Claeke.] Report on Steam Cultivation. 329 



set." Of course this tackle (which we believe has made a good 

 beginning since Christmas) will do duty on several other farms 

 besides Ferrygate. 



No. 97. Mr, George Hope, Fenton Barns, Drem, Hadding- 

 tonshire, occupies 670 acres arable, with 2 only of old pas- 

 ture ; a medium loam-soil, in places more clayey. High-backed 

 lands were at one time adhered to ; but in the early days of 

 under-draining the farm was tile-drained at 2h feet depth, and 

 flattened, and now it is always sufficiently dry. A Howard 

 apparatus, with 10-horse engine, was purchased in September, 

 18G3, has done more than 1200 acres of tillage since that time, 

 and, excepting the rope, appears as sound and good as ever, and 

 has incurred no expense in repairs. All the work has been grub- 

 bing,* and in consequence of this aid all operations are so forward 

 in autumn and in spring, that Mr. Hope " wonders how he ever 

 got on before." He has parted with three horses, and would be 

 able to sell off more, if he had not so much carting of potatoes, 

 besides a new farm, distant 2^- miles, at which many improve- 

 ments are being made. He finds that he can do a 30-acre field at 

 one setting down, and by simply turning the engine and windlass 

 round, does GO acres from one position. All his steam-work is 

 done with inferior coal, costing 10^. a ton with the cartage. 



Mr. Hope considers that he is well repaid for his investment 

 by the deeper and better tillage, and by the winter-exposed land 

 being sooner ready for sowing in spring. Then the yield of 

 cropping is greater, from the fact of the crops being more equal. 

 This is due to the more timely sowing ; instead of having some 

 fields too early and others too late. Mr. Hope's root-crops are 

 " a treat to see," and every square foot of ground wonderfully 

 clean, the turnips growing up to the very stems of the quick 

 hedges ; and there, instead of weeds and grass, rape shoots out 

 from the hedge-bottoms. The hedges are cut once a year, and 

 the bottoms dug every time a crop is put in. 



It was not part of our embassy, however, to make notes of 

 Scottish husbandry ; we had simply to form an impression as to 

 the value or uselessness of the steam-plough on farms where 

 everything had been about perfection already ; and the impres- 

 sion we brought away with us is, that the heavy investment of a 

 steam-tackle is found to pay well even upon the neatest and best- 

 managed occupations where first-class farming has been practised 

 for generations. 



Particulars of Farms in the " North " Division : — 



* Since the visit of the Committee, Mr. Hope has purchased a Fowler's 4-furrow 

 halance ploup;h, which he works with his Howard's apparatus, and finds lighter 

 in draup:lit than the cultivator. He can now easily and certainly regulate the 

 depth of the work-, this he formerly failed to attain where strong clay and sandy 

 soils alternated in the same field. 



