628 
Report on the Farm-Prize Competition 
it away : Seeds 12/. to 14/. an acre, the buyer cutting the crop 
and carting it. On the other hand, long manure from the town 
is delivered close to the farm at 4s. 6c?. a truck, which con- 
tains about 4 tons. In the 16 months preceding our May 
visit, at least 1600 tons had been brought on to the farm in this 
way, besides what is carried from the town by drays which are 
constantly delivering produce there. A colliery village lies on 
the edge of the farm, and the contents of the middens are regu- 
larly removed to this farm, the only cost being that of labour 
and carting. In addition to all the long manure and ash refuse 
thus collected, Mr. Weightman spends 200Z. a year in artificial 
manures, exclusive of nitrate of soda. 
About half the grass land is mown every year. This land is 
all heavily manured ; frequently long manure is applied im- 
mediately after the hay is carted. 
On the arable land no particular rotation of crops appears to 
be adhered to. About one-third is in corn, two-fifths in green 
crops, and one-fourth in seeds, as will appear from the fol- 
lowing table, showing the cropping of 1886-87 : — 
Corn Crops, 
Green Crops. 
Grasses in Rotation. 
1886, 
1887. 
1886, 
1887, 
1886, 
1887. 
Wheat 
Barley 
acres. 
i27^ 
341 
acres 
2^ 
46^ 
Turnips and"! 
Swedes . . / 
Potatoes . . 
acres. 
59 
64 
acres. 
52 
461 
Seeds 1st yr.^j 
„ 2ndyr,> 
acres. 
551 
acres. 
21i 
Oats .. 
30J 
19f 
Tares 
4 
„ 3rd yr.J 
lioi 
02^ 
94f 
123 
1021 
The order in which these crops are grown is not fixed. This 
year Potatoes follow Swedes in one field, Clover in another, and 
Barley in a third, while in another field Swedes are found in 
succession to Potatoes. The land varies much in quality and 
character, and the crops are varied according to circumstances. 
The crops which are most successfully grown are Potatoes and 
Seeds. For the former the land is heavily manured with thirty 
loads of ash manure, and a heavy dressing of the best farmyard 
manure in addition ; when the supply of home-made manure is 
not sufficient, 7 to 8 cwt. of special artificial manure are applied. 
The Seeds of the first year are either watered with liquid manure 
or top-dressed with 2 cwt. of nitrate of soda. A large portion 
of the first year's crop is generally sold to collieries, cab-pro- 
prietors, cow-keepers, &c. The buyer cuts two crops green, 
and the seller has no expenses. This year 25^ acres had been 
