298 Agriculture of Hertfordshire. 
Steam Cultivation. — Steam cultivation is of too recent intro- 
duction in Hertfordshire for us to draw any broad conclusions 
from its operation. We saw, however, six or seven instances in 
which it had been adopted by enterprising tenant farmers. 
We are indebted to Mr. John Smyth, of Newsell Bury, for the 
following communication : — " My farm consists of about 700 
acres of arable, of which 540 acres are light land, and about 
160 acres are heavy. The latter, a thin skinned clay, is too 
heavy for roots, and too weak for beans. The whole is farmed 
mainly on the four-course system, but 40 acres are kept in sain- 
foin, which stands for four years. I have an eight-horse engine 
and Smith's tackle ; with this, in harvest, or as soon after as 
possible, I proceed to break up my light land stubble, taking for 
choice any that may be grassy. After exposure to the sun this is 
crossed with the larger implement, and then cleansed from rubbish, 
and finally laid up for the winter in ridges by horse labour. A 
heavy set of harrows across in the spring, and the use of the 
broad share will complete the tilth for turnips, which are drilled 
with superphosphate, dung having been applied to the layers for 
wheat in July, August, and September. After the foul land has 
been dealt with, the layers must be broken up for wheat sowing. 
On my light soil these layers should not be smashed up, because 
we require the solidity which an unbroken furrow slice affords ; 
early sowing is also desirable. Having reduced my horses from 
eighteen to fourteen, I determined to add to my steam tackle 
Howard's three-furrow plough, which makes first-rate work, and 
enables me to push forward the wheat sowing when the foul 
stubbles are cleared and rain has mellowed the clover layers. 
Later in the season I find that the plough makes the best work in 
preparing the clean light land for roots ; it gets over five acres 
per day, at a depth of six inches. In the following March the 
furrows are crossed with Smith's large implement, working rather 
deeper than the plough. In May or June the broad share is used 
to cut down thistles and annual weeds ; harrows, and the Cross- 
kill roller follow, and the turnips are drilled immediately. 
" When fallowing heavy land for wheat, if it be foul, I leave it 
untouched until February or March, when I generally* smash it 
up nine inches deep with Smith's small implement, and leave 
it lying rough until a favourable opportunity, or until the steam 
cultivation is finished on the light lands, when, say in the month 
of May, I cross the work by steam, going down this time to twelve 
inches. The land lies rough again until the summer rains have 
softened the clods, when a heavy set of harrows will at once form 
a tilth. I then apply farnryard manure, cut down thistles by the 
broad share, and harrow down just before the wheat is drilled. 
Forty acres of wheat growing on land treated exactly as I have 
