The Farm-Prize Competition, 1884. 511 
state of things is the prominent importance of live-stock in the 
systems of farming, and this of mixed sorts. The development 
of the Shropshire sheep from local to national importance, a 
progress which has been mainly due to the pluck and per- 
severance of the tenant-farmers themselves, has greatly increased 
the returns from the flock. The cultivation of cattle either for 
grazing or dairy purposes — both excellent of their kind and for 
their respective offices — and much attention to the breeding 
of a serviceable selling class of cart-horses, have all tended to 
returns for live-stock much above the average. It is quite evident 
from the Agricultural Returns, and from my own observation, 
that the necessity for returning to grass the less desirable tillage- 
land has been fully realised by the more intelligent occupiers, 
and that their commendable enterprise has in most cases been 
met by reasonable assistance from landlords. The following 
comparison of the area under grass in 1868 and 1883 will 
sufficiently prove this point : — 
Total 
Cultivated Area. 
1868. 
Area hi Grass. 
1883. 
Area in Grass. 
Increase of 
Grass. 
Acres. 
Acres. 
Acres. 
712.846 
340,909 
422,576 
81,667 
Stafford 
604,237 
340,112 
404,655 
64,543 
445,842 
213,517 
334,763 
121,246 
In the course of the report many instances will be given of 
successful laying down of land to grass, and I would here 
only allude to the important influence in obtaining a close 
thick sward of sheep-grazing when supplied with cotton-cake or 
other food rich in manuring elements. It has been laid down 
in some quarters authoritatively that young pastures should not 
be grazed with sheep ; and the reason given is that, eating so 
close to the ground, they will destroy the clovers. This might 
be the case if the land were too heavily stocked and the sheep 
had nothing to improve their manure ; but it is most certainly 
not the case under judicious management, and, though mixed 
stock are desirable in order that all the herbage should be equally 
consumed, yet I am satisfied that sheep will do most good, 
because they are the best manure distributors ; and that, whether 
we are dealing with new pastures or old grass, the most prac- 
tical and profitable means of improvement is the consumption 
of cotton-cake by cattle and sheep on the land ; and that though, 
in dealing with exhausted or neglected land, applications of pur- 
chased manures, and, on some soils especially, of phosphates, 
may be desirable — nay, actually necessary — the best and cheapest 
