236 Report mi the Farm Prize Competition in 
purposes, and are largely made into coke in kilns or oVens ad- 
joining the land. Much harm is done to all the vegetation 
around by the smoke of these ovens. 
Brandon Farm is held certainly more because of the coal 
under it than for the crops that may be got on its surface. 
The buildings were substantial erections ; but very little can be 
said for the crops or the stock. All the manure made on the 
farm — 80 tons — and about 20/. worth purchased, was applied to 
the grass seeds and turnip crops, but no artificial manure or lime 
had been used for the last 4 years. A large open ditch had been 
covered in at a cost of 50?., and the average expenditure in cake 
was but small. 
The management of all these farms was as good as was pos- 
sible in their situation, and the manager, Mr. William Arrow- 
smith, had been at his post for over 20 years ; but it was evident 
to the Judges, after their second inspection, that the claim could 
not compare with any of the other competitors, and they did not 
visit it on their third round. 
The Seaton Delated Coal Company s occupation consisted of 
1,167 acres, of which 677 acres were in pasture, 120 acres 
meadow, 252 acres arable, and 118 acres were plantations, 
occupation roads, and waste. Of the arable land 16| acres 
were in wheat, 91 acres oats, 10 acres barley, 11 acres beans, 
48^ acres turnips and green crop, and 75 acres clover and grass 
seeds. The com crops were all good, the turnips and other green 
crops very clean and promising, and the clover and grass seeds 
were hea\"y crops. The meadow lands were of fair average 
character, but the pasture land was irregular in character and 
three-fourths of it but poor. Some parts of the surface had 
sunk verj' much, and the drainage was therefore interfered with 
adversely. 
Eight farm horses were kept for the farm work, and 17 
milking cows, the milk of which was sold at \s. per gallon for 
retail among the colliers, and averaged lOZ. per week. Besides 
these there were 45 fatting heifers, 76 store beasts (about two 
years old), and 15 rearing calves. 
The sheep flock consisted of 320 breeding ewes, 8 rams and 
16 wethers, which, with 7 pigs, made the total number of live 
stock 1,024. Part of the ewe flock were half-breds, and were 
getting 1 lb. of oats each daily when suckling, and their best 
fat lambs were being sold to kill at the end of May and in 
June. The other part were blackfaced ewes, running with their 
lambs on the poorer pastures. 
In all, 631 acres had been drained by the tenants, and a 
single wire had been fixed alongside nearly all the hedges 
on the farm to strengthen them as fences. A large outlay was 
