ON THE USE OF STEAM POWER IN FORESTRY. 



271 



Cost of an equal amount of horse power — 



Nine horses, carts, and harness, at L.85, L.765 



Interest on capital, . . . . 30 12 

 Keeping, shoeing, &c, at L.56, 12s. per 



horse, 509 8 



Mne drivers, at L.40 per annum, . . 360 



Total, 



Expense of Steam, 



. L.1665 

 1192 15 2 



Balance in favour of Steam, . L.472 4 10 



In most cases one driver is sufficient for a pair of horses, hut in 

 wood work it is generally found to be more profitable to have a 

 man accompanying each horse ; the nature of the roads and loads 

 demands this. 



Of course a good deal of the profit derivable from the use of 

 steam instead of horses depends upon the management of the loco- 

 motive, especially where one engine would be used for both the 

 sawing and transport of the wood ; for however much work the 

 engine might be capable of doing more than horses of equal expense, 

 yet, if clumsily managed, the profit might be reduced to nil, if not 

 indeed converted into a loss. Still, the management is simple and 

 easy, and, by proper attention, the employment of steam instead of 

 horses may be turned to great advantage, and become a source of 

 profit and satisfaction to the employer. 



The use of the portable steam engine in the manufacture of timber 

 is now common, and its great utility universally admitted. "With 

 the exception of water there is no cheaper motive power, and in 

 most cases it is more advantageous to use steam than water, as the 

 engine can be shifted so as to reduce the cartage to the mill to a 



