Experiences up to the end of October, 1904. 159 



General Success of the System. — This has been shown most con- 

 spicuously in the case of the Inner Kaimrig, a field pronounced by a 

 very competent judge to be, when I took it in hand, not worth 5s an 

 acre, and, by the former tenant, the worst field on the farm, a, 

 long' ridge of it being black moorland soil. And yet this 

 field, now (1904) young grass (sown up with a crop of oats in 

 1903) has this year kept more stock than all the fields of an 

 adjacent farm, the land of which is far superior in quality 

 and situation. These aggregate over 87 acres, while the Kaimrig 

 field is only 25 acres. The field* has never been manured since it 

 was enclosed from the hill about 70 years ago excepting with some 

 artificials with the turnips, and, as shown in the Preface, there is 

 practically no cake fed on the farm. This field has far exceeded 

 my utmost expectations, and is a most valuable practical illustration 

 of what poor, worn-out land is capable of producing if you clothe 

 it with a deeply-rooted turf, which has been built up on a, strong 

 leguminous foundation of clover and kidney vetch. 



Next to the Kaimrig lies the East Countridge field, now in 

 turnips out of grass. Though for the last two years I had successfully 

 grown on a small scale turnips without any manure, this is the first 

 whole field in which I have had the moral courage to grow the 

 crop without any manure of any kind excepting turf. The results 

 have been most satisfactory, and competent practical judges declare 

 that the crop could not be surpassed. 



The Bank field, now four years old, shows a fine turf full of white 

 clover, the presence of which in quantity is always a sign of a thriving 

 pasture. According to my system, this field ought to have been 

 ploughed up at the close of the year, but the turf is so fine that 

 the field will be given another year in grass. 



Next to the Bank field is the Harewells field — a steep stoney field — 

 which shows results almost more remarkable than those obtained in 

 the Inner Kaimrig — a crop of hay (first year's grass) of about two tons 

 an acre followed by a fine aftermath. 



I desire to call particular attention to these four fields, for they 

 illustrate the chief points of my system, and, by the results, prove its 

 value beyond all possibility of doubt. The beginning of the system, 

 and indeed that on which it entirely rests, is illustrated by the Inner 

 Kaimrig, which has produced a heavy crop of leguminosfe — clovers 

 and kidney vetch— to feed the grasses sown with them, and thus form 

 them into a rich turf. With the grasses and leguminosaa are the 

 strong and deeply-rooting chicory and burnet, which keep the soil 

 open— in other words, till and therefore aerate it continuously, till 

 the turf is ploughed up, while the strong and profusely-rooted yarrow 

 adds at once to the value of the pasture and the health of the 

 stock, and leaves behind a large store of vegetable matter. The 



* From April 13 to July 23 an average of 2^ ewes with double lambs were kept per 

 acre, besides 20 rams for six weeks. From Aug. 6 to Nov. 1 an average of 4 ewes an 

 aere. From Nov. 1 to 20 an average of 2 ewes per acre. The field could have kept 

 much more stock, but we alw.ays grazo moderately the first year. 



