250 
Farm  Prize  Competition,  1910. 
with  cauliflowers,  15  acres  ; wheat,  25  acres  ; late  potatoes, 
18  acres  ; oats,  11  acres  ; pasture,  5^  acres,  of  which  3 acres 
were  laid  down  by  the  tenant  in  1900.  There  are  4 acres 
of  water  meadow,  which  form  a portion  of  common  meadow. 
All  the  tenants  in  the  Uplands  are  hound  to  take  a portion  with 
their  farms.  They  have  formed  an  Association  and  appointed 
a Committee  who  instruct  the  Water  Bailiff  to  clean  out  ditches, 
repair  gates,  &c.,  the  cost  of  which  is  borne  by  a rate  per  acre. 
Regulations  are  in  force  as  to  the  number  of  cattle  per  acre 
and  the  period  of  grazing ; also  for  the  provision  against 
cattle  suffering  from  skin  or  other  disease  being  turned  in. 
No  manure  is  put  on,  and  the  hay  obtained  is  generally  worth 
about  20s.  per  ton  less  than  clover. 
All  early  potatoes  are  sprouted  in  boxes  before  planting, 
the  method  being  as  follows  : — When  the  early  potatoes  are 
being  lifted,  all  the  second  sized  tubers  (1|-  in.  to  2 in.)  are 
placed  in  sprouting  boxes,  which  are  afterwards  stocked  in  a 
roomy  loft  situated  over  the  cow-byre.  The  natural  warmth 
of  the  cow-shed  below  maintains  in  the  loft  above  a temperature 
suitable  for  the  sprouting  of  the  potatoes  and  preventing 
damage  by  frost.  The  windows  are  thrown  open  so  that  light 
and  air  are  freely  admitted  until  the  potatoes  become  green. 
Under  these  conditions  each  potato  will,  as  a rule,  throw  up 
one  sprout  only  during  the  winter.  Mr.  Almond  is  a firm 
believer  in  securing  this  first  sprout,  and  considers  it  of  more 
importance  than  the  question  of  whole  or  cut  sets.  When 
the  sprouts  are  about  1 in.  long,  the  boxes  are  placed  in  cooler 
places  to  harden  the  sprouts  until  ready  for  planting,  which 
usually  commences  about  April  10,  and  finishes  about 
the  24th.  according  to  weather.  The  drills  are  made  28  in. 
wide,  and  the  potatoes  placed  from  10  in.  to  12  in.  apart  in 
the  rows,  according  to  variety,  the  earlier  sorts  being  planted 
closer  than  the  later  ones.  The  manure  is  carted  into  the 
drills,  and  where  sprouted  potatoes  are  to  be  planted  the  drills 
are  split  back  before  planting.  The  method  of  planting  in 
this  case  is  by  spade  work.  The  spade  is  inserted  into  the 
drill,  and  the  soil  slightly  raised,  while  the  boy  in  attendance 
places  the  set  in  position,  the  withdrawal  of  the  spade  causing 
the  earth  to  cover  the  potato.  One  man  and  a boy  can  plant 
three  quarters  of  an  acre  per  diem. 
The  varieties  grown  at  present  are  : — Kidneys,  May  Queen, 
Ninety  folds,  Epicures,  and  Eclipse.  The  yields  vary  from 
ti  or  7 tons  late  in  June  or  early  in  July,  to  10  or  12  tons 
three  or  four  weeks  later. 
The  sprouting  boxes  which  are  emptied  first  are  immediately 
refilled  with  late  varieties  for  late  planting,  and  replaced  in 
the  loft. 
