Steam Culture. 
413 
from noting the time required to fill a few sacks without inter- 
ruption — an instance which may perhaps serve us for a guide as 
well as an illustration. The reputed average day's work is here 
practically fixed at 70 sacks, by the alternative offer commonly 
made to the hirer, of 355. per day, or Qd. per sack ; although in 
theory 10, 11, or even 12 sacks may be threshed in an hour : 
so that the day of 10 hours ouglit to produce half as much work 
again as is practically accomplished. 
2ndly. — These calculations are commonly based on the estimate 
of 200 days' work done in a year ; but under what conditions 
(especially with great dispatch of work) is such an amount of 
employment to be reckoned on? If on the lands occupied by the 
owner, must not that occupation be quite exceptional ? if on the 
lands of several occupiers, will not the condition of hiring be 
introduced, and necessitate the revision of many items in conse- 
quence of the greater cost of removals and the less economical 
conditions under which the workmen (and perhaps the engine 
itself) are engaged ? 
In making these calculations it must not be overlooked that, 
supposing book-estimates to be right as to the amount of plough- 
ings, draggings, harrowings, rollings, &c., which went to making 
a fallow, not on foul spots only, but throughout the shift, yet 
that the operations performed by steam-power being more ef- 
fectual, will be fewer in number. Consequently, whether I 
demur or not to such an estimate stated as an axiom, as that a 
farm of 600 acres has 1000 to be ploughed annually, I cannot 
anticipate that for steam-power the same amount of work would 
be provided on that area. 
The number of days' work, then, which will be furnished in 
the year on such a farm will have to be diminished, but the 
annual charge cannot be reduced in like proportion, and must 
therefore be assessed at a somewhat higher rate upon each work- 
ing day. 
It is very easy to say, set down 15 or 20 per cent, on the out- 
lay for wear and tear, that being the general allowance for ma- 
chinery ; but how different are the nature and prospects of those 
different objects which come under the common name of ma- 
chinery ! Some machines are so thoroughly established that we 
can fairly reckon on their being worn out before they are laid 
aside. In other cases the manufacturer is indifferent about their 
export, because he feels pretty sure that they will be superseded 
at home before they come into general use abroad. Again, 
machines (even twins) differ as much in quality and durability 
as any two horses, and in the smaller class it is harder to strike 
an average. Again, how much depends upon usage and 
management, and yet in our case it has been shown that agricul- 
2 F 2 
