Clarke.] Report on Steam Cultivation. 339 



When we know that, during- part of the year 1865, Mr, Bul- 

 strode had not adopted certain improvements (to be mentioned 

 presently) which now accelerate his speed of working; and that 

 some time was taken up in experimenting upon the said inven- 

 tions, we may fairly put the present rate of performance (including 

 the breaking up of whole ground as well as spring crossing) at 

 an average of 9 acres per day. Hence, the average cost of the 

 steam-work is 4s. l^d. per acre for working expenses, and 3^. to 

 'Ss. o\d. per acre for the machinery, making a total of 7^. 1-^d. to 

 7^. 5(1. per acre. 



To put the pecuniary statement of the case in another way : 

 the apparatus was engaged for 79 days in 1861 ; 87 days in 1862 ; 

 46 in 1863 ; 68 in 1861 ; 40 in 1865 ; and 24 up to June, 1866 

 — being much hindered by wet weather in the spring of 1866, 

 but not much in the other years. But on Mr, Bulstrode's own 

 farm the average number of days' Avork is 35 days of culti- 

 vating and 4 of drag-harrowing, or 39 days per year. The 

 working expenses being 11. lis. "Id. per day, the yearly outlay will 

 be 72/. 95. <>r/. Add interest and depreciation, 4U/. ; repairs, 2UZ. ; 

 and rope (94/. for 5 years -f- 5) 18/. 16.s'., and we have the total 

 annual outlay upon steam tillage, 151/. 5^. 6d. Mr. Bulstrode 

 has reduced his teams from 13 to 8 horses ; the displacement of 

 5 horses, at 44/. each, saving 220/. a year. 



Mr. Bulstrode's neighbour (having worked the tackle only in 

 autumn, at least not in spring) has sold off only 3 horses, so that 

 the total annual saving in draft animals effected by the steam- 

 tackle is 8 horses at 44/.; or 352/. The whole yearly outlay 

 being 151/., the nett gain must be 201/. 



This is not a small gain, when we consider that it is saved 

 not merely with the same tillage as before, but that the staple 

 soil is now regularly worked to a depth of 8, instead of 5 inches. 



Mr. Bulstrode has not altered the course of cropping upon his 

 farm, which includes one-fifth under roots ; but he reports a 

 larger produce from steam cultivation, partly due to increased 

 depth of tillage ; chiefly, however, to greater cleanliness of the 

 ground. His practice generally is to stir land four times in 

 preparation for a root- crop, and the farm is certainly in a tidy 

 condition. 



A word or two must be said upon the partnership in the steam- 

 apparatus. The arrangement is this : — all expenses for repairs 

 are divided equally between the two partners; a certain sum is 

 agreed to, to be charged daily for wear and tear (say at 20 per cent, 

 per annum on prime cost), and whoever works the tackle the 

 greater number of days is charged that sum multiplied by the 

 difference in the number of days. 



Mr. Bulstrode has turned his mechanical taste to good account 



Z 2 



