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XXIII. — Report on the Farm-Prize Competition of 1885. — 
Classes I. and II. By James Edwaeds, Woodhorn, 
Morpeth. 
Judges. 
Gakkett TAYLon, Trowse House, Norwich. 
Teasdale H. Hutchinsok, Manor House, Catterick, 
James Edwards, Woodhorn Manor, Morjjeth. 
In writing a Report of this kind, it is advisable, if not necessary, 
in the first place to notice the general features of soil, climate, 
and market, which in all cases more or less influence the 
farmer in deciding upon the class of farming to adopt, and the 
particular produce which will pay him best to grow. Agricul- 
tural writers do not, as a rule, lead us to suppose that farming 
is seen to the best advantage in the great manufacturing 
districts, and it may be freely admitted that in many respects this 
is correct. In such districts, amongst which Preston, with its 
neighbouring large centres of manufacturing industry, may well 
be classed, farming is a less complete and self-contained in- 
dustry than in purely agricultural counties. It is as a rule 
more prosaic, less picturesque. Rents and rates are often high, 
so also is labour. It will not pay to grow anything except what 
is wanted by these neighbouring large towns ; and the fact 
appears to be readily grasped by Lancashire farmers that it is 
in supplying either the more perishable dairy produce, or 
such bulky produce as hay, grass, roots, potatoes, straw, &c., 
that they can the more readily defy competition of brother 
farmers at a distance, who can deliver only by rail instead of 
by road. 
Farmers in rural districts are no doubt right in adopting the 
old-fashioned principle of putting their eggs in more than one 
basket, otherwise called mixed husbandry. But it is certainly 
none the less true that farmers in populous districts are equally 
justified in devoting themselves to the production of those 
specialities for which they have the readiest market ; and, 
viewed in this light, I venture to think there are few farmers, 
from the Lothians to the Cotswolds, who would not find a 
lesson to learn on visiting some of the best instances in Lanca- 
shire of this special style of farming, say Mr. Ashton's, or 
Mr. Cropper's, the first-prize farms in Classes I. and II. re- 
spectively, where every opportunity is turned to the best 
account, and no advantage neglected, than which no man can 
do more. 
I have dwelt somewhat on this comparison of systems of 
farming, in order that my readers may follow, and I hope 
