The Farm Prize Competitions. 201 



industry, though well able to benefit from its demands, which 

 has been described as one of the most highly farmed districts 

 of England, producing magnificent barley and root crops. To 

 the north, on the Cheshire border, dairy-farming prevails, 

 whilst southwards lies the hill-country of Shropshire, the Clee 

 Hills, Wenlock Edge, the Longmynd, which passes insensibly 

 by Clun Forest on to Kerry Hill and the mountainous parts of 

 Montgomeryshire. Here are large tracts of country rising 

 to an elevation of some 1800 feet, almost entix-ely given up to 

 grazing; a country sparsely populated, remote from markets, 

 and without means of communication with the rest of the 

 world other than those afforded by its own hilly roads. Shrop- 

 shire, and particularly Shrewsbury, is noted for the excellence 

 of its live-stock markets, and this is largely due to the fact 

 that it forms the natural focus of the great breeding districts 

 within its border and in the country to the westward of it.^ 



To classify the holdings within an area so diversified as this, 

 in such a way that farmers might participate in a farm compe- 

 tition under uniform conditions, was no easy matter, and it is 

 satisfactory to note that a division into arable farms and dairy 

 farms, the need of which was much felt in the competition of 

 1913, was made. Prizes were offered in four classes, namely, 

 for large and small grazing and dairy farms, and for large and 

 small arable farms. In each of the large farm classes there 

 were thirteen entries, with five entries in the small dairy or 

 grazing class, and six in the small arable class, a total of 

 thirty-seven entries, being five in excess of those of last year. 

 The list of competitors will be found on pp. 202-205. 



Whereas it was noted last year that all the farms entered for 

 competition were held on yearly tenancies, three entries of 

 farms held on lease were made this year, one being for seven 

 years, one for fourteen years, and tlie third for twenty-one 

 years. The experience of farmers during the early years of the 

 great depression dealt a death blow at leasehold tenure in the 

 great majority of places, and it will be of interest to note 

 whether the improvement in agricultural prices will revive the 

 demand amongst farmers for leases. There is much to be said 

 for this form of tenure, in that by it the farmer has greater 

 security, and may be the more willing to embark upon the 

 improvement of his holding. It is interesting to note that one 

 competitor, a winner of a first prize, is also the owner of his 

 holding. 



The instructions issued to the Judges were the same as 

 those of last year. 



' An article descriptive of the stock markets of Shropshire was to have 

 accompanied this Report, but its author was impelled to respond to the 

 Nation's call to arms before the work could be com[)leted. Ed. 



