606 Rq)ort on the Farm-Prize Competition of 1886. 
in the present season, it is liable to " scald," but is capable of 
producing maximum crops of all descriptions, and of the best 
quality with minimum labour. Mr. Learner's skilful and 
capable management is undoubted ; but we could not shut our 
eyes to the fact of the great advantage he had over the other 
competitors by the superiority of the raw material he had to 
work on. 
The pasture land is all by the side of the river, and, supple- 
mented with 8 or 9 lbs. of mixed cotton- and linseed-cakes per 
head per day, it fattens three- to four-year-old bullocks weighing 
from 60 to 70 stones of 14 lbs. 
The geological deposits underlying the farm run from the 
Upper Chalk which crops to the surface in a field near the river, 
to the Glacial and post-Glacial drifts, comprising the forest-bed 
series, contorted drift of loam and clay, with beds of sand, marl, 
and alluvium. 
Rotation and Cultivation of Crops. — The four-course rotation 
is followed, viz., roots, barley, seeds, wheat ; but from 8 to 10 
acres of oats are yearly sown after wheat, they being followed 
by barley. This deviation j\Ir. Learner explains is chiefly 
adopted in order to get more straw, and results, roughly 
speaking, in 150 acres being yearly under corn-crops, and 130 
in roots and clover. 
The Swede Cultivation is as follows : the wheat stubbles are 
forked for couch as soon as possible after harvest, and the land 
is afterwards ploughed to a depth not exceeding 5 inches, ex- 
perience having proved that nothing is gained by going deeper 
than this. In spring it is twice ploughed, harrowed, rolled, and 
ridged, farmyard-manure being spread between the ridges ; they 
are then ploughed back to cover. The quantity applied is 
8 loads, with one load of Yarmouth town manure per acre, and 
rarely any artificial ; and the crops grown from this dressing, 
which we saw in our autumn visit, were marvellous — certainly 
upwards of 25 tons per acre. The composition and tr,eatment 
of his manure heaps may, however, go far to explain it. To 
begin with, a large proportion of the manure is made in boxes 
under cover, and all of it by cattle eating very large quantities 
of cake, each of bis large fatting bullocks consuming as much 
as 14 lbs. per day. 
This manure is carted during the winter and early spring 
months into drive-over heaps — that is, the carts are driven on 
to and over the heap each time a load is deposited, which con- 
solidates and prevents undue fermentation. In spring, the heaps 
are turned over, and after two or three weeks turned again, by 
which means the manure becomes well rotted and soluble, and 
almost every particle rendered available as plant food. Great 
