Report on the Farm-Prize Competition of 1886. 
595 
the quantity required. They have this until over three months 
old, receiving, as soon as they will eat, linseed-meal, malt, 
Thorley's food — in fact any appetising food they most readily 
take to, and also a little sweet hay. At about four months old 
they are removed in lots to the off-premises and weaned from 
the gruel, and are then fed on pulped roots, chaff, cake, malt, 
condiment meal, &c. 
The fatalities attending this mode of rearing do not appear 
to reach a larg-er percentage than on farms where milk is more 
freely used, and on the whole it is here an undoubted success. 
It is probably not much more economical than where a moderate 
quantity of milk is given — at least where milk selling is not 
an object — but it establishes the fact, that calves can be 
healthily and economically reared with little milk, or almost 
without any. 
As yearlings, most of the steers, and such of the heifers 
as do not promise well for the dairy or herd, are drafted to 
Mr. Taylor's farm at Sail, and there matured for the butcher at 
about two years old. At from fifteen to twenty-one months old 
the heifers are put to the bull, the very best only being brought 
into the dairy to fill the places of cows yearly drafted. It is 
hoped that by following this plan, and by the use of the best 
bulls, that in the course of a few years the milking capability 
of the herd may be much improved. Up to this time little 
has been done in the way of selection, the milk demand in- 
creasing as fast as heifers could be bred. 
Sheep. — A very valuable pure-bred flock of Southdown ewes is 
kept. These sheep are thought a very grand lot, combining with 
size, quality and remarkable uniformity. Originally started at 
Mr. Colman's Farm at Easton, where Mr. Taylor lived as 
manager, they were in 1877 transferred to Whitlingham, then 
2(lO in number. No pains or expense has been spared in 
maintaining the character and purity of the flock, and rams 
only of approved type and blood have been used, chiefly from 
the flock of Mr. Henry Webb, of Streetly Hall, Cambridgeshire, 
and noted Royal prize-winners, also purchased or hired. The 
ewes now annually put to the ram number 400. The flock is 
kept up in the usual way by the selection of the best shearling 
ewes to make up for the annual drafts. It may be mentioned 
that Mr. Colman has yearly the first selection of 80 lambs : ewe, 
ram, and wether, which go to Easton Lodge Farm for exhibition 
purposes. 
The remainder of the ewe shearlings are in demand, and sold 
for breeding purposes ; while the wether hoggets are fattened 
and sold at from 10 to 12 months old, in weight averaging 
about 60 lbs. each. 
