Coleman.] Report on Steam Cultivation. 415 



dress for market from three to five quarters per hour of a bulky 

 mown crop of corn, and to cut up at the same time about two- 

 thirds of the straw. The 2nd length of shafting to the right has 

 three pulleys upon it: one drives Richmond and Chandler's 

 large-sized straw-cutters, fixed at right angles close to the top of 

 the straw-elevator ; another pulley, with a light belt, works a 

 chaff-riddle and screen under the cutter ; and a third pulley is for 

 driving Bentall's pulper. 



The 1st length of shafting to the left runs across the bay of the 

 barn in which the corn is unloaded for thrashing, and in the 

 centre of it is fixed a pulley to drive a portable saw-bench. At 

 the end of it is the mill-pulley for driving a pair of 4 feet 6 inches 

 grey stones ; and the 2nd length of shafting, to the left, drives a 

 cake-breaker, linseed rollers, and a chaff-cutter, by Cornes, for 

 cutting hay for cart-horses, which falls convenient for the stables. 



By the position of the straw-cutting machine very little labour 

 is required to move the straw from the shaker into the machine. 

 This machine is supplied with three simple means of throwing 

 it in and out of gear. The screening of chaff is found of great 

 use in taking out a large quantity of dust and dirt, which would 

 otherwise go into the stomachs of the cattle ; the screen delivers 

 the cut straw at the end of the mixing place, a pipe from the 

 water-tank runs overhead, by which the chaff is always moistened 

 with a dilution of rape-cake. The carts containing roots (which 

 were cabbages when we saw them) are shot up close to the pulper, 

 and are put into it by a woman with a hand-fork. The pulp falls 

 into the middle of the mixing-place and by one movement is 

 mixed with the moistened chaff. 



The food is thrown into a waggon lowered into the centre of 

 the place from a tramway of light metals, which are placed 

 above the heads of all the cattle ; the waggon when filled is 

 raised in a very simple way by means of a counter-balance to 

 the tramway, and a turn-table allows two lengths of sheds and 

 boxes containing 50 beasts to be fed in less than 15 minutes. 

 The water pumped by the engine into the tank is conveyed by 

 iron pipes to these cattle. 



A small wrought-iron cistern is fixed under the tank, and by 

 means of a ball-cock keeps all the troughs about the premises 

 at the same height. Most of the premises are spouted into the 

 well : the natural water is extremely hard. 



A pipe with tap from the main tank conducts the water into a 

 feed-tub under the engine, which supplies it exactly at the rate 

 that the engine requires ; the tub is thus always kept full : the 

 exhaust steam keeps the water nearly at boiling heat before it is 

 forced into the boiler. In practice this is found of great service, 

 the supply and demand being so nicely regulated that they will 



