Report on the Farm-Prize Competition of 1872. 309 
by ewes before and after lambing-. As with Mr. Michael 
Spencer, so also with Mr. Thomas, a written yearly agreement 
prevents the sale of hay, straw, or roots, and the growing- of two 
corn crops in succession, but when, as is commonly Mr. Thomas's 
plan, one or other of the above-named forage crops intervenes, 
this last-named restriction is very properly removed. 
But to return to the course of cropping, of which a brief 
account only can be given, we will begin with wheat. The 
clover-leas, which are always sown with tliis cereal, are heavily 
dressed in September with farmyard-dung; this is spread, left 
3 or 4 weeks, and then well chain-harrowed, and ploughed in. 
This method is found to admit of the furrows being more closely 
packed, and secures a firmer seed-bed than the plan generally 
practised. The autumn wheats (" Essex White " and " Short- 
eared Hoary "), at the rate of about 2J bushels per acre, are 
drilled the first week in November. Particular attention being 
paid to the winnowing of this, and all seed corn, the use of 
vitriol is dispensed with. Wheat, to prevent its getting " knee 
bent," is commonly grazed by sheep in the early spring ; occa- 
sionally, too, roots are carted on to it for the use of the sheep, 
thus insuring complete consolidation. An average crop of wheat 
on this farm throws 35 bushels, but we saw some this season 
which will yield 40 bushels, or upwards. 
Immediately the harvest is over, preparation for the vetches, 
trifolium, and other catch-crops begin, and, as we have already 
said, Mr. Thomas grows them both extensively and well. How- 
ever, as we purpose touching upon this branch of Welsh farming 
in our '* general remarks," we need not here give details of 
their cultivation. 
Mangold ground, as we have before said, is left idle through 
the winter. It is ploughed, harrowed, and, as far as possible, 
cleaned in the autumn, and receives, before Christmas, a plen- 
tiful dressing of dung. Further stirring of the soil takes place 
in March, and the mangolds are planted, on 2-feet drills, at the 
beginning of April. At the time of sowing, a dressing of 
10 cwts. per acre of artificial manures (guano, superphosphate, 
blood manure, mangold manure, and nitrate of soda, in equal 
parts), and 3 cwts. common salt, is broadcasted on the dung. 
Home-grown seed is generally used, the plants are singled to a 
•distance of 14 or 15 inches, and, from the above liberal dose of 
fertilizing matter, 40 to 45 tons per acre are expected. 
Swedes, of which the earlier sown are planted on drills, and 
the later portion on the flat, 24 to 25 inches between the rows, 
are grown with 4 cwts. each of mineral superphosphate and 
dissolved bones per acre. They are usually put in from the end 
of May to the middle of June. Drawn off in November and 
II 
