574 Report on the Farm-Prize Competition of 1874. 



commended at the last Birmingham Show, where he was bought, 

 seems likely to prove a good purchase. The whole of the beasts, 

 without being extravagantly fat, are in beautiful growing con- 

 dition ; and we did not see an unhealthy animal about the place, 

 which is a sufficient proof of their careful and judicious manage- 

 ment. The barren and oldest cows are drafted and sold fat ; 

 eight were sold last year at an average of 30 guineas. 



Sheep. — Originally Leicesters, which have been crossed with 

 Lincoln and Cotswold rams — the former from the flock of Mr. 

 Casswell, and the latter from the flocks of Messrs. Lane and Cother. 

 Two hundred and fifty ewes Avere last year put to the ram, and 

 have produced a crop of 310 lambs. The ewes are of great size, 

 with a good deal of character and plenty of wool. The lambs, 

 which are very good, are weaned about the middle of June, and 

 are then run thinly over the grass and clover eddish, having half- 

 a-pint of beans and maize, with a little cake and pea-chafF daily. 

 The he tegs are put on cabbages the first or second week in 

 August, the ewe tegs being put on turnips at the same time. 

 The he tegs next consume the Rabi and Swedes that have been 

 pitted on the land, and are then folded in breaks on the grass, 

 where roots have been stored for their use ; they are then clipped, 

 and last year were sold at an average of 31. per head. The ewe 

 tegs on our first inspection were folded in the stack-yard ; and, 

 receiving roots and chaff, we did not think them quite up to the 

 mark, but when last we saw them, without their wool, they were 

 very much improved, and seemed a nice, level lot. The whole, 

 numbering a hundred, are kept for the flock. During the winter 

 the ewes, up to lambing, have clover, chaff, and a little bran ; 

 afterwards half-a-pint of beans per day, with a few roots. The 

 lambs have cake and corn while with the ewes, and as soon as 

 they will eat it, in troughs, to which they only have access. 



JPi(/s are the only animals that are not bred on the farm, but 

 a great many are bought and fattened during the year on the 

 milk not required for the calves, with a little flour. Last year 

 147 were fed in this way, and realised 924Z. 16^. lOd. 



Horses. — Seventeen good working horses are kept, all of which 

 have been bred on the farm. Four or five mares are put to the 

 horse every year, the produce coming into the team at three years 

 old, the aged horses being sold to make room for them. 



Mr. Checkley has been fortunate in raising three capital foals 

 this year. In the summer the horses are fed on vetches or clover, in 

 the yards, until June, when they are turned out to grass, and have 

 an allowance of 7 lbs. of corn per day, consisting of equal pro- 

 portions of beans, maize, and oats, all being ground. 



Artificial Manures. — The quantity used always depends on the 

 supply of farmyard manure, but is never large. 



