As a proof that the suitability of the. soil and climate of Hawke's Bay, for agri-, cultural pursuits' is becoming more widely known, wo.may mention that the manufacturers of steam ploughing machinery are beginning to turn their attention to this direction. Mr "Walter H. Noakes, the, .representative of Messrs John 3?6\ylor;an(i ''Op., of Leeds^the. well known,,, manufacturers of agricultural machinery, is now ; paying :a visit -to. the. Provjncey to see what can be done in the Way of introducing his firm's implements into tho local market. Their steam, cultivator is widely known over the' civilised world, ahd at different times has 1 taken over 100' prize medals,' including, : the medal : 6f ; • progress at tho "Vienna Exhibition 'and the first prize- 'of the Royal Agricultural Society of' England. In ■ Canterbury last > year ; /there ,were< several public^ - trials of t&e cultivator. and other machinery manufactured by Messrs Fowler and Co./ and the local newspapers spoke' most highly 'of the work done, by 'the- madhmes.-f. It ,is. not, however,, all.- farmers /nwho: admit the, • advantages .-of steam r culture. : There' are,s ■ various roasons- 'whicli-may^ in great,! measure - account' 'for; j ! t"his. ; ; -First ; the I conservatoire';, prefudibefs ''; of the -British ! farmer.na ve: itb\^e" / - J! qyerc6me : ) ' : -a'iid it ! is-' : only the clearest and piost unmist£tke;able ; proof, that v will, cbnjinee him that the' implements "of his /^forefathers' 'can lie improved upon. Next he. Sees the niaiiy failures, ,whioh,.ciittenc|ed thejlntroidi^ctio.n., of, steam-ploughs, aftdv/he cannot easily be brought to beHeve that experience has suggested remedies to ; the defects* < in, the original machine. Thirdly, in many oases an ; insufficient trial; has been, allowed. Men kntowing nothing of "steam, ' cultivation, howeyer good ploughmen they may have been, have often been put to work thersteamlplough,. and. it is not to bo. wondered at that i the, result: was not satisfactory^ especially when the laborer had before -him the fear that the extended use, of .steam machinery would end in his being thrown out of employ ment. Where, however, steam machinery has been tried tinder favorable auspices the verdict has in almost every case been in its favor, especially when large flat tracts of land have to bo broken up. 