The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1870-01-18 00:00:00

DORCHESTER WORKING MEN'S INSTITUTE

The annual mooting was held on Wednesday evening
Mr. G. R. Bowler, the presidept, in the chair, and the
vice president (Mr. Jameson) in the vice-chair. There
was a good attandanoe of members.
The report itated that the income of the past year
was Pe 6s. 4.1. more than in any previous year. There
are 36 honorary and 113 benefit member.. From the
library there have been 1996 trews of hooka. The lee.
lures and entertainments (7) produced £5O 15e. 9d., but
the expenses were £5l 17s.
Thit Wanes sheet showed receipts £ll9 18e. 2d., and
the expenditure £l2O 194. flid., now left owing to the
treasurer Ells. 6p.
The report was adopted.
The officers for the ensuing year were then balloted
for. Mr. Bawler am re.eleeted President, receiving 35
votes: two other members had one each. Ur. Jameson
was for the third time chosen as Vice-President, having
32 votes; another member received three votes and
two others one each. Mr. Pike Wee re-elected Treasurer
by 28 votes. two being the highest number recorded for
any other member. Kr. Case was reshosen as Secre-
tary with 31 vote.; two other members were voted for,
one receiving two, and the other one. The oommittee
were re-elected, although 15 other members received
; V.
Plummer. 28; Mr. Osmond, 26; Mr. Wood, 25; Mr.
Bisgs, 22; and Mr. Edwards, 21.
Choosing papers for the ensuing quarter was the next
business. It was decided to discontinue The Baia, and
have the daily Pall Mall Gaulle. No other change
was made.
After selling the papers—which made better prices
than usual, the past conkers were thanked, and the
meethig ended.

DORCHESTER FARMERS' CLUB,
A meeting of this club was held at the Antelope
hotel, on Saterday evening Irk, when there crux large
attendanceof members. Mr. J. G. Homer presided,Mr.
R. Genie occupied the vicrobair, and there were
present—Mr. R. Damen, Kr. B. Harding. Kr. 0.3.
Venue, Mr. H. Duke, Mr. Wood Homer Kr. H.
Taylor, Kr. T. Chick, Mr. G. Symonds, Mr. .T. Damen,
Mr. B. Pope, Kr. T. C. Saunders, Kr. J. F. Hodges,
jonr., Kr. J. Gilpin, Dr. Aldridge, Kr. T. Homer, Kr.
W. Chick, Kr. W. Atkins, Mr. W. Hawkins, Mr. E.
Horner, Kr. T. Look, Mr. J. Chick, Kr. A. Pope, Kr.
G. W. Homer, Mr. Vine. Mr. Barnes, Mr. W. Taylor,
Kr. E. Harding, Kr. E. Cunnington, Kr. Chileott,
Kr. Homer, Kr. J. Foot, Kr. P. Nara, Kr. Gale, ire.
The President briefly introduced to the meeting Kr.
RICHARDSON, of the firm of Fowler and Co., one of the
three great firma which have been prominent in intro.
clueing steam cultivation, to give a lecture on that
subieet.
Mr. RICHARDSON meld he had great pleasure in Intro-
clociug to their notice the subject of steam cultivation.
Duriug the last ten years he had been one of the firm of
realer and Co., and had been Instrumental In introducing
steam cultivation into several counties. Ile spoke of the Viceroy
Of Egypt as the pioneer in steam cultivation and mid that his
Highness had laid out with Fowler and Co. no lee. than £75,000
In SO double seta of tackle for Egypt. It wax not
his intention to treat of the mechanical part fit the subject of
steam cultivation, for he was aware that many and various
opinions were held respecting the different adaptations noose-
ssry to encounter the greatly varying nature of the soils : but
all deecriptions lavelbeen brobght to • high degreeof perfection,
therefore the farmer has little difficulty in selecting the one
which is more particularly suited to his own immediate require-
ments. Moreover, the system of hiring-out machinery, in the
shape of two powerful traction engines, has made steam cub
Heaton subservient to the wants of all classes of agriculturists,
and, with proper management, the system can and will
monomise materially the working expenses of the farmer.
Haviug noticed the interest felt in steam cultivation, the
removal of prejudice, and the tendency to call forth the mental
(acuities of the labourer rather than his physic il power, he
proposed to consider the subject in four aspect. I, The ad-
vantages to be derived from employing steam power in the
cultivation of the land. 1, The economy which will be effected
In all the tillage operations on the farm. 3, That the work um
be done at preci.ely the propel: time : and 4, most Important of
all, that the produce of he land can be materially increased,
and the cost of production decreased. Under the Apt head, he
referred to the produce obtained by garden culture as the conse-
quence of deep trenching. the thorough loosening and mixing
of the evil, and the &thence of compression aftereerds by the
treading of hums' feet. The the steam cultivator would give
to their fields. The all was thoroughly disiutegrated, the
drainage of strong lands wee aided, the avoidance of all treading
we most valuable, and the rain- a great fertilising agent was
able to percolate freely. There could not be tail freedom if
the subsoil was not broken up, Of lithe land was cornpremed
by the action of the plough irons. A Main of three or four
horses, ploughing a 10-Inch furrow, would leave more than
300,000 foot prints on an acre, nearly covering the ground, and
leaving a bard subsoil beneath the cultivated ground, which
became worse with every successive ploughing at the Seine
depth. On land so consolidated one-third additional draught
was required tor the steam cultivator. With the cultivator
there was no treading of the land, the soil was thrown up in
a loose 'tate, and grated much below the actual depth the
share was working. This had the effect of raising the tempera-
ture of ,the soil. w Web on strong lands was highly beneficial.
But on light .sibi, with which the greatest danger was burning
In dry weather, deep cultivation and I...cuing caused theni
to retain their moisture in • dry season much longer than If
the subsoil ../ what might be termed a board. The root', had
more liberty to penetrate the soil, and could follow the mois-
ture further than was potable under horse cultivation, so they
could withstand drought for a long time Ile was practically
convinced that a root crop depended on the number of cubic
feet of soil the roots could penetrate, and that a grain crop en
light land would stand lip much better, and was not so easily
laid, on • deeply cultivated soil, as on one which was thallow.
A further advantage on light land, was the greater facility
allonled in eradicating curb grimes. The bons implement,
from want of power to go sufficient depth, cut the
couch into small pieces. very frequently leaving the roots
In the ground, which must afterwards rise up in judgment
against the occupier, and being brought up to the surface 1..
small pieces only, the horses' feet while harrowing transplant a
considerable portion of it, which, of course, neceemlatos more
draggingn and numerous other operations. Turning to the
second part of the subject, vie., that by Ream the tillage
operations on the farm can be effected more economically, be
said at preent the cod waa far from being as cheapen it should
Its or would he. In many cams, when steam machinery was
hired the worst and heaviest work waa given It; and before they
could get the maximum of cheapness, they must allow Seam
power to perform all tillage operations. The generality of land
Ii worked by steam power, and kept free from the trampling of
hones, would only moire one very deep cultivation every
fourth or fifth year. The Increase In production bore relatively
• near proportion to the increase in depth of culture; so that
In a soil only worked to mix Inches an additional inch In depth
of cultivation will give nearly a sixth more production. Under
hone culture, in very compact soils, wheat root. were an DM/
the surface as to be thrown out by the mechanical displacement
of freezing and thawing, and, if not utterly destroyed, they
struggle fruitiesely to pierce the unbroken mimed packed
perhispe by the tread of horses for a cersku7 or more, and
finally yield to the blasting power of an early drought, and
become blighted, light, worthkes for seed, and of no
value for bread, culture with proper drainage would
ifm procure exam ion fro most of these liabilities, and, more
imperially on ht soda, from all danger of lose by drought. In
no way would deep cultivation be so cheaply oerforma as by
Means power. Thirdly, be proceeded to show that by delta
cultivation the work of the farm could be done at precisely
the proper tine. He observed the, there are only two
or three month. in which thine operations can be profit-
ably performed, and the fact that horses were in some it:Maness
kept working continually, in order that the smelled number
may be kept, end the work may not fall behind, showed that
the land must often he operated on when very unfit The
agriculturist who farmed by steam could wait till the land was
In proper condition. and, steam being an untiring force, he
could work night and day, if seminary, to complete them
operations for which the season would not tarry. Sthly, be would
point out that's' produce of land would be considerably increased
and the coat of production decreased. In support of the firet
proposition be referred to the farming of the county of Norfolk,
and am to the latter aid he had known an application of one
each of bones to the acre, after steam cultivation for turnips
produce a larger crop than from an implication of two ricks
ater home bone culture,
.assil.the trial was enade In the same

eTai H. &comp-- ird- for this by th-e—oet-e—eack beZmlng Im-
mediately available to the plants through the thorough
pulverization of the moll by steam culture. He found from
.ireful obearratioo and practical experience, that including
intermit on the outlay, depreciation, and repairs, the average
yearly cost of maintaining a set of 'team tackle, working
2,000 acres per year, my nix or eight inches deep, will be 000,
or Se per aere. How many honer would be required to work
2,000 acre*? Allowing a pair of horses can plough one acre
per day, it would require a tam of 20 horses to average ten
acres per day, or 60 acme per week, 240 per month, and they
would be employed between eight or nine month, before they
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bills In eixiseUms—Wlth them 10 te-cTiseis-, with interest and
depeedieloo, will beat lest tertee ma great as the correeponding
items chargeable against the stasis ploughing tackle. The
average produce et eada, La, the emet of the quantity of coals
we should burn in an angles to get out of it work equal to one
horse, or per sere per day would be 7d. Could they maintain
a hone for that sum? Under the horse erten, • calculation
before hand of the coot of the different operations would pro-
bably have to he doubled to amount to the actual coot on
account of wet, days and other contingencies, compelling hien to
keep men, and horses idle. But with hired steam cultivaton the
predawn wan known bef ore the implements went upon the land.
tlrie then
ea, to sum up the advantages derived from the steam
plough, I have cedvoured to Sow that it will cultivate more
deeply, cheaply, and rapidly, leaving a mellower and warmer
soil. Ito rapidity of execution enable, the farmer to cultivate
a larger area at exactly the lime to score the beet possible
resulte In return. It excites • erste:activity and prompitude
amongst the Labourers, and lea& to habits of system and order
In all their operations. It substitute. Artificial or machine
power (always attainable to any extent) for LIAIIII4 power snd
manual labour which are often unattainable to the extent re-
quired. It secure% uniform seeding and ripening of the crop"
for the owe engine can at the Nine of ploughing, also sow and
harrow the ground by having sufficient piwer to draw all the
Implements at once. And in this mode of cultivation- -novel
to perhaps many of you -we shall have pleasure united with
profit, one with enhancement, the dormant earth below made to
revive the exhausted ?AM shove, and all Improved; and, In all
this proem, the mind, as well as the mine, is filled and
boned Bed : for deep cultivation,by which • warm, dry, mellow
and improved soil in produced, is the true acme, the real charm
and test of good fanolug, and is not essoul even to a wise
adaptation of good need to soils. Unless then the farmer keep.
lace with the spirit of the age, uniting art with ecknee and
science with =wheel/lel skill, he will find himself in an inferior
ends, where he will enjoy lens of the blemings, the tree/urea
and refinement' of life, and endure more hard work than any
other clam, for the experience of all enlightened com-
a unities proves thaf,the soseries of life as well as Its
luxuries se cheap/coda and improved in the mine poisirtlon
se the ingenuity of the mind amide* the power of the muxeltai,
and the mechanical powers superwede the animal foreee Then
the nation at large will derive benefit from the increased yield
of crop" ea well as from the fact that the materials to fesi the
I power used in tillage operations, will he drawn from the coal
mine or the forest, indeed of being taken from the produce of
the fields We Mould not be obliged to Import no much aura
no hitherto, sod • larger per-eentage / 4 the crops will be con-
. vetted into food for human beings instead of food for horns
Then will fanners prove benefseton to their country in every
sense for they will not only increase the yield, cheapen the
cost, and lighten the labour of obtaining the nemesis of life,
but they will give convincing proof that they appreciate the
laboun of those who have epent their time, looney , and allergia;
In this eines' attempt to uphold the character of British
sneulture, to maintain her position as a makon on tine ftce of
the globe, and will acknowledge steam cultivation, not only I
fact, but • glorious triumph of human genius over 11101.0 MOULINS
11)&tUar, and one vrtilob, It sooongeOrtU Mere *llll7. &Mk"