316 Report on Steam Cultivation. [Claeke. 



This independence is a grand point in the 2-engine system : the 

 three men and the boys take their engines and whole apparatus 

 where they like, without interrupting the other business of the 

 farm for horses and men to shift them ; whereas the single-engine 

 set, having its anchorage to mount on carriage-wheels and set 

 down again, wants two or three horses and an extra man with 

 them, for two or three hours, after about every three days' work. 

 A roundabout "windlass" set, of course, is "in the same boat." 

 And though the actual expense thus added upon each working 

 day is not very considerable, the loss of time of the engine and 

 the loss of time of the horses from perhaps most urgent tillage- 

 work, frequently backward operations much more than for the 

 quarter or half day which may be actually consumed in the 

 removal. Every one will understand the disadvantage of breaking 

 off two or three horses, which are indispensable to complete a 

 field " set," as in wheat-seeding or manuring, for the hindrance 

 so arising may involve days of delay in finishing a job if w^et 

 should happen to fall. 



In actual work the 2-engine system wastes far less time than 

 the single-engine system does. In fields of irregular figure, many 

 a half-hour may be lost by the anchorage-system in shortening or 

 adding to the rope, only a small surplus length being carried upon 

 the plough ; but with two engines, no lengths have to be added or 

 removed. When the implement is drawing near to the anchor 

 the pace has to be slackened, for the sake of a cautious approach 

 and giving opportunity for the signalling. With two engines 

 there are no signals when all is right; the plough is pulled up 

 to the engine at either end, and it is surprising with what dex- 

 terity and neatness the stopping is done by men who have had 

 practice. Thus Clayton, Mr. Wilson's engine-driver, who came 

 from Messrs. Fowler, can drive for a whole day, drawing up the 

 plough every time within 4 inches of the fly-wheel — a fineness of 

 running done by smart movement of the reversing-gear lever. On 

 the double-engine plan no time whatever is lost in firing, oiling, 

 (Sec. When the plough is going out, the engine-driver has leisure 

 for putting on the right quantity of coal and in a proper manner, 

 he can rake and brighten his fire, he can oil, attend to the pump, 

 fret-cock, &c., and look round to see that things are right ; and 

 then when it is his engine's turn to pull, he has nothing to do 

 but to watch the plough, in instant readiness for stoppage at a 

 rock or a root, or the first show of a signal. On the contrary, 

 the driver of a single engine has no time for properly firing, &C., 

 if he keeps the requisite sharp look-out upon the implement, 

 and he has to stop work occasionally in order to get things into 

 trim. 



The " double " ensfines lose not a second in moving forward on 



