210 CHRONICLES OF A CLAY FARM. 



necessary to the manual, but not to the mechanical 

 agent. For the same reason whenever it is applied 

 to till the earth, it will antiquate every instrument 

 that cultivates l>y traction, because traction is not 

 only not necessary to cultivation, but is inherently 

 mischievous on other grounds, apart from the clum- 

 siness, inaccuracy, and incompleteness of the work 

 it turns out. 



" But THE STONES ! There is much fear expressed 

 for the teeth of the circular-cutting implement I 

 have described, when they come in contact with 

 stones. The objection would have been equally 

 valid, at first sight, against the use of the Plow or 

 the Scuffler. Let me see the instrument in use 

 where there are no stones (and there are plenty 

 of broad acres in England of this class ; ) and it will 

 not be long before it gets upon the others. If it 

 costs five pounds an acre to clear them out, it must 

 be done, and would in such case, well pay to-do it. 

 But the truth is that the instrument itself suggests 

 the kind of machine which, with a little adaptation 

 (greater power and slower motion,) might perform 

 this preliminary service at the least expense. If 

 land is to be like a garden in one respect, I see no 

 good reason why it should not in all. I do not 

 think stones will stand long in the way of Steam, or 



