50 THE BOOK OF THE LANDED ESTATE. 



regarding the various kinds of machines which have been invented from 

 time to time with a view to the cultivation of the land by steam, and 

 therefore I shall at once refer to those which are now in use in various 

 parts of the country. As is well known among agriculturists, the 

 machines chiefly employed are Fowler's of Leeds, and Howard's of 

 Bedford, of both of which many sets are now in operation, and the 

 demand for them is decidedly on the increase. The mode of operation 

 in both is somewhat similar, and consists, generally speaking, of a port- 

 able steam-engine, having a drum, on which is wound and unwound a 

 wire rope for hauling the implements, whether ploughs, grubbers, harrows, 

 &c., over the land and along the successive furrows or ridges, between 

 movable anchors, fixed on the opposite sides of the field operated 

 on. The value of steam cultivating machines is generally admitted by 

 those who have them in use, as the depth to which they are able to 

 open up the laud gives them a decided advantage over the horse-plough; 

 but I have heard many complain of the expense of keeping them in 

 repair frequent breakages taking place, which often cause delay. Not- 

 withstanding this, a number of the most eminent agriculturists in the 

 country have them in use, and speak very favourably in regard to the 

 amount of work they can go through, and of the satisfactory way in 

 which they are capable of operating in ploughing, grubbing, and har- 

 rowing. For my own part, I have no doubt of their capability to 

 perform these branches of farm-work, but at what expense, as compared 

 with horse-work, is another thing, and is a point which has not yet 

 been, so far as I am aware of, satisfactorily stated. I am not aware 

 that any attempt has been yet made to take home the crop with the 

 engines employed. A very great advance has, however, been gained 

 by the application of this class of machines to agricultural work, 

 as with them work can be accomplished which could not be done 

 by the use of horses in the ordinary way ; and I have every confidence 

 that ere long after they shall have had a more extended trial in the 

 country, and defects remedied and improvements made in regard to 

 them, so as to make them more generally applicable to all kinds of work 

 they will become the grand motive-power in agriculture. In the mean 

 time, however, they have not arrived at the state of perfection and 

 cheapness which is necessary to warrant fanners generally adopting 

 them as a substitute for horse-power ; but ere long they must come to 

 this, as they have now attained such a position, and are so widely spread 

 over the country, that many keen-sighted observers are interested in 

 them ready to find fault with what may be faulty, and ready, there- 

 fore, to amend whatever may be defective, or to add some decided 

 improvements which had not previously been thought of. 



