530 
Somersetshire Farm-Prize Competition, 1875. 
The coal measures are worked close bv at the Camerton Col- 
lieries, Avhere coal is found immediately under the new red 
sandstone at 100 to 150 fathoms' depth. 
The soil is by no means naturally rich, and it varies a good 
deal in character, as may be supposed from the marked changes- 
in the geological constitution of the subsoil. It runs from the 
light friable texture of the oolite to the stronger new red sand- 
stone, and the still more retentive lias, with its clay subsoil. 
The rainfall is much the same as in the neighbourhood of 
Bristol, and the climate is considered moderately good, although 
the district is not so early by two to three weeks as the richer 
vales of central Somersetshire. Harvest operations usually com- 
mence on Tunley Farm, which is in rather an exposed position,, 
about the latter end of August. 
The tenure is from year to year, and the tenancy commenced. 
Lady Day, 1859. 
The occupation was considerably increased this year, and now 
contains a double quantity of arable and grass land. 
The extensive enlargement of the buildings, hereinafter referred) 
to, is in some degree due to this increase in the acreage of the- 
farm. 
In this neighbourhood the incoming tenant, by custom, usually 
takes possession of the homestead and all the land at Lady Dav. 
He pays for seeds, labour, and tillages on the arable land, and 
for hay and straw at market price. On some farms the outgoing 
tenant is entitled to an offgoing crop of wheat ; and in other 
instances, where the outgoing tenant has fed oft" his green crops, 
the allowance for tillages is reduced to one-half the cost, and 
half a year's rent, tithe, and taxes are returned to him. 
A stipulation is generally made that the quantity of hay and 
straw left at the expiration of a tenancy shall not exceed a give" 
number of tons. There is no tenant-right by local custom or 
private arrangement. 
The comprehensive plans which accompany this Report, and 
for which the writer is indebted to the courtesy of jNIr. Feare, of 
Camerton, the agent of the estate, will best illustrate »the work 
now nearly accomplished at the homestead, as well as the altera- 
tions and improvements effected on the farm (see Figs. 2 to 5). 
The house and buildings are for the most part built with stone, 
and are very substantially erected. The dairy adjoins, and its 
arrangements, which are hereafter described in the Report fur- 
nished by my colleague, Mr. E. Little, of Lanhill, Chippenham, 
are of a very complete character. 
The buildings (Fig. ?>) now consist of the older portion, w.hich 
is constituted by a range of stabling for carthorses and hacks, ad- 
joining and nearly in line with the dwelling; the principal pig- 
