244< Hints for Experiments. 



If small farmers could not afford to purchase steam ploughs or steam 

 harrows, a class of men would arise, after a trial was made and their value 

 determined, who would possess such machines, and work them for the farm- 

 ers for hire. There would be 'nothing in such an arrangement more than 

 a new application of the principle of the division of labour. 



Possibly the progress of civilisation, refinement, and wealth, in con- 

 sequence of the unrestricted commercial intercourse of all countries, and 

 the universal diffusion of knowledge among all ranks, may ultimately tend 

 to what may be called a characteristic appropriation of the earth's surface ; 

 that is, to the employment of varied and agreeable surfaces, in favourable 

 climates, as human residences ; and of flat, dull, mountainous, or unhealthy 

 surfaces for the growth of corn, timber, or fuel, and the breeding of live 

 stock. The power of steam would cultivate the flat surfaces, and convey their 

 produce from one end of a kingdom to another as easily and rapidly as 

 men and horses now convey the produce through a parish ; and, as Dr. 

 Arnott observes, the house and grounds of a citizen of London, now twenty 

 miles from town, would, by the rapidity of conveyance, become in effect 

 within two miles. But, if such a result, in regard to the world generally, is 

 very remote, it will hardly be denied that it is a very possible case in regard 

 to Europe ; and it will not occupy much space to notice the suitableness of 

 the surface cf Europe for such an arrangement. No country is in almost 

 every part so well adapted for human residences as England : even Italy 

 has its unhealthy districts ; and there are extensive plains in Spain, France, 

 Germany, and Russia, better adapted for bearing corn, than for that kind of 

 domestic agriculture adapted to the country residences of men of leisure. 

 By far the greater portion of Russia is, from its climate and flat surface, 

 totally unfit for the elegant or even comfortable enjoyment of a country 

 life ; taking the average of its whole extent, it may be said to be half the 

 year under snow ; spring and autumn are in a great measure wanting, and 

 the midday heat of summer is as great as in Italy : the inhabitants, there- 

 fore, are necessarily without most of the elegant enjoyments of agriculture 

 and gardening, and without most of the natural beauties of country scenery. 

 But the whole territory, from the Baltic to the Black Sea, is admirably- 

 adapted for the culture of corn ; and this, in a great degree, for the very 

 reasons why it is so ill adapted for rural enjoyment. In consequence of 

 the prolonged covering of snow, no soil is prepared for the seed with so 

 little labour ; none requires so little manure ; none is so free from root 

 weeds ; and no surface is more even, less in want of draining or irrigation, or 

 less liable to suffer from drought or rain. All these circumstances are 

 particularly favourable for the culture of annual plants. Corn is an annual 

 which comes rapidly to perfection, and therefore can be grown in as great 

 abundance in Russia as in France and Spain, and far better than in Ger- 

 many, where the soil is in many parts arid. Russia, therefore, seems formed 

 by nature to be the corn and potato field of Europe ; and, if ever this 

 should take place, the employment of steam in agriculture will there be 

 exhibited to as great advantage as its employment in manufactures is in 

 England. But we shall submit to much of what we have advanced being 

 called wild speculation, provided we shall hear of some one adapting the 

 steam-engine to the plough or harrow. 



A Lamp, with what, in popular language, may be called a glass wick, on 

 the principle lately discovered, though not yet perfected, but likely to lead 

 to the most important results, will be a most valuable article in small 

 green-houses, and in the tiny pits and frames of amateur gardeners like 

 myself. It might be employed during the day to heat a large vessel of 

 water, which material, as it gives out its heat very slowly, would keep the 

 surrounding atmosphere warm during the night. — A Horticultural Apothe~ 

 cary, Sept. 28. 



