182 
Farm Prize Competition, 1907. 
Labour. — The rate of pay for labour in this district is not so 
high as in some parts of the county, the daily wage averaging 
2s. 6(f. per day. Much of the work, however, is let out by the 
piece, thus giving the men an opportunity of earning good 
wages. One or two of these prices may be interesting. For 
hedge-topping (which is done twice a year) l\d. per chain is 
paid ; turnip hoeing, 6s. 6c?. per acre ; pulling mangold and 
putting into carts, 8s. per acre. 
Harvest Work. — The wage paid for stooking, raking and 
tying rakings, is Is. 6(7. per acre ; pitching. Id. per acre. All 
the other men at work on the harvest receive per head a similar 
amount to that earned by the pitcher ; thatching being paid for 
at Id. per sc^uare yard. The farm is well supplied with cottages. 
The foremen and shepherds live rent free, the labourers pay 
Is. 9(7. per week, and receive in addition to the garden a roo(i of 
potato land on the farm, for which Mr. Todd supplies the horse 
work and manure, the labourer providing the seed and necessary 
labour. The labour account, exclusive of blacksmiths and 
joiners, averages 9667. per anniim. No record is kept of the 
different costs as between arable and grass land. 
Book-keeping. — A complete record of receipts and payments 
is kept, and these are transferred to the ledger under the 
different headings — Horse, Cattle, Sheep, Pigs, &c. The present 
state of the farm reflects the greatest credit on the tenant. It 
was evident to the Judges that the land was of a poor hungry 
character which would soon fall away if not constantly kept up 
to pitch by liberal feeding of cattle and folding of sheep. On 
the other hand, the land is not altogether greedy, the crops seen 
bearing excellent testimony to the liberal and judicious ex- 
penditure in fertilisers and feeding-stuffs which Mr. Todd 
annually incurs. The poor grass land has been much improved, 
and is now repaying the attention bestowed upon it. All the 
arable land was well cultivated, and the crops were remarkably 
good considering the nature of the soil. 
The horses, cattle, and sheep were all good and of the 
recognised Lincoln breeds, being entered in the respective 
“ books.” The homestead and buildings were extremely well 
kept, everything being neat and tidy ; there was a place for 
everything and everything was in its place. The last few years 
have not been particularly favourable for heath land farming, 
and it must have been very disappointing to go on spending 
money year after year with so little return ; but reward comes 
at last, and those of the heath farmers who, like Mr. Todd, 
were not disheartened but continued doing their land well will 
have the satisfaction of knowing that they were able to show the 
Judges crops that to all appearance should give bumper yields 
when a suitable season comes. 
