Report on the Farm-Prize Competition, 1870. 
273 
means of stimulating manure has been pushed too far, and the 
elements of fertility have not been restored to the soil in the same 
ratio as they have been abstracted. A trying season has come, 
and the crops have failed. 
I know that Mr. Lawes contends that corn may be grown 
jear after year by the use of artificial manures. I doubt, 
however, whether upon light thin soils the alternation of green 
and white crops can profitably be departed from. The inspec- 
tion of the 21 competing farms has impressed me strongly with 
the opinion that it cannot. For not at Kirtlington alone, but on 
several other occupations where the history of light and infe- 
rior corn-crops could be traced, it was invariably found that an 
exhausting system had previously been pursued. On more than 
one farm which we examined, deep and excellent steam-cultiva- 
tion had been relied upon to grow repeated crops without 
manure, and, although on strong good soils this may answer for 
a time, I believe that in the long run the true system is to 
endeavour to keep as much stock as possible, and not to grow 
■corn upon too many acres. Stock must and will pay in this 
meat-consuming country, and the more stock a farmer keeps, the 
more he will have of that fertilising matter wherewith to produce 
Jbis cereal crops in the greatest perfection. 
Concluding Kemakks. 
Having now described the prize and commended farms, it 
may be well briefly to notice generally the farming of the district 
through which the Judges travelled during their survey. 
Mr. Read, in his report upon the farming of Oxfordshire, 
published in 1854, writes as follows : — 
" The improvements still required are both numerous and im- 
portant. The principal are of such magnitude that they can only 
be originated by the landlords. Throughout the county there is 
a great need of better situated, more extensive, and more conve- 
nient farm buildings ; also the formation of good farm roads, the 
extension of an improved system of drainage, the speedy adoption 
of some effectual means of obviating summer inundation, and 
giving the occupier of land increased security of tenure. 
"The tenantry should continue to give increased attention to 
the growth of green and root crops, and, when necessary, apply 
liberal doses of artificial manure. They should keep a heavier 
stock of cattle, and devote more care to the formation and preser- 
vation of farmyard-manure. They should also dispense with all 
superfluous horse-labour, use better implements, and more ma- 
-chinery, and cultivate most of the soils more deeply. The pas- 
ture-land ought to receive more generous treatment, and the 
ditches and watercourses should receive constant attention. Manv 
