The Farm-Prize Competition, 1884. 
573 
considers he is employing fully 12/. an acre capital. The 
returns are more variable than on a breeding farm, as they are 
influenced so much by the comparative values of horned stock 
when purchased and sold. With Mr. Pearce's judgment, the 
system he pursues is doubtless wise ; but his are exceptional 
circumstances, and the man who breeds and rears his stock is 
contributing more to the general weal. 
From the appearance of the crops in May, and the excellent 
condition of the land intended for roots, we expected at our 
last visit in July to find a more prosperous condition of 
affairs than existed ; but the long dry time had told upon 
the cereals, which, though generally level good crops, were 
not of that luxuriant growth which, under other circumstances, 
might have been confidently anticipated ; but, more serious 
still, a large proportion of the first sowing of roots had been 
destroyed by a terrible infliction of fly, which were still far 
too busy on July 11th — a very unusual visitation. When all 
hope of the crop was gone, Mr. Pearce had split the ridges 
and redrilled, and the young plants were looking well, though by 
no means out of danger. The mangolds, which were terribly 
mauled by the maggot of Anthomya Betce, were so ragged a plant 
that swedes had been gapped in in the intervals. The land 
was most satisfactory as to tilth and cleanness, not only on the 
root break, but throughout the farm. The first rain of any 
account fell at Welbroughton on June 29th. After the careful 
and thoroughly business way in which the farms had been 
handled, and everything done that was possible to ensure a 
success, it was disappointing that causes beyond control had so 
seriously interfered with results. We found some additional 
stock purchased since May, viz., on the two farms 30 head 
of cattle and 100 sheep, but none sold ; the land was fully 
stocked, yet there was abundance of food in the pastures, and all 
kinds of stock were in thriving condition. 
Class 2. — Third Prize. 
Mr. Henry Minton, Montford, near Shrewsbury. 
Arable 300 acres. 
Grass 240 ,, 
Mr. Minton occupies under the Earl of Powis, on the Lord- 
ship Estate, having in 1878 succeeded his uncle, the late Mr. 
William Matthews, who was at one period so successful as an 
exhibitor of Shropshire ewes ; and it may be mentioned that 
