414 " Report 011 Steam Cultivation. [CoLEMAN. 



No. 132. The question — an important one — is often put, What 

 is the requisite size of a farm to ensure a profitable result? Our 

 visit to Mr. Hemsley, Shelton, Newark, tended to elucidate this 

 point. The occupation now consists of 206 acres* — 138 arable and 

 68 grass. The soil is a clay -loam resting' on red marl — a very 

 fertile soil, naturally sufficiently tenacious to grow wheat and 

 beans, and yet not too strong for root-crops, though the latter are 

 somewhat difficult to eat off. We have said that the soil is 

 naturally fertile ; its productive powers are stimulated to the 

 highest degree by very forcing treatment — a large quantity of 

 cake and corn are consumed, an immense head of stock kept, 

 and great crops of corn grown — so that in reality the produce 

 represents a much larger area, according to ordinary manage- 

 ment. The fields vary from 10 to 25 acres, averaging about 

 14 acres. That it is possible, under such circumstances, to 

 employ steam cultivation without an actual loss, depends upon 

 the economical and constant use of the engine for other purposes 

 — thnishing, driving barn-machinery, 6cc. This is done at 

 Shelton in a manner which it would be difficult to improve upon. 

 To show that we are justified in deducting four-fifths of the cost 

 of the engine as chargeable to other work, we venture to give a 

 short account of its other operations and of the premises on which 

 these are carried out. 



Description of Mr. Hemsley s Premises. 



The engine-house is placed at the middle of the cross section 

 of a X'shaped barn, directly in front of which is the thrashing 

 and dressing machines for corn ; the longer part of the barn being 

 the space for straw. The portable engine used for cultivating is 

 a 10-horse power, double cylinder, bought of Messrs. Tuxford 

 in 1858. 



A short belt from a small pulley on the engine-shaft works one 

 of Appleby's pumps (this belt is thrown off and on without 

 stopping the engine), which supplies a wrought-iron tank placed 

 on the roof of the engine-house, containing about 4000 gallons. 

 A heavy belt, 50 feet long, running very slack, drives the shafting, 

 90 feet long, which runs through the barn-mill, cutting, and 

 mixing places, and is divided into five convenient lengths — two 

 being to the right and two to the left of the main pulley. These 

 pieces of shafting, being connected by clutches, can readily be put 

 in and out of gear, and can be used separately or in conjunction. 



The middle length has only the driving-pulley upon it ; the 

 1st to the right has three pulleys for driving the thrashing and 

 corn-dressing machines. The engine has power to thrash and 



* At the date of purchase, Mr, Hemsley occupied 170 acres in addition to his 

 own farm, which it was contemplated to cultivate. 



