in Northumberland and Durham in 1887. 
627 
Among the farms in this class which did not receive a prize 
there is one which deserves something more than a passing notice, 
Mr. Weightman's Farm, Hall Farm, Silksworth, 
Sunderland. 
Highly Commended and Reserve Number in Class I. 
This is a farm of 384 acres, of which 271 are arable, and 
113 pasture. It lies about three miles to the south-west of 
Sunderland, and about one mile from the sea. It belongs to 
Mr. VV. R. Robinson, and is held from year to year at a rent of 
795/., in addition to tithe rent-charge of about 65/., and rates 
65/. This is nearly Abs. an acre, exclusive of rates. The 
greater portion of the farm has been in Mr. Weightman's 
occupation thirteen years ; but part of the farm was added 
to it six years ago. The land is for the most part very strong, 
but there are patches of gravel and sand. 
There are two sets of buildings on the farm — one of these, 
with the farm-house adjoining, is completely new. The house 
is very commodious. A number of farm servants are lodged 
and boarded in the house, and the arrangements for their accom- 
modation are exceptionally good. 
The buildings also are new and well arranged, particularly 
the cow byres, in which a central gangway runs behind 2 rows 
of stalls. The root house and mixing roo n stand between two 
of these byres. The byres have cement floors, and they are 
kept thoroughly clean. All the drainage of the buildings is 
carried to a tank, and the liquid manure is pumped up and 
applied to the grass land or the seeds. In addition to the new 
buildings erected by the landlord, Mr. Weightman has put up 
implement sheds at his own cost. He has also grubbed about 
two miles of fences, and made hard roads to the outlying fields, 
Mr. Weightman sells Wheat, Barley, and Oats, Turnips and 
Potatoes, green forage crops. Hay from permanent and rotation 
grasses, and Straw. He also sells a large quantity of Milk 
and some Meat. The situation of the farm enables him to dis- 
pose of all descriptions of produce, to get any number of 
labourers, male or female, when work is pressing, and to main- 
tain the fertility of the land by large importations of not very 
costly manure. 
The prices which we noted during our visits were milk Id. 
to 8d. a gallon, the buyer finding churns, scouring them, and 
fetching the milk : Swede turnips 18s. a ton in winter, and 
30s. in the spring: Hay 87s. a ton for second-year seeds of 
very moderate quality, the buyer cutting, trussing, and carrying 
VOL. xxiir. — s. s. 2 T 
