278 0)1 the Growth of Mangolds, Cahhages, &c. 
instead of 41. 3s. 6d., and the total cost of the swede crop be 
reduced to 5L. 18s. lid. 
The cost of a crop of swedes must of course vary considerably 
with the heavy or light nature of the soil, and also as to its state 
of cleanliness. Perhaps it may be considered by some that Mr. 
Pringle has debited a little too much for tillages ; but, on the 
other hand, it must be admitted that 11. per acre for rent and 
outgoings is scarcely sufficiently high, and it will be observed 
that in Professor Wrightson's estimate SOs. was charged. Hav- 
ing elicited the opinions of several practical agriculturists on the 
point, I proceed to quote from some of them. Mr. Richard Stratton 
says : — " As to the cost of growing swedes, if artificial manures 
are employed, I should put it on my land at 41. 10s. per acre ; 
but if farmj-ard dung be used, from 41. to 5Z. per acre extra." 
Mr. Arthur S. Gibson estimates the cost of the crop at 71. Ss. 
per acre for tillages and manure alone, rent and outgoings 
having to be added, which naturally vary considerably in different 
parts of the kingdom. Mr. H. J. Sheldon states that it so 
much depends on circumstances that the expenditure may easily 
be run up to from 101. to 121. per acre, a full supply of farmyard 
manure being allowed. Mr. R. H. Hobbs can manage to bring 
liis swede crop into debt only some 31. 5s. per acre ; but this is 
of course when a previous green crop has been fed off and only 
a little superphosphate or bone-manure required. Mr. J. Parker 
Toone states that in the neighbourhood of Lutterworth, if a mode- 
rate dressing of farmyard dung be given together with artificial 
manures, the costs of tillages and mauurings would be about 
61. lOs. per acre. Mr. Charles Kent, one of the largest of the 
Dorset chalk-land farmers, after mentioning that the cost depends 
on the state of the land, says : — " Nearly all our root land is 
sown to a green crop, first for sheep feed, and sometimes two 
crops of swedes are grown in succession, when the first is kept 
on the land late and spring, the flocks consuming it too late in 
April for barley-sowing." Hence he considers the cost to range 
on the Dorset hills from 3^. to 51. per acre, irrespective of rent 
and outgoings. Mr. Hulbert gives an estimate not far different 
for the Cotswold district. 
What, then, does the catch crop cost, and what is its value 
when obtained ? So far as trifolium is concerned, it is very 
little indeed. There are thousands of acres raised, involving a 
less expenditure than 15s., five or six of my correspondents 
placing it as low as 10s., the purchase of the seed itself and the 
labour of sowing and scratching it into the stubble with a light 
pair of harrows being all that is deemed requisite. If the 
stubbles have to be surface-worked or ploughed previously to 
