660 
Report on the Farm-Prize Competition of 1886. 
In addition to this, he has drained the whole of the land, 
«ome of it twice over, during his twenty-three years' occupation, 
partly with tiles, the rest with bushes, at a depth of 2 feet, and 
a cost of 216/., making a total outlay on work, chiefly improve- 
ments, to 390Z. 5s. 
To show the good understanding existing between Mr. Scrut- 
ton and his landlord, and the unbounded confidence placed in 
him, we may mention that neither by any arrangement previous 
to the Agricultural Holdings Act, nor by observance of its 
forms subsequently, has he in any way endeavoured to protect 
himself against " disturbance " of tenancy, or repayment of the 
money he has spent in improving the farm. 
The soil is a heavy but productive loam, on a subsoil of 
glacial clay, so retentive that, though drained at 15 feet apart, it 
is found necessary to cultivate on the 9-feet ridges already 
described in the account of the Commended farm in Class 3. 
The cropping is a four-course one, viz. : (1) wheat ; (2) roots 
and part fallow ; (3) barley ; (4) clover and beans. 
Wlieat, following clover and beans : farmyard-manure 10 to 
12 loads are applied for it, and ploughed in 4 inches deep. This 
year the area in wheat was 6a. 2r, lOp., and the crop very good. 
The yield last year was 5^ quarters per acre, and we were told 
the crop was no better than that we saw. 
Roots, which come after wheat, comprise this year 3 acres of 
mangolds and 1 of swedes, the cultivation for which is autumn 
and spring ploughings, dragging, &c., until fine ; the land is 
heavily manured, 20 loads of farmyard-manure and 5 cwt. of 
artificials being given. It is deposited in ridges, covered by 
the plough. The seed sown for mangolds is 5 lbs. per acre, for 
swedes, 3 lbs., Messrs. Carter being the seedsmen. The plant 
was rather thin, but very healthy, wanting rain, which they got 
a day after our visit. The soil is too heavy for sheep, and the 
roots are all carted off in the autumn for consumptio^;^ in the 
yards. 
Part of the land after wheat is fallowed for barley, getting as 
many as seven earths, i.e. seven times moved by the plough. 
Barley, this year about 9 acres in extent, is seeded with 
9 pecks per acre, and sown as early as the weather will permit. 
The crop this year is most excellent. At our second visit it 
(looked rather thin, but had gathered up wonderfully by the time 
we saw it again ; 4 stones per acre of nitrate of soda had been 
applied, which doubtless helped it. The crop of the year 
previous averaged 46 bushels per acre, and Mr. Scrutton ex- 
pected that he had more than that this year. He had sold last 
year at 35s. per quarter. 
Seeds. — Chiefly red clover sown, and at the rate of 14 lbs. per 
acre, with a peck per acre of Italian rye-grass. The first crop 
