I 
in Northumberland and Durham in 1887. 633 
could make 425. per load of 12 thraves,* which is about 12s. 6d. 
' per ton. 
The fertility of the farm is maintained by heavy applications 
of town manure and scavengers' refuse. The Corporation of 
Tynemouth pay rent for a small piece of ground on the farm, 
and here they deposit large heaps of refuse, including that from 
fish-curing establishments. All this has to be cleared out of the 
town and got rid of, and Mr. Wilson pays nothing for it. The 
scavengers are so accommodating that they frequently distribute 
the manure on the land where they are directed to place it. 
In addition to this manure, Mr. Wilson brings home as back- 
carriage large quantities of stable manure. These are not the 
only advantages of the situation. A water works company has 
a main through the farm, and gives a free supply of water for 
the easement. A cricket club hires a bit of the grass and pays 
a good rent for it, while Mr. Wilson has the grazing. Of course 
all these advantages are paid for in the rent and the rates, which 
are stiff. 
The proposed system of farming f is this : — 
1st year, turnips and swedes. 
2nd year, wheat. 
3rd and 4th years, seeds. 
5th year, oats or potatoes. 
6th year, potatoes or wheat. 
7th year, wheat or barley. 
8th year, barley. 
The climate is rather favourable for the growth of Wheat, and 
the straw is valuable. It is sown after Potatoes and Turnips. 
That after turnips is sown with seeds, the usual mixture being 
2 bushels of rye grass (| Perennial, and J Italian), and 7 lbs. of 
mixed red and alsike clover. These seeds are mown twice in 
the first year, and once in the second. The land is then 
ploughed up and cleaned, and in the autumn ridged and 
mucked for Potatoes, or ploughed down for Oats. If Oats are 
taken, then Potatoes follow, and after Potatoes Wheat is taken, 
and is followed by Barley. 
We visited this farm on the 20th of December. The ground 
was then covered with snow. The stock at that time was as 
follows : — 
* 1 thrave = 3 bottles of 36 lbs. each, or 108 lbs. 12 thraves — 92J stones. 
t Mr. Wilson has not had much time to lay down a regular system adapted to 
the special capabilities of the farm and the situation, though as he was brought 
up on the adjoining farm he has not much to learn about this. 
