Clarke.] Report on Steam Cultivation. 335 



a good winter layer for sheep ; but the deeper tillage has made 

 it still better for them — drier instead of more spongy, as observed 

 in some localities. In spite of the comparatively moderate area 

 steam-worked in a year, and the great diminution in the force of 

 horse-flesh (and ox-flesh) kept, we considered Campsfield Farm 

 one of the cleanest and best-managed we have walked over, and 

 the crops are plainly so good that the land would well bear 

 " a little more doing at," and a 5-course rotation might be 

 adopted with good results. 



No. 100. Mr. Samuel Druce, of Abbey Farm, Eynsham, and, 

 No, 101, Mr. Joseph Druce, of Twelve-Acre Farm, Eynsham, 

 Oxfordshire, are partners in a steam-cultivating apparatus, upon 

 a joint-occupation of 700 acres arable, consisting of Oxford clay 

 upon a subsoil of solid yellow clay (in which the drains lie), and 

 a small proportion of more loamy land having a subsoil of 

 boulder-gravel. The 4-course shift is the basis of the manage- 

 ment, with a considerable portion of bare fallow. The old style 

 of tillage, before the introduction of " steam," was ploughing 

 4 or 5 inches deep by 3-horse or ox teams. The force formerly 

 kept was, on Mr. Joseph Druce's farm, 17 horses and 8 oxen, 

 the latter consisting of two 3-ox teams, with a spare bullock to 

 each ; and on Mr. Samuel Druce's farm, 12 horses and 4 oxen ; 

 making a total of 29 horses and 12 oxen. " Steam as an adjunct " 

 has effected such a reduction that Mr. Joseph now keeps 14 

 horses, and Mr. Samuel 9 horses, that is, 23 horses altogether, 

 and no oxen at all. And this banishing of 6 horses and 12 

 oxen has been, probably, the largest advantage of steam cul- 

 tivation here. A Smith's 4-wheeled windlass, a 3-tined and a 

 5-tined grubber, and, we believe, an 8-horse engine, were pur- 

 chased in 1860; and the work done on Mr. Joseph Druce's 

 farm has been about 150 acres in each year. We do not 

 know how much steam-work has been done altogether. In 

 the spring of 1863, 70 acres were grubbed a first time, 7 to 11 

 inches deep, and 70 acres a second time, in the space of 20 days, 

 including five removals. The coal burned was 8 to 10 cwts. per 

 day, at 14^. per ton ; the oil used was nearly a quart per day, 

 costing 65, 6c?, a gallon ; and the 5 men and 3 boys employed 

 cost 155. '2d. per day. This is all the record that has been pre- 

 served of the expenses and performances : and we can say nothing 

 as to repairs, beyond the fact that the present rope which we 

 saw is about half worn through. The rate of work, we were 

 informed, varies from 4 or 5 up to not more than 6 or 7 acres 

 per day ; some of the ground being very tenacious, while in other 

 places the implement " skims the rock " at 3 to 4 or 5 inches 

 depth. Unfortunately, both the Mr. Druces were from home at 

 the time of our visit, and we did not learn to what extent they 



