78 
Ile})ort on ilie Farm Prize Competition 
than the beginning of June nor later than the end of September. 
He considers that this is better for the cows, and it makes the 
grass last much longer. 
The farming of Mr. Shelton is carried on with a view to the 
production of milk and beef. His aim is to purchase, not high- 
priced animals, but such as are susceptible of improvement. In 
this way he obtains a sufficient sup^^ly of milk, and afterwards 
he invariably sells his animals 40 per cent, higher than the price 
he paid for them. All his cattle are most liberally fed, with a view 
to have them sold for beef soon after they have ceased to give 
milk. His cows are usually fed off within the year after he has 
bought them ; and in July the Ji;dges saw only two that had 
been on the farm in December. For feeding cattle the mixture 
per day is 2 lbs. decorticated cake, 2 lbs. Waterloo cake, 2 lbs. 
linseed-cake, 2 lbs. barley-meal, about 33 lbs. swedes, and 
1 peck of straw-chaff mixed with dissolved linseed-cake. 
Mr. Shelton is very decided in his advocacy of liberal feeding 
as the method to attain success in -farming. After long experience 
in dairy management and in the fattening of beasts he expresses 
his unwavering conviction that by giving animals G to 8 lbs. of 
cake and meal per day he can produce double the quantity of 
milk and beef, and obtain 50 per cent, better returns than he 
could do by adopting a more parsimonious method. He believes 
that if farmers could be induced to see the benefits of liberal 
feeding judiciously directed they could keep more stock on a 
given area than they do at present, and would have better and 
more rapid returns. Attention to this matter often makes all 
the difference between remunerative farming and the reverse. 
At present, especially when the best feeding-stuffs can be 
bought for less than Is. per stone, it is I'eally suicidal for farmers 
to keep poorly fed cattle. 
The milk, measured daily, is sold to a local milk-dealer, by 
whom it is retailed in Nottingham. The price obtained by Mr. 
Shelton is *t\d. per imperial gallon in summer, and 8^rZ, in 
winter : and this at the dairy, without any trouble or any deduc- 
tion for carriage. A few years ago the price was one penny per 
gallon higher summer and winter ; but more people have gone 
into the milk trade, and the price has therefore decreased. The 
quantity produced yearly is about 19,000 gallons, and the ac- 
counts made up to July 31, 1 888, indicate the subjoined returns 
for the past seven years : — 
& s. d. £ s. d. 
1882 742 7 9 188G 644 13 6 
188:! 714 6 5 1887 625 7 3 
1884 705 19 3 1888 ...... G47 17 8 
1885 GD6 17 9 
