2i8 SHROPSHIRE 



rents ran from 303. to 353., and the holdings were 

 mostly large, 400 or 500 acres, all supplied with 

 excellent buildings ; covered yards and Dutch barns 

 for the corn and hay being general. Labour was said 

 to be good, wherever, as on this farm, there was a 

 proper supply of decent cottages ; of late, however, 

 with the good trade in the manufacturing districts 

 close by there had been a scarcity of casual labour for 

 getting up the vegetables and potatoes. 



Within the same district we visited another farm, 

 a little larger and with perhaps a heavier soil, but 

 farmed on similar lines. Here the great feature was 

 the organization of the extensive buildings to save 

 labour in fattening the 160 bullocks tied up every 

 winter. Water power did all the grinding, root slicing, 

 and chaff cutting, the food travelled along a little tram 

 line ; and so carefully was it all designed that two 

 men were sufficient to look after the whole batch of 

 cattle. But with all his ingenuity the occupier was 

 still content to let the liquid manure drain away and 

 be lost, though with it went one of the most valuable 

 constituents of the cake he bought so freely. 



