638 = 372 Practical Agriculture. 
Messrs. 
Howard's 
machinerv. 
The double- 
engine system 
Horses dis- 
placed. 
Messrs. 
Howard's 
farms on 
boulder clav. 
itself forward along a fixed headland rope, but in a directioi 
opposite to that of the headland ply of the ploughing-rope — th 
arrangement giving special security to the position of the anchoi 
Messrs. Fowler place their windlass, with its two self-coilin 
rope-drums, on vertical axes, enabling the ropes to be led ofT i 
any angular direction alongside the engine, and they drive by 
spindle with universal joints. Messrs. Howard place thei 
windlass — having drums on horizontal axes — at the rear of 
portable engine, temporarily connecting the two in the simple; 
possible manner by a single belt, and the ropes are diverted i 
direction by guide-sheaves attached to the front of the erigim 
Messrs. Barford and Perkins place their windlass — also havin 
drums on horizontal axes — in line with the engine, and drive 
by an endless pitch-chain. In each case the result is thi 
anchor-men are dispensed with, the engine-driver reverses th 
action of the windlass at the end of each journey of the imph 
ment ; and thus only two men, namely, the engine-driver an 
the ploughman, are required to work the present " roundabout 
apparatus, with the addition of a boy to shift rope-porter 
The self-moving engine, with travelling anchor on the opposi 
headland is not so extensively used as the stationary-engir 
plan upon medium-sized and small farms ; and for large farm 
the double-engine system is being very widely adopted. Tl 
double-engine method is almost the only one employed i 
executing tillage-work for hire ; many contractors owning the 
three, four, or up to more than a dozen sets of machinery. Tl 
power of the engines varies from the so-called " six-horse " i 
to fourteen-horse power, in reality being equal to the work 
double or triple that number of horses. 
On steam-cultivated farms the number of horses displacf 
is frequently one-third to two-fifths, while those retained a 
relieved of their most laborious work. 
It may be remarked that early estimates of the probable cf 
of wear and tear and depreciation have been proved by loi 
experience to be excessive ; and that, with such powerfully ai 
admirably constructed machinery as that of Messrs. Fowh 
Messrs. Howard, and other makers, the total cost' of tillage 
steam-power, when under fair management, is probably not mc 
than one-half to two-thirds that by horses. 
The Britannia farms of Messrs. James and Frederick Howai 
of Bedford, afford a fine example of improvement by steal 
husbandry on the boulder clay. Clearing of forest timber a 
underwood, abolition of old boundaries, throwing field to fif 
and planting new fences, the formation of direct hard-me 
roads in place of winding clay lanes or across newly open 
