494 Report cn the Warmckshire Farm-Prize Competition, 1876. 
however, pleased to find at the present time that, on the larger 
estates, the landlords, though contracting themselves out of the 
Agricultural Holdings Act, were giving fresh agreements to 
their tenants, providing ample and liberal compensation for 
unexhausted improvements. By the kindness of Mr. Donne, 
Lord Leigh's agent, we had an opportunity of seeing the new 
agreements prepared for the large estates of that nobleman, and 
we found the provisions all that could be desired on behalf of 
the tenant. Under them, the outgoing tenant is allowed one- 
third of the actual cost of the artificial foods consumed on the 
farm during the last year of tenancy, and one-fourth of that 
consumed the previous year. In the case of bones or lime 
applied to pasture, the full cost of the original application is 
allowed, less one-sixth for every entire year which has elapsed 
since such application. For the same manures applied to arable 
land the full cost, with a deduction of "a proportionate part thereof 
for each year the tenancy continues after the outlay." For super- 
phosphate or other approved bought manure, applied during the 
last year of the tenancy to land from which no crop of corn or 
pulse has been taken, the entire cost, not exceeding 50a\ per 
acre : for application to the farm of any other kind of manure, 
and for consumption of any other kind of food, full allowance 
in accordance with the provisions of the Agricultural Holdings 
Act ; and for all arable land dead fallowed and clean, the last 
year's rent and rates, together with a due allowance for all rea- 
sonable labour expended thereon. 
Mr. Randell, of Chadbury, has also introduced upon the 
Marquis of Hertford's estate, and upon the other extensive pro- 
perties of which he has charge, a new form of agreement incor- 
porating some of the principal features of the Bill, and giving 
compensation for unexhausted manures and foods ; and it may 
safely be said that if these excellent examples are generally 
followed, the adoption of the Act in question will be rendered 
unnecessary, and that a fresh impetus will undoubtedly be given 
to the agriculture of the county. 
I shall now proceed to describe in detail the management of 
the Prize Farms, only remarking that after our first inspection 
it became evident that we had at least three competitors whose 
cultivation was of a very first-rate character. The difficulty of 
an adjudication upon the respective merits of these became even 
more apparent after the May visit, and we therefore, shortly after 
that time, drew up a scale of marks for various points ol ex- 
cellence by which our award was finally made in July. I state 
this, because the competition being unusually severe, it is well 
that the public should know that we were guided by a definite 
principle: and that in a decision, which was not without 
difficulty, we were unanimous in our conclusions. 
