42 
Report on the Farm Prize Competition 
1875 till 1881 ; but in the latter year they numbered 133,481 — 
an increase of fully 11,000 on the total of ten years previously. 
In 1887 there were 141,529, shewing a similar increase in the 
shorter period of six years, and a larger number of cattle than at 
any preceding period. It is a circumstance not easily explicable 
that in 1888 the number was only 134,704 — a reduction of 
9,825 — of which 3,GG3 were cows and heifers in milk or in calf, 
2,088 other cattle of two years old and above, and 4,074 under 
two years old. 
Pir/tt have also decreased in number. They numbered 47,000 
in 1867 ; in 1871 they were 40,000 ; in 1875 they had fallen 
to 37,271 ; in 1881, they were 30,000, but seven years after- 
wards they had risen to 34,371. They are now regarded as a 
good paying kind of stock. 
Horses have not varied much in number, but increased 
attention has been recently devoted to the breeding of Shire 
horses. This is, in fact, one of the most hopeful features of 
Derbyshire farming in the present day. Some of the best 
Shire horses are reared in the county ; and many of the farmers 
have gone into the business with spirit, and are well maintaining 
the reputation of the district in this respect. It is not neces- 
sary to dwell upon the improvement in the character of heavy 
horses, which has happily been a redeeming feature amid the 
general gloom of the past decade. It is sufficiently exemplified 
not only by the increased importance and success of the annual 
exhibition devoted to the exclusive interest of Shire-bred horses, 
but also in the classes provided for them year after year at the 
Meetings of the Royal Agricultural Society. The demand — a 
continuous and increasing one — from foreign buyers for the 
best of the British heavy horses is a steady stimulus to breeders, 
and this too has been supplemented by a general tendency among 
homo farmers to keep a better class of farm, horses than heretofore. 
The Derbyshire men have wisely seen the possibilities of horse- 
breeding as a profitable branch of farming. Nor have they 
confined their attention only to heavy horses : encouraged by 
the vigorous and enlightened policy of the Koyal Agricultural 
Society and the Royal Commission on Horse-breeding, and 
assisted by the provision of sound thoroughbred sires at a 
reasonable fee, they are taking up the rearing of light horses 
with equal enterprise and zeal. 
Another branch of thrifty farming, unnoticed, and probably 
undeveloped, in 1881, is the breeding of good poultry. Until 
quite recent years the greater number of Derbyshire farmers 
had only a few mongrel barn-door fowls, that were left very 
much to live at random. Now the various pure breeds, includ- 
