Report on the Farm-Prize Competition of 1885. 
573 
Mr. Scotson's farm would be reckoned at 55. the square jard. 
The whole of it is now on sale and is the property of several 
owners, viz.: — T. E. Withington, Esq.; J. Kennedy, Esq.; 
C. W. Newmann, Esq. ; J. Booker, Esq. ; Mrs. Bibby. 
The farm is held under a yearly tenancy subject to no restric- 
tions. Rent and tithe amount to 3/. IO5. an acre, and the rates 
are heavy. 
The land, with the exception of some half-dozen small fields, 
lies well together and is well laid out ; the soil on the central 
portion of the farm is light, running to moss in places, bat 
where the ground rises it assumes the well-marked features of 
the New Red Sandstone formation, mostly Iree-working, with a 
good deal of gravel, but in some portions being a pretty strong 
red clay. 
There is, besides the Mossley Hill Steading, the Pitville 
Steading, and produce is stacked at both places as may be 
most convenient. 
Neither of these premises are quite all that could be wished, 
in either accommodation or arrangement ; but, though Mr. 
Scotson has done a great deal of useful, rough-and-ready work 
to meet his requirements, it can hardly be expected that either 
the owners or the tenant will plunge into any great expense on 
land situated as this is. 
The general system of farming adopted is, no doubt, the 
correct one : to sell everything the farm produces in Liverpool, 
and bring back manure ; but Mr. Scotson does not so rigidly 
adhere to this principle as did our old friend Mr. Ashton, 
Here it is thought desirable to keep a certain number of cattle, 
"to eat up," as Mr. Scotson says, " the produce which will not 
sell in the town." As these " scavengers " consist mainly of a 
dairy of 16 remarkably good cows (to any one of which it would 
be an insult to use the term in the usual sense in which it is 
understood), and as there is such a near and excellent market 
for new milk, this deviation is so far justified ; whether it should 
go further and include the rearing of young cattle and feeding 
of beef, is more open to question. 
We saw no signs of an abundance of inferior farm produce, 
and we doubt whether any stirk or bullock could possibly con- 
sume the best quality of produce to leave as much money as 
would the direct sale of it and loading back with manure. 
Live-stock includes as under : — 
Horses . . 10 Very useful carthorses. 
2 Ponies. 
1 General-purpose horse. 
1 Cart colt rising 0 years, very promising. 
