The Bloomfield times. [volume] (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1867-187?, 1873-01-14
FARM AND HOUSEHOLD ITEMS
Flowing by Steam.

Flowing by Steam.
On the Sth of November, on the seed
farm of D. Landretb, at Bloomsdale, near
Bristol, Bucks county, Pennsylvania, a
trial was made of the "Willamson road
and field steamer" under the supervision
of the inventor, d. d. Williamson, of New
York. The experiment is reported as en-
tirely successful. Mr.. Williamsons inven-
tion is an improvement on the "Thompson
road steamer of Great Britain, consisting
mainly in the attachment of vulcanized
rubber tires in such way as to prevent
the wheels from sinking in soft SOIL or
COMPRISING it to an injurious degree. The |
report represents that the steamer con-
sumes about one ton of coal per day re-
quires for working it an engineer, fireman,
and ga boy to drive water cart y can be
used for driving thrashing and other ma
chimes will draw from twenty to thirty
tons of freight in wagons on any fair coun-
try road will turn on space not exceed
ing in diameter its own length will plow,
on land suitable for cultivation by steam,
from one to three acres per hour, according
to length of land and depth of furrow; and
costs, with plow and tackle complete, $5,-
900, The following extracts are from
DESCRIPTION of its action by an eyewitness
No team of horses could have turned,
backed, and stopped with more facility and
certainty. 1t was run up the steep bridge
way of barn, having an elevation Of one
foot in five, backed down, and run up again
with the greatest ease and facility. For
further confirmation of its capacity a
couple of large farm wagons were coupled
behind it, in which about twenty of the
guests were seated for ride. 1t trotted
off with us on the public road toward Bris-
tol, at the rate of six to seven miles per
hour; went through gates, turned in at
bars, crossed soft gullies, went up sharp
hillocks, crossed at a sharp elevation the
railroad-track, and down again on the
other side, and making short turn,
brought us back through field of fifty
acres, which had been plowed with it, to
the place of departure. The plowing was
beautifully done, and we were informed at
an average depth of 0 inches, much of it
being 12 inches. No more accurate or lev
el burrows, as it appeared to us, could be
made by any plowman, with well-trained
team of horses.
After being uncoupled from the wagons
it was attached for trial of plowing to the
Williamson gang-plow, consisting Of five
secured to one frame.
On the way to the field the plows follow
ed the steamer as erected as a two-wheeled
cart. Not moment was lost in getting
to work. The field selected was an old
tough sod with steep grade in the center.
The tripping of a lever by the fireman,
which he performed from his station at the
boiler, let the plows into the ground, and
away rolled the steamer as straight as an
arrow, with the tough sod-furrows rolling
over behind like so many waves. The
work seemed perfect each furrow being
mechanically correct and alike in width
and depth. At the ascent of the grade in
the middle of the field, no diminished speed
was observable, the power seeming SO ar
bitrary and irresistible that no ordinary
field distractions could have resisted its
continuous progress. Arrived at the end
of the field, the fireman pulled another
rope, and out shot each one Of the plows,
the steamer spun around on one wheel,
ran across the headland, and turning into
new land was instantly at work on the
'turn-bout." There was no hitch, nc
slipping or backing, but simple, silent
triumph of good, sensible engineering.
We are thus particular in describing ex
actly what we saw and was witnessed will
surprise and pleasure by the whole com
pany, because it demonstrated that the ex
pertinent of steam on the farm and on th,
road was successful in every point
eB- The United States Commissioner o
Agriculture in his late report speaks o
the consumption of timber in this countr,
as follows: 'Iffor twenty years to com
the demand for lumber shall increase il
the same ratio to the population as in tn
past twenty more than $500, 10000 wort
of sawed lumber will be needed each year
denuding more than 100000 acres O
land" About 1000 acres are cleared O
timber each weekday in this country. 0
the annual crop $75, 100000 worth goes +
fuel, and twice as much to fencing. TIL
locomotives in this country consume N
less than 100000 cords a year, or 80
acres day. This is a startling revelation
bnt there is no doubt that it is substantial