702 
The Farm Prize Competition of 1890. 
grown annually, partly after lea, and partly after roots. Some 
of the fields seem liglitfor this cereal, but under present manage- 
ment the crops seem to warrant its growth. Mr. Franklin finds 
that upon the average of the last seven years his wheat has 
thrashed out at the rate of 34 bushels per acre. The wheat sold 
in 1888 realised 455/. 10s., and in 1889 467/. 15s. 6d. ; barley 
in the same years producing 50 i/. 16s. and 377/. 12s. respectively. 
Essex Rough Chaff or Long Buff is the sort of wheat mostly grown, 
and is drilled at the rate of two bushels per acre in rows 9 inches 
apart to admit of horse-hoeing, a process which is not commonly 
applied to corn crops in the county, but which is deemed neces- 
sary here to keep down the poppies to which the land is much 
subject. With the exception of this weed the land generally 
was clean. 
About one third of the root crop is mangel, another third 
swedes, and the remainder common turnips, rape, cabbages, and 
thousand-headed kale. One field of 16 acres for mangel ha 
been steam-cultivated intte autumn, and in January was bavin 
a dressing of farmyard manure, of about 20 loads to the acre 
which was being ploughed in. The seed was drilled on the fla 
early in May at the rate of 5 to 6 lb. per acre, in rows 2 feet 
apart. In June the plants were well up, and had been horse- 
hoed twice, the hoe being of a kind commonly used in the 
district, and which does two whole and two half-rows at a time. 
Little or no artificial manure is used, as Mr. Franklin does 
not care about it, especially as he is able to get from Exeter 
what extra dung he requires. In 1888-9 one hundred and 
nine waggon loads, of three tons each, of this dung were 
purchased, and in 1889-90 one hundred and sixty-three, the 
increase being due to the Tramway Co. (from which it is bought 
having increased the number of their horses. Part of this 
year's purchase had been put on to a field of first year's seeds, 
which was an unusually forward and heavy crop. The mixture 
for this lea (intended to be down for 2 years) was Italian rye- 
grass, 1| peeks ; red clover, 8 lb. ; alsike, 2 lb. 
Cabbages and kale are grown, but only sufficient potatoes 
to supply the house. The cabbage and kale plants are placed 
during the last ploughing on the face of every second furrow 
slice as soon as it is turned by the double furrow plough, which 
on the next journey covers their roots, and leaves a bed for the 
following row of plants. To secure firmness a stone roller is 
sent across the rows. The fine crop of cabbages planted in 
this way in 1889, which the Judges saw, prevents them ex- 
pressing any adverse opinion upon this method of planting, 
which has at any rate one merit, i.e., simplicity. Trifolium and 
