Report on tlie Farm-Prize Competition of 1872. 291 
One word, in conclusion, as to the tenant and his general 
management. Well-educated, shrewd, and warmly attached to 
his home and his home duties ; passionately fond, and an 
excellent judge, of live stock of all kinds ; aided, moreover, by 
considerable knowledge of chemistry and other kindred subjects, 
Mr. Powell exactly comes up to our notions of a tenant-farmer 
of the first class. Undoubtedly the cattle stock are his strong 
point, but the sheep, too, are well cared for and profitable ; 
the meadow and grass land is well looked after, the whole farm, 
most of which is on the coal-measures, and by no means rich 
by nature, is in high condition, and scrupulously clean ; the 
general management is most orderly and systematic ; a correct 
account is kept of all sales and purchases ; and it is, therefore, 
with unqualified pleasure and satisfaction, that we awarded to 
Mr. William Savours Powell the magnificent cup so handsomely 
offered by Sir Watkin W. Wynn. 
The Second Prize Farm. 
The " Slough " Farm, occupied during the last twelve years 
by Mr. Valentine Parsons, lies on both sides of the road leading 
from Newport to Chepstow, the homestead standing close by the 
highway, about 4:\ miles from the last-named town, and a quarter 
of a mile from the village of Caerwent. The surface soil is 
generally a light loam, but, as it rests on a subsoil of clay and 
closely-knit gravel, much of the farm has required to be tile- 
drained. This improvement was effected, about 16 years ago, 
through the instrumentality of the West of England Draining 
Company ; Q\ per cent, being charged on the outlay until paid 
off, and the tenant keeping the drains in thorough repair. 
The tenancy is a yearly one, dating from Candlemas, and is 
simply verbal. Unlimited leave is given for the sale of hay and 
straw, so long as the landlord or his agent is satisfied that a corre- 
sponding amount of manurial matter, in the shape of town-made 
muck, bones, and other auxiliary fertilisers, is brought back 
to the farm. Mr. Parsons is at this time getting from 3Z. \0s. to 
47. per ton for wheat straw ; the purchaser takes delivery from 
the rick, and doubtless these prices, on a farm somewhat deficient 
in buildings, justify the tenant in selling off large quantities of 
this material. Little or no hay is now sold off. 
Including about 50 acres of glebe lands, rented by the land- 
lord, and sublet to Mr. Parsons, the Slough Farm contains close 
on 292 acres; of this 201 are under the plough, and the re- 
maining 91 acres are made up of rough cattle ground, dry 
meadow, orchard, and 35 acres recently laid down to grass. 
This last comprises some of the thinnest and poorest of the land 
met with on the farm, and, having only been down six years, 
U 2 
