582 
The Farm-Prize Competition, 1884. 
by the tenant. Tatenhill is three and a half miles distant from 
Burton-on-Trent. The land is not conveniently situated as 
regards the buildings, but the more distant portion, mostly 
arable, adjoins the Trent and Mersey Canal, and town manure 
from Burton is delivered on the farm at 35. a ton ; also night 
soil in a semi-liquid condition, at 21. a boat-load, which, mixed 
with ashes, is good manure for root crops. 
This is an important advantage, especially as up to this spring 
the road through the farm was only a mud lane, almost im- 
passable in wet weather, and a source of much extra horse- 
power and wear and tear both mechanical and mental. We 
were very glad to find on our second visit in May that this 
road which had been such a source of trouble was beinc 
repaired. A nine-feet w^idth of surface was being excavated 
12 inches deep, with a pipe-drain down the middle, and drain 
and excavation filled with thorns. This was to be covered 
with gravel quarried on the farm, and conveyed by go carts. 
The landlord was to do the work, and the tenant to lead materials, 
which, as the road reaches fully half a mile, is no small under- 
taking, and was very properly interrupted at the time of our 
visit, in order that fallowing operations might be proceeded 
with. Seeing that the arable land can be manured from the 
canal, and that the field close to the buildings, is suitable for 
roots, it is questionable whether the system of carting most of 
the roots such a distance and hauling back manure is judi- 
cious or economical. It might be wiser to consume the bulk 
of the roots in these far-off fields on the ground, and depend 
more on artificial food for the cows. 
The soil varies considerably : two arable fields on the south- 
west boundary are of a peaty character ; the rest of the tillage 
land is on a gravelly subsoil, with occasional patches of strong 
soil, which makes it awkward to work. This portion is 
mostly of a somewhat poor, hungry nature. The grass-land is 
a strong loam on a clay subsoil, and to some extent requires 
drainage. It may be truly said that the remarkably successful 
management which we are about to describe is mainly due to 
the energy and perseverance of the tenant, ably backed up by 
an excellent wife, in the face of difficulties and discouragements 
which to many would have proved insurmountable. Indeed, 
Mr. Miles's history is so instructive, and he is so truly typical 
of the class of man likely to make small farming profitable, 
that no apology is offered for giving a detailed account of his 
experience, which, as well as the financial results, are published 
with the full consent of Mr. Miles. 
Charles Miles was born in 1841, at Hill Ridware, near 
Rugeley, Staffordshire, where his father, who had previously 
