Somersetshire Farm-Prize Competition, 1875. 521 
Class I. — Hill Farms. 
Mr. George Babbage's farm is situated near Raleigh's Cross, 
in Brendon Hill, which is fifteen miles north-west of the town 
if Taunton, and is one of the steepest ranges of the Western 
Hill district of the county of Somerset. A splendid drive of 
i>ix or seven miles from Williton through a continuously rising 
country, with fine views of the Bristol Channel and its con- 
iguous bold Welsh mountain scenery, and past the picturesque 
md finely timbered park of Nettlecombe, the undulating 
ground of which was covered with majestic oaks and magni- 
icent elms, beeches, and pines, brought us to the partially 
•nclosed moor of Brendon Hill, extending from the top of the 
)ark to Raleigh's Cross Inn. At this place Tone Farm land 
ommenced, and continued a distance of some half-mile in 
a westerly direction. At the south-west extremity of the land 
[s a ten-acre plantation of spruce and firs, which appear to 
)e thriving, hut no more woods shelter the farm in other 
lirections. 
The farm is stated to be elevated some 1300 feet above the 
evel of the sea. The soil rests upon a shaly formation locally 
ermed shale rag, which is within four or five inches of the 
urface. It contains beds of ironstone which have been quarried 
n the farm, and mining for ironstone immediately adjoining it 
5 now carried on by the Ebbw Vale Company. This stone is 
ent by a mineral railway to Watchet, whence it is transported 
o the Company's works in South Wales. 
The River Tone rises in the upper part of the farm, but does 
ot increase to more than a miniature brook while on the land, 
Ithough ultimately it swells into an important river, running 
.outh and then east into the Parret at Stanmore Bridge. Part 
if the land slopes slightly towards the brook, forming a valley, 
jne side of which faces N.N.E., the other S.S.W. 
- The farm, as will be seen by the annexed plan (p. S22), is 
;iid out with some degree of regularity, but its length is dis- 
iroportionate with its width. 
The soil is for the most part of a light nature, and some of 
ae more recently broken-up fields contain a good deal of reget- 
p\e matter. There are something like 6 acres of bog on the 
. ['hole farm, but, with the exception of this, 10 acres only were 
jjund to require drainage, which was done by the owner of 
pe property before the present tenant's entry. 
The climate is severe, and the district is more backward by 
iree weeks or a month than the Vale of Taunton. The rain- 
|l11 is also excessive, being more than half as much again as 
be average of the lowlands. 
VOL. XL — S. S. 2 M 
