578 
The Farm-Prize Competition, ISS-l, 
for hay, were an excellent crop, and afforded invaluable food 
for ewes and lambs. Indeed, the arable land generally was 
thoroughly well handled, and we were particularly impressed by 
the fact that Mr. Griffin manages to feed a considerable pro- 
portion of roots on the land without losing the next corn crop, 
or injuring the sheep. We were not so favourably impressed 
as regards the grass land, much of which was badly grazed, and 
rough in consequence. To some extent its present appearance 
is due to the fact that less cattle are kept than usual, owing 
to the difficulty of buying what would pay, but we were of 
opinion that more might be made of the grass-land. 
Shropshire sheep are carefull-' and judiciously managed at 
Preston Vale, and it is no easy business to grow roots and feed 
them off on land which has so much clay in its composition. 
On our first visit we found the mixed hoggs, 169 in number, 
in field No. 672, eating a considerable proportion of a heavy 
and regular crop of swedes on the land ; iron hurdles, 6 ft. long, 
are used for folding, costing 8/. IO5. a ton, i.e. 56 hurdles, about 
3s. each. These last a long time with care and occasional over- 
hauling, and are cheaper in the long run than either wooden 
hurdles or netting. The hoggs were close shorn in July, a 
practice tried here for the first time, but which is apparently 
becoming general throughout the Shropshire district. Besides 
the roots, they were having an allowance of mixed cottonseed- 
and linseed-cake, and were quite forward enough, considering 
that the wethers are not intended for the shambles after clipping, 
but for summering on the meadows, where we found them in 
May occupying a good deal of ground that might have been 
more profitably used, and having \ lb. of beans with a little 
steamed chaff. By this method they make out heavy sheep, 
22 to 24 lbs. a quarter, but we question if they pay for the extra 
keep, and believe that it would be more profitable to finish 
them on turnips, or as soon after shearing as possible, and so 
to save all the summer grass for young cattle. The sheep stock 
in May consisted of — 
109 ewes. 
193 lambs. 
4 barren ewes. 
80 shearling wethers. 
77 „ ewes. 
1 ram. 
464 
The ewe flock varies from 112 to 120. These are very grand 
animals of excellent type, wide frames on short legs. VW 
found them in the winter living on grass-land, which formed 
