62 Report on Messrs. Prout and MiddleditcKs 
Instead of following the present prevailing- practice of laying 
down land to grass, irrespective indeed of its fitness, better 
results might often be secured by the more extensive use of 
thorough steam-cultivation, whilst the ploughing up and subse- 
quent good management of inferior grass-land will frequently 
afford profits sufficient to buy the land in ten years. 
Submitted to the critical test of figures, how has Mr. Middle- 
ditch's farming paid? Will the money, so liberally invested, 
bring a fair percentage ? On the credit side of the account- 
may be set down a return of 10/. per acre. Many years' experi- 
ence, both at Blunsdon and at Sawbridgeworth, have shown that 
this average may be depended on. Four and a half quarters of 
wheat may be realised, and even at 45s. this nets 10/. 2s. 6(/. 
Oats and barley have, of late years, maintained about the same 
acreable value. 
Turning to the debtor side of the account. The land, with 
its draining and other improvements, has cost nearly 90/. an 
acre ; to secure for this outlay an adequate return, 3/. is charged 
as rent ; 25. 6c?. per acre goes for rates. Ploughing, harrowing, 
drilling, and hoeing absorb about 20s. ; seed, 15s. ; about 40s, 
will be required for manures, consisting of about 3 cwt. dis- 
solved bones and 1 cwt. nitrate of soda ; whilst 10s. must be set 
down for auction expenses. Mr. Middleditch furnishes me with 
the following details : — 
£ s. d. 
Rent and rates ■ 3 2 6 
Steam -ploughing 08 0 
Steam-dragging 0 3 0 
Drilling * .. .. 0 2 6 
Seed 0 15 0 
HaiTOwing 0 16 
Artificial manures 2 0 0 
Horse- and hand-hoeing 0 4 0 
Auctioneer's sale expenses 010 0 
Total £7 6 6 
The figures above detailed indicate that Mr. Middleditch 
derives a profit of nearly 55s. per acre, — a tolerably satisfactory 
return for his expenditure, skill, and labour. It is very doubtful, 
however, whether similarly handsome profits could everywhere 
be depended on. Whore steam has to be hired, or horses used, 
the expenses of cultivation would probably be trebled. Further, 
to secure thorough cleanness on most soils, an unremunerative 
bare fal]o\y or expensive root-crop would occasionally be required, 
which, if recurring every seven years, would add another 2i)s. to 
the expenses, and swallow up profit. On the other hand, some 
items of the above expenditure might be reduced. Sixty shillings 
