518 Report on the IFaricickshire Farm-Prize Competition, 1876. 
Broom Court. It will be admitted that it is exceptional in many 
particulars, and it suggests several important considerations to 
practical men. The first will probably be, at what expense is 
this system carried out ? Catch-crops are by no means novelties 
in modern agriculture, but it is often found that they cost more 
than they are worth, and in many cases they have been tried and 
abandoned bv excellent farmers. either is it desirable that a 
market-garden system of cultivation, with its attendant expenses, 
should be placed in comparison with ordinary methods of agri- 
culture : and although it is self-evident that such additions to the 
root-crops of the farm will enable a much greater head of stock 
to be maintained, we must ascertain something more of the cost 
of the operation before we form an opinion of its ultimate 
benefits. 
The best answer to such an inquirer is at once to produce 
Mr. Lane's labour-bills, which will, we think, serve to dissipate 
any illusions that his system is carried out at any excessive cost. 
In the four years 1871-5, Michaelmas to Michaelmas, the cost 
of labour, including coals, threshing-bills and beer, was as 
follows : — 
£ s. d. 
1871- 2 533 13 1 
1872- 3 530 14 11 
1873- 4 657 3 8 
1874- 5 597 1 9 
4) 2318 13 5 
579 13 4 
The labour for the past four years has, therefore, averaged 
IZ. 10s. Qd. per acre on the whole farm. As, however, the pro- 
portion of grass land is somewhat large, it may be well to adopt 
the same plan as in Mr. Stilgoe's case, and assuming the cost 
as 10s. upon the pasture, thereby roughly reckon the amount spent 
on the arable land. By following this plan it will be found that 
the cost per acre is 21. 8s. 6d.* I think it will generally be 
admitted that this is by no means an excessive amount for a farm 
characterised by such management. 
A glance at the cropping list will show us what it is that 
Mr. Lane actually effects by his system. On 200 acres of arable 
land the following crops have been grown during the last and the 
present years : — 
* I do not wish here to go into the question whether 10«. is a fair sum, hype- 
thelically, to place upon the grass-land labour. It is a large subject, and oiv 
which need not be discussed in this Report. For the sake of convenience I havt 
assnmed that sura as a reasonable one, and I have applietl it equally to all tl:i- 
competitors. 
