590 
Somersetshire Farm-Prize Competition, 1875. 
colleague, Mr. Little, speaks highly of the internal arrangements 
and management of the dairy. The dairy cows are not allowed 
to run on the same ground as the sheep. 
A yearling pedigree Shorthorn bull is now being used. 
The flock of ewes is cross-bred. A Hampshire ram is first 
used for 2 years, and a change is then made for an Oxford Down 
or a Cotswold for a similar length of time. The lambs run 
before their mothers on the vetches while they last, and then 
recourse is had to the seeds, pastures, and mustard and rape till 
the earlier turnips are ready. They consume half these and half 
the swedes on the land, the wethers running first and the stock 
ewes bringing up the rear. The wethers are allowed ^ a lb. of 
mixed corn, and linseed and cotton-cake, from the period of going 
on the roots until the following shearing time, when artificial 
food is discontinued. They are sold for grazing on the marshes 
in July, and are brought out very quickly from the lower pastures. 
The stock ewes and the chilvers retained for stock are sent to- 
the hill pastures after the lambs are weaned. The off ewes are 
sold in August or September for stock purposes. The ewe or 
chilver lambs that are intended to recruit the flock are wintered 
off the farm in accordance with an old custom of the district. 
They are sent away from October 12th, and remain on the farm- 
to which they are consigned until the 6th of April following. 
Shearing commences June 1st. The tegs clip about 7 lbs. 
each and the stock ewes 5 lbs., making an average of 6 lbs. per 
sheep on the whole flock. 
Pigs. — Three white Somersetshire sows are kept. They are 
crossed with a black Berkshire boar, and the numbers fed are 
made up by purchase. 
Fences, ^'c. — The fences are for the most part stone walls built 
of loose stone. The larger part of them are about 4 feet 6 inches 
high and 18 inches wide. A few. are double walled, enclosing 
a bank of soil, upon which a few thorns and trees are grown for 
shelter. The base of these is a couple of feet wider than their 
top, say G feet to 4, and the earth forming the bank having 
been taken from either side of it, the fence forms both a good 
shelter and boundary. The stone walls present a neat but rather 
bleak appearance. Those adjoining the entrance to the house 
and along the main road are built solidly with mortar. A few 
quick hedges have been planted, and are growing well. 
Artificial Manures. — Bone superphosphate for roots averages 
25/. per annum. 
Food Purcliased. — Linseed- and cotton-cake, corn, and meal 
average 147/. per annum. 
IIome-(jrou-n Food consumed. — Oats, barley, peas, and tail 
wheat average 125/. 10s. per annum. 
