600 Report on the Farm-Prize Competition of 1886. 
is at present unknown. His cake bill averages 415Z., and the 
corn consumetl annually by stock, other than horses, amounts 
in value to 166/., this being partly bought and partly grown on 
the farm. 
Labour. — The staff comprises 1 foreman, 2 shepherds, 
8 teamsmen, 8 ordinary labourers, and 6 boys. In addition to 
this, 16 men and boys are engaged all the year round to dig 
the coprolites referred to, and these are found a convenience to 
the farm, as they can be called on to assist when pressure of 
work requires it. 
The total labour for the farm, excluding the coprolite digging, 
averages 966Z. 12s. per year, and this shows a cost per acre, 
excluding the heath, of something under 30s. 
Rotation and Cultivation. — As already noted, the farm is 
cropped on a four-course rotation, viz., roots, barley, seeds, 
wheat. One-half is thus growing crops for the food and beverage 
of man, the other for the sustenance of sheep and cattle. But 
whether this mode of cropping poor lands at the present 
juncture is the most profitable that can be followed is doubtful. 
In the opinion of the Judges, an extension of the course, leaving 
the layers down for two years, would lessen working expenses, 
increase fertility by natural means, and probably tend to the 
maintenance of a larger flock of sheep ; for although the second 
year's seeds might not be brilliant, they could be broken up 
in June, and a crop of white turnips or cole taken, largely 
increasing the keep, and also the condition of the land for the 
succeeding corn crop. Forty acres of rye are sown on the wheat 
stubbles, after ploughing in September, for early sheep food ; 
the crop is folded, and the land afterwards ploughed and sown 
with white turnips, again to be consumed by sheep when 
grown. 
The cultivation for roots is, first to fork the stubbles for 
couch-grass — Mr. Wolton remarking, " if there is any " — and 
the land then deeply ploughed previous to winter. Two spring 
ploughings and sometimes a " crooming " are given. Farm- 
yard-manure, as a rule, is applied for the mangolds and swedes, 
being spread on the land and ploughed in, harrow and roller 
following ; and the seed is drilled on the flat at 26-in. apart. 
The manure previous to application is dealt with in different 
ways, sometimes carted direct from the yards and ploughed in ; 
at others carted into a heap and turned over shortly before 
being wanted : while another mode is to mix it into a compost 
with soil. 
Six lbs. of mangold seed, and 2 pints of swede-seed are the 
seedings per acre. 
Hoeing costs from 5s. to 8s. per acre. From 18 to 25 tons 
