Nottingliamsliire and Lincolnshire in 1888 : Class 1. 551 
the corn for the stock is ground here — to the quantity, sometimes, 
of 500 quarters in the year. 
At the May visit, the whole of the yards were full of a very 
superior class of Irish cattle, 168 in number. Indeed, they 
were more than full, for each bullock had to be content with 
17 square yards of space. Yet there was no sign at all of rest- 
lessness or of driving amongst them, and they could scarcely 
have been quieter if in separate boxes, though it is true they 
were not seen at feeding time. Mr. Machin accounts for this 
superior amiability and content as resulting from his practice of 
sawing off the tips of the animals' horns. 
The cattle were of great size and weight, and particularly 
ripe for the time of year. In fact, the impression could not be 
resisted that they would have paid better if sent to market 
before. This opinion was subsequently strengthened by working 
out, approximately, the weekly returns of these beasts against 
those of Mr. Curtis Machin, who had sold sooner, when it 
appeared that the latter gave about 12s. to 13s. gross gain 
per week -and the former 9s. to lOs. 
The roots on this farm were perhaps even superior to those 
of the brother, and an extraordinary quantity of stock were 
kept upon them all through the winter. There were over 1,400 
grazing-sheep still eating ground swedes at the May visit, all in 
the same fold, and taking the whole field before them. The prac- 
tice of feeding so many together was, however, by no means com- 
mended. A small army of boys under the direction of a man 
were cleaning and heaping the turnips, and attending to the 
wants of the sheep, just outside the advancing hurdles. 
The soil of Mr. "VV. Machin's farm is some of it very light, 
and other is of a poor peaty character. Yet it is mostly of a 
cooler subsoil, and in the opinion of the Judges on the whole 
decidedly superior to that of Mr. Curtis Machin. They were 
on this account a little disappointed not to see some of the 
growing crops a little heavier than they were found to be at the 
July visit, and a little freer from annuals and weeds of a longer 
life. The corn also seemed very backward, and no doubt the 
late season which had kept it in check gave the annuals a chance 
they would not otherwise have had. 
It is only fair, however, to say that some 400 acres of this 
farm were taken by Mr. Machin only four years ago, and as the 
Judges were told, in a bad condition, which circumstance could 
hardly fail to place him somewhat at a disadvantage. But un- 
fortunately a greater disappointment awaited the Judges in the 
appearance of the young turnips, which were the most backward 
they had seen, and rather stunted and weak of plant. No doubt 
