Coleman.] Report on Steam Cultivation. ' 383 



farm, and generally applied in small doses every 5 or G years. 

 George Glassbrook, the bailiff, prefers slacking the lime in 

 heaps rather than applying it hot out of the kiln on grass land, 

 unless there is moss to burn up. A marked strengthening of the 

 bones of young stock follows liming on grass, and the clovers 

 are developed. There has been considerable outlay in buildings, 

 drainage, and the construction of new roads traversing the farm 

 at right angles to each other, which must be found very advan- 

 tageous. Steam cultivation is chiefly confined to working the 

 land for the root-crop, the stubble being " dug " or ploughed 

 from 9 inches to a foot in depth ; 3 to 4 acres being about an 

 average day's work. The drainage appears to have been improved 

 and the crops increased, though, as Mr. Lawson commenced 

 farming with steam, it is difficult to estimate these particular 

 advantages. At present no horse labour has been saved, as we 

 found six on the farm, quite enough to do the work. Very fine 

 crops of cabbage are grown, and no expense in manuring is 

 spared. Here, as in other places, we found good crops of swedes, 

 half spoilt from exposure to late frosts. The climate is moist 

 in such close proximity to Skiddaw, and possibly there might 

 have been difficulties in storing at the right season, but, 

 assuredly, it is an extravagant practice to keep roots out when 

 they are ripe. After the stubbles are deeply ploughed or 

 " dug," the surface is ridged by horse-ploughs and thus left all 

 winter, then dragged down, and the steam cultivator worked 

 across the winter furrow. Great improvements have been made, 

 and although the outlay must have been considerable, there is 

 a possibility of a rent being made. We cannot venture to 

 say even as much as this for the Blennerhasset Farm, the 

 principal scene of Mr. Lawson's enterprise — about 4 miles off — 

 containing 31G acres of land, 60 of which are pasture and 

 gardens, and the rest useful arable but hilly and stony, and 

 very ill adapted for steam culture. For such a limited area 

 farm premises have been erected at a cost of 8000/., independent 

 of expensive machinery and fittings. Besides the ordinary 

 accommodation for a farm, we find buildings for making and 

 storing artificial manure, a costly pumping apparatus, and large 

 tanks for liquid manure worked either by steam or water. This 

 liquid is collected from every source, and yet only dresses by 

 pipes and hydrant about 25 acres of grass.* At the time of our 

 visit the fluid was being projected by steam power — "Cain," one 

 of the 14-horse-power engines being employed at this work. 

 There are also well made pits for retting flax, and a commodious 



* Besides 8 acres of garden-ground. — W. L, 



