308 Report on the Farm-Prize Competition of 1872. 
Mr. Rees Thomas four years a^o. Resting on limestone, the 
soil is, in some places, not more than a few inches deep, and, 
therefore, soon shows the effects of dry weather ; while in winter, 
owing to the clayey nature of the surface, the land is apt to get 
poached. 
At our winter inspection portions of this farm were rather 
foul, but, by the time we paid our second visit, so great was the 
improvement in this and other respects that we considered Mr. 
Thomas worth}- of a high commendation. The judicious winter^ 
feeding of the cattle-stock, the superior management of a nume- 
rous flock of sheep, the liberal use of artificial food, and the 
successful growth of catch-crops, render Mr. Thomas's stvle of 
farming worthy of imitation in many ways. " Rock Farm " 
contains about 181 acres, namely, arable, 120 ; sheep walk, 20 ; 
sainfoin, 9 : old meadow and pasture round the house, .32 
acres. The system of cropping adopted is the four-course, 
namelv, 1. Wheat ; 2. Roots ; 3. Wheat, Barlev, or Oats ; and 
4. Seeds. This year the arable land is under the following crops, 
the unequal quantities arising from the irregular size of tbe 
fields : — 
Acres. 
W heat, after clover and roots 46 
I Mangolds ... 5 j 
Swedes -1^ 3jt 
1 urnips and \ 
Potatoes, I ) 
Barley, 9 } '""^^^ 
Seeds 24 
120 
Since last harvest, we may further note, the whole of the swede 
and turnip land had produced a heavy crop of trifolium, vetches, 
or Italian rye-grass, the only piece of idle-fallow being the 
5 acres of mangold ground. Part of the trifolium, which was 
an excellent crop, had been cut green for the use of the horses, and 
the remainder, at our June inspection, was being mown for hay. 
The vetches, a most luxuriant plant, were being mown by the 
shepherd, and eaten through iron hurdles by 2G0 lambs and 
tegs ; the hurdles being gradually drawn towards the uncut 
vetches as required by the shepherd's convenience. The older 
sheep were also receiving 1 lb. each, daily, of crushed oats, 
linseed and cotton cake, mixed, and, though they appeared to 
be suffering somewhat from the intense heat then prevailing, 
they were in fine condition. The Italian r}c-giasb vvas grazed 
