432 
Steam Culture. 
of plant ah eady given, must ho added the sum paid to Mr. Fowler 
on exchanging my old for improved plant : — 
£. s. d. 
Expended up to Michaelmas last 778 18 10 
Additional sum paid to Mr. Fowler on excliangiug 
old for new plant at Michaelmas last .. .. 40 19 6 
£819 18 4 
Since Michaelmas I have steam-ploughed about 140 acres in 31 
days (and many of these have been short winter days), under the 
influence of a bad season, and much of it being land l^'ing on the 
side of a hill of considerable inclination. Notwithstanding these 
drawbacks, the average day's ploughing, accomplished according to 
this statement, amounts to something above 4^ acres ; and I think 
that, with Fowler's improvements, I am justified in stating that 
(including removals from field to field) I can plough on an average 
5 acres of stiff land in a day ; at a depth of from 4 to 6 inches for a 
corn crop, and from 8 to 10 inches for roots ; or if, instead of 
ploughing, we are using a steam cultivator (or scuffler), our average 
day's work may be put at 10 acres a-day, at a depth of from 8 to 
10 inches. The total area of my arable land is under 400 acres ; 
the amount of steam cultivation that can be beneficially applied to 
it may be thus (approximately) stated : — ■ 
Acres. Days. 
For wheat (one ploughing) 100 .. 20 
For roots (ditto) in the aiTtumn 100 .. 20 
Spring cultivation land (scuffled twice) .. 100 .. 20 
Extra work (foul laud sciiftied once) . . . . 100 . . 10 
For barley (one ploughing) 100 .. 20 
500 .. 90 
In thiis estimating the work done by the steam -cdough in the 
course of the year upon land in my own occupation, I have thought 
it best to base the calculation on some system : I have therefore 
taken the four-coiirse system as my basis, that being the one more 
generall}^ understood ; still I ought to state that, as I by no means 
confine myself to four courses, theamoiuib of ploughing and that of 
cultivation (scuffling) must vary with the seasons. 
The expenses of a day's work at steam-ploughing are as 
follows : — 
£. s. d. 
The engine-man • ■ 3s. 
Plouglimau 2s. Gd. 
Two men, at 2s. 2(1. each 4.s. 4.d. } 0 11 9 
Boy with water-cart Is. 
Extra labour 11<?. 
A liorse with the water-cart 0 3 0 
Half a ton of coal 070 
Oil 0 10 
Total £1 2 y 
