Coleman.] Report on Steam Cultivation. 391 



the drag-harvows attached to transverse bodkins fore and aft, 

 working on the near side ; the drill on two wheels with a double 

 set of coulters on the off side, kept firm by being attached to the 

 bodkins, and incapable of any direction but that of the frame ; 

 before and after the drill is a light harrow, whilst a small grub- 

 ber, which is changed to either end of the frame, obliterates the 

 wheel-marks of the frame-carriage. The depth of the coulters 

 is regulated by weights. The wheat so drilled had a yellow look, 

 attributable partly to the season. The drills were generally well 

 filled, but frequently ran into each other ; an unavoidable result 

 even on this perfectly level surface, owing to the impossibility of 

 keeping the implement-frame perfectly straight ; in an undu- 

 lating country such operations would be impracticable. Could 

 the drill be steered independently by a fore-carriage and lever 

 this difficulty might be obviated ; and it has been suggested that 

 a broadcast-distributor might be introduced in place of the drill. 

 We understand Mr. Neilson expects to make an improvement in 

 the operation by the use of a marker. We were informed that 10 

 or 1^ acres a day was a fair day's work. The advantage would 

 be not in reduction of cost, but in keeping the horses off heavy 

 land. Besides the implements named, heavier drags are em- 

 ployed, which are worked first when the land is too rough for 

 completion at once. The only work that horses must do consists 

 in ploughing the headlands, drilling the root-crops, and horse- 

 hoeing the same. The roots are removed, and manure can be 

 got on by a portable railway. In the former operation 12 yards 

 are cleaned at once, the roots being thrown inwards on either 

 hand ; i. e., 6 yards each way ; the railway being laid down, 

 work commences from the far-end, and, as fast as the ground is 

 cleared, a man and boy remove the rails, as soon as done with, to 

 the next line, and thus very little time is lost in shifting. All the 

 produce is carted to Liverpool, and manure brought back ; and 

 Avhen extra work is to be done, horses are procured at Liverpool. 

 As a rule, 8 horses are kept, instead of 18 to 20 as formerly at busy 

 times. Without knowing the extent to which extra horses are 

 employed it would be impossible to make any calculation as to 

 the monetary result. On such land the being able to cultivate 

 deeply and efficiently, in seasons even the most unfavourable, must 

 be a great advantage. Having carefully inspected the farm, we are 

 bound to say that the fallows were well ploughed, and the grass- 

 land fairly turned down for oats — not of course so regularly as if 

 horse-ploughed, but sufficiently so to allow of a good seed-bed. 

 The farm was formerly worked on the 4-course shift, now it is 

 principally on the 5-course, mangolds and turnips being followed 

 by potatoes and beans. The operations commonly performed 

 may be thus described : — 



