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XIV. Report on the Farm-Prize Competition o/" 1872. By Thomas 
BowsTEAD, Eden Hall, Penrith. 
Despite the progress made in agriculture during the last thirty 
years, and notwithstanding the many facilities and inducements 
still offered for the improvement of land, there may yet be seen 
in nearly every district of the United Kingdom hundreds of 
acres failing to yield their fair share of produce, while the stock 
they carry are deficient in numbers and economical qualities. 
No greater stimulus can well be given to the better management 
of land in any locality than is likely to arise from the seizing 
and describing the best specimens of farming, as is now being 
done through the agency of the Royal Agricultural Society. 
This system of farm-competition was first started in connection 
with the Oxford Meeting of 1870, and having then, as also 
last year, proved eminently successful, it commended itself to 
the favourable notice of Sir Watkin W. Wynn, Bart,, M.P., the 
Society's popular and well-chosen President for 1872. Accord- 
ingly, that staunch agiculturist — for Sir Watkin is alike notable 
as the thorough farmer and the keen and fearless sportsman — 
wishful, no doubt, to signalise his year of office in some sub- 
stantial and befitting manner, offered a silver cup of lOOZ. value, 
for the best-managed farm in South Wales and Monmouthshire, 
the Society contributing a second prize of 50/. 
The conditions of the competition were the following : 
1. That the farms are not less than 100 acres in extent. 
2. That not less than one-fourth of the land (exclusive of 
sheepwalk) is under tillage. 
3. That they are held by tenant-farmers paying a hona-jide 
rent for not less than three-fourths of the land in their 
occupation, or by landowners occupying their own 
farms, the total extent of whose property in agricul- 
tural land (exclusive of sheepwalk), does not excee 
200 acres, and whose sole business is farmirtg. 
Looking at the great breadth of country to which the competir 
tion was open, and the value of the prizes offered, the number of 
entries (only 19), struck the Judges as being remarkably small 
And while amongst these were found some very fine farms, and 
a few excellent farmers, we regret to have to state that not a few 
of the entries were totally iinfit for an inspection of this kind 
Far be it from us to undervalue the frugality, industry, and 
sterling honesty plainly practised by some of the less eligible o 
the competitors ; but surely, lands dirty, imperfectly tilled, and ou 
of condition; fences crooked, broken down, and three times too 
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