Steam Cullivation. 
335 
vatlon, was let at an average rental of a little under 125. per 
acre. 
A portion liad been shallow drained in the furrows, but pre- 
vious to the employment of steam, the whole was closely drained 
4 feet deep. 
Owing to its stiff, tenacious character, the growth of root-crops" 
was hardly ever attt'niptcd, and a signal failure v*as very generally 
predicted by the local authorities on it becoming known that 
under the new regime roots were to be extensively cultivated. 
In the district annual prizes are offered through the local 
society for the best swede and mangold crops, competition being 
restricted to a radius of ten miles round ; and notwithstanding the 
niany unfavourable anticipations, the first crop of swedes grown 
was so superior, that the first jirize was awarded to it ; and in 
weight it exceeded the second prize crop by 8 tons per acre. 
In the following year the first prize for mangold was awarded 
to a crop giown on this clay soil, and last year, 1862, the first 
prize crops of both swedes and mangolds were grown here. 
A corn crop is supposed to take care of itself — at least no one 
ever hears of a [ rize offered for the encouragement of the growth 
of large crops of corn — consequently we are unable to ascertain 
how we stand in this respect in comparison with our neighbours. 
We will, however, state the result of steam cultivation on a field 
in which the former tenant declared himself unable to glow a 
satisfactory crop of corn, either blight, mildew, or some other 
disaster, always coming between him and his fair hopes. At the 
expirati(m of his tenancy it was very foul, and was summer- 
fallowed before sowing of the wheat crop. The cultivation com- 
prised a first ploughing with the mould-boards on, while in the 
second and third operations of cross cultivation they were removed, 
and the soil scarified only, being thoroughly moved but not turned 
over. A good dressing of farm-yard dung was applied, and covered 
in by a furrow from the steam-plough, and not a single water- 
furrow was drawn in the whole field. In September four acres 
were planted with Hallett's "pedigree" wheat, at the rate oi six 
yints per acre, and the remainder drilled with 7 pecks per acre of 
the "rough chaff" white wheat. The whole field grew vigorously, 
and showed no signs of blight or any other ailment, and the yield 
of the Hallett wheat was 5 qrs. 3 bush, per acie, weighing 60 lbs. 
per bushel ; and that of the other variety 5 qrs. per acre, weighing 
63 lbs. per bushel. 
During the late year, 1862, about 130 acres of wheat were 
grown here, and enough is now thrashed out to prove that the 
average yield of the whole has been quite 4 qrs. of good wheat 
per acre. When the poor condition of the soil, shown liy the 
aforementioned low rent, is taken into account, together with the 
VOL. XXIY. Z 
