522 Report on the Liverpool Prize-Farm Competition, 1877 — 
to the land : and they were in perfect order on each occasion of 
our inspection. A tank is provided for the drainage from the 
stables and cowhouse, and the liquid manure is carted over 
the grass-land at proper times. Here, too, there is a farm 
garden full, as usual, of profit — everything, even herbs of all 
kinds, being grown for sale as well as for use. The greatest 
credit is due to Mr. Hollingshead and his family for their 
industrious and successful management of a thoroughly well 
equipped farm. 
The Hall Lane Farm at Daresbury, near Runcorn, was com- 
mended. It is 124 acres in extent, of which 78 acres are arable. 
In December last we saw 49 beasts, closely packed in stalls, 
receiving four meals a day, each of these being \ a bushel of 
turnips and 2 quarts of mixed meal (two-thirds Indian corn and 
one-third peas), with only such oat-straw in addition as could 
be picked up from the bedding. They were sold soon after, and 
made 22/. apiece. There were also 200 cross-bred Cheviot, 
Herdwick, and other sheep at grass, receiving a drumhead 
cabbage daily apiece ; and as they were making 1^ lb. of 
mutton a week, Mr. Percival claimed that he was making Is. 6c?. 
a dozen of his cabbages. We also saw 30 or 40 great hogs, in a 
set of capital sties, fattening on scalded Indian meal in distillery 
wash. In July we saw in the grass-fields 33 cattle of various 
ages, which had been bought in April for 15/. each, and were 
then receiving sixpennyworth of decorticated cotton-cake apiece 
daily, and would soon be ready for the butcher. In the fields 
there was a large extent of wheat-crop — heavy and upstand- 
ing ; a fair crop of oats ; a remarkable crop of beans on land 
cropped last year with early potatoes succeeded by cabbages ; 
thickly planted rows of swedes, to furnish plants to be trans- 
planted into the potato land as soon as it was cleared ; and 
some mangolds, rather patchy, and not free from thistle. There 
were also 18 acres of Dalmahoy potatoes in capital condition, on 
which a set of labourers were engaged, at 3/. an acre, in digging 
and sorting and washing (in the canal close by) a crop of 
potatoes, worth 50/. an imperial acre to begin with, for they were 
then being sold in the Manchester market at the rate of 15s. per 
Cheshire rod. The price would soon go down, as the market 
became over-supplied ; but last year 31^ acres of potatoes had 
made 990/. The crop is taken after clover, which is ploughed in 
narrow ridges, the tubers being dibbled across them and covered 
with the earth from the furrows. It is followed the same year by 
either Swedish turnips, pricked in on the removal of the potatoes, 
or cabbages which have been planted among them during their 
growth. Another crop of potatoes, well manured, may be taken 
in the following year, or oats may be taken, to be followed by 
