352 Report on Steam Cultivation. [Clakke. 



hand, and hooked to the far-engine rope, which was then pulled 

 up by the first engine till it reached the digger. The work 

 wanted squaring off, and by a succession of gradually shortening 

 bouts, this " gore " was worked off to perfection. 



Mr. Torr has not yet materially reduced his number of horses ; 

 but nevertheless expresses his great satisfaction with the hired 

 assistance, that enables him to get on more quickly with his 

 Avork at the best season, to accomplish " hard jobs " with ease, 

 and execute a style of tillage Avith which no horse-work can be 

 compared. 



This set of tackle belongs to Mr. J. Smith, of Louth, and has 

 been Avorking since 1863, Avhile another set (in the same hands) 

 had begun in 1862. These are " 14-horse engines" upon "12- 

 horse boilers." Three men and two boys work the apparatus, but 

 an extra hand is also employed to "relieve all through," so that 

 the engines never stop all day. They are good, well-trained hands ; 

 and no little nerve is required for driving so sharply and closely as 

 they do hour after hour without accident. It is all day-work, 

 seeing that piece-work Avould be too powerful a temptation to 

 " scamping " the depth of tillage. The engineman and ploughman 

 have 20^. a week each, the porter lads 12s. a week each, for 10 hours 

 a day. But they make overtime, reckoning even to half an hour; 

 and in spring and autumn they have sometimes worked the 

 extreme hours of from 3 o'clock in the morning till 10 o'clock 

 at night. For a few days, up to a Aveek of stoppage by bad 

 Aveather, or other cause, they are paid full Avages, as in this short 

 time they are sure to be cleaning out boilers, " putting on a 

 washer, or something." There is, however, a " slack time." 

 The engines generally make a start in March, February Aveather 

 being very uncertain, and keep going till the middle of June. 

 Then comes a slack time, until the last Aveek in July, Avhen Avork 

 begins again, and holds right aAvay to Christmas. During the 

 slack month in June and July the men are alloAved \s. each, and 

 the boys 9f/. each per day ; in addition to Avhich they get plenty 

 of work upon farms. At the Christmas stoppage the Avages stop 

 too, until a fresh agreement is made Avith the hands for the next 

 start in February or March. And during this Avinter A'acation, 

 farm employment is found even more readily than in summer, 

 such as draining strong land, marling on the Wolds, thrashing, 

 and so on. 



Ordinary small repairs are done by blacksmiths, Avherever the 

 engines may happen to be ; all important parts are obtained 

 direct from Leeds. The employers find coal and Avater, coal at 

 16s. a ton, at home, being burned at the rate of 1^ up to 5 CAvts. 

 per acre, according to the nature of the Avork ; and the bargain 

 is that the farmers shall fill up the "tanks " or "tenders" Avith 



