Farm-Prize Competition, 1880. 
541 
Hay and Straw sold. — A little hay and straw is sold ; the latter 
only when it makes a good price, say 3/. or 3/. 10s. a-ton. 
Artificial Foods and 3Ianares. — Besides all the corn which is 
consumed, about 1000/. a-year is spent in cakes and artificial 
manures. Considerable quantities of maize are used. The 
favourite cakes are cotton, rough and decorticated. Mr. Jeffer- 
son's system must be one which keeps the land in a high state 
of fertility ; and a very large return from the farm is necessary 
to pay the outlay I have mentioned, besides the cost of the 
home-grown corn. 
Labour. — Three men are kept in the house, and their wages 
amount to 100/. About 450/. in addition to this sum is spent 
on out-door labour. I have pointed out the advantages and 
disadvantages of the close neigbourhood of the farm to White- 
haven. Not the least of the latter is the price occasionally paid 
(in good " trade " times) for labour. A few years ago 5s. a-day 
was the ordinary wage, and all the operations of the farm were 
consequently very costly. At the present time women can be 
had for turnip hoeing or singling at Is, 2d. a-day, and ordinary 
labourers at 4s. The labourers who have cottages get 18s. 
a-week, besides their free house and garden. 
Me. R. G. Graham's Farm, Burnfoot-on-Esk, Cumbeeland. 
Situation. — A few miles to the north of Carlisle at the head 
of the Solway Frith, and formed by the streams which discharge 
themselves at this point into its waters, lies a tract of land 
which presents a remarkable contrast to the remainder of the 
counties of Cumberland and Westmoreland. A large extent 
of flat alluvial land presents itself to the eye, unredeemed by 
any of the scenic features which render a large portion of 
these counties so attractive. One might here fancy himself 
transported into the fens of Lincolnshire or Cambridgeshire 
with a very slight effort of fancy. The agricultural eye might 
note the difference of the prevailing crops, hut otherwise it would 
require an observant traveller to detect much further contrast 
between the lands which lie at the embouchure of the rivers of 
the " Wash " and those which skirt the Solway. Both have 
been formed in the same way. Each represents the robbery 
which Nature for countless ages has inflicted by her silent forces 
on the patient hills of the upland districts. The Esk, descend- 
ing from the eastern hills of Dumfriesshire, joined by the Liddel, 
which forms one of the chief streams of Roxburghshire, unite 
at the exact junction of England and Scotland, just beyond 
Netherby, and after a short course farther south the Cumberland 
