to the Cultivation of the Land. 
218 
{"ill state, very pulverulent and open, presentln<j the l;ir<iest pos- 
sible superficies to the influence of the atmosphere, and tlie land 
is certainly verv clean. Farmyard muck will be spread in the 
open rows, artificial manure sown broadcast over all, and then the 
ridges will be split by the double-breast or bouting- plough, and 
mangolds dibbled, which is Mr. Pike's practice. This ridging 
could be performed by the VVoolston implement for the purpose, 
but two horses and man do 3 to 4 acres a day, and by changing 
two sets of horses (working half a day each pair), 4 to 6 acres, or 
even more, may b(! accomplished in a long day. With a 7-horse 
power engine, and latterly with a Clayton and Shuttleworth's 
double-cylinder 8-horsc engine, ]\[r. Pike has done 5 to 7 acres 
a day of breaking-up with the three-tined implement, 6 to 8 
inches deep, and 8 to 10 acres a day of crossing witli the five- 
tined grubber: including the " shifts" and setting-down to fresh 
work, say 30 acres a week of the first and hardest operation. 
The area compassed, at one laying-out of the tackle, has been 10 
acres or more, and 50 acres were embraced in four compart- 
ments, the engine and windlass working from only one station 
in the centre of the field. 
The whole quantity of work done up to the time of my visit, 
is stated in the following letter to Messrs. J. and F. Howard, of 
Bedford, the manufacturers of the implements : — 
" Gentlemen^ — The Smitlvs steam-cultivatinp; apparatus with wliicli you 
supplied me in May last is now laid up for the winter, I am happy to say, in 
i;ood order. In lookins; over the work I liave done with it, I find that I have 
broken up 201 acres, and have crossed 128 acres (in all 329 acres). The cost 
])er acre has varied according to circumstances, but I beg to say I am per- 
fectly satisfied tliat it is not only much cheaper than horse-power, but much 
more efl'ective, inasmuch as we can break Tip the land to a much greater depth, 
and the soil is also looser and moved more thoroughly, owing to the pace being 
so much faster than when horse-power is used." My hand, as yon are aware, 
is unusually strong ; and now that you have strengthened those parts which 
we soon found were required stronger for tliis tenacious soil, I am satisfied 
that both the implements and the system are right for the strong land of this 
country, and must come into general use. 
" I am yours truly, 
" William Puce. 
" P. S. I formerly worked fifteen boises, but have reduced them to eleven, 
and flatter myself I can do with nine." 
This testimony is valuable, as being that of a practical business 
man (without any connexion with the manufacturers, and having 
uo interest in the success of the invention), who spontaneously 
adopted the system from wliat he perceived of its merits, as 
exemplified at Woolston and elsewhere. No precise memoranda 
of expenses have been kept, but we estimate them somewhat as 
follows : — 
