in Northumberland and Durham in 1887. 
641 
No. 5. Four acres potatoes, Myatts, Dalmahoys, Champions. These were 
growing after a crop of turnips drawn off. The cultivation had been as 
Ibllows : — riou;^hed, scrubbed, grubbed, ridged, mucked with twenty loads of 
farmyard-manure to the acre. Crops very promising. Six acres of Wheat in 
the same field, sown in February, 2 bushels of square head to the acre; a 
poor crop, rather foul with annual weeds. 
No. 6. Wheat after turnips, very thin. Much " runch " and other weeds. 
No. 14. Roots after Oats. Two acres potatoes, half an acre mangold, 
8 acres purple-top swedes removed; and about 8^ acres yellow bullock, 
Fosterton hybrid, and green globe. 12 acres had been manured in the 
autumn with 40 loads (?) of good farmyard-manure to the acre, the rest 
was manured in the ridges. The land had been ploughed, then harrowed 
down, hand picked, then ploughed again, scrubbed, ridged, &c. 5 cwt. of 
dissolved bones had been supplied per acre. 
No, 15, Oats. Short but thick — a fair crop. 
The farm was neat and trim generally, the buildings and 
stackyard in excellent order. The fences were better than most 
and well attended to. Mr. Davison, with the assistance of his 
landlord, had made great improvements by straightening fences. 
He has also made a good road up to the buildings, and through 
the centre of the farm. 
The farm is naturally a poor one, enriched by good cultiva- 
tion and liberal manuring. A crop of 60 bushels of Wheat to 
the acre, or even 50 on poor land, is an indication of a good 
preparation for the crop. 
Mr. Davison, who has other strings to his bow besides farm- 
ing, keeps accounts in proper mercantile way, and he furnished 
a copy of his balance-sheet for 2 years. The items are not 
classified exactly as in other accounts presented, but the differ- 
ence in form is not material. 
This account presents a less favourable review of farming than 
the last which was discussed (p. 625), but it is thought desirable 
to print it, because it is always difficult to get hold of such 
accounts. Here is a farm managed on commercial principles, 
well equipped and well worked, and the average profit of two 
years is less than 30Z. The capital employed cannot be less 
than 1200/., and so the farmer gets 2J per cent, for his money. 
The labour bill on this farm, in which is included the hire of a 
threshing-machine, is only about 17s. 4(f. an acre, the per- 
quisites would not bring it up to more than 18s. It will be 
seen that in this case, as in others, meat is a far more important 
item in the account of receipts than corn. 
The Judges, in awarding the second prize to Mr. Davison, 
recognised the general good management of his farm, the 
character of his stock, and the improvements which he has 
made, and of which he has not yet reaped the full benefit. 
