MR JAMES JOHN'S PRIZE FARM AT THE STYX.

Lyttelton Times, Volume LXXIV, Issue 9167, 29 July 1890, Page 6

MR JAMES JOHN'S PRIZE FARM AT THE STYX.

Last week we gave the Judges' report: upon Mr H. E. Peryman’s farm at Taij lapu, which took the first prize in Class L,j and we now supply the reports upon Mr* James Johns’ farm at Styx, which took the! first prize in Class 11. (farms ranging from 1 150 to 250 acres) , Wi f; h * he ® XCo ption of 36 acres under wheat, 33 under potatoes, and 13 of oats/ and a few acres under mangolds and hav. : this farm is entirely devoted to the fatten’: mg or sheep. i The farm contains 350 acres,- and , i« divided into 17 paddocks securely fenced.] "- with neatly cut gdrse hedges. Each pad-; : dock is watered either by natural watercourses, or by artesian wells, 17 having) - been sunk on several parts of the farm.! ’ The paddocks are entered by substantial! - gates, all numbered—a great convenience.! The land is of exceptionally good quality/ consisting of rich loam with a clay loam 5 subsoil. Thd judges regret that more farms were, not entered in this class, in which the' growing of cereal and pulse crops are' made more of the farmer’s business. The farm is, however, exceptionally; well situated for grazing purposes, being! close to the Belfast Freezing Works and 1 . sufficiently near the Addington kaleyards. No sheep are bred, on the farm. At the time of our first visit there were 1600 sheep' on the pastures, then luxuriant. A large proportion of these sheep were ready for the Freezing Works. As the flock on! this farm is necessarily a floating one, it iaj difficult to estimate the actual carrying! capacity of the land. Grazing is the chief industry. No regular system of rotation is pursued. The farm is famous for its' splendid crops of potatoes of high quality, 1 the yield this season, notwithstanding the protracted drought, has turned out 10 tons, per acre. In favourable seasons as much.' as 15 and 18 tons per acre are. grown. No! manure has ever been use on this farm except that deposited by the large flock of sheep. , i As a rule, a crop of wheat is takes after,, potatoes, the crop of this season’s yield was- • 72 bushels. In favourable seasons stubble! turnips are sown immediately the wheat is cut and carted, to be fed off by sheep, and l again sown down with oats and seeds.; Owing to the continued drought no provi-; sion of this kind could be made this' autumn to meet the,reqqirements of next, .j spring. • _Mr Johns’ aim is to keep his land in the highest state of fertility for the produo* tion of grass. The only fixed stock on the farm is 5 milch cows, 5 heifers, 6 working horses, and 16 hacks and youngsters, making a total of 22. With the exception of tho stables the outbuildings are far from, being complete; they are, however, sufficient for the system carried on. The sheep-yards are extensive, well constructed' and substantial. As a result of the continued drought, and what has proved to be overstocking/, the grasses show a tendency to die out, r and the natural weeds to take their place, ■ proving that overstocked pastures, how-! ever good the land may be, will soon revert! to weeds. In favourable seasons the quantity of grass which this farm furnishes is almost incredible. The fences on this farm are cut every! year. The gates are kept well painted; and numbered. The cereal crops were; remarkably free from weeds. The potatoes are grown each year from selected seeds. '■ Toe farm, as one of its class, is a credit to its owner, the present occupier, Mr J; Johns. No farm accounts are kept.