780 
The Farm Prize Competition o/1890. 
Following the usual practice of these inspections, the Judges 
paid their first visit to each of the competing farms in January last, 
when they saw the bulk of the root crops of the previous year, 
examined the stubbles and stacks of corn and hay, and inquired 
into the winter management of the stock. They also inspected 
most of the fields, critically examined the sheep and other stock, 
and had peeps into the account books and other records. As a 
result of this, the competition in Class II. became slightly re- 
duced, because of the manifest superiority of the management 
of more of the competitors than there were prizes to award. 
The farms which were left in this Class, and all the original 
entries in Classes I. and III., were visited a second time in June, 
when the various stocks and crops were carefully inspected, and 
all the details of management fully inquired into. At the con- 
clusion the Judges compared notes, and found that they had 
individually arrived at decisions which were practically 
unanimous. 
Class I. — First Prize Farm. 
Occupied by Mr. W. P. Vosper, Merafteld, Plympton, Plymouth. 
This is the largest farm in the competition, and, as the 
Judges soon found, is in the hands of a man of unusual enter- 
prise, skill, and capital. Situate as it is between four and five 
miles from the three self-adjacent towns of Plymouth, Stone- 
house, and Devonport, its management is mainly directed to 
reaping all the advantages which such a situation confers. In 
this direction few, if any, men can have accomplished more than 
Mr. Vosper has done, and rare indeed are the farms in the 
kingdom which can show higher or more satisfactory results. 
The farm comprises 821 acres, of which 43G are arable, and 
the remainder pasture and orchard. It was formerly let in 
four separate holdings, one of which (Saltram) was the home 
farm and park of Saltram House (the residence of the landlord, 
the Earl of Morley). This portion was taken by Mr. Vosper in 
18G8 in succession to his father, and was the starting point of 
that extensive trading with the " Three Towns," which he has 
subsequently so profitably developed. Four years later Wixen- 
ford was added ; and in 1885 Merafield, which Mr. Vosper had 
been managing for some time for his mother, was taken on his 
own account. Lastly, Hardwicke was added in 1887, and 
marvellous and rapid has been the change in its productive 
capacity. The four farms are now held as one under a lease for 
14 or 21 years, at the option of the tenant, from Lady-day, 
1889, at a rent of close upon 2/. per acre. 
