AGRICULTURAL ENGINES. 



" Four horses at 5s. each, gives 20s. Cost of coal, 2s. (id. as 

 witli 20s. for horses. 



" I remain, Sir, 



" Your obedient servant, 



" KICHARD TREVITHICK." 



"(.'OUXWALL, Fclii-wmj 20M, 



" Having been requested to witness and report on the effect 

 of steam applied to work a mill for thrashing corn at Trewithen, 

 we hereby certify that a fire was lighted under the boiler of the 

 engine five minutes after eight o'clock, and at twenty-five minutes 

 after nine the thrashing mill began to work, in which time 

 1 bushel of coal was consumed, That from, the time the mill 

 began to work to two minutes after two o'clock, being four hours 

 and three-quarters, 1500 sheaves of barley were thrashed clean, 

 and 1 bushel of coal more was consumed. We think there was 

 sufficient steam remaining in the boiler to have thrashed from 

 50 to 100 sheaves more barley, and the water in the boiler was 

 by no means exhausted. We had the satisfaction to observe 

 that a common labourer regulated the thrashing mill, and in a 

 moment of time made it go faster, slower, or entirely to cease 

 working. We approve of the steadiness and the velocity with 

 which the machine worked ; and in every respect we prefer the 

 power of steam, as here applied, to that of horses. 



(Signed) " MATTHEW EGBERTS, Lainellyn. 

 " THOMAS NANKIVILL, Golden. 

 " MATTHEW DOBLE, Barthlever." 



This first high-pressure steam thrashing machine was 

 working on the 13th February, 1812, at Trewithen, 

 the property of Sir Christopher Hawkins, as proved by 

 Trevithick's drawing of the machine, his account of the 

 work performed, and the report of the three wise men 

 that the power of steam was preferable to the power of 

 horses. Its first cost was less than that of a horse 

 machine ; but to make the calculated amounts come 



