Electric power has been applied in a very novel manner of late on the
estate of the Marquis of Salisbury at Hatfield, where it has been in
operation for some time past in various ways and works; but the last
is perhaps the most peculiar of all. On one of the farms, ensilage
has been stored in large quantities, a farm-building being turned
into a silo for this purpose; and it being decided that the green
food shall be ‘chaffed’ before placing it in the silo, a chaff-cutter
has been erected about twenty feet above the ground. This machine is
not only driven by electric power, but the same motor is employed to
elevate the grass to the level of the chaff-cutter. This is done so
effectually that about four tons of rough grass are raised and cut per
hour. A sixteen-light ‘Brush’ machine is the generator, driven by a
huge water-wheel, and both are on the banks of the river Lea, a mile
and a half distant. The power is transmitted to one of Siemens’ type,
specially constructed to work as a motor with the ‘Brush’ machine. Nor
is this all, for the same electric power is ingeniously applied to work
the ‘lifts’ in use at the many haystacks on the estate.