2V/e Fann Prize Compeiitwn of 1801. 
567 
The thatchera make a very neat finisli of the roimJ corn 
stacks, called pikes, neither string nor pegs being used, but thin 
straw ropes are worked and twisted in with the sheaves under- 
neath. 
The labour bill amounts to about 1.000?. per annum, 'Sir. 
Stavelej and his men being to all appearances on the best foot- 
ing with one another, as he continuallv spoke well of them. 
A certain income is made by the poultry, eggs and butter, 
not to mention a few game-fowls, which are said to be worth 
large sums, and have won prizes innumerable. 
A very systematic record is kept of all the cropping, besides 
complete flock-books, with the breeding of all the Oxford Downs 
noted, whilst every item could be referred to at once when re- 
quired for the Judges' information. Altogether they had great 
pleasure, and no hesitation, in awarding the Second Prize to 
2klr. Staveley on this typical "Wold fai-m. 
Class I. — Third Prize Farm, 
Occupied hy Mr, Jame.^ Toicnend, Keicton Farm, Doncaster. 
This is a very nice farm near Doncaster, being only about 
one mile from the station ; indeed, as the crow flies, the back of 
the railway works is merely a stone's throw from the grazing 
land next the river. Being so near a town, advantage is taken 
of the supply of stable manure, also of the extra hands, which 
appear to be plentiful. 
The farm consists of 232 acres, of which 180 are arable and 
102 grass, and is held under Lady Watson Coply, Sprotbro Hall, 
at a rental of 378Z. Since entering in 1882, very great improve- 
ments have been made, Mr. Townend seeming to despise the 
small enclosures into which the place was divided; enormous 
lengths of old hedges have been stubbed, and new ones planted 
when required, thus altering the size and shape of the fields 
entirely. Trees also in large numbers, some of them of great 
weight, have been felled, the local timber-merchant to whom 
the landlady sold the wood being employed to load the enormous 
roots on to his waggons and throw them into a large pit out of 
the way. 
Whether all this be judicious or not, considering that no 
compensation would be allowed on leaving, yet the tenant has 
the satisfaction of seeing a great improvement made, and if he 
be content to spend the money, his landlady should be more so. 
The new quick-thorn hedges were in splendid order, and had 
almost grown up sufficiently to make a sheep fence. 
