Report on the Fai'm-Prizc Competition, 1871. 321 
two-jcai-olds were upon the grass, making a total head of 83. 
Forty-five beasts are led oft' annually ; they are tied up in the 
autumn, and have sliced turnips ad libitum, with an allowance of 
5 lbs. of linseed-cake per day. The younger beasts during the 
winter are fed on pulped roots, chopped straw and hay, with 
1 lb. of cake daily. 
100 Shropshire Down ewes are kept, yielding 150 lambs. 
They commence with artificial food belore weaning, and it is 
never discontinued up to the time of clipping, which is gene- 
rally in April, when they are sold fat. JJeyond this number 
100 shearlings are j)urchased and fed off. All the fat stock is 
sold at Wellington by auction. Mrs. Sankey's practice is to 
shear all the lambs at the same time as the ewes, the average 
value of the fleece being Is. 6c?., and it is considered that they 
thrive and grow better in consequence. Ten breeding sows are 
kept, and, although the variety is not pleasing to look at, the 
produce is numerous. About 200 are sold annually, and 
the returns form a not unimportant item in the balance sheet. 
Great attention is also paid to the poultry, which, under skilful 
management, are highly profitable. 
The grass land has all been dressed with 5 cwts. per acre of 
Griflin and Morris's artificial manures. Thirty-eight acres are 
laid out for irrigation, receiving the sewage from Wellington, 
and are invariably mown. Twenty acres of outlying grass or 
peaty bog were of a very worthless character, being full of the 
tussock grass : on most of this Mrs. Sankey has pared and led 
oft" the tussocks, applying half a ton to the acre of Grifhn and 
Morris's artificial manures. The result is wonderful, the herbage 
having changed from most inferior to really good grasses and 
clover. 
Eight horses are kept, fed during the working season Avith 
75 lbs. of meal, composed principally of beans and bran, the 
latter in the proportion of one-fifth. The outlay in manures and 
feeding stuffs is so remarkable for the acreage that we tabulate 
the figures : — 
£. s. d. 
Artificial inanures 230 0 0 
(Jake and corn purcliased 517 10 0 
16 acres of beans consumed 128 0 0 
18 acres of peas cousLimed 14-1 0 0 
1019 10 0 
The average is close upon 3/. per acre, one-third of the land 
being in grass. 
Labour. — Six men and two boys are employed through the 
year. The men live in cottages rent free, and their wages are 
