Report on the Farrri'Prize Competition of 1886. 
657 
clover layers, with a daily allowance of cake, commencing with 
^ lb. and finishing with 1 lb. per head. These are disposed of 
according to circumstances, sometimes partly to the butcher, and 
at others wholly to the turnip-land farmers to finish off on roots. 
As a rule, they pay their way well. About a score of rough 
hoggets are also purchased in April, and folded on the layers 
with 1 lb. of cake per head per day ; and after 8 or 10 weeks' 
keep are again disposed of, leaving the value of the wool, and 
something besides to pay for cake and a contribution towards 
the rent. Water for the sheep is daily provided, and they also 
have access to rock salt. 
Pigs. — Not much is done in the porcine line. A good brood 
sow of the Berkshire breed is kept, and her produce are sold as 
stores, the receipts from which average between 25/. and 30/. 
per year. 
Horses. — These, three in number, are a good stamp of the 
Shire breed, one being a brood mare with a very good foal at 
loot, the latter having been awarded two second prizes at local 
shows this year. There is not much in their feeding or manage- 
ment that calls for comment, except that they are housed in the 
stable instead of being turned into the yards at nights. 
As to this farm, one of the Judges writes : — " This is a strong, 
heavy-land occupation. On our first visit the tenant had a 
good lot of sheep running on the stubbles, having corn and 
mangolds, and his yards were full of fatting cattle. In July he 
had just secured a good stack of clover-hay, and bought over 
100 lambs, which were on his seeds eating cake. His mangolds 
were the best we saw, and the cleanest. All his corn was verv 
good, his land very clean, and his fences very neatly kept. I 
think it was by far the best cultivated farm we had visited." 
Unquestionably then, although in a small way, this is one of 
the best cultivated and successfully managed farms in the com- 
petition ; and the question that will suggest itself to practical 
minds is, what are the circumstances that have made it so ? 
and what are the points conducing to this success that may be 
profitably imitated? We would say that much of it hinges on 
clean cultivation. The fact has been realised that it is much 
cheaper to thoroughly clean, and keep the land clean, than by 
yearly ineffectual attempts nearly approaching to, but never 
quite making it so. This acted on, three corn crops can be 
taken in succession, the total absence of weeds allowing the last 
crop as thoroughly to utilise the resources of the soil and 
manure as the first did. 
Roots are so difficult to grow on soils of this description, 
and so valuable when grown, that a good crop is tantamount to 
success for the year, and the want of it means disaster. Nor 
does it end here, for the loss of manure that their consumption 
