Tlie Farm-Prize Competition, 1884. 
5G3 
ploughed in autumn, thrice cultivated bj steam in spring, and 
well harrowed and rolled by horse-power. It was intended to 
apply manure on the flat, where not ploughed in, in autumn, 
and to plough, and drill the seed with dissolved bones and 
ashes. Part of the field was stony, and the cultivator brought 
up big stones 3 to 4 cwt. each — these we should imagine to be 
boulders from the sandstone, as the soil appears entirely of a drift 
nature. As the field was hilly, an extra lad was employed to 
manage additional porters, to prevent undue friction of the rope ; 
on ordinarily level fields three hands suffice. The work was 
excellent, the soil quite clean, and with such depth and fineness 
of soil there was every prospect of a successful result, which was 
realised at our last visit, when we found a uniform growing 
crop carefully set out. This is done by contract, 95. an acre 
being paid for two hoeings. 
No. 562, 12 a. 2 r. Young seeds. This is also a light soil, 
full of stones. The mixture comprised 6 lbs. of red clover, 
6 lbs. of white Dutch, 2 lbs. of suckling, 2 lbs. of alsike, and 
4 lbs. of Timothy-grass, which is preferred to rye-grass, as less 
obtrusive, not so early, and as yielding very nutritious produce. 
Nothing could look better than this sward, considering that 
the field was closely grazed up to the end of March with sheep, 
having a mixture of oats and cake, about ^ lb. per head. It was 
also fed with lambs in the autumn. With suitable rainfall, this 
field could grow fully two tons per acre of first-rate quality ; 
and bearing in mind how much food had been produced both in 
autumn and spring, the advantage of high condition is apparent. 
We saw a splendid lot of hay carried from this field, which was 
stocked in July with the wether and ram lambs, and though 
heavily stocked was full of keep. 
No. 572, 18 a. 2 r. Chevalier barley, 10 pecks sown per acre, 
and seeds for grazing (no red clover sown) after swedes and 
turnips partly consumed on the land. The barley was strong, 
with full plant, and clean ; would have been better for rain. 
No. 574, 25 a. 2 r. For roots. Cultivation similar to that 
of No. 568, and like that field clean as a garden. This was 
most admirably worked and ready for sowing, when season and 
weather rendered it advisable. I trust to have made it quite 
clear that horse work in spring is confined to harrowing, rolling, 
and ploughing in the manure. These swedes, which were sown 
later than No. 568, were a regular plant, and nearly ready for 
singling, at our last visit in July. 
No. 573, 17 a. 2 r. Old grass. Upland pasture, chiefly used 
for sheep, of which it carries a heavy stock liberally supplied 
with cake and corn. It has been recently dressed with a com- 
post of soil, lime, and bones. The quality and produce were 
excellent, and it was evenly grazed. 
