Report on the Farm-Prize Competition of 1886. 643 
being permanently stationed, as is usual, at the homestead, 
they are moved from field to field over the farm ; in summer 
on the grass, and after harvest on the stubbles. It being 
claimed that this access to " fresh fields and pastures new " is 
economical in the way of food, conduces to more vigorous 
health, and results in more eggs being dropped than under 
ordinary treatment. The fowls are housed in a wooden house 
on wheels, which a horse easily moves from place to place as 
required. They never stray far from their portable home, and 
return regularly to roost wherever it may stand. 
The following extracts from Messrs. Bayly's Ledger will 
show that purchased concentrated food is also largely used on 
this farm. A record of the purchases of linseed- and cotton- 
cakes, and other feeding stuffs, for twelve years to the end of 
1884, show that the greatest outlay during that period occurred 
in 1879, when the amount expended was 468Z. 9s. Sid., and the 
least expended was in 1873, the amount being 190Z. Os. 4rf., 
while the average expenditure for the twelve years was 
341Z. 7s. 
Extracts of the purchased manure bills for the same time 
show that the largest outlay occurred in 1884, when it was 
123Z. 18s.; the least in 1876, when it was 56/. 15s. 2d. ; the 
average of the twelve years being 87Z. 4s. \d. 
Cropping and Management of Arable Land. — In walking over 
the farm in the autumn we found the stubbles very clean, couch 
very difficult to find, and very little of any other perennial or 
annual weeds. 
The mangold crop was secured, but judging from what we 
saw at the clamp, it had been a good one. The swedes were 
being taken up, and the crop was excellent. 
As previously intimated, the cropping rotation is the ordinary 
four-course one. The cultivation for which is much the same as 
what we have already described, but the manuring is somewhat 
different ; no sheep are kept on the farm, and none of the root 
crops are consumed on the land ; this necessitates a top dressing 
to the succeeding barley crops. This year 43 acres of barley 
are grown, chiefly Hallett's Pedigree. Ten pecks per acre of 
seed were sown, and at the same time a dressing of Bayly, Sutton, 
and Co.'s barley manure, at a cost of 23s. per acre. One small 
field was scalded by the drought, and was short in straw, but 
the other two fields very good, one particularly so. 
Messrs. Bayly's account for 12 years, from 1872 to 1884 
inclusive, show that the best crop of barley was grown in 1883, 
and produced 56 bushels per acre ; the worst, grown in 1876, 
produced 37 bushels; the average yield for 12 years was 47 
bushels. The greatest value per acre was obtained in 1874, and 
