324 
Steam Cultivation. 
ploughed with horses, followed by a man with a grub-axe, to 
eradicate any root that may have been overlooked in grubbing ; 
yet, notwithstanding the utmost care, breakages of some sort 
usually occur in the first crossing. 
Across the deep-furrowed ridges the smooth working of the 
plough will be much facilitated by commencing at the furrows 
with a horse-plough and going two or three times round them, 
which not only tends to level but also ensures their thorough 
cultivation.* 
Our second season gave as a result 631 acres ploughed, the 
average, including removals, being rather over four acres per 
day. 
The work of our last season commenced on the 2nd day of May, 
and terminated on the 21st day of November, 1862. The number 
of days in which steam was got up for work or removal was 129. 
On two of those the fire was put out after trial, on account of the 
land being too wet for work. On two days a stoppage took place 
when about half a day's work had been done, from a defect in 
the pump. We had five broken days from rain, the men making 
time for three days out of the five. If from the 129 we deduct 
5 for lost time, Ave have remaining 124 days in which was com- 
pleted the work of the season, amounting to 502 acres, averaging 
a little over four acres per day. 
Of these upwards of 400 acres were worked to a full average 
depth of 9 inches, and the remainder about 7 inches. Since we 
did not find any difference in the power required to move the 
implement, whether it was fitted up with mouldboards as a plough 
or with short breasts and used as a scarifier, there is no need to 
distinguish the amount of work done by either mode. 
To those familiar with the annals of steam-cultivated farms, as 
recorded in the columns of our weekly agricultural journals, this 
average will seem a very poor one ; but acreage alone is ijo cri- 
terion of the extent of the work done, whilst it will be seen, from 
figures hereafter detailed, that even with this seemingly small 
average the economy of steam-power in comparison with horse- 
work has been very, considerable. 
Breakages and Stoppages, 
If, as subsequent details show, we estimate our daily outgoings 
when at work with the steam-plough at SO*., it is clear that when 
hindrances or stoppages are of frequent occunence, the economy 
of the system will be endangered. 
Any farmer who has studied the labour-question, especially 
that of horse-labour, and has felt how results are stealthily im- 
• If the drains had been treated in the same manner, like results would have 
followed.— T. O. W. 
