292 Report on Steam Cultivation. [Clarke. 



fields averaging about 22 acres in size, several old hedge-rows 

 having been removed. 



Tlie engine is used for thrashing, grinding corn, chaff- cutting, 

 and other operations ; but the tackle is solely confined to the 

 farm. Before the introduction of steam-power, 12 horses and 8 

 or 10 bullocks were worked ; now the bullocks are dispensed 

 with, and 8 or 9 horses " do the work easily." 



Mr. Craddock says, " From deep cultivation we find the land 

 lies much drier ; as the water gets into the drains and runs off 

 much quicker since steam-power has been adopted." He has 

 increased the acreage of his root-crops, and reports that " the 

 crops generally are more productive ; the straw growing much 

 stifler, it is less liable to go down." 



No. 80. Mr. Robert Hewer, of Fair Green, Chipping Nor- 

 ton, Oxfordshire, occupies 540 acres arable, and 200 acres 

 pasture, partly " sour stone-brash," partly strong land ; lying 

 tolerably level, and in 20-acre fields, altered in figure to suit 

 the steam-plough. He works a 10-horse set of Fowler tackle, 

 formerly belonging to the late Mr. Langston, which was taken 

 at a valuation for 400/, at Lady-day, 18G4. The repairs have 

 amounted to 25/., chiefly for a new axle-tree to the hind-wheels 

 of the engine, a new crank-shaft, iScc. 



The 3-furrow plough turns over 5 acres a day, and the 7-tined 

 cultivator smashes up 10 acres a day. Coals cost 7.s'. a day, at 

 15^. per ton delivered ; oil, Is. ; and water is carted by one horse 

 from tanks. Removal requires three horses, on an average of 

 distances, from three to four hours. Two men are paid 2^. each, 

 and five lads lOf/. each, making a total of 125. 2r/. per day for the 

 manual labour : a low figure for weak hands, that we have found, 

 in the majority of cases, to be an unadvisable piece of economy. 



The engine is used for thrashing, and the apparatus confined 

 to the farm. 



Mr, Hewer gives no information as to results, beyond the fact 

 that he has neither altered his course of cropping nor extended 

 his usual breadth of roots. His team-force now is 12 horses. 



No. 81. Mr. George Pocock, of Bourton, Shrivenham, Wilt- 

 shire. In October, 1859, Mr. Pocock, then occupying only 

 250 acres arable* (besides his rather large extent of pasture), ven- 

 tured upon the purchase of a 10-horse Fowler engine and anchor- 

 age, and a 3-furrow plough, with 4th furrow skife to be attached 

 when wanted. This is the old-pattern straight-beamed imple- 

 ment, with provision for adjusting the width of furrows, and is 

 considered by Mr. Pocock to be stiffer in framing, and to stand 

 to its work better than the newer bent-beam plough. We may 



* 200 more acres of arable were taken in 1861. — G. P. 



