42 
Ac/riculture of Berkshire. 
near as possible to the yards where it is likely to be wanted. 1 
do not mean to say that no one is ever justified in stacking- in 
the fields corn grown at a great distance from home if the teams 
are required elsewhere ; but I have often seen this done when 
sufficient horses were left in the stable to convey it home, with 
no additional expense except that of an extra boy or- two to drive 
the teams. 
The steam-plough has hitherto been but little used, there being- 
only four in different parts of the county, two of Smith's and two 
of Fowler's ; in each instance they have given entire satisfaction, 
and answered every expectation. From the great number of 
reports that have been published on the subject, embracing the 
experience of the occupiers of every description of land, the 
account of the quantity of work performed, and the proportion of 
horses dispensed with, it is pretty certain that the steam-plough 
will ere long be much more extensively used even in this county, 
where the proportion of strong land, to which it is most applicablej 
is small, if we compare this with other districts. 
Moicin<i and Reapinp Machines. — During the last two summers 
the mowing-machine has been extensively used on meadow and 
pasture land, with very satisfactory results ; but many farmers 
object to them for the upland grasses, more pai'ticularly the clovers, 
as they leave the crop spread over the ground, so that it cannot 
possibly be raked into swathe in such a w ay as to prevent a large 
portion of the leaves being lost under the scorching sun of June 
and July. The reaping-machine has been introduced in several 
instances, but has not been attended with that success which it 
has met with in many other counties : this cannot be attributed 
so much to any defects in the machines as in the parties intro- 
ducing them. No implement of modern times has so taxed the 
ingenuity of the manufacturer as this, so that it requires consider- 
able discretion and nicety of adjustment in working it ; but these, 
however, have not been the only difficulties which the reaper has 
had to overcome. Where it has been purchased solely with a 
view to saving a trifle in labour, or in order to let the discontented 
labourers know that the farmer was independent of them, it is 
not surprising that the result has been altogether unsatisfactory, 
and that an amount of prejudice has been created which time only 
can eradicate ; but, on the other hand, where it has been em- 
ployed with the view of benefiting both parties, it has generally 
been successful, and willing and efficient hands liave been found 
to work it. By using one the last three years, I have been en- 
abled to secure my harvest as quickly as others, and with as little 
expense, without employing an extra hand. There certainly are 
crops which a reaping-machine cannot cut to advantage ; but by 
giving the labourers the benefit of it where it can work, they are 
