318 Report on the Farm-Prize Competition of 1872. 
autumn or winter, and about one-third tlie crop is generally made 
into hay. The clover-leas, as we have before said, are principally 
prepared for wheat ; entirely so where the four-course system pre- 
vails, and the heavier and stronger the crop of clover the better 
will be the wheat. Where manure has not been previously 
applied to the seeds, a dressing of farmyard-dung is occasionally 
given; this is ploughed-in during October or JSovember, and 
the seed drilled, or sown after the furrow-presser, as soon as 
possible. 
Allusion has previously been made to the growth of trifolium, 
white mustard, vetches. See, as catch-crops. The early harvests,- 
and long mild autumns, are particularly favourable to this kind 
of culture ; in fact, except mangold-ground, which is first wanted 
in the spring, many of the best managers never have any " idle 
fallow," that is, fallow not producing one or other of these 
forage crops between the harvesting of the wheat and the planting 
of the succeeding root-crop. We saw, during our summer 
inspection, several magnificent crops of vetches being mown and 
consumed by cake-eating sheep, and so luxuriant were they in 
some cases that we had doubts whether they could be finished 
in time to allow of the sowing of swedes or common turnips. 
Occupying the first position amongst these valuable supplements 
to the spring food is trifolium (Trifolium incarnatum), and we 
may therefore be pardoned if we give a short account of its 
cultivation. Immediately the wheat-crop is off (for trifolium 
should, if possible, be sown in August) the land is skimmed or 
very lightly ploughed, harrowed, and Cambridge-rolled ; where 
the stubbles are clean, ploughing is often dispensed with. From 
20 to 30 lbs. of seed per acre is sown by hand or broadcast-drill, 
well harrowed and rolled. By the middle of November, in a 
favourable season, the ground is completely covered, and the 
trifolium comes in for cutting about the end of April. A por- 
tion of the field is generally top-dressed, so as to give a supply 
before the bulk is ready for use. Being somewhat strong and 
coarse, trifolium, in its green state, is more commonly given to 
cattle and horses than to sheep. Should any remain uncon- 
sumed at the end of June it is made into hay, and this, eepecially 
if cut early and not allowed to heat much in the stack, rivals 
even sainfoin in quality, and in beneficial results produced when 
given, whole or chopped, to fattening sheep. White or green 
tankard turnips, dressed with farmyard-dung, are generally taken 
after trifolium. These are eaten by the lambs or ewes, according 
to their respective wants, before Christmas. 
Throughout South Wales and Monmouthshire alike machinery 
is rapidily taking the place of the scythe for the cutting of hay- 
grass and grain. Owing to the twisted condition of some of the 
