The weekly Shasta courier. [volume] (Shasta, Calif.) 1872-190?, 1873-06-14
FARM AND GARDEN.

London Farmers Club, followed by a
general discussion. A letter was read
from Messrs John Fowler d Co., Leeds,
stating that they are now making 100
steam plows year for the English mar
ket, and so to 60 for foreign countries.
Of those purchased at home, about two
thirds are to be let out on hire, and one
third for private owners. This looks
as though the system of hiring was
working well, and statement in its
favor was made by Mr.. Carey, own
ing no less than ten sets of steam tackle
and managing three or four others all
working satisfactorily, we infer, both
to himself and to the hirers. But the
leading speaker had found considerable
clashing and disappointment resulting
in cases where several parties wished to
hire the machinery at the same time.
The drawbacks to the more rapid ex-
tension of steam cultivation arise from
the small size of enclosures, with the
consequent obstacles of hedges, bitches,
trees, etc., and the moderate size of so
many farms from deficient capital, the
insecurity of tenure in the land, and the
lack of suitable buildings for storage of
the machinery; and, in many cases, so
far as the movement of hired sets of
tackle is concerned, from bridges on the
country roads too weak to bear their
weight. 1t seems beyond question
from the frequent statements to that
effect, and from various facts mentioned
in this discussion, not only that steam
cultivation enlarges the crops immedi-
ately following, from the better condi-
ton in which the land is put, but also
that this result is felt for several subse-
quent years, even if steam culture is
discontinued. AS long ago as 1859,
Mr.. Mechi had mentioned parallel for
the large expenditure required, in say
ing that 1.-the shilling fail is super
seeded by one that costs $780," and
with the tendency to large holdings
and large fields it would not be strange
if the $50 pillow should yield to one
costing from $500 to fl 900.
Mr.. ]. X. Fowler, who introduced
the subject, was evidently inclined to
prefer the Howard system, by which
any portable engine can be used for
driving the windlass that draws the
plows around or across the field-to
that of the Messrs. Fowlers, in which
the engines are constructed expressly
for the purpose-as being less expensive
and on the whole better suited to the
wants of moderste-sized farm. He
would recommend every man having
200 acres of strong arabic land to own
his own tackle. He had used for eight
years the Smith machinery, made by
the Messrs. Towards, costing originally
ESQ, and worked by l0-horse power
double cylinder portable engine, pur-
chased and used for other farm pur-
poses. He plowed with it 100 acres
strong land every autumn, averaging
(including removals. six acres per day
the first time over, at ten inches deep;
and the second time over it, with j.
tined digger, ten acres day. The
work required five men, two lads, and
one boy and horse with water-cart, and
cost altogether, with allowance for the
repairs actually needed and for wear
and tear, 9s. Id. per acre for the first
time over, S. lOd. for the second time,
or for both say s shillings sterling per
acre. He said no horse power with
harness could smash up strong land of
the kind ten inches deep, and that it
would take team of four horses to 90
to the depth of six inches, so that 20
or "a horses would be necessary to go
over the same surface in the same time.
On the point of direct traction, in
which direction our American inventors
have all been laboring, as compared
with the use of the steel wire rope and
windlass to draw the plows, one state
ment is made that we have not before
seen: THAT model of British noble
man, Lord Dunmore, held to the fallacy
of making the pillow follow the engine,
and with mis- characteristic and indom-
table pluck put his ideas into practice,
and has thoroughly exploded the fallacy
and has taken to rope traction. If
this change has taken place in Lord
Dunmore's views, as reported, the di-
rect traction system is left, we believe,
without single advocate among all the
machinists, practical farmers, and sci
entifc men who have thoroughly in
vestigated the subject in Great Britain.
One speaker, Mr.. Sherborn of Bed
font, had been familiar with steam cul-
tivation from its first introduction, and
after trying various other kinds, had
some time since procured the Fowler
double set (the cost of which we believe
is about 10000, and was now entirely
satisfied. He farms 600 acres and he
thought all holders of 500 to 600 acres
of arabic land would eventually want
tackle of their own, while smaller hold
ers would depend on hiring.
The whole discussion was one of
special interest, as all who took part
in it spoke from their own experience,
and not from hearsay or theory.-Culti-
rator and Country Gentleman