380 Five Years Progress of Steam Cultivation. 
mon portable engine, it appeared (in the course of the trials) that 
the latter (if cultivating at the rate of about an acre per hour in 
motlerate-sized enclosures) woukl. lose more than two hours everv 
other dav in removing to fresh ground half a mile off, if 4 horses 
were employed for the operation ; or it would require 8 horses in 
order to shift in about one to one-and-a-half hours. On the other 
hand, a couple of self-travelling engines would move the same 
distance in twenty-five minutes, without any horse at all : while 
a sinarle locomotive engine with an anchorag-e would take a longer 
O o o 
time than this, but equally dispense with the assistance of horse- 
flesh. Comparing the amount of labour required, we find the 
stationary-engine apparatus to be manned as follows : — Mr. 
Smith's, 6 men ; Messrs. Howard's, 5 men and 2 bovs ; and 
^Ir. Haves', 4 men and 2 boys. The moveable engine employs 
hands as follows : — Mr. Fowler's separate-drum tackle, 3 men 
and 3 bqvs ; Mr. Fowler s other tackle, 2 men and 3 bovs ; 
[Messrs. Coleman's apparatus, 5 men and 2 bovs. Mr. Fowler's, 
like Messrs. Savory's twin-engine plan, is worked by 3 men and 
2 bovs. In all cases the labour of water-carting is additional. 
As regards the relative cost per acre of a given operation, I con- 
sider that no accurate test was furnished by indurated ground torn 
up into pieces of all sizes, and at average depths which, after the 
most careful measuring in a few spots, must remain open to 
differing individual opinions. ]Mr. Fowler's moveable 10-horse 
engine, and Messrs. Howard's stationary 10-horse engine, com- 
pleted their equal plots (of less than 2 acres) in verv nearly the 
same time, with about equal consumption of fuel ; but the 
former worked five tines at once, and the latter only three. Mr. 
Smith's stationary lO-horse engine, with a 3-tined cultivator, 
working at the same depth as the other two, and making the 
most efficient tillage, burned somewhat more coal, and occupied 
one-half more time. Messrs. Savorv's two 10-horse engines 
finished their plot in rather less time than either Messrs. 
Fowler or Howard's machines, but with nearlv two-thirds more 
coal. In turn-over ploughing 1^ acres each, Messrs. Savorv, 
Fowler, and Howard, occupied nearly equal times. In culti- 
vating a little over If acres each at Wadborough, Mr. Smith's 
10-horse tackle consumed the least coal, but took the longest 
time ; Mr. Fowler's 14-horse engine expended both the least time 
and smallest quantity of fuel ; Messrs. Howard's 10-horse tackle 
consumed a trifle more coal, and was considerably longer in 
doing the work : and Messrs. Savory s two 10-horse engines, 
while taking less time than Messrs. Howard's, burnt considerably 
more fuel. But the unavoidable absence of reliable dynamo- 
metrical tests, and the Imjwssibillty of assigning any exact value 
to the several degrees of effectiveness in the different works, 
