Dairy and Stock Farms. 
.01. 'J 
continuous growth would thus be avoided. There is steam- 
power on the premises, by which all the necessary grinding and 
chaffing is accomplished. There are two sets of buildings, and 
ample accommodation in yards and stalls and sheds. The 
water-supply is admirable, a bore of 70 feet reaching a water- 
bearing stratum, whence the water rises and pours out, at a level 
some feet above the ground. 
The sheep stock include a flock of 150 Shropshire ewes, 
which produced last year 220 lambs. All the lambs not sold 
fat are shorn in July ; and some 60 ewe-lambs are put to a 
Cheviot ram in October and November, and are sold with their 
lambs fat in the following summer ; the annual sale including a 
large number of sheep of all ages — old ewes and lambs, and 
shearhogs, and shearling ewes and lambs. The home-bred calves 
are very good. Mr. Roberts has a few very good Shorthorn cows, 
and he employs a well-bred bull. The bull lately employed 
was purchased at Berkeley ; and he has this summer been a 
buyer at the Elmhurst sale, having secured two bull-calves by 
Mr. Fox's " 2nd Duke of Airdrie " at 40 guineas each. His 
purchased stock is not so good as that of his own breeding. 
Seven horses, of a capital Clydesdale stamp, do the work of the 
farm, and there are several young horses bred, for which long 
prices will be obtained. Mr. Roberts adopts steam-cultivation 
to some extent, paying about 70/. yearly for steam cultivation of 
the wheat and bean stubbles. Three men and a boy work with 
the horses ; two men and two boys attend to the live-stock in 
the stalls and fields ; and two other men are employed, besides 
occasional labourers, in harvest. The men receive 18s. a week, 
a cottage and potato-ground, and 50s. harvest-money ; as much 
work as possible, however, being let by the piece ; as turnip- 
hoeing (three times) for 12s. an acre, and root-pulling, trimming, 
and loading, for 14s. an acre. Mr. Gladstone has some capital 
cottages erected on the Well House Farm. The farm produces 
an immense quantity of bread and meat. The oats and beans 
grown on it are almost entirely consumed at home, but there is 
a large sale of wheat, and this, with the surprising yield of well- 
fed beef and mutton, marks it out as deserving quite a foremost 
place. A good road runs through the midst of it. The fields are 
drained into the deep ditches which surround them ; the fences 
are straight, well grown, and well kept. The land is clean. 
Buildings, house, and cottages leave little to be desired. The 
natural fertility of the land is increasing year by year under 
Mr. Roberts' liberal and energetic management. An iron 
plough, polished bright as silver, hangs against the kitchen- 
wall, the gift of Mr. Gladstone, who appreciates his tenant ; and 
the walls of one of the sitting-rooms are covered with prize- 
