546 
The Farm-Prize Competition, 1884. 
Class I. — Highly Commended. 
Mr. John Mellings, The Pools, Bromjield, near Ludlow. 
A. R. P. 
Grass 181 3 6 
Arable 71 3 36 
Total .. .. 253 3 2 
This farm, principally strong land on the Old Red Sandstone, 
is occupied on yearly tenure from Lord Windsor, the present 
tenant having succeeded his father (who resides with his son) a 
few years since. In the spring of 1882 important additions 
were made to the homestead, fitting it for modern requirements. 
All leading of materials for this work, as well as for metalling a 
road from the highway to the house, and filling up broken 
ground in front of the new buildings, was done by the tenant, 
whose teams must have been severely taxed to do this extra 
work, and the ordinary work of the farm. So excellent are the 
new sheds and fold-yards that I think a ground plan showing 
their nature and position on rather higher land than the rest of 
the buildings, will prove interesting. 
The features of the new buildings are the deep shelter sheds 
and open yards facing south, with a feeding gangway and 
mangers for each yard, roofed over so that the animals whilst 
eating, as well as the food, are protected from the weather. 
There is also a range of buildings on the north side, comprising 
byres for twelve cattle ; hay and root house for pulping, &c. ; 
turnip house, bull house, &,c. ; a small stackyard behind, and 
a cart-lodge and granary. It was a very wise arrangement to 
make the new buildings entirely separate from the old ones, 
and together ample accommodation and comfort are provided for 
the additional stock which the enterprise of the new tenant will 
maintain. The feeding arrangements, both for yards and byres, 
include a rack for straw and mangers, made of large glazed 
half-pipes, which are simple, efficient, and inexpensive. As 
fresh straw is of great value for the Hereford cows in winter, 
much of the threshing is done by an old horse gear and drum, 
and though this has an antiquated ring about it, we know from 
experience that it is a useful and economical practice where 
fresh straw is necessary. And that it is so here may be judged 
from the fact that the cows as a rule have nothing else during 
the winter ; only such as are weakly get a few roots. The 
young animals have roots and cake, and the two-year-old 
bullocks are fed in summer also. The calves after running all 
