Farm  Prize  Competition,  1909. 
293 
grown  for  many  years,  having  very  little  “ Finger-ancl-Toe,” 
and  that  chiefly  where  the  lighter  dressing  of  lime  was  given. 
The  intention  is  to  lime  again  this  year  for  the  pea  crop  at  the 
rate  of  15  cwt.  per  acre,  and  if  found  beneficial  to  the  peas  and 
following  turnip  crop  to  lime  each  year  as  the  land  comes  into 
peas,  say  once  in  four  or  five  years.  The  ground  lime  used 
was  obtained  ready  ground  in  bags  from  Willsbridge,  near 
Bristol,  at  17s.  3rf.  per  ton  delivered. 
Kale. — When-  Thousand  Head  kale  follows  the  pea  crop 
it  is  drilled  with  a little  hand  drill  between  the  rows  of  peas 
towards  the  end  of  May,  after  the  peas  have  been  “ laid  ” and 
“ moulded.”  When  the  peas  have  been  picked  the  kale  is 
cleaned  by  hoeing  and  then  allowed  to  grow  thick  on  the 
ground.  It  is  ready  for  the  sheep  to  feed  on  by  the  end 
of  October.  Owing  to  the  trouble  with  “ Finger-and-Toe  ” kale 
has  proved  a safer  crop  to  take  after  peas  than  turnips. 
Oats  follow  the  mangold  crop,  and  also  follow  the  kale 
or  turnip  crop  taken  during  the  summer  and  autumn  after 
peas,  and  are  not  especially  manured.  Garton’s  “ Abundance  ” 
is  the  oat  most  grown  here,  and  is  sown  as  early  as  possible 
in  January.  The  oats  are  not  hoed,  but  harrowed  and  rolled, 
and  yield  an  average  of  10  quarters. 
Chevalier  barley  follows  oats.  This  crop  receives  a little 
artificial  manure  and  yields  45  bushels  per  acre. 
Clover  seeds  are  undersown  with  the  barley  crop,  and 
consists  of  14  lb.  broad  red  clover  and  1^  pecks  of  Italian  rye- 
grass per  acre.  These  “ seeds  ” are  usually  mown  twice  and 
“ sheeped  ” afterwards.  The  crop  sown  was  very  good. 
Most  of  the  hay  is  consumed  at  home,  very  little  being  sold. 
Webb’s  Standard  Red  wheat  follows  the  clover  and  is  not 
specially  manured.  An  average  yield  of  wheat  is  40  bushels 
per  acre. 
The  pastures  are  of  rather  poor  quality,  but  are  being  well 
grazed  with  cake-fed  cattle  and  sheep.  The  Severn  meadows 
have  suffered  in  past  years  through  being  mown  too  much  and 
are  now  much  improved  by  recent  dressings  of  7 cwt.  per  acre 
of  basic  slag  and  the  grazing  of  cake-fed  cattle.  The  home 
pastures  are  well  grazed  and  in  addition  receive  a little  farm- 
yard manure  when  there  is  any  to  spare.  Mangolds  are 
consumed  on  the  home  pastures  by  cake-fed  sheep  in  the 
spring. 
Horses. — These  comprised  four  working  horses  and  two  colts. 
The  custom  has  been  to  breed  colts  to  take  the  place  of  the  old 
horses,  but  Mr.  Brooke  is  selling  out  his  brood  mares  and 
intends  to  buy  in  future.  The  horses  do  not  lie  out  at  night. 
Their  ration  consists  of  a mixture  of  bean  meal,  oats,  and 
bran. 
