786 
The Farm Prize Competition of 1890. 
Brought forward .... 1002 1034 
AVork horses 22 24 
Hacks ...... 2 • 2 
Colts and yearlings ... 5 4 
Ponies 2 2 
81 32 
Tigs 72 114 
1,165 1,180 
This gives the large proportions per 100 acres of 29-60 
cattle, and 99 - 75 sheep, the average of the county being 20-47 
cattle and 69-74 sheep. Between the visits the following sales 
had taken place, viz. : 192 sheep, 25 calves, 18 cows, 7 steers, 
33 pigs, and 36 lambs ; whilst the purchases had been 2 steers, 
23 cows, 5 heifers, 1 calf, and 2 horses. One horse had died, 
and 6 pigs had been killed for the house. 
Periodical sales are held on the farm, when much fat aud 
surplus stock is sold, whilst on the other hand the cattle bought 
annually cost about 2,500?. 
The dairy cows are kept for the production of milk and 
cream for sale in the Three Towns. The returns from this source 
are simply enormous, and amounted in the last two years to 
close upon 10,000?. This is something like 30?. per cow per 
annum. Some idea of the extent to which these returns are in 
excess of those from ordinary dairy farms may be formed when 
it is mentioned that, in the eastern part of the county, a 
common practice prevails for farmers to sublet their cows to 
dairymen for from 10?. to 12?. per cow per annum — the farmer 
providing cows and a certain acreage (generally 50 acres for 
20 cows) to run them on, including a field or two for hay, also 
buildings and dairy ; whilst the dairyman finds only extraneous 
feeding stuffs, if any are used, and labour for attending and 
milking the cows, and for conveying the produce to market. 
Mr. Vosper's large return arises mainly from his cows being 
extra heavy milkers, and from the high price obtained for his 
cream, which is thicker, on account of the cows being unusually 
well fed and attended to. 
The milk cows are kept at Saltram and Merafield, aud get 
daily throughout the year a liberal allowance of artificial feeding 
stuffs. In winter, in addition to cabbages, mangel, silage, 
and hay, a mixture of hay chaff, maize meal, ground cotton 
seed or linseed cake, bran, malt coombs, and fenugreek is given 
to the extent of about 12 lb. per head per day. In summer, 
about half that weight is given. The cows run out all the year 
round except in the very rough part of winter. One peculiarity 
of Mr. Vosper's stocking is to put large numbers — say 50 or 60 
