136 THE ADVANTAGES OF 



power to the drilling and harrowing in of seeds on heavy 

 soils, especially in wet seasons, as the injurious effects of 

 trampling by horses is therefore avoided. 



SYSTEMS OF STEAM CULTIVATION. 



Of the many schemes and systems of steam cultivation 

 which have been practically brought before the public two 

 only (and those the simplest) have proved themselves 

 successful. In both of these the traction power is trans- 

 mitted to the implement through a steel wire rope winding 

 upon a drum. In the one plan the two winding drums are 

 fixed in a windlass frame, and connected to a stationary 

 steam-engine, which can be' worked from one corner of a 

 field. One end of each rope being made fast to the plough, 

 the implement is drawn backwards and forwards by the 

 drum pulling alternately, and the pulley, sheaves, and anchors 

 at each end of the furrow move forward as the implement pro- 

 ceeds. In the other system, each of the winding drums is 

 placed under the boiler of a self-moving steam-engine, and 

 one engine at each end of the furrow alternately pulls the 

 plough towards* it, while the other moves forward into posi- 

 tion ready for the return. These two systems are known as 

 the single-engine or roundabout, and the double-engine or 

 direct method of steam cultivation. 



In noticing these two methods of working we shall take 

 the double-engine system first. It must be understood, 

 however, that any method of steam cultivation must needs 

 involve considerable modification in detail to work equally 

 advantageously under all circumstances. Under most other 

 machinery a steam cultivating apparatus is required to work 

 under greatly varying conditions, and often under circum- 

 stances where nothing whatever has been done to assist its 

 introduction. The general formation, the condition and 

 requirements of the country, the nature of the soil, the size 

 and arrangement of the holdings, and the available capital, 

 are all items which influence the application of steam- 

 ploughing machinery, and may demand important modifica- 

 cations in its construction. 



THE DOUBLE-ENGINE SYSTEM. 



Fowler's direct method of working is illustrated in Fig. 85. 

 It includes two self-moving engines with winding drums, 

 800 yards of steel rope, and the necessary implements. The 



