50 Report on Messrs. Prout and MiddleditcKs 
from the Royal Agricultural Society's trials, and the Society 
and the public thus lose the benefit of their experience. The 
most effectual plan to bring all makers to the competitive trials 
would be to prevent manufacturers or their agents exhibiting 
any of the implements, which are specified in the prize sheet of 
the year, unless duplicates are also entered for trial competition. 
The nitrate of soda, in doses varying from 1 to 1^ cwt., is gene- 
rally broadcasted on the cereals in March or early in April, and on 
the clovers and rye-grass in early spring or after the first cutting, 
is removed. Where more than 1 cwt. is to be used, a double 
chance of benefit results from applying the amount in two doses, 
at intervals of a week or ten days. Grateful and generous as is 
the well-managed soil, it is not necessary to entrust it with 
more soluble fertilising materials than are sufficient for the im- 
mediate wants of the growing crop. 
No farming is fairly entitled to commendation unless it is also 
profitable, and the important practical question is, how does 
Mr. Prout's system pay ? From the books and accounts, which 
are kept with as much care and order as the farm itself, a satis- 
factory balance-sheet can be produced. Few large concerns have 
such simple receipts ; nearly the whole are realised from the 
auction sales, which were begun in 1866, were not held in 1867, 
but have since been continued annually. Having abstracted and 
averaged most of the payments for seven years, the same period 
may fittingly be taken for the receipts, and the totals of the sales 
since 1868^are accordingly subjoined. 
£ s. d. 
1868 4,726 0 8 
1869 3,742 0 0 
1870 5,232 7 4 
1871 4,625 14 11 
1872 .'. 4,743 11 10 
1873 4,570 4 10 
1874 4,628 2 6 
£32,268 2 1 
This gives an annual average of 4609/. ll.s'. bd. To this 
there remains to be added the produce of from 15 to 18 
acres, part of the 25 acres lying near home, described on page 
47, which, unlike the remainder of the farm, is not cropped so 
continuously with corn, nor fed so exclusively with artificials ; it 
is usually devoted to growing hay and roots for the horses and 
milk-cows; but its labour and seed bills are included in the 
general payments, and its annual returns are estimated at 200/., 
This brings the total receipts of Blount's Farm to 4809/. lis. bd. 
The annual acreable averages will convey to many a more 
(Icfinitc idea fo the actual returns. The four years, 1868-1871, 
