THE STEAM ENGINE APPLIED TO PURPOSES OF AGRICULTURE. 
89 
TEE STEAM ENGINE APPLIED TO PURPOSES OF 
AGRICULTURE. 
Within a few years, the steam engine has been 
applied in Great Britain to the purposes of agricul- 
ture with economy and marked success. It has 
been found very useful in threshing, winnowing, 
and grinding grain, crushing linseed, cutting chaff 
and other fodder . for stock, and will do sundry 
other things on the farm or plantation, such as 
grinding apples for cider, pressing cotton and hay, 
grinding sugar cane, sawing wood, pumping water, 
churning butter, &c, &c. 
There are engines made, at present, in a portable 
form, with boilers attached, which can be transport- 
Fig. 26. — Steam Engine. 
ed from one farm to another, at a moderate expense, 
and if necessary, can be employed by night as well 
as by day. All things considered, an engine of 
this kind, cannot be looked upon otherwise than of 
great pecuniary advantage on a farm, as the ex- 
pense for fuel and attendance of running one of 
six horse power, will not exceed 25 or 30 cents per 
hour. 
A three horse-power engine of this discription, 
with boiler, complete, can be had, on application, 
for $500. 
The cost of a ten horse-power engine, like that 
denoted by fig. 26, including boiler, complete, will 
not exceed $2,000. 
The Two Systems of Farming. — Under a low 
standard of agriculture, the object of the farmer is 
to collect the natural produce of the soil with the 
expenditure of as little money or labor as possible. 
But under a high standard, he does not grudge ex- 
pense of labor nor of manure, in order to obtain a 
proportionate increase of produce ; and he studies 
to obtain this by cultivating crops congenial to the 
soil, by growing them in such order that its natural 
powers shall be turned to the best advantage. 
i 
Fact in Farming. — In ordinary land, without 
manure, high tillage, and thorough pulverization 
of the soil, farming will give but poor returns. 
