304 Report on Steam Cultivation. [Claeke. 



cropped, and 30 or 40 acres more of roots n^ust tlierefore be 

 placed to the credit of the steam-plough. The bailiff, who has 

 been here eight years, and therefore ought to know, affirms that 

 the three years of steam tillage have given a decided increase in 

 the yield of coi'n, and this on a farm that was " well done " 

 before the steam power came. And he bore witness to the fact 

 of the land drying more quickly in consequence of the deeper 

 cultivation. 



We did not ascertain the expenses of working the steam- 

 plough ; but though wages here are high, coal is comparatively 

 cheap, namely los. per ton. The former force of 14 horses has 

 been reduced to 10, yet harvesting and carting-out manure are 

 accomplished without delay, and these horses do estate work as 

 well. 



Our details of this example may not be very full and complete, 

 but the apparatus is evidently successful, and gives the pro- 

 prietor satisfaction.* 



No. 88. Mr. Samuel Strickland, of Headley Hall, Tadcaster, 

 West Riding of Yorkshire, occupies 300 acres arable, and 30 of 

 grass, in a gently undulating limestone district, divided into 

 moderate-sized inclosures ; the fields here varying from 14 to 

 40 acres each. The soil is a strong calcareous loam, " 3 or 

 4-horse ploughing," but does not all need underdrainage ; much 

 of the farm has been drained, but Mr. Strickland says " the 

 steam-plough is the best drainer." 



In 18G2 he purchased a second-hand 12-horse Fowler tackle, 

 with 7-tined cultivator and 3-furrow plough, which had been in 

 use only three months, and the cost price, by auction at Leam- 

 ington, was 548/. ; repairs and getting home cost 64/. IGs., 

 making the investment 012/. 16s. This year he has just had a 

 heavy expenditure upon it, including a new fire-box, from using 

 dirty water, and the repairs for four years amount to 118/. liSs. 

 Of this, 20/. a year has been the cost of rope. Many cast-metal 

 skifes have been broken by the stones ; but since steel skifes 

 have been substituted, no fractures of this sort have occurred. 

 They have never broken a rope, but " the first is quite worn out 

 (1867), and a new one bought." Before the steam-plough came 

 they used to work a 3-tined Bentall 2 or 3 inches deep, with 4 

 horses, getting over about 5 acres in a hard day's work. Now, the 

 steam-cultivator will do as much as 20 acres in a long day, and 

 at a depth of 10 to 12, or even 15 inches ; and the plough (Mr. 

 Strickland does not like the " digging ") will do 4 acres a day, 

 taking furrows 14 inches wide and 12 inches deep, occasionally 

 15 inches deep. The previous horse-ploughing used to be 4 to 



* I fiiid an increasing difficulty in obtaining efficient engine-men. — W, B. 



