320 
Report on the Farm-Prize Competition of 1872. 
With the sheep-farming we cannot find much fault ; in fact, 
this branch is in general above an average, and forms a striking 
contrast to the careless indifference and inattention too evident 
in the cattle management. Good Cotswolds and Oxford Downs, 
with a few flocks of Leicesters and Shropshires, flourish on the 
lowland farms, and these are in a few cases used for crossing 
the native breeds. Great care is taken to select purelv-bred, 
massive, well-woolled tups, for the purchase of which many of 
the leading breeders regularly attend the Gloucester September 
fair. Put to ram about the 1st of October, the ewes drop their 
lambs at the beginning of March. The crop is not large, one- 
third twins being considered a fair increase. At the end of June, 
or early in July, Cotswold lambs are shorn on some farms, and 
yield about 2J lbs. each of fine wool. This plan, of course, tells 
against both the quantity and quality of the next year's clip, 
but the loss is more than compensated for by the greater pro- 
gress made by the sheep during the winter months. On the 
stiff clay soils, where the land soon becomes poached, the addi- 
tional comfort given to the animals by being rid of their long 
coats is very marked ; and in one instance particularly, where 
the two systems of shearing and non-shearing were being tried 
in juxtaposition, we at once declared in favour of the former 
treatment. Lambs, in the hands of the best breeders, are 
taught to eat cake at an early age. In September they go to 
white turnips, which they sometimes eat whole, and early in 
December they are placed on cut swedes. As time goes on 
the allowance of extra feeding:-stuffs is varied and increased. 
Peas, linseed or cotton cake, Indian corn, crushed oats, <Scc., 
besides forcing on the animals very rapidly, keep up the con- 
dition of the land, and lower the manure bills. At thirteen or 
fourteen months old the wether tegs are fit for market, the heavier 
breeds not unfrequently reaching 90 lbs. per carcase. The manage- 
ment of the ewes during winter is in no way inferior to that of the 
lamb stock. Hay, when they will eat it, is dealt out unsparingly, 
and a moderate quantity of roots, commonly white turnips.is given, 
mainly on the pastures. Thus, by close attention, and careful, 
without wasteful treatment, the health of the flock is well main- 
tained, deaths are reduced to a minimum, and the critical time 
of yeaning is got through without serious difficulty. The free 
and timely use of much-praised dipping mixtures keeps the 
sheep stock cleanly, and we saw but one case of that perpetual 
annoyance to the shepherd, scab. Foot-rot, however, especially 
in the lower and damper situations, prevails considerably. One 
of the best curative dressings is found to be gunpowder and blue 
vitriol, in equal parts, mixed up with linseed oil, and the too 
close paring of the foot is strongly deprecated. 
