228 Report on the Farm Prize Competition in 
I 
but three of the feeding sheds had been altered and adapted for | 
tying up milking cows. The land was chiefly in grass — 50 acres ! 
old pasture, 116 acres newly laid down grasses, and 67 acres i 
meadow grass; of the arable land 16 acres only were in turnips 
and 6 in tares, 30 wheat, 22 oats, and 6 barley. The gates 
were all newly painted, the hedges (a limited length) were newly j 
trimmed, and the fences — much of which were wood posts and I 
wire — had all been newly repaired or lately erected. The occu- j 
pation roads were in good keeping. The land lay well to view 
from the approach to the farm. The stackyard, filled with the 
previous year's crops, was a gi'and sight on our first visit, and i 
the large wheat and hay crops on our last visit were equally im- i 
posing. A large quantity of manure is carted from Newcastle, | 
and upwards of 100 loads of gas-lime are used annually. Ten 
farm horses and colts, two milk ponies, and two young harness , 
horses in the breaker's hands, were the whole of the stock kept 
besides the cows, of which more hereafter. ' 
Mr. William Trotter s farm, South Acomb, is 13 miles west i 
from Newcastle, 325 feet above sea level, and is gained by a < 
steep road that crosses the farm, and leaves the land lying right 
and left of it with a pleasing appearance, and mostly to the I 
noonday sun. It is divided into ten fields, of average size, ; 
having good gates to enter, and remarkably well-kept hedges. ' 
Forty acres of it lie detached and lower than this part, with ' 
a large fir plantation intervening. There are 83 acres in pas- 
ture, 64 to be mowed for hay, 14 turnips and green crops, and 
25 acres in oats and barley. The soil on half the farm is fairly ' 
fertile, lying on a subsoil of millstone grit ; the remainder is-a poor 
thin soil, on weak clay. The herbage of the pastures is fresh- 
looking but short, and is kept short by heavy stocking. The 
land recently laid down is composed of well-selected grasses, and I 
the pasture promises to come out well as it gathers age. The 
stock of the farm consisted of 28 milking cows, 16 heifers, • 
8 calves, and 100 ewes and lambs. Besides these there were some- 
thing like 20 cart stallions, breeding mares and young horses, i 
the property of Mr. Trotter, jun., which were kept on the farm, I 
but fed largely on purchased food. These animals, being well ' 
fed, greatly improve the manure heap, and the whole farm had ' 
the appearance of being well fed like the horses. 
Mr. Charles Marshall's fiirm, of Broomhaugh, lies in the 
valley of the Tyne, and about two miles lower down the river ; : 
about half the farm is in grass, the other half arable. The ' 
cultivation and cropping of the arable portion was well done. , 
The pasture land had good herbage, was free from noxious weeds, I 
and was in good lioart. The soil and subsoil were gravelly and light 
■ — a hot dry soil would be an apt description. " It burns witliout j 
