216 The Farm Prize Competitions. 



the ewes for breeding until they are two-shear ; the lambs 

 were well grown in spite of this seeming violation of "early- 

 maturity" principles, and Mr. Owen is a very successful ram 

 breeder. He is also an enthusiastic breeder of middle white 

 pigs. 



The buildings are deficient in several respects, but the 

 holding generally is well managed. 



The third prize was awarded to Mr. George Warren, of Hilly 

 Lees Farm, Heaton, near Macclesfield. The farm is entirely 

 grass, consisting of 80 acres of pasture land, and 25 acres 

 of meadow land. It is situated slightly to the north of the 

 main road from Leek to Congleton, about five miles from 

 Leek, seven from Congleton and twelve from Macclesfield. 

 The soil is a medium loam overlying clay in one part of the 

 farm and gravel in the rest. The farm is an upland dairy farm, 

 about 800 feet above the sea level, and only a short distance 

 from both the Cheshire and Derbj'shire county boundaries. 

 Mr. Warren's custom is to treat his meadow land each year 

 with farmyard manure and liquid manure ; the pastures 

 receive the surplus of these manures after the whole of the 

 meadow land has been treated, together with an occasional 

 dressing of lime, bones, superphosphate and potash, or basic 

 slag. The Judges expressed themselves as well satisfied with 

 the results of this treatment. The holding supports an average 

 of twenty-two cows in milk, most of which are home-bred, 

 as were also all the heifers and calves. The bull is a Short- 

 horn from Westmoreland, but Mr. Warren has no details 

 of his pedigree. The cows receive a "bucket-full" of malt 

 culms and bran, and sharps or Indian meal (about 3 lb.) 

 before milking in the morning, during winter, and after 

 watering, long hay is given. At four o'clock they receive 

 about 3 lb. of linseed cake with a little bran, they are 

 again watered, and receive the rest of their hay at milking 

 time. Mr. Warren believes in turning out the cows each day 

 in winter for water, an excellent custom which might be 

 rtK're generally practised. In summer time the cows receive 

 nothing up to the end of Julj', after which they get about 

 3 lb. a day of dairy meal, or cotton seed meal, with a little 

 bran. It is to be regretted that milk records are not kept, but 

 all the milking is done under Mr. Warren's supervision, and 

 the less satisfactory milkers are fed off for the butcher. The 

 calves receive new milk for the first three or four weeks, 

 when they are brought on gradually to curds, and finally on 

 to whey and calf meal twice daily. All calves are vaccinated 

 as a preventative against black- quarter. 



Two useful brood mares are kept and the working horses 

 are all young ones. A fair number of pigs are kept to help 



