Report on tJie Farm Prize Comjjctition. 263 



Manure filling, cutting hedges, cleaning, «Scc., all done by 

 piece-work. 



The poor and highway rates amount to about 2$. Qd. in the 

 pound in the year. Also a rate is levied to protect the Humber 

 bank, but is limited to Is. per acre on the tenant. 



Mr. Lambert is, as we before mentioned, an ingenious man, 

 and has brought out some clever patents. One which we noticed 

 was a lamb-trough, and we have no doubt that, if well known, 

 it would be highly appreciated. 



We will now proceed to take the heads laid down for our 

 guidance by the Royal Agricultural Society. 



1. General Management, ivitk a View to Profit. — It does not 

 require much thought to understand that under this heading lies 

 the whole secret of carrying on any business. We never heard of 

 any one, though " farming for pleasure," but who liked to have 

 the balance on the right side of the ledger. Allowing that 

 «very one wishes and strives to make a profit — this profit varies 

 very considerably with the amount of talent and industry brought 

 to bear on the general management of a farm. Hence one 

 farmer thrives and does well, while the man he succeeded could 

 not live at all. The whole district of Holderness is above an 

 average in farm management, though many improvements are 

 yet to be made. A gi'eat loss is felt through the want of cottage 

 accommodation, which we think it would be to the interest of the 

 landowners to rectify. We noticed very much the lack of suit- 

 able accommodation for cattle in winter. It is beyond all doubt 

 that the large open courts found in Holderness entail a great 

 waste of food. It is almost unnecessary to reinark tliat an animal, 

 before it will fatten, requires to assimilate a certain amount of 

 food to keep the body warm. Now, if covered yards, boxes, or 

 feeding-stalls were adopted, instead of open courts, the warmth 

 being obtained artificially (though with proper ventilation to 

 ensure health), the food required for this purpose would be a 

 clear profit. 



Again, the waste of straw and the inferior quality of the manure 

 tell greatly against the large open courts. We do not think any 

 farmer in Holderness would object to pay good interest for 

 buildings of the description just recommended. 



2. Productiveness of Crops. — Holderness struck us as being a 

 great corn-growing district, especially of wheat, which almost 

 everywhere, notwithstanding the wet winter, looked splendid. 

 A great deal of care is taken in producing this crop, all being 

 drilled and hoed once or twice during the season. We were 

 informed that seven quarters per acre is a very common quantity, 

 and sometimes eight is grown. 



Barley and oats are not grown to the same extent ; the former 



