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XII. — On the Moveable Steam-Enr/ine. 
By P. H. Freke. 
These notes on the moveable steam-engine arc designed for the 
information of farmers who reside in those parts of Enghmd 
where it is not jet naturalized ; where, consequently, the prices 
charged for work done have not yet been properly adjusted, or 
the cost and liabilities incurred for repairs and renovation 
adequately determined. Such readers may gather useful hints 
from details which to others may appear commonplace. They 
must bear in mind, however, that the experience recorded has 
been drawn from a neighbourhood where the yield of grain is 
large in proportion to the bulk of the straw grown ; where the 
land is chiefly arable, and, therefore, much employment is pro- 
vided for the machine in a small circuit ; where the farms, also, 
are large, so that the work goes on consecutively for several days 
without the delay and waste of time caused by removal ; and 
Avhere the occupation-roads, though not good, are passable. 
Each reader must, therefore, decide for himself what allowance 
he must make in applying the conclusions arrived at to his own 
neighbourhood. 
In the eastern counties the hired steam-engine is now in such 
general use that competition has done its work ; prices have 
found their level, and the same profits cannot be made as 
rewarded the enterprising men who first set them going, or even 
the owner of the solitary horse-power machine of the district, in 
times gone by. Where the engine and machine have been pur- 
chased with judgment, a good model and sound workmanship 
have given a fair profit ; but several men, possessed of small 
capital and little knowledge, have lost money by the speculation, 
by their want of discretion. To show how loss is incurred, I may 
state that I bought a machine for 105/., worked it for 3 months, 
found that it was not up to the mark, laid it by for a time, and 
then returned it to the maker, who gave me 10/. for it. Bad 
debts, too, will arise ; I have had one of about 50/. 
As regards the amount of work done, 40 quarters of grain may 
be considered an average yield from one day's wheat-threshing from 
.sheaves chiefly mown. This will increase in a good year up to 
45 quarters from mown wheat, and 55 quarters from reaped corn. 
We once threshed in a day of 10 hours, at Michaelmas, 75 
quarters of wheat. For barley, a yield of 35 quarters is reckoned 
a fair day, and 40 quarters a good day for say 8t hours' work in 
autumn and winter. 52^ quarters is our maximum : they were 
threshed in March. 
The regular price of the district was Is. per quarter for wheat 
