Somersetshire Farm-Prize Competition, 1875. 519 
The Judges made a preliminary inspection in the first week 
of December, 1874. It was of rather a hurried nature, and was 
principally undertaken to form an opinion of last year's root 
management with its results, autumn cultivation and cleanness 
of land, and general winter stock management. 
Their second visit took place during the second and third week 
in May, the extreme lateness of the season inducing them to select 
that period in preference to an earlier date. The result of this 
inspection confirmed, in a very great degree, the hasty in- 
ferences drawn from a first acquaintance with the different 
farms. The third view was confined to seven farms in Class 3, 
all of which had more or less of general merit or some special 
features that were deemed worthy of further attention. 
The characteristics of Somersetshire farming are very diver- 
sified, the variations being attributable to the marked differences 
of climate and soil to be found witliin the borders of the 
f county and the changeableness of its geological formations. 
I The altitude of the Western Hill-district is very considerable, 
and, to a great extent, is accompanied by a corresponding 
sterility of soil. Dukerry Hill, the highest point in the 
county, is 1700 feet above the level of the sea ; and one of the 
farms inspected on Brendon Hill is said to be nearly 1300 feet 
high. On the other hand, soils of a most fertile description 
exist in the vale of Taunton and in many other parts of the 
county ; and some of the finest grazing land in the kingdom is 
to be found on the alluvial deposits and land originally reclaimed 
from the sea from Bridgwater to the mouth of the Yeo. To 
give an idea of the value of this land, the summer grazing of 
1000 acres of the celebrated Pawlett Hams were let this year for . 
more than 6000/. 
The climate of the valleys is very genial and early. 
It is not within the province of the reporter to enter into a dis- 
sertation upon the agriculture of the county ; but in the course of 
the three visits, having driven through many parts of it, it may 
not be altogether out of place to briefly record a few of the im- 
j, pressions that presented themselves to the minds of the Judges. 
I As a rule, the general agriculture of the county is backward. 
The fences are bad, both in form and in the description of 
wood of which they are grown. Maple, elm, oak, ash, hazel, 
and briar are the usual materials selected, the thorn being con- 
fined principally to the boundaries of railways and to the 
estates of a few improving individuals. 
The farm-houses, for the most part, are inferior, and the farm- 
buildings dilapidated, and insufficient for the necessities of the 
occupations. As a proof of this, the general rule, observed by 
us in our winter inspection, was that none but a few feeding 
