The Development of Agricultural Machinery. 273 
cases as to set figm-es at defiance and turn every so-called 
calculation into an estimate. Still the mind craves for some 
demonstration of the economic value of implements stated in 
terms of cash, and buttressing such presumptions as arise from 
the question " Who buys all the implements, and why ? " 
Mr. J. Evelyn Denison, M.P., attempted such an answer in 
a report to the British Government upon the agricultural section 
of the Paris Exhibition which was printed in the Journal 
(Vol. XVII. 1st Series, p. 33). He says that since it may be 
thought by some that too much stress has been laid on their 
value, it might be worth while to examine the point more 
closely ; and he therefore proceeds to show the saving that might 
be effected on a farm of 200 acres of arable land (at a rental of 
25s. per acre), drained and laid into fields of a suitable size by 
the use of good implements. " All land," he says, " is ploughed 
at least twice a year. The difference in labour between plough- 
ing drained or undrained land is very great. It would be an 
estimate much below the mark to put it at Is. per acre for each 
ploughing — for the year 2s. per acre. 
" The next process would be sowing the seed. On the old 
system 2\ bushels of seed-wheat would be sown broadcast per 
acre. On the new system, with an improved drill, 1J bushel 
would be sown, with better results. There would be a saving, 
therefore, of 1 bushel per acre on the 50 acres sown with wheat, 
which, at 7s. per bushel, amounts to 111. 10s., or per acre over 
the whole area Is. 9d. On 50 acres of barley there would like- 
wise be a saving of 1 bushel of seed per acre, which, at 4s. per 
bushel, would give a saving per acre of Is. 
" Next comes the preparation of the grain for the market. 
There are to be threshed the produce of 50 acres of wheat, at a 
yield of 4 quarters only per acre — 200 quarters ; of barley, 
50 acres, at a yield of 5 quarters per acre — 250 quarters. The 
cost of threshing wheat by the flail, and dressing, is 4s. per 
quarter ; by an improved steam machine, Is. 6d. ; saving on 
200 quarters of wheat 251., or per acre 2s. 6d. The. cost of 
threshing barley by the flail is 3s. per quarter ; by steam 
machine 2s., saving on 250 quarters 12?. 10s., or per acre 
Is. 3d. 
" Total saving by the use of drill and threshing-machine, 
8s. 6d. per acre, or one-third of the rent, 25s." 
It will be observed that the saving effected by the reaping- 
machine is excluded from this estimate, which might, otherwise, 
be correctly stated as half, instead of one-third the rent. 
Mr. Philip Pusey made a pronouncement on this question in 
the extremely able and comprehensive Report upon Implements 
