252  Farm  Prize  Competition,  1910. 
of  soda  in  July  and  another  in  August,  totalling  to  2^  cwt.  per 
acre.  The  first  application  of  nitrate  of  soda  is  applied  direct 
to  the  plants,  whether  the  potatoes  are  cleared  off  the  ground 
or  not.  The  second  is  sown  after  the  cauliflowers  have  been 
horse  hoed,  and  is  ploughed  up  to  the  plants  by  the  ridging 
plough.  It  should  be  noted  that  great  care  is  taken  in  applying 
the  nitrate  of  soda  for  the  first  time,  to  avoid  any  actual  contact 
between  the  fertiliser  and  the  young  plant.  Experience  shows 
that  the  most  desirable  distance  is  from  4 in.  to  6 in.  from  the 
stems  of  the  plants. 
When  grown,  some  of  the  cauliflowers  are  sold  as  vegetables, 
if  prices  are  favourable,  either  to  local  greengrocers  or  at  Liver- 
pool Market,  but  the  hearts  of  the  bulk  of  the  crop  are  put 
into  casks  and  brined,  and  the  leaves  sold  to  local  dairymen. 
A certain  quantity  of  brined  cauliflowers  are  contracted  for 
every  year,  and,  should  vegetable  prices  rule  low,  more  are 
brined  and  disposed  of  later  in  the  season. 
This  system  has  here  been  carried  out  for  five  years,  the 
area  planted  varying  from  13  to  15  acres  per  annum.  Mr. 
Almond  has  at  his  own  expense  erected  a shed  35  yards 
long  and  8 yards  wide,  with  a good  cement  floor  and  efficient 
water  supply  and  drainage,  and  has  purchased  several  hundred 
barrels  to  deal  successfully  with  the  brining  business.  The 
cauliflower  crop  is  largely  responsible  for  the  heavy  labour  bill, 
but  realises  a good  sum  per  acre,  and  shows  a satisfactory 
return  on  the  capital  outlay.  It  is  interesting  to  note  that 
before  Mr.  Almond  started  the  brining  of  cauliflowers,  he  had 
occasionally  to  accept  very  low  prices  in  plentiful  seasons  in 
the  vegetable  market.  For  example,  one  load  of  good  cauli- 
flowers, on  October  1st,  1900,  realised  only  2d.  per  dozen,  or 
17s.  8rf.  for  a two-horse  load. 
The  quantity  of  cow  manure  incorporated  in  the  soil 
is  usually  sufficient  to  grow  a good  crop  of  clover-hay 
without  this  crop  being  especially  manured.  The  system 
followed  ensures  two  good  dressings  in  the  five  years’  course, 
and  it  is  only  to  weak  places  that  a little  horse  manure  is 
sometimes  applied  to  the  clover  crop.  An  average  yield  for 
the  two  cuts  in  one  year  is  from  3 to  3^  tons  per  acre,  accord- 
ing to  season.  The  pasture  land  receives  a top-dressing  of 
10  tons  of  horse  manure  every  third  or  fourth  year. 
For  early  potatoes  and  cauliflowers,  about  27  tons  per  acre 
of  mixed  cow  and  farmyard  manure  are  applied.  For  late 
potatoes,  about  20  tons  per  acre.  Potatoes  usually  represent 
about  two-fifths  of  the  cropping  of  the  farm. 
Corn  crops  rarely  receive  any  manure,  as  they  follow  green 
crops,  which  have  been  well  done.  Wheat  usually  averages 
from  5^  to  quarters  per  acre  ; oats,  7 to  9 quarters  per  acre. 
