The best known of these methods are Fowler's and Howard's, though, perhaps, Smith should be credited with the round-about system, but Howard's name is now much more generally given to it.
In Fowler's system the principal elements are an engine, an anchor, a wire-rope, and a balance-plow. In commencing operations, the engine is placed at the end of one of the headlands of the field, and directly opposite it on the other headland is placed the anchor. Beneath the engine there is a large sheave or drum, 5 ft. in diameter, the trroovt: of which drum is composed of a series of small leaf-like pieces of chilled cast Iron. met, moving independently upon its own axis. The object of these is to prevent the repe from slipping (which it is apt to do in a plain groove under great Strain), and this they do in a very ingenious manner, by closing on the rope as soon as it takes the bend—that is, as EOM as the rope presses upon them—and they in the same manner open and release it immediately on the pressure being removed, or, in other words, as soon as the rope resumes the straight on the other side of the sheave. The anchor is a massive square framework of wood, mounted on six sharp disk wheels, each about 2 ft. in diam eter, which cut deep into the ground, and on the lightest land they take such hold as effectually to resist the pull of the rope which is passed round the sheave beneath. The anchor has a self acting motion—the power being communicated from the engine through the medium of the plowinz-rope—which enables it to move .long the headland, and keep opposite to the engine. The plow is a framework of iron, balanced upon two large wheels To each side of this framework there are attached four plow-bodies and coulters, so that four furrows are cut at one " bout," and the headland on which the anchor is stationed being reached, the end of the beam that was out of the ground is depressed (the other, of course, being raised), and the four plow-bodies that were out of the ground, and which point in the opposite direction, are inserted in the soil, and turn up the furrows on the way back to the engine. By altering the position of the plow bodies along the frame-work, a broad or a narrow furrow can be cut at pleasure. In ordinary working, an acre an hour is accomplished. The wire-rope, by which the plow is dragged through the land, passes round the sheaves ou the anchor and the engine, the ends are attached to two drums upon the plow; and, by a nice mechanical arrange ment, the plowman who rides • upon the implement is enabled to wind up, or let out slack if necessary, without loss cd: time. The wire-rope is made in lengths, which are easily disjoined, in order that it may be adjusted to irregularly shaped fields, or rather to fields that are not exact squares or parallelograms; for Fowle•'s method is not well adapted to such irregularities as prevent the engine and anchor being opposite each oilier. The rope is borne off the ground—a very necessary precaution, without which
the wear and tear would be alike annoying and expensive—by a number of pulleys, or " rope-porters," as they are called, mounted on frames. The outside ones, that is, those furthest trout the work, are moved along by the action of the rope; those in front of the plow aro removed by boys. and placed behind the implement as it proceeds. The modus operandi will be patent at a glance, from the annexed plan of working (fig. 3). To man age this apparatus three men and two boys are required—namely. a man at the engine, another on the plow, a third at the anchor, and the lads to look after the rope-porters. The water and coals needed for the engine must be brought by other men.
The plow-bodies can be removed from the frame, and in their place " digging-breasts" he attached, by means of which the land is thrown up in a somewhat similar manner to that in which It is turned over by the spade. The price of the plowing and cultivating apparatus is about £900.
At the Newcastle show of the royal agricultural society, in July, 1864, Mr. Fowler Introduced two engines of 7-horse power, working simultaneously on opposing head lands. The expedition with which these engines were set down to and completed their work was a matter of admiration& all present, and the subject of special remark by the judges. These gentlemen say: "" The engines worked smoothly; and so far as we could ascertain, appeared to bear an equal share of work in either direction." They got up steam in nearly half an hour less time than the 14-horse engine, and working with them, much less time was required to arrange the tackle. " The engines were masters of their work; and acting in combination, appeared to possess more power than the large engine and anchor The advantages of this system appear to be, that horses are not required to move tackle; that there is a saving of time in setting down. taking up, and removing from field to field [no unimportant consideration]: and that the two small engines are both available for ordinary farm-work, such as thrashing, driving, barn-work. etc." The cost of the two engines, with the whole apparatus, ranges from £1200 to about £1500, according to the power of the engines, etc. The number of hands employed is the some as at the large anchor and engine; but as a skilled laborer is necessary, where only an unskilled laborer is needed in the latter case, the cost per day is 2s. more. Fowler has been very successful in gaining prizes for steam-plows, having won several thousand pounds in this way since 1850.