Suggested Changes of Farming System. 229 



done our expeaditure can be largely reduced. These views are 

 fully set out in my "Agricultural Changes and Laying Down 

 Land to Grass.'" I am told that many farmers would adopt my 

 system, either wholly or in part, but that they are deterred from 

 doing so by the cost of the mixtures I have most recently used. 

 One of my objects in addressing you to-day is to show how a 

 farmer may most cheaply, and at the same time effectively, modify 

 his farming system so as to bring it into line with the conditions 

 of these times. 



If the farmer has his land in fine physical condition, and, from 

 applications of farmyard manure, well supplied with humus, there 

 Is no reason why he should not at once use the expensive Bank 

 field mixture ; but if his land is in poor condition he should, I think, 

 use the appended mixture for the first rotation, as he would then 

 avoid the risk of putting down an expensive mixture with the soil 

 in poor condition. I began my farming at Clifton-on-Bowmont in 

 1887 with the following mixture : — 



At a cost oi£,x zs. sd. per acre : 

 my object being to fill the land with vegetable matter at the smallest 

 expense. This was used for the Front and Bowmontside fields, and 

 the results have proved very satisfactory. In consequence of the 

 steep stony nature of the land 4 acres of the latter field were left in 

 permanent pasture, and, as such, have always done well. Where 

 timothy suits the soil and climate it may be added to the mixture, 

 and the cocksfoot may be lessened. The quantity of clover now 

 seems to me to be excessive, and in recent years I have never used 

 more than alsike i lb., white clover 2 lbs., and late-flowering red 

 clover 2 lbs., a quantity which may still further be reduced, as I have 

 obtained excellent results with a total of 3 lbs. of clovers per acre. 

 The mixture I would now recommend as the cheapest to be advised, 

 and which is suitable for two or a greater number of years, and is 

 also fairly well suited to permanent pasture, is as follows :— 



lbs. 

 Cocksfoot - - - - 14 

 Hard Fescue* - - - - 2 

 Rough-stalked Meadow Grass i 

 Alsike Clover - . . - i 



lbs. 



Late-flowering Red Clover - 2 

 White Clover - - - . 2 

 Chicory 3 



* It has been suggested to me by Mr. Hunter of Chester, that up to 700 feet 

 meadow fescue would be more suitable than hard fescue, but it should be remem- 

 bered that the latter is a much more drought-resisting grass. 



