322 Report on Steam Cultivation. [Clakke. 



in." The same process was repeated by No. 2 engine when the 

 plough was at the other end. But so much clock-work nicety of 

 management attended all this, that the men could not work it ; 

 besides, it was found that properly, both engines (tied by a rope 

 like Siamese twins) ought to start and stop exactly together, and 

 this could not be attained without electric communication between 

 the two drivers, or rather (it would seem) between the reversing 

 levers on the two engines. Another fault as compared with the 

 "double "or winding apparatus, was that more time was required 

 for removal. Then the engines were considered too light to stand 

 the great sideway strain ; for on each alternate journey of the im- 

 plement, engine No. 1 had to act as the anchorage of engine No. 2, 

 while at the same time engine No. 1 was pulling the plough 

 with all its force. The fore- wheels of the engines were shod 

 with cuttmg-blade rims which entered the soil, like the discs of 

 a travelling anchor ; but, nevertheless, an unfortunate circum- 

 stance occurred : owing to the great sideway strain and the want 

 of weight in an engine of this size (8-horse power) one engine 

 broke the pin of its fore-carriage axle-tree, the fore end of the 

 boiler tumbling over one of the wheels on to the ground. How- 

 ever, about an hour and three-quarters sufficed to place it on its 

 wheels again, without further injury. We must not be under- 

 stood as condemning the "twin-engine" principle altogether, 

 because it is possible that improved mechanical arrangements 

 may make it successful ; but the form in which it appeared at 

 Widdrington was not found to answer. As we have said else- 

 where, two engines working at once will probably achieve 

 maximum results in steam culture, but with two implements 

 instead of only one. 



I In April, 1866, Lord Vernon purchased a pair of 10-horse 

 engines with winding-drums — the 4-furrow plough costing 80/. ; 

 the 7-tined cultivator, 60/. ; harrows (a light land seed-harrow 

 15 feet wide, and a heavy harrow 12 feet wide), 50/. ; porters, 

 10/. ; and rope, 84/. ; altogether, 1040/. for the set There have 

 been no breakages ; a few shares have been worn out ; but 

 the ropes were defective, and were exchanged for the present 

 good ones, an allowance being made for them by Messrs. Fowler. 

 The daily working expenses are as follows : — two engine-men, 

 3^. 4f/. each ; ploughmen, 3^. 2d. ; water-cart man, 2^. Qd. ; and 

 two boys, \s. Q>d. each ; the men paying their own house-rent. 

 These hands are ordinary farm-labourers, employed at other 

 times on the farms or in the woods. They have found no 

 trouble with the engines and apparatus. Coal, at 5*. 6(f. per 

 ton on the farm, is burned at the rate of about 16 cwts. per day. 

 Oil and tallow cost 25. In shifting, no horses or additional 

 help are needed, and the engines have begun work in a field 1^ 



