Farm-Prize Competition, 1880. 
507 
This very liberal treatment results in very fine crops, and 
even last year (strange to say) in this locality they were equal 
to the average. " Stitch harrowing "' is fully practised between 
the ridges, and the important operation of hand-hoeing is done 
at a cost of Id. per 100 yards for " flat hoeing," and 2rf. per 100 
yards for singling. The whole of the swede crop is removed 
from the land, being carted to heaps by the side of the fields 
and lightly protected by grass or rubbish from frost, and in 
compensation for this withdrawal about 4 or 5 cwt. of artificial 
of the same mixture as that mentioned above is sown Avith the 
following barley crop. 
Barley. — The two pieces of barley this year comprised about 
23 acres. The crop was very promising, clean, and the plant ot 
young seeds excellent. The barley is always sown broadcast 
some time during the month of April, and Mr. Handley is 
inclined to wait until genial weather seems to insure a quick 
growth of this important cereal. A judicious mixture of seeds 
and grass is used. As I have said, they are always grazed, and 
the oats which follow are apparently as good and clean as most in 
the district. Ploughing of lea for oats is commenced as soon 
as possible in the new year. The oats are sown broadcast in 
March, and the land then requires three harrowings. About 
four bushels, or rather more, are sown to the acre. The quality 
of the oats grown, like the barley, is good, and they are generally 
in this sheltered vale harvested pretty early. Nearly the 
Avhole of the straw, both oat and barley, is consumed by the 
cattle. 
Meadow. — The meadow land occupies the low ground on the 
sides of a small river which intersects the farm, and whose 
course has apparently been straightened. It only extended to 
twenty-four acres. It is of good quality, but like the rest of the 
land extremely sensitive to droughts. It is treated with equal 
generosity to the rest of the farm, getting in alternate years a 
dressing of dung from the stalls, and of guano and superphos- 
phate mixed. One or other of these tillages is never omitted. 
Artificial Manures. — It will not be surprising that under these 
circumstances the sum spent on artificial manures is considei-able. 
It generally amounts to about 150/. per annum, which is per- 
haps equal to another rent upon the arable portion of the farm. 
This will seem an extravagant sum to many farmers, but it is 
compensated on this stony land by the crops raised. Our July 
visit revealed to us most promising crops, and although the 
swedes on the more gravelly portions of the farm had not grown 
with such regularity as could be desired, owing to the drought 
which followed the seed-time, but had come in two growths, 
there was a full plant, and the size and quality of the roots we 
