80 
Hepori on the Farm Prke Gompetitibn 
The career of !^^r. Shelton has been exceedingly creditable, 
and, as he makes no mystery about the matter, the facts may be 
briefly stated. With pleasure and gratitude he states that the 
late Mr. Charles Paget started several of his labourers and others 
known to be deserving on a career as farmers, letting to each a 
few acres of land, encouraging and directing their useful efforts, 
and increasing their holdings judiciously, till, by industry and 
perseverance, several of them attained a good position, and some 
were able to place their sons also in comfortable farms. They 
were working-farmers, men who could " hoe their own row " 
and show others how to do it. Mr. Shelton doubted if any 
other tenantry could be found in England who had got through 
the years of depression with less difficulty, who were more 
ready with their payments, or who could show farms so free 
from weeds or generally in such good condition. In addition 
to liberal treatment of land and live-stock a great feature in 
their management is to give personal attention to details, and 
leave nothing in the hands of others which could with greater 
advantage be done by themselves, and if any have come short they 
are those who neglected these rules. Among the young men thus 
assisted was Mr. Shelton's father, who, as a boy, worked under 
Mr. Paget on the Grange Farm, part of which is now occupied 
by Mr. Shelton himself His own career as a farmer began 14 
years ago, and his capital was small ; but now he is not only 
unencumbered, but has a substantial amount of invested capital. 
The farm is small, the rent is high, the total expenditure is 
about 101. per acre for the entire holding, and it seemed almost 
incredible that so much money should be realised. The evidence 
produced was, however, quite convincing ; and after inspecting 
the details of the accounts for a series of years with the greatest 
care, no doubt could be entertained regarding the accuracy of 
the figures. 
The Judges had no hesitation in awarding to Mr. Shelton 
the First Prize, as all through the contest he was far ahead of his 
rivals in every department of farm industry. 
In some respects there was perhaps no farm in the compe- 
tition from which a more instructive lesson for the times might 
be deduced. Here was a small holding, with a rent of 3Z. per 
acre, and an expenditure on feeding-stuffs and labour of nearly 
71. per acre, giving an average yearly return for interest on 
capital and profit of something like 3^. 10s. per acre. This 
system tends in the direction of that intensive agriculture of 
which we have lately heard a good deal. No doubt the circum- 
stances are exceptional, and Mr. Shelton has the great advantage 
of occupying first-class land. It may also be said that he 
