Prize Competition, 1885. 
145 
to most of the fields ; but there is also a private farm road to the 
farther grass fields. They lie generally 2 fields deep one way, 
and 4 fields deep another. The homestead is a remarkable 
example of good arrangement — compact and well connected 
throughout ; and there is another outlying homestead, including 
barn (part of which is allotted as shippons) with open yard, at 
the farther end of the farm abutting on Walker's Lane. And 
to this all purchased cattle are first taken as to quarantine ; for 
here is a farm where the whole stock is maintained by con- 
tinual purchases, and weeded by continual sales. Mr Hothersall 
does not buy in open markets, and has by his careful manage- 
ment in this respect never had foot-and-mouth disease upon 
the farm. He is well known by many farmers in Lancashire 
and Westmoreland as the buyer of good stock, both cattle and 
horses ; the former solely for his own dairy, for which, as we 
have said, he thus always buys on one or other of the many 
farms where he is known in the two counties. The whole of the 
stock upon the farm, whether horses or cattle, bears admirable 
testimony to his good judgment and market skill. Lightfoot 
Farm is, in fact, an example of success, especially deserving of 
its place on the present list for the illustration which it gives 
of skill and good management in marketing at both ends of the 
business. Mr. Hothersall is both a good buyer and a good 
seller : and being also a good farmer of both land and stock, 
he derives a large revenue from his comparatively small occu- 
pation. It will be no offence to himself, if we quote his own 
words with reference to his career : " I lost my father early," 
he says, " but I had a good mother. We had a small farm, and 
I helped in the shippons from early boyhood — going to school 
every morning and coming back to help milk in the evening. 
The work for me, as boy, was stripping after the milkers." 
With such good schooling as enables him to keep very detailed 
accounts, with a natural aptitude and taste for farm work, and 
a knowledge of stock from the very beginning, and with industry 
and thrift implanted in him from the first, he at length swarmed 
off from home with such means as he possessed. Known 
as a desirable tenant, this farm was offered to him nine years 
ago by the agent ; and he took it, knowing that he was not 
ousting his predecessor. He began with only 20 cows upon 
the farm, for which indeed he had to buy hay during his first 
winter. He now milks 48 to 52 regularly, keeping them or 
selling them as it seems to his interest to do. As many as 20 
were bought last year ; and the stock is replenished by well- 
selected purchases according to the demand for milk. They 
are a remarkably fine herd ; we saw nothing finer in the course 
of our inspection. Mr. Hothersall has since taken Lord Vernon's 
VOL. XXII. — S. S. L 
