Clarke.] Report on Steam Cultivation. 355 



cost incurred by the steam-contractor in doings the work is a 

 point with which they have really nothing whatever to do ; 

 the main question for them is, what is the value of the tillage 

 when done? And they must consider the various elements 

 of value in the work : it is worth so much more than horse- 

 work on account of its greater depth, its freedom from tramp- 

 ling, its more effectual shattering and disintegration of the 

 soil. It is also worth more, because of its celerity of execution, 

 quite irrespective of its mechanical excellence : you willingly 

 pay more per mile to travel by an " express " than by a " Gov." 

 train, because time is an object with you ; and on the same 

 principle, when saving of time, catching opportunities of fine 

 weather, and general forwarding of operations, are all-important 

 toward obtaining more even and better crops, an acre ploughed 

 in one hour is worth far more to you than an acre ploughed in 

 two hours. And to those who may find any difficulty in thus 

 appreciating expedition in tillage, we commend Mr. Bomford's 

 use of two double-engine sets {see No. 69), and again, the esti- 

 mate offered in Mr. Randell's case (No. 67), where the steam 

 culture costing him 145. an acre is shown to be in effect worth 

 235. an acre, from the saving of yearly expenses without taking 

 into account any further advantages that he may reap in his 

 augmented cropping. And his is by no means the only, perhaps 

 not the most striking example of the gain by " promptitude and 

 dispatch," which the old copy-book declares, "are the life and 

 soul of business." 



No. 107. Mr. William Bellhouse, of Escrick, York, has let out 

 a set of Fowler's " 10-horse " double-engine tackle since May, 1864. 

 The prime cost, with 4-furrow plough, 7-tined cultivator, water- 

 cart, and extias, was 1300Z. An exchange of engines in June, 

 1865, cost lOOZ. ; a harrow, since purchased, 50/. ; and other addi- 

 tions, steel skifes, lamps, &c., about 20/. ; making the whole invest- 

 ment, 1470/. The breakages and ordinary repairs have amounted 

 to about 125/., and new ropes in February, 1865, 84/., altogether 

 209/. The engines consume 16 to 20 cwts. of coal per day ; 

 oil costs about 25. ^d. per day, — for " some men will use twice 

 as much as others." Only three men work the tackle ; rope- 

 porters being considered no saving when the land is level and 

 free from gravel. The wages are 14^. a week for each man all 

 the year round, with Is. 6c?. per day extra when working the 

 apparatus. During slack time the men are at liberty to pick up 

 employment wherever they can. 



The fields worked upon a large number of farms vary from 7 

 up to 40 acres each, the average size about 12 or l4 acres. 

 Little ploughing has been done ; of digging, the greatest quantity 

 per day has been about 8 acres, the average about 5 acres, almost 



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