The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1872-07-13 00:00:00

STEAM CULTURE AND CLAY SOILS.

Mr. F. W. Bignell, of Loughtwn, Stony Stratford, has sent
the following letter to The Titnes
On riding a fortnight ago through the now noted
Woolstone Farm, where splendid crops of corn may be
seen on land which has been continuously under cereal
crops for 17 years, I was led to the consideration of
what the clay soils of England could be made to do
under steam culture, and I thought that it by the
mighty agency of steam we might all be enabled to
keep our kind "lean and c-op as heavily, without in-
jury to the soil, the problem of how this great nation,
with its constant:y increasing population, is to be fed
would be near to its solution.
For fourteen years I have been a disciple of Mr.
Smith, bat he has beaten to. all hollow, for the simple
reason that he has been more thorough. I confess that
I have been afraid to g the lengths he has, and,
furthermore, I could not do so without a fresh arrange-
ment with my landlord. Judging, however, by the
results, I see no reason why either he or I should fear
any longer.
If Mr. Smith can grow good crops continuously on
the same land with little or no manure, without injury
to the soil, why Fitiould not other people be able to do
the same thing? The great yields at Tiptree, Mr.
Mechi tells us, are produced by the dung ol highly fed
animals, irrigation, and other accessones. At Wool-
stone, on the contrary, scarcely any stock has bro n
kept, hut the straw, after thraehing, has been thrown
into a long heap of a hundred yards or so to rot down.
This, with, latterly, a little sugerphospliate, has been
the only manure used, and yet each 3 ear the crops
have been apparently better than the last, and this
season I think I may venture to say that they surpass
any that have ever grown on the same laud since it was
created earth.
It is no part of my purpose to make a comparison
between the Woolstone and other steam tackle. My
purpose is to draw attention to the extraordinary
results where steam culture is persistently and con-
tinuously applied, and to tell others who occupy clay
lands, how they may help themselves to the treasures
which they contain. Many of the so-called poor clays
are not so naturally, they are made so by faulty
manipulation. No greater proof in point can be
adduced than the land purchased in 1869 by Mr.
Smith, and which now forms a part of the Woolstone
Farm. Many who have visited the spot will doubtless
remember the contrast which they could hardly fail to
make of the crops on one side or the fence and those
on the other. But in the short space of time since it
has fallen into the Woolstone man's hands deep drainage
and deep cultivation have done their mighty work, and
the change is certainly marvellous.
Some portion of the farm which I occupy is of much
the same character, but, if anything, a little better.
During the wet harvest of 1866, in the course of their
inspection of the steam cultivated farms of England, I
was honoured by a visit by two of the Royal Agricul•
tuna Society's Commissioneis. On showing them a
portion of this land, which was being broken up for
vetches, one of them said that he would rather
go to plough on his land at 12s, a week than occupy
it. The ther said he would not farm it if it was his
own freehold, and they wound up by asking me if I
paid over be, an acre for it, On telling them ttuttl paid

nearly six times as much, they paid we the compli-
ment of saying I was a Iwy clever fellow if I managed
to live off it. Yet on this land, with the help of stemn.
I have managed to grow very tolerable crops, and, I
am thankful to say, lived pretty well too. The average
yield of my farm generally has increased consiek-tably
under steam culture ; but, unhke Mr. Smith, I only
grow cortt crops on three fifths, the remaining two-
fifths being under green crops. At the present time,
on land which cants ,t be classed as root land I have
as g-od a plant of rnangolds, swedes, and turnips as
call be fonnd in tngland.
I cannot do I..,tte,r than close my letter with saying
to all who are sufficiently interested In the question of
what the clay lands of lilnglarst may be Made to do,
Let them r.to Woolatone and bee..

J Bailey Denton, Esq., 22, leleitehall-place, Vindon, als,
writes:— _ .

• •
The present season shows ineontestally the great
value of b tth the usurr drainage and the deep culti-
vation of clay soils spoten of by Mr. Ilignell in your
journal of Monday. The country abounds with evidence
showing that while autumn-sown wheat on uudraitted
clays will barely repay the coot of seed and! sbour, that
on deeply-cultivated drained land of the same charas-ter
is of a moat promising kind. The best crops of wheat I
have seen this year are on steam-cultivated, or deeply-
ploughed, drained clay lands. SOIII e of the laud Bto which!
refer are farina on alarge estate in the Midland Counties,
which I knew a few years back to be let for less than
20s. an acre, tithe free, and of which it was said they
had ruined two qr three generations of farmers even at
that rent. If the coming harvest is a favourable one
for securing these crops, these is no dqulst whatever
that the difference in their money value, compared with
the produce of neighbouring uudrained lards, will be
equal to the whole cost of the under-drainage, which
perhaps averaged I:0 an acre. In fact, I believe lam
not exaggerating the ts_eatter in stating that the differ-
enee in actual produce whrff realized may even cover
the expense of both drainage awl steam cultivation.