386 Report on Steam Cultivation. [CoLEMAN. 



Conclusions drawn from data so manifestly irregular cannot, 

 of course, be perfectly accurate. Enough may be gathered to 

 prove that up to the present time Mr. Lawson has thrown himself 

 into steam culture rather as a pioneer in the path of enteiprise, 

 willing to adventure something in the cause of progress, than as 

 a farmer who has an eye to profit. The nature of the land, both 

 as being very hilly and full of awkward stones and the want of 

 a greater area to act upon, will partly account for the unfavour- 

 able result. It should be mentioned, also, that the climate is 

 very moist, the annual rainfall being about 38 to 40 inches. 



At Blennerhasset we met Mr. W. Norman, of High Clow, 

 Aspatria, who has had Howard's roundabout system for one year. 

 His farm contains 630 acres of arable, mixed soil. He has cul- 

 tivated for roots, and also, after roots, for corn : 220 acres were 

 worked, averaging 5^ acres a day, including removals. The 

 tackle consists of 10-horse-power (Clayton and Shuttleworth) 

 engine, windlass, cultivator, and side-harrow — costing 550Z. ; four 

 horses have been put down. The engine is used largely for 

 thrashing. The cost of working each day is : for labour, 135. ; 

 coals, 55. ; and oil, Is. 6d. — total, 19s. iid. The charge for wear 

 and tear and interest cannot be so heavy as in any preceding 

 case, so that Mr. Norman may probably make steam cultivation 

 pay. We were assured that the land in winter lies drier than 

 before. 



No. 118. From Blennerhasset to Silloth, by road, to inspect 

 the results of Howard's roundabout tackle on the farm of Messrs. 

 Carrs, of Carlisle, who here occupj 414 acres, of which 390 are 

 arable, besides 24 acres of sea-bank. The soil varies from 

 a strong clay to rich loam on red sand. The tackle consists 

 of 10-horse-power engine, windlass, and cultivator : 12 horses 

 have been reduced to 8. Steam cultivation is entirely confined to 

 the fallow-land ; usual depth of cultivation, 8 to 12 inches. No 

 work has been done this autumn, as it was impossible to cultivate 

 on account of excessive moisture ; and the question here, as 

 elsewhere, arises — Should not a plough be regarded as one of the 

 necessary items ? It is quite certain that, in all cases where a 

 plough was employed, a good deal, if not all the autumn-work 

 has been got over ; whereas, in most cases where the cultivator 

 only is kept, work was out of the question. The average quan- 

 tity cultivated per day amounts to about 5 acres. 



The apparatus, consisting of a 10-horse-power engine by 

 Clayton and Shuttleworth, with Howard's cultivator, was pur- 

 chased secondhand in the spring of 1864, at some reduction on 

 cost price. No work had been done by it, however, and therefore 

 for the purposes of this inquiry it will be as well to charge 550/. 

 as the total outlay. The subsequent repairs have been very 



