Report on the Farm-Prize Competition o/*1874. 567 



We commenced our first Inspection on Tuesday, February 10th, 

 which I think was the coldest week of last winter ; but although 

 the air was piercing, the weather was fine, and we Avere enabled 

 to see everything to the best advantage. We were of opinion 

 that if it were possible to get the preliminaries arranged, it 

 would be much better to have the first inspection earlier, so that 

 the farms might be seen before all the winter ploughing was 

 finished, and also to give the Judges an opportunity of seeing 

 the stall-fed beasts, the greater part of which were sold at the 

 time of our visit. Our second inspection was begun on May 

 12th, and our last on Wednesday, July 8th, which was confined 

 to seven selected farms. 



Although all the farms were good, and our omission to in- 

 spect the whole of them on our last visit was no doubt a dis- 

 appointment to some of the exhibitors, we did not think it neces- 

 sary to visit a third time those who had no chance of a prize. 



Our awards were as follow :^- 



FiRST Prize. — Given by Lord Charles J. F. Paissell — a Silver Cup, value 

 50Z., with a purse of 50Z., to Puchard Checkley, Brogboro', Woburn. 



Second Prize of 50?., given by the Society, to Thomas Crouch, Bough ton 

 End, LidlingtoD, Ampthill. 



Specially Commended. — Charles Howard, Biddenham, Bedford, to whom 

 we suggested that the Council should award an extra Prize of a Gold Medal. 



Highly Commended. — George Street, Moulden, Ampthill; John Lilley, 

 Knotting Green, Bedford; Ulysses Paine, Goldington, Bedford; Zakariah 

 Phillips, Birchmore, Woburn. 



Commended. — James Lester, Kempston, Bedford ; James Henman, Stagsden, 

 Bedford ; WilUam Leaberry, Stagsden, Bedford. 



First Peize Faem, 



occupied by Mr. Richard Checkley as yearly tenant, is com- 

 posed of 336 acres of arable and 292 acres of grass land, and 

 is situated 3 miles north of Woburn and 12 from Bedford. The 

 London and North-Western branch line from Bletchley to 

 Cambridge runs through the centre of the farm, and Ridgmount 

 Station is close to one end and within a mile of the house. The 

 farm has been in the occupation of Mr. Checkley and his family 

 for a hundred years. The soil, a strong clay with a substratum 

 of Oxford clay, is not naturally either fertile or easy to work, 

 but many years of patient, good management (for this land 

 requires plenty of patience and energy as well) have made it 

 capable of producing crops which equal, if they do not exceed, 

 any that we have seen this year. 



Forty years ago the farm was nearly all rough grass covered 

 with ant-hills, which have been gradually levelled and a great 

 part broken up. Mr. Checkley has also at different times 

 drained the whole of the farm, on an average of 3 feet deep and 



