Farm  Prize  Competition,  1909. 
279 
seeds  were  obtained  from  a firm  of  high  repute,  and  the 
mixture  was  as  follows  : — 2 lb.  foxtail,  6 lb.  cocksfoot,  3 lb. 
hard  fescue,  2 lb.  tall  fescue,,  2 lb.  sheep  fescue,  6 lb.  meadow 
grass,  5 lb.  timothy,  5 lb.  red  clover,  4 lb.  white  clover,  3 lb. 
alsike  clover,  and  2 lb.  sheep’s  parsley  per  acre.  When  asked 
if  he  would  use  the  same  mixture  again,  Mr.  Matthews  replied 
that  he  would  leave  out  the  cocksfoot,  which  grows  very 
coarse  on  his  land.  The  pasture  land  is  treated  with  5 cwt. 
per  acre  of  basic  slag  from  time  to  time,  with  good  results. 
The  hay  land  receives  annually  12  tons  per  acre  farmyard 
manure  and  5 cwt.  superphosphate.  About  40  tons  of  “ night 
sweepings  ” are  obtained  each  year  and  distributed  over  the 
grass  land  generally. 
Mr.  Matthews’  idea  is  to  grow  as  much  wheat  and  straw  as 
possible,  and  produce  to  supply  his  dairy  herd  and  other  stock. 
Selling  milk  and  corn-growing  are  the  chief  sources  of  income, 
and  as  many  sheep  are  kept  as  will  dress  the  land  and  go  off 
fat.  The  system  of  manuring  is  to  dress  the  land  for  the 
white  crops  as  well  as  possible  by  cake-fed  sheep  folded  on  the 
catch  crops  and  roots,  the  root  crops  in  their  turn  being 
liberally  supplied  with  farmyard  and  town  stable  manure. 
About  150  tons  of  town  stable  manure  is  brought  on  to  the 
farm  for  the  root  crops  each  year,  and  the  arrangement  for  the 
supply  of  this  is  interesting.  Wheat  straw  is  sold  to  Bristol 
stables  about  five  miles  distant  at  50s.  per  ton  delivered,  and 
stable  manure  is  bought  back  at  the  rate  of  Zd.  per  horse  per 
week.  All  crops  receive  a supplementary  dressing  with 
artificial  fertilisers  whenever  necessary  or  advisable.  Wheat  is 
given  a dressing  of  8 cwt.  of  soot  per  acre  when  the  land 
requires  help.  Mangold  get,  per  acre,  24  tons  of  mixed  farm- 
yard and  stable  manure,  l^cwt.  sulphate  of  ammonia,  2 cwt. 
kainit,  and  3 cwt.  superphosphate.  The  mangold  are  drilled 
in  rows  20  in.  apart,  and  the  plants  are  “ singled  ” at  8 in. 
apart.  Heavy  crops  of  uniform  roots  are  obtained.  The 
mangold  plant  was  exceptionally  good  and  the  land  perfectly 
clean.  Swedes  are  given  14  tons  per  acre  mixed  manure, 
3 cwt.  dry  vitriolised  bones,  and  3 cwt.  superphosphate. 
Two  ploughings  are  given  for  mangold  and  four  for  swedes. 
The  depth  ploughed  for  mangold  is  6 in.,  for  swedes  5 in.,  for 
wheat  6 in.,  for  barley  5 in.,  for  oats  6 in.  The  best  wheat  seen 
was  after  trifolium  (fed  on),  followed  by  vetches  (also  fed  on). 
This  was  an  excellent  piece  of  wheat,  well  “tillered.”  The 
clover  ley  wheat  was  good,  but  not  so  good  as  the  wheat 
following  catch-cropping.  Mr.  Matthews  is  a great  believer  in 
change  of  seed  corn  and  buys  the  best  obtainable  each  year. 
The  horses  consist  of  seven  working  horses,  two  “ milk  ” 
horses,  two  colts,  and  one  nag  horse,  They  lie  put  at  grass 
