Continuous Corn Growing. 
45 
Cross Field, comprising 55 acres, grew sainfoin for three years, 
from 1809-1871, and has since borne three wheat crops. Last 
autumn it carried 33 acres Rivett wheat, which sokl for 10/. 10s. ; 
and 22 acres Browick red, more regular, kindly, and yielding, 
and sold cheap at 10/. 10s. 
Dudley, measuring 40 acres, had ten years ago a dressing of 
London manure ; in 1872, it was clover following wheat ; about 
eleven acres were broken up and subsoiled 16 inches deep ; more 
crude clay than was desirable was then brought to the surface ; 
and Mr. Prout considers that the field has accordingly since 
required rather more manure. Wheat followed in 1873, and 
last year there were 30 acres of red wheat and 10 of Rivett, together 
averaging upwards of 10/. per acre. 
Behind the Farmhouse is the Home Field, comprising 45 acres ; 
23 of which were originally in old grass of low quality, ploughed 
up by Mr. Prout, and, in spite of severe cropping, not yet 
exhausted of its riches. It was fallowed in 1862, but, with the 
exception of small patches under beans and other cleaning crops, it 
has grown cereals ever since ; and, amongst the rest, five conse- 
cutive and remunerative crops of barley. Last season it was in 
Rivett wheat, drilled rather late, sold at an average of 9/. 16s. ; 
not so regular as some other pieces, portions considerably 
" knee-broken," and here and there interspersed with wild oats, 
which will, however, be eradicated by the autumn and spring 
cultivation, preparatory for a crop of black Tartarian oats. 
Nothing at Sawbridgeworth, Mr. Prout assures me, has paid so 
well as the arable culture of the Home Field and other portions 
of inferior grass land. Continuous corn-crops have been pro- 
duced at little expense ; for several years scarcely any artificial 
manures were applied ; the food for the million, as well as the 
profit for the farmer, must have been three times that which 
under any management could have been extracted from the 
■original sour rough pasturage. 
By the side of the turnpike road, approaching the farm-build- 
ings, is Whitemoor, bearing 64 acres of black Tartarian oats, 
a fine level crop, put in early in March with the general-purpose 
drill. Three and a half bushels of seed were sown, \Vith 1^ cwt. 
Ohlendorff's prepared guano; a fortnight later 1^ cwt. nitrate 
of soda was applied as a top-dressing, and the crops sold at an 
average of 9/. 15s. Although three cereals have been grown 
consecutively on part of this field, and five cereals over the re- 
mainder, the cultivation has been so thorough, and the crops 
have so rapidly and entirely covered the ground, that there has 
been little opportunity for weeds to flourish ; and with the 
exception of a lew patches of squitch-grass in some of the damp 
furrows, Whitemoor may be pronounced perfectly clean. 
