572  The  Yorkshire  Farm-Prize  Competition,  1883. 
gateways  are  laid  with  chalk,  and  all  the  gates  can  be  opened 
on  horseback. 
The  stackyard  and  homestead  are  the  embodiment  of  tidiness. 
Order  and  system  seem  to  pervade  the  premises. 
'Book-keeping . — No  annual  stock-taking  is  attempted.  But  a 
strict  cash  account  of  receipts  and  expenditure  is  kept. 
An  interesting  record  is  also  kept  of  any  permanent  works 
executed  on  the  farm,  with  their  cost,  such  as  chalking,  building, 
&c.  Mr.  Watson  writes:  “ I succeeded  to  my  father’s  farm  in 
1855  at  the  age  of  21.  The  Russian  war  was  in  the  way  just 
then,  which  helped  me  a good  deal.  In  the  year  1859  I took 
another  farm  of  about  400  acres  ; in  the  year  1866  I took  about 
100  acres  more  on  a lease  for  seven  years — it  was  very  good 
grass-land.  In  1867  I took  about  300  acres  more,  and  I did 
not  take  any  more  until  I took  Wood  House  and  about  700  acres 
more  at  the  same  time.  From  1876  to  1882  I farmed  on  my 
own  account  about  3000  acres.”  All  this  extension  of  business, 
and  the  capital  required  to  carry  it  on,  have  been  acquired  by  pure 
farming,  with  an  entire  absence  of  speculation.  Mr.  Watson 
states  that  he  always  sells  his  grain  immediately  after  threshing, 
and  his  wool  directly  after  clipping.  Arable  farming  may, 
therefore,  in  this  case  be  credited  with  bestowing  on  one  of  its 
votaries  in  the  person  of  Mr.  Watson  a rich  pecuniary  reward. 
Class  II. — Commended. 
Mr.  William  Coverdale,  Lund  Cote,  Kirig  Moorside. 
Lund  Cote  Farm  is  situated  in  the  North  Riding,  2 miles 
west  of  Kirby  Moorside.  It  forms  part  of  the  extensive  estates 
of  the  Earl  of  Feversham,  and  comprises  292  acres,  of  which 
232  acres  are  arable  and  the  remainder  pasture  land.  The  farm 
has  been  held  by  the  present  tenant  for  a period  of  thirteen 
years,  and  under  a yearly  tenancy,  at  a rent  which  Mr.  Coverdale 
says  has  been  too  high  for  recent  seasons.  On  account  of  these 
bad  times,  10  per  cent,  has  been  considerately  returned  at  rent- 
days  for  the  past  two  years.  The  terms  of  agreement  include 
a tenant-right  of  half  the  cost  of  the  cake  consumed  during  the 
last  year  of  the  tenancy,  calculated  on  the  average  consumption 
of  the  last  three  years. 
The  land  is  described  in  the  certificate  of  entry  as  “ loam,” 
resting  on  limestone  and  sandstone.  There  are  a few  patches 
of  strong  clay,  part  of  which  requires  draining  ; but  as  a whole 
the  soil  is  that  kind  of  fertile  loam  which  is  easily  spoiled  by 
being  worked  out  of  condition.  The  fields  lie  well,  are  pretty 
level,  but  are  rather  too  thickly  studded  with  old  trees,  which, 
