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lESSajlS mtS IScportS.— prizes for 1 856.— All Prizes of the 
Royal Agricultural Society of England are open to general com- 
petition. Competitors will be expected to consider and discuss the 
heads enumerated. 
I. FARMING OP BEDFORDSHIRE. 
Fifty Sovereigns will be given, by the Society, for the best 
Report on the Farming of Bedfordshire. 
1. Physical characteristics of the county ; climate, surface, rivers ; geolo- 
gical subdivisions and peculiarities, noting difl'erences, if any, of 
farm-practice traceable thereto. 
2. Agricultural divisions ; proportion of meadow, pasture, and arable ; 
peat land ; ordinary course of cropping on light and on heavy 
soils ; treatment of clays ; drainage ; irrigation ; dairy practice ; 
farms of particular note ; markets ; jjopulation. 
3. Notice of former agricultural reports of the county; improvements 
since Bachelor's survey ; further changes needed. 
n. KEEPING QUALITIES OF TURNIPS. 
Twenty Sovereigns will be given for the best Essay on the pro- 
duction of Turnips possessing good keeping qualities, and 
their preservation to a late period of the season. 
1. Kinds best adapted for storing. 
2. Keeping qualities ; how far affected by nature of soil ; by early or late 
sowing ; by heavy dressings ; by special kinds of tillage ; by the 
character of the season. 
3. Drawing, and storing. 
III. SPRING-FEED CROPS. 
Ten Sovereigns will be given for the best Essay on Spring-feed 
Crops, with special reference to early growth. 
VOL. XVI. b 
