Farm Prize Competition, 1911. 303 



The following entries were received : — Class I., 13 entries ; 

 Class II., 17 enti-ies ; Class III., 15 entries; Class IV., 11 

 entries ; Class V., 9 entries. 



First Prize Farm in Class I. 

 Occupied by Mr. S. R. Sherwood, of Play ford, Ipsivich. 



This farm consists of 416 acres arable, 139 acres grass, 

 176 acres heath, and 15 acres woods, is held on a 

 5'early tenancy under the Marquess of Bristol, and has been 

 occupied by Mr. Sherwood for sixteen years. About half of 

 the arable land is of a very light and sandy character, full of 

 stones, and liable to burn in very dry seasons. The remainder 

 consists of mixed soil of fair depth. The upland pasture land 

 is fairly good. There are some poor low-lying meadows, with 

 a very good water supply. The cropping is in the main on the 

 four-course system, with variations for catch cropping com- 

 mencing on the wheat or oat stubbles. The catch crops include 

 trifolium, rye, tares, cabbages, and kale, and are usually 

 followed by roots, principally white turnips. The acreage 

 under various crops this year was : wheat, 71 acres ; barley, 

 86 acres ; oats, 34 acres ; peas, 24 acres ; beans, 9 acres ; 

 mangold, 35 acres ; turnips, 32 acres ; cabbage, 16 acres ; 

 kale, 28 acres ; kohl rabi, 10 acres ; lucerne, 6 acres ; temporary 

 pasture, 18 acres ; clover, 47 acres. The root crops come after 

 wheat. Such land as is possible is cleaned in the aiitumn, 

 particularly on the stiffer soil. For mangold from fifteen to 

 twenty cartloads of farmyard manure per acre are given, and 

 these are supplemented by from 3 to 5 cwt. of salt, the 

 smaller quantity on the stiffer land, and 4 cwt. of special 

 mangold manure. The mangold plants are top dressed with 

 1 cwt. per acre of nitrate of soda after being singled. 



Swedes are manured with ten loads of farmyard manure 

 and 3 cwt. of 30 per cent, superphosphate per acre. Should 

 there not be sufficient farmyard manure to do all the land, 

 then the swede crop receives 2 cwt. superphosphate and 

 3 cwt. dissolved bones per acre. Kohl rabi is treated like 

 the swede crop, with the addition of 1 cwt. nitrate of soda 

 as a top dressing if necessary. Drumhead cabbage receives the 

 same treatment as mangold. White turnips are not manured 

 as a rule, but occasionally 3 cwt. per acre of superphosphate 

 are applied. Thousand headed kale is drilled early in the 

 spring for sheep feeding during August and autumn. Mr. 

 Sherwood is a great believer in this crop, considering it 

 invaluable during the month of August, when other food is 

 generally scarce. After drilling and horse hoeing between the 

 rows, the kale crop may be either well harrowed across the 



