Report on the Waricicksldre Farm-Prize Competition, 1876. 529' 
distance beyond the north-western extremity of the farm, and 
about a mile and a quarter from the house. 
The farm is extremely compact and well laid out (see Fig. 3, 
p. 531), the whole of the arable land being contiguous, and only- 
two grass fields, which lie in the highest part, being separated 
from the remainder of the pasture. With this slight exception, 
the whole of the upper lands are under the plough. The fields 
are large, the fences straight, and the appearance of the farm is 
exceedingly taking. 
The soil is for the most part a very fertile productive loam of 
a reddish-brown colour, with plenty of consistency, and mixed 
with stones, generally of a smooth character. A little of the 
upper part of the farm is upon the Lias formation, the junction 
of which with the Sandstone occurs here ; but as the Lias clay 
is overlain with gravelly drift, the soil does not differ in this 
part so materially from the remainder of the farm as to require 
anv special treatment. 
A beautifully kept farm-road extends the entire length of the 
occupation, dividing it into two pretty equal portions, and adding 
very much to its facilities for cultivation. There are two sets of 
buildings, one near the residence, the other at the opposite end 
of the farm, and adjoining the road just mentioned. The build- 
ings are sufficient, but of an ordinary character, and the house is 
a comfortable and pleasant residence, suitable for the occupation. 
The farm has been in the occupation of !Mr. Adkins' familv 
during the whole of the present century, and the name of 
]Mr. John C. Adkins, of Milcote (the father of the present 
tenant), who died in 1871, will be widely remembered in con- 
nection with his famous herd of Shorthorns. The memory of 
this estimable man, however, still lin2"ers on in other quarters 
than " Shorthorn " society, and in our intercourse with Warwick- 
shire men many were the lips which bore testimony to his 
kindness and his worth as a man, no less than to the splendid 
character of his management as a farmer. In this latter respect 
he was, perhaps, almost unrivalled in his county, whilst as a 
Shorthorn breeder the memory of his " Charmers " and his 
" Sweethearts " is too fresh to render it anything but presump- 
tion on my part to eulogise his herd.* 
* In 1843 ^Ir. Adkins ( who had for many years before that been a breeder of pure 
f^horthorns of Culling's Vilood got the strain which made his herd so famous. In 
that year, at the sale of the Eight Hon. Charles Arbuthnot's cattle at Woodford, he 
bought " Charmer," a granddaughter of '• Sylph," and in ] 847 bred " Sweetheai t " 
from her by " Accordion." The celebrated bull, " Earl of Dublin," -was bought 
from Mr. Stephenson. In 1854 Mr. Stratford sold the herd, -which had accumu- 
lated to too great proportions for the farm, but this blood was retained. At this 
sale 36 cows and heifers and 10 bulls made about 30 guineas a-piece. On 
:\Iarch 2Sth, ISGO, Mr. Strafibrd again officiated with 51 head of cattle. On this 
