406 



Farm Institutes. 



[Aug., 



poultry section covers 5 acres, and is fully equipped on modern 

 lines, many of the houses having been built from designs 

 supplied by the Ministry. A good deal of attention is devoted 

 to artificial hatching, and large numbers of day-old chicks are 

 supplied to residents in the county area. The instruction given 

 includes the chemistry of foodstuffs, biology and joinery, in 

 addition to practical poultry work. 



The Farms. — Four farms are in the occupation of the County 

 Council, viz., Eeaseheath Hall Farm, Keaseheath Arable Dairy 

 Holding, Henhull Farm, and the Worleston Dairy Institute 

 Farm. 



Reaseheath Hall Farm is approximately 200 acres in extent, 

 including 54 acres arable, the remainder being permanent 

 meadow and pasture. It is managed as a mixed holding. 

 There is a herd of 35 non-pedigree milking cows, and the 

 majority of the calves bred on the farm are reared ; feeding of 

 bullocks on the grass and in yards is practised, and a flying 

 flock of sheep is kept. Breeding, rearing and feeding of Cum- 

 berland and Large White pigs is carried on. Field experiments 

 are conducted on a fairly extensive scale. 



The Arable Dairy Holding of 35 acres, 25 of which are arable 

 and 10 pasture, is equipped with a very fine set of modern build- 

 ings. A concrete silo capable of holding about 150 tons of silage 

 has been erected and admirable arrangements exist for testing 

 the possibilities of arable dairy farming on a small scale. About 

 20 head of milking cows are carried, with young stock in 

 addition, and the number is likely to be increased. 



Henhull Farm adjoins Eeaseheath Farm and extends to 210 

 acres, 75 acres being arable. Though worked in the main as an 

 ordinary dairy holding, it is used for purposes of demonstration 

 and experiment, whilst part of the practical work included in 

 the curriculum is carried out here. A herd of 70-80 non-pedigree 

 milking cows is kept, the milk being made into cheese on the 

 farm. Large scale trials on the feeding of cows, and on the 

 various arable crops are conducted, and as definite results 

 emerge from the experiment on the arable dairy holding they 

 are retested on a larger scale at Henhull Farm. Large num- 

 bers of pigs are reared and fattened. 



Worleston Dairy Institute farm. — Cheshire has for many 

 years conducted a successful dairy school for women at Wor- 

 leston, the dairy institute having been established in 1886 and 

 taken over by the County Council in 1891. Three 14-weeks 

 courses are held annually; the instruction given is mainly in 



