576 The Farm Prize Comjyetition o/1891. 
stone, and is well adapted for growing turnips and barley, also 
potatoes of very good quality. The fields, all of suitable size, 
are in a ring fence, bounded on all sides by a road, and the 
hedges uniform, with but few gaps. A good rent is paid, 
especially considering the heavy payments customary on enter- 
ino- a farm in this neisfhbourhood. 
Mr. Stanley, being a carpenter by trade, has worked his 
way up to the position he now holds. After running a threshing 
machine for hire a few years he was enabled to take this farm. 
The very small sum of 350/. was paid at the commencement, 
but that was owing to the exceedingly bad condition, and cross 
cropping had been practised. Had everything been well done, 
perhaps double that amount might have been decided upon by 
the valuers, and the competitor thinks this would have been to 
his advantage, as he could have grown good crops at once. 
A'ery tidy and compact buildings are situated at one end of 
this farm in the village, containing sufficient accommodation for 
the stock, as well as a new set of horse gear and chaff-cutter. 
The landlord a short time ago put up a large covered yard, 
the eud of which adjoins the grass paddock, making a con- 
venient place for young stock to run in and out of during the 
summer. 
A four-course system of farming is with slight variation 
followed on the land : (1) turnips or potatoes ; (2) barley ; 
(3) seeds grazed and mown, or pease ; (4) wheat and oats. The 
inclusion of a pea crop to a small extent in the rotation is 
hazardous, but sometimes exceedingly remunerative. In a 
good season, if the pods are ready just when others are, the 
returns of the commission men are the reverse of pleasant ; on 
the other hand, if the crop can be thrown on the market either 
very early or very late in the season, then a satisfactory price ia 
obtained, and at such times buyers come round and bid for the 
lot by the acre, and pull them as well. 
Eight acres last season yielded 7G bags per acre at 6s. per 
bag, which amounts to a good sum. This year the haulm is 
thin in one portion, so a passing buyer has only bid 101. per 
acre ; but Mr. Stanley is holding out, as he can market them 
himself if the price be not advanced. Labour is very plentiful 
for the picking, women coming from all the district round, 
and making very good wages at the rate of one penny per peck 
of nine pounds. 
A little fresh seed had been purchased for one field, showing 
great superiority in the crop for the extra expense, although the 
same variety, Laxtou's Supreme. 
During the picking, men are following closely behind, heaping 
