704 
The Farm Prize Competition of 1890. 
and 23 heifers seen by the Judges in June had been bought at 
various times within the year in 22 different lots at an average 
of 14/., and had been remarkably well purchased. Between the 
two visits of the Judges 1,650Z. worth of stock had been sold 
off, and 7507. bought on in their places, and yet the valuation 
of stock at Lady-day 1890 worked out at practically the same 
figures as in the previous year's balance-sheets, thus showing 
that the transaction had not been a casual one. 
During the summer the cattle need little or no cake, but 
those tied up in the winter get 5 lb. daily, with maize and 
other meal. It may here be incidentally mentioned that, as 
soon as any fresh cattle are brought on to the farm, they are 
dressed with brine for the prevention of warble fly. 
A breeding flock of 180 ewes of the Devon long-wool breed 
is kept, and a right good grand lot they are. A few are 
remnants of a pure bred flock which Mr. Franklin formerly 
had, and with which he was at one time a most successful 
exhibitor in the show yards of the " Royal," Bath and West of 
England, Royal Counties, Devon County, and numerous other 
societies, also at Exeter and other fat stock shows. He won 
between 70 and 80 prizes in the 10 years prior to 188G. In 
this latter year he was unfortunately seized by a constitutional 
infirmity which has since become more or less acute and per- 
manent, and has prevented him from devoting that close personal 
attention to his flock which is necessary to procure success in 
the showyard. He has therefore been compelled reluctantly to 
abandon breeding for purity and exhibition, and has turned his 
attention to rearing half-bred lambs for early feeding. 
His ewes are now crossed by a Hampshire Down ram. and 
the produce, which generally begin to arrive about the middle of 
January, are sold off fat between the following November and Feb- 
ruary. In January last some were being sold at 3 guineas apiece. 
Early in the year between 200 and 300 long-wool hoggets are 
bought. Of these 50 of the best are retained for the flock, the 
remainder being put at once on turnips and fed off. Sdme go 
before shearing time, others after. The draft and geld ewes 
also go off fat. Thus between 1st April, 1889, and 1st April, 
1890, no less than 5G4 sheep were sold off. At the time of the 
June visit there were on the farm 127 ewes for flock, 44 draft 
ewes. 34 ewe hoggs for flock, 72 wether hoggs. and 21G lambs. 
All, including the lambs, had been shorn. The ewes and 
wethers were estimated to have clipped 12 to 14 lb. of wool 
each in the grease, and the lambs about 3i lb. each. The 
present price for this wool is Sd. per lb. The lambs had been 
weaned since 1st May, and 110 of the earliest, which after their 
