massive apparatus of rollers, drags, 

 and harrows, which is steered by diverting the rope to the right 

 or left of the central line of draught. We observed that Mr. 

 Williams uses Aveling and Porter's travelling rope-carriers 

 along the implement track, of which he speaks very highly. 



The acreage ploughed per day is 5 to 6 acres ; or cultivated, 

 10 to 12 acres. Coal is dear, 25^. per ton delivered, and about 

 9 cwts. are consumed per day. Oil costs Is. The water-carting 

 takes 1 horse ; but when a tank is near, this horse is engaged 

 half his time in harrowing, as he has only about 450 gallons to 

 draw. The engine travels, with 1 horse to steer, and takes 

 everything along with it ; and, with laying out the rope, anchor, 

 kScc., 2 horses are required, from 2 to 4 hours. The labour costs 

 engine-man 3^., ploughman 2s., and 4 men or stout boys at \s. Qd. 

 each. All the heavy tillage of the farm is done bv this tackle, of 

 which the following are the particulars — from January 1st to 

 Nov. 6th, 1866, 194 acres ploughed, 100 acres grubbed, and 

 20 acres rolled, dragged, »Scc. ; and there remained to be ploughed 

 before January 1st, 1867, 96 acres, making a total of 410 acres 

 in the year's work. The apparatus occasionally goes out to 

 contract work. The following arc examples. Four fields (about 

 40 acres) were ploughed for IQs. an acre, or olZ. IS^. 3d. The 

 expenses for 10 days' labour, including removals, which were 

 frequent, and oil, were 8/. 14.<f. Again, about 40 acres were 

 ploughed for Mr. Campbell, of Buscot Park, some at 15s., 

 some at 205. per acre (with coal and water), coming to 

 34/. Is.; and the expenses for labour and oil, 14 days, were 

 12/. 4f/. ; repairs cost 3/. 5^. ; leaving 18/. 15^. Sd. for the 

 machinery. The work was very severe, the engine at 90 lbs. 

 pressure, being only just able to drive 3 furrows, and the journey 

 there and back was between 20 and 30 miles. 



We noticed that Mr. Williams had housed his engine-man 

 under a sort of roof over the engine foot-board, very well in hot 

 summer weather, but bad for cutting draughts in windy weather ; 

 the sides could have doors, and lock up as a security for coal. The 

 "set" was bought second-hand in March, 1862, for 350/., and 

 has cost since then 150/., including rope, new fire-box, tubes, &c. ; 

 while the smaller repairs, executed by Mr. Williams' engine-man, 

 amount to about 70/. in the whole. 



As to results, 5 out of the 11 horses formerly kept, have been 

 displaced. Then the drainage is improved ; by which is meant 

 that land formerly holding water on the surface for days, now 

 lets it soak down as fast as the rain falls, and all the soil of the 

 farm is much drier. The acreage of roots has been very little 

 increased, and Mr. Williams says that, though the yield of his 



