Steam Cultivation. 
617 
the plough. The extra poM er required, as tested by a dynamometer, 
to move the anchor was only half a horse-power, as the rope was 
rimning around the anchor 66 feet, and moving the anchor only one 
foot forward. Consequently it acted as a greatly reduced multiplier. 
The time reqiiired to move the engine forward and to turn the plough 
is only fifteen seconds, which is quicker than any paii* of Scotch 
horses could tm-n. 
The process of travelling the engine from field to field, or along 
the road, is extremely simple. We have never had any difficulty 
whatever ; and I would as soon trust my men to take an engine from 
field to field as I would trust them with a one-horse cart. One argu- 
ment which has been urged against the use of steam is, that if you do 
away with horses, you will not have sufficient to do your harvesting, 
Now, in the North it is the custom, the moment they begin harvest, 
to turn out half theii* horses, and use very few of them with cart's; 
and if you make your ricks in the field, you easily get over that 
difficulty. I myself have had but eight horses on a fine harvest, and 
by making the ricks in the field they have been enough to cart the 
com upon a farm of 800 acres. When ricks are made on the gi-ovmd 
in the field dm-ing the summer months, the mice do them much less 
damaga than when they are placed on staddles. 
I would strongly recommend any gentleman who detennined upon 
adopting steam-cultiu-e, not to ciiltivate too deeply or suddenly at 
first. 
The Boydell system of ti'avelling over the Land is altogether out of 
the question, because of the large amount of power consumed to 
propel the engine, ploughs, &c., and the damage which is done by 
pressing the land. I would advise you to have ample power, for I 
find that sometimes in the same field I come upon a piece of clay, 
which requires double the power necessary to go thi-ough the adjacent 
gravel or stone-bi-ash. Double power is also reqiiired where couch 
exists — a very good reason, I think, why couch should be eradicated. 
Since I have mentioned Mr. Fowler's tackle, it is no more than 
justice to that gentleman for me to state in conclusion that I consider 
he is deserving of the very best thanks of the country for the skill 
and energy, as well as the large amount of capital, which he has 
brought to bear in carrying out steam cultivation to a successful issue. 
For my own part, I could not consent to retiu-n to the old system of 
cultm-e upon any consideration. In fact, I would as soon pay rent 
for a farm, and use steam, as have a farm of my ovm for life under the 
old system. I look forward with confidence to the period when steam 
will completely finish all the operations upon the land at one time, 
and thus entirely abolish summer fallow. Seeing is believing ; and 
although my farm is not the Land of Goshen, nor yet the Garden of 
Eden, if any gentleman in this room is inclined to embark in steam 
culture, and would like to see what changes I have made in my occu- 
pation, I shall be most happy to show them to him. 
I 
Mr. Dent, M.P. : As on Monday last I saw Howard's cultivator in 
operation at Bedford, and was pleased with the results, I should like 
