18 



CHESHIRE (8 reports 8 successes). 



No. 29. 10 acres OATS sown April 20th on loam overlying New 

 Red Sandstone; ploughed between December and April out of 

 20-years-old grass (which had been mown each year) with one-way 

 horse plough to a depth of 7 inches; harrowed, sown, harrowed 

 again and rolled. The cultivation was of the type commonly 

 employed in breaking up old land in the county, and the crop 

 was successful. The reporter adds: " Simply ordinary break-up 

 of old turf with characteristic results in this county." 



No. 30. 16 acres were sown with OATH in the first week in 

 April on dark sandy loam ploughed at the beginning of March 

 out of very old grass by Mogul tractor drawing 4-furrow plough, 

 to a depth of 7 inches; turf well turned down. Disc harrowed to 

 a good uniform tilth. Crop very satisfactory. 



No. 31. 6 acres OATS were sown in the spring of 1915 on dark 

 sandy loam soil. The field was ploughed in November, 1914, out of 

 centuries-old grass, plough fitted with skim coulter, land harrowed 

 before sowing. Crop excellent. Rye was sown in November on 

 the ploughed stubbles and provided good forage which kept 80 

 cows for three weeks in April, 1916. The rye stubbles were 

 ploughed and mangolds and swedes sown, with little farmyard 

 manure, and gave " record crops." This year the field is partly 

 in potatoes and partly in mangolds, and " looks well." 



No. 32. A field of 12 acres of nice light loam was broken up in 

 the end of March out of very old grass by Mogul tractor drawing 

 a 4-furrow plough. No coulters could be used as the turf was 

 several inches thick. Discs were tried but were soon smashed up. 

 After ploughing it was " a rough-looking job," but after being 

 harrowed and disc harrowed, OATS were sown in the middle of 

 April on about 8 acres and are a good crop. 



LINCOLN (10 reports 8 successes, 2 failures). 



No. 33. 20 acres were fenced off from a park and ploughed up 

 by steam in the first week of March to a depth of 5^ inches. 

 Rolled with a Cambridge roller 4 times, and with a Crosskill 

 roller twice. Tilled with light harrows 6 times, twice between 

 each rolling, along and across the furrows. MANGOLDS, CABBAGES 

 and POTATOES were planted. All very promising, especially the 

 mangolds and potatoes. Result attributed to continued rolling 

 and harrowing. It is proposed to follow the green crops with 

 wheat in 1918. 



No. 34. 7 acres OATS sown May 7th on good clay soil, rather in 

 want of draining, which had been broken up in January out of 

 20-years-old grass to a depth of 6 inches; rolled several times, 

 drag-harrowed and seed drilled. After sowing, the field was rolled 

 in both directions. The reporter states: "I am very well satis- 

 fied with the crop showing up to this date (July 9th)." 



No. 35. 14 acres OATS sown 31st March on sandy soil ploughed 

 in January out of 20-years-old grass with digger plough fitted with 

 skim coulter (furrows 6 by 9 inches) ; rolled, harrowed four 

 iimes, drilled and again harrowed. 4^ cwt. basic slag per acre 

 applied in the middle of March and 1 cwt. sulphate of ammonia 

 in the middle of May. Crop successful. It is stated that " the 

 eulphate of ammonia did more good than anything." 



