CHAPTER XLIX. 



STEAM CULTIVATION. 



George, eighth Marquis of Tweeddale, was the first to call 

 the attention of the Society to the subject of steam cultiva- 

 tion. At the General Meeting on 7th July 1834, the Earl 

 of Buchan stated that a letter had been received from the 

 Marquis, suggesting that the Society should offer a liberal 

 premium for a steam plough, which should be effective. 

 In a former letter, the noble Marquis mentioned that he 

 had seen, in the neighbourhood of London, a machine of 

 this kind. Every communication from Lord Tweeddale re- 

 lating to the agriculture of the country received, as it always 

 merited, the best consideration of the Society, and his Lord- 

 ship's letter was remitted to the attention of the Directors. 



After a prolonged and careful consideration, the 

 Society in 1837 offered a premium of ;^500 for the success- 

 ful application of steam power to the cultivation of the soil. 

 By the cultivation of the soil was to be understood the 

 operations of ploughing and harrowing, or preparing the 

 soil in an equally efficient manner, and the other purposes 

 for which animal power was then used. The success of the 

 invention was to be judged of in relation to its apphcability 

 to the above purposes in the ordinary situations of farms 

 in this country, and to the saving in time, labour, and 

 outlay which it might possess over animal power as then 

 generally employed in the cultivation of the soil. 



In the same year, the attention of the Society was 

 directed to the steam plough invented by the late John 

 Heathcoat, M.P., and a deputation proceeded to witness a 

 trial of it at Red Moss, near Bolton-le-Moors, Lancashire. 

 It succeeded perfectly in the moss in which it was tried, 

 but was not adapted to the ordinary culture of the farm. 



It was afterwards resolved, at an expense estimated at 

 nearly ;^300, to bring down Mr Heathcoat's steam plough 

 and connected machinery to Dumfries, on the occasion of 



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