488 Report 011 the Waricichshire Farm-Prize Competition, ]87G. 
tuiist in the neighbourhood will probably have his attention 
excited by the skilfully managed farms which are honoured with 
these very substantial prizes, and which by this means obtain 
a descriptive notice in the ' Journal.' The more intelligent 
farmer will generally find something worthy of his observation, 
on the other side of his neighbour's hedge. It is true that not 
every farm can offer any striking novelty, and that success more 
often depends on industrious and painstaking efforts than on the 
adoption of every fresh scheme or expedient which science may 
suggest or invention devise ; but in the agricultural world, the 
enlightened man is often he who is most conscious of his own 
ignorance, and is therefore willing humbly to avail himself of 
every opportunity of increasing his knowledge and improving 
his practice. If, therefore, in the following Report, I shall be 
thought to have entered more closely into details than was- 
necessary on some points, let it be remembered that, diverse 
as is the agriculture of these islands, it may serve some useful 
purpose to follow with minuteness the principles and practices- 
carried out on these respective farms ; and that, at any rate^ 
many young beginners may derive profitable lessons from the 
systems of management here recorded. 
In connection with the Birmingham Show of this year, the 
following prizes were offered by the Local Committee for the 
best managed farms in the county of Warwick, the farms beings 
divided into the two classes of large and small occupations : — 
In Class I., which was limited to farms exceeding 200 acres 
in extent, two prizes of lOOZ. and 50Z. respectively ; and 
In Class II., which embraced all farms below 200 acres, two- 
prizes of 50/. and 25/. 
A further sum of 25/. was placed at the disposal of the 
Judges to enable them to recognise special merit in any farmi 
entered in either class ; and as usual the competition was 
limited to tenant-farmers paying a hojia fide rent for not less* 
than three-fourths of the land in their occupation. The Judges 
were instructed especially to consider : — 
1. General management with a view to profit. 
2. Productiveness of crops. 
3. Goodness and suitability of live stock. 
4. Management of grass-land. , 
5. State of gates, fences, roads and general neatness. 
6. Book-keeping. 
The last day of entry was fixed for October 1st, and it was then 
found that ihe competition was very limited, only five farms 
having been entered in Class I., and not a single entry having 
been made in Class II. This, in a county by no means remark- 
able for large holdings, was somewhat surprising ; and altogether 
