58 
Report on the Farm Prize Competition 
offered by the Earl of Carysfort several years ago for the best- 
inauaged farm in the Stamford district. It has the advantage 
of a fairly good climate. The rainfall, as measured at the 
pumping-station in 1887, was lh\ inches, but that was the least 
that had been observed for 20 years. Some draining has been 
lately done by the tenant vvithout assistance from the landlord. 
The drains were cut about 30 to 36 inches deep, the contrary 
way to the old clay grips, and filled with thorns, with tile 
outlets through the turfy holes where necessary. This system 
of draining is not one to be recommended, although it appears 
in this case to answer very well at present. 
On the Home Farm the rotation of crops consists of (1) 
turnips, (2) barley, (3) swedes, (4) wheat. On the Fen, the 
rotation is (1) coleseed and turnips, (2) oats, (3) wheat, (4) 
seeds, and (5) wheat. The mixture for seeds consists of 7 lbs. 
red clover, 7 lbs. white clover, 2 lbs. trefoil, and 4 lbs. ryegrass. 
This seems to suit the land admirably, as Mr. Cave had the best 
field of seeds found by the Judges anywhere during their visits 
of inspection. On an average, the yield of grain is 4| quarters 
wheat, 4 quarters barley, and 7J quarters oats per acre. 
For 1888, the cropping consisted of wheat 69 acres, barley 
10, oats 56, sown grass not included in pasture 47, mangold 12, 
swedes 27, cabbages or kohl rabi 4, vetches or tares 1, coleseed 
17, carrots 2, and jDotatoes 2. 
Wheat, chiefly Eldrid's white chaff red, was very clean, and 
looked fairly promising. In two instances, after seeds, it had 
received 8 loads of farmyard manure per acre. A field of 24 
acres on the Fen, after clover grazed in 1887, showed a regular 
plant throughout; but a little Agrostis stolonifera (florin or 
creeping-bent), to which the land is subject, was noticeable. 
Mr. Cave had drilled this field with 2 bushels per acre, and it 
had been hoed at a cost of 2s. per acre, and looked well. A field 
of 24 acres, of red and white wheat mixed, after oats, looked 
uncommonly good. Barley, after swedes eaten off with sheep 
in 1887, promised well. IsTine pecks of Hallett's Chevalier had 
been drilled to the acre. 
Oats, Hallett's pedigree white, and Webb's white Tartarian, 
3 bushels drilled to the acre, looked very indifferent ; but a 
field of 24 acres of white oats, after coleseed eaten off with 
sheep, looked particularly well, and was the finest field on the 
farm. Superphosphate had been applied to the coleseed ; and 
3 bushels of oats had been drilled to the acre. 
Of seeds, the field of 14 acres was remarkably good, and 
had for some time been keeping 8 sheep per acre, besides some 
cattle and 4 horses. The sheep were getting \ lb. of oats 
