4G0 
Farming of Cornwall. 
Agricultural Implements. 
85. The construction of the agricultural implements generally 
in Cornwall, within the last few years, is very good — the Cor- 
nish being very ingenious in contriving those best suited to their 
wants, and although not turned out of hand in " Messrs. Ran- 
some's best style," many of them may claim the merit of origi- 
nality, and, in point of usefulness, might compete with those of any 
county in England. The old lumbering wooden ploughs are fast 
giving place to iron ones; and the swing-plough, wheel-plough, 
turn-wrest plough, and skim-coulter ploughs, are now made on the 
most approved construction, and found on most farms where any 
pretensions to good husbandry exist. The scarifiers, turnip and 
manure-drills, turnip-cutters, and horse-hoes, are made on the 
same principle as those in most repute. Many of our thrashing- 
machines are exceedingly well made, being built of cast iron, and 
will thrash 40 bushels of wheat or 60 bushels of barley in an 
hour. We have a great many thrashing-machines worked by 
water-power, its advantages over horse power being very consider- 
able, as the motion is more regular, and the work better and 
more cheaply and quickly done. But it frequently happens that 
ample water-power cannot be obtained, and in a few instances 
steam-power has been had recourse to. We have three thrashing- 
machines worked by steam in our own district ; one of tliem has 
been worked on Trewithen Farm for the last 30 vears. I have 
given a drawing of a steam-engine of six-horse power, adapted to 
farming purposes, constructed by Mr. Sims, of Redruth, on his 
patent improved principle, which is a very great improvement on 
the common ••high pressure engines" in the saving of coals of 
full 50 per cent. ; the expense of fuel not exceeding 'i^d- per hour. 
The price of one of these engines varies from 180/. to 200/. In 
addition to the principal object for which it is intended — thrashing 
of corn — it can easily be applied to a variety of subordinate pur- 
poses, such as the shaking of straw, winnowing and bruising of 
grain, chatting of straw, grinding of malt, of oil-cake and rape- 
cake, and bones ; and in addition to all this it can easily be adapted 
to the steaming of turnips, potatoes, and chaff, by applying 
the steam from the engine-boiler for this purpose — and thus a 
complete steaming apparatus for the cooking of food for cattle, 
horses, and pigs, may be cheaply and easily obtained. 
86. The review of Cornish agriculture — its past and present con- 
dition, and its future prospects — is thus ended. I f there be aught 
amidst its imperfections on which I may be pardoned for indulg- 
ing a feeling of conscious satisfaction, it is the fearless, candid - 
opinions and advice I have offered to both landlord and tenant, as 
