532 Report on the Waridcksliire Farm-Prize Competition, 1876. 
The ^lilcote Farm is held, under a. yearly tenancy, of the 
Hon. Mortimer Sackville West, of Knole, Sevenoaks, and there 
is no restriction as to cropping or to selling hay or straw. 
]\Ir. Adkins, however, never avails himself of the latter privilege, 
nor does he deviate from the common six-course system of the 
county under any circumstances. That course, as I have had 
occasion to mention before in connection with the first two 
Prize-farms, is (1) Roots ; (2) Barley ; (3) Seeds ; (4) Wheat ; 
(5) Beans or Peas ; (6) Wheat. On the occasion of a change of 
tenancy on this estate there is a very singular custom as regards 
the root-crop, and one which must be very prejudicial to the 
interests of at least the outgoing tenant. The mangolds or 
swedes are not valued, but the incomer only pays for seed and 
acts of husbandry. The cultivation of these crops is carried out 
Avith such similarity to that which I have described on the other 
prize-farms, that it w ould be tedious and unprofitable to enter 
into minute details. I shall, therefore, content myself with a 
few notes on the general features of the management. 
Absolute cleanliness having been for many years one of the 
principal characteristics of this farm, the wheat-stubbles require 
very little attention previous to the root-crop. They are, never- 
theless, of course, carefully looked over, and manured with about 
15 loads of well-made dung per acre. They are only once 
ploughed. Of the 40 or 45 acres which come in for roots, about 
30 are allotted to mangolds, for which the land is splendidly 
adapted. These are sown, if possible, as early as the last week 
in March, at a distance of about 27 inches on the flat, no 
artificial manure being used. The Yellow Globe is the usual 
variety, and the quality of the roots generally is very fine. They 
are put out in the spring to men to set out, single, and finally 
clean at 12s. an acre ; and about 13s. is paid in November for 
taking up, topping, and heaping. Swede sowing commences 
immediately the mangolds are got in, the land having been 
treated in a precisely similar manner. About 4 acres of the 
root land is annually cropped with cabbages, which grow an 
immense bulk of very valuable keep. These are planted early 
in March, the land having been carefully marked out previously 
occasion no less than 31 were pure " Charmers," and these averaged a-hcad. 
8 of the " Frill " family made 56?. a-piece. The average of the whole of the cows 
and heifers was 6CZ. 17*. 2d. (a very large sum in thuse days), and that of the 
entire herd 6H. 18s. 2d. 
In 1868 (March 25) a third sale of 47 head took place, when Mr. Strafford 
stated lhat his instructions were to sell all the herd with the exception of one 
cow for the dairy. Many of the animals were again of Sylph blood. Tlie avemge 
of the cows and heifers this time was 85Z. lis. 6d., and 15 bulls averaged 52i. 10s. 
a-piece. These figures are, I think, interesting as showing the rise in the value 
of these families. It would be still more interesting to know what they would 
fetch at the prcecnt time. 
