306 Report on the Farm- Prize Competition of 1872. 
The grain crops on this farm, we may here remark, are not 
horse or hand hoed, and hence the trim and clean condition of 
the land is the more creditable. No spasmodic efforts by way 
of preparation for this prize-competition, but long and close 
attention only, can have brought about this state of things. 
Grain is all cut by a Hornsby's Reaper, which is hired at 
25. 6f/. per acre for the use of the machine. Beer is allowed at 
this time, but not throughout the year. Corn is all tied and 
stooked ; wheat is built in fine round ricks of 30 to 40 qrs. 
each; while barley is stacked in large mows, 5 yards in width 
by 16 yards in length. The grain is threslied out by an 8-horse 
power portable steam-engine and machine in which Mr. Spencer 
holds a share, and which is occasionally let out for hire. There 
is also on the premises a steam mill for crushing oats, maize, &c., 
for horses and pigs, the power from which is also made avail- 
able for chaffing and pulping. 
The farm at West Aberthaw is worked by six very useful 
horses, which are stabled in winter, and in summer are fed in 
fold-yards on trifolium and other green food. A couple of foals 
a year are commonly bred, and these run in the fields with their 
dams until weaning time. 
Cattle are not bred to any great extent, the vacant stalls in 
autumn being filled by purchased beasts. Seven or eight good 
Hereford cows are sent to a neighbour's bull, and the produce 
reared, the best of the heifers replenishing the cow-stock, and 
the steers going off fat at about 2^ years old. Young cattle are 
wintered in loose yards, having cut straw and pulped roots. 
Fattening beasts receive cut roots, loose hay, and 4 lbs. each 
daily of linseed or cotton cake. From being more hardy, and 
therefore requiring less indulgence, Herefords are preferred to 
Shorthorns. 
Mr. Spencer keeps, in a general way, 100 Cotswold ewes of 
more than average stamp, and a change of rams is purchased, 
every alternate year, at Cirencester ram fair. The lambs are 
shorn about the end of June, and, from their picking up much 
less mud in the wet season of winter and spring, great benefit is 
found to be derived from this plan. They are usually weaned 
on sainfoin, and sent to common turnips in October, with i lb. 
cotton-cake daily. Towards spring the allowance is increased to 
^ lb., hay and corn, or peas, &c., being added, and the tegs are got 
off at 12 to 14 months old. Last June, 71 fine sheep, which we 
saw, were sold, out of the wool, at 4i(Z. per lb. live weight, 
which the owner considered to equal 'dd. per lb. for the carcase ; 
but, if we were selling, we should much prefer the latter method 
of calculation ; for, instead of 50 per cent., the saleable car- 
>case of a recently-shorn sheep varies from 60 to 65 per cent, of the 
