222 The Farm Prize Competitions. 



about 15 tons of basic slag annually on their meadows with 

 good effect, whilst the pastures depend upon the caking of stock. 



The horses were a useful lot of working shires, most of 

 them young. They are bought as colts, and two or three are 

 sold each year to go into the towns. In this way the cost of 

 the horse labour can be materially reduced, given good luck 

 and good judgment. All the cattle are purchased either to 

 feed off on roots or to graze. About 100 head are fed off 

 in the yards, and these are of all sorts, picked up, no doubt, 

 as opportunity offered — Herefords, Angus, Shorthorns, Devons, 

 and many cross-breds. All would go off as prime beef, mostly 

 after winter feeding ; the greater proportion are purchased 

 in the eai-ly part of the year and summered on the grass land ; 

 the best of them get 6 to 8 lb. of cotton and linseed cake 

 mixed with crushed oats, and when put up in yards are fat 

 by Christmas, the cake ration being increased up to 10 II5. 

 during the last period. The Judges remarked that the profit 

 of this system depends entirely on the state of the markets at 

 the times of buying and selling, and the results are often 

 disappointing. The sheep are mostly cross-breds, Kerry Hill 

 ewes being put to a Shropshire ram for early lamb ; they get 

 their own living till about one month before lambing, when 

 they receive a daily feed of hay and roots. Between 200 and 

 400 tegs are finished on swedes with about 1 lb. of cake, and 

 go off fat between Christmas and March, whilst about 150 

 are purchased in the spring and fatted off on cake and corn 

 during the summer. 



The pigs and poultry, which are under the supervision of 

 Mrs. Preece, are a very active part of the management. 



The farm has been in the occupation of the same family since 

 1853. Much has been done during that time by successive 

 tenants for the improvement of the place, including the haulage 

 of all materials for the erection of the farm-house, buildings, 

 and two cottages, whilst among other improvements two sets of 

 Dutch barns have been erected at the tenants' cost. In fact, the 

 whole place shows evidence of continuous good management. 



Class IV. — Not less than 50 acres and under 150 acres. 



The small arable farm class attracted six entries, four from 

 Shropshire and two from Staft'ordshire. First prize was 

 awarded to Mr. Wilmot Jackson, of Manor House Farm, 

 Abbots Bromley, near Rugeley, Staffordshire. The farm is 

 situated very well for markets, about twelve miles north of 

 Lichfield, twelve miles west of Burton -on-Trent, and eight 

 miles south of Uttoxeter. The farm buildings are not elabo- 

 rate, but they are fairly suitable for the requirements of the 

 holding, and they are very well kept. 



A 



