496 
Report of the Judges on the 
and Masfen. Some 55 sheep were lost last year from liver-rot, 
besides others being sold from 5s. to 15s. a-head, but all 
seemed in good health in 1881. At our first inspection there 
were of all ages 344 sheep, and at our later visits, 458. 
In December the ewes were on second seeds, and having cut 
chaff and swedes ; the hoggs were on turnips ; the ewe-hoggs, 
kept for filling up the ewe flock, were having ^ lb. per day 
of cotton-cake with malt dust, barley, and clover chaff. The 
feeding hoggs had more, in fact they had all they would eat of 
linseed, decorticated cotton-cake, and peas. There has been in 
1881 a good crop of lambs, 169 from 119 ewes, and though they 
had no artificial food since the lambs were strong enough to leave 
the lambing folds ; they were in the finest condition, some of 
them having been sold to the butcher in June at 46s. per head. 
With many farmers in this district Shropshire sheep are the 
favourites, and from what we have seen here and elsewhere we 
think they deserve to be. 
Horses. — There were 7 cart horses, besides 3 young ones, 
which were put to work when the mares had foals, and during 
turnip sowing ; they were afterwards turned out until harvest. 
There were also 3 foals, 1 nag, and a milk pony. During 
the winter their weekly allowance of corn is 6 bushels of 
kibbled old barley, or other corn, for 7 horses, a few grains, 
2 swedes a-day a-piece, and clover-hay ad lib. Some good 
foals are bred, and sold at Burton winter fair (29 Oct.) for 
good prices. Three were out in a grass field with one mare, 
the other two mothers being at work. 
Pigs. — Eight pigs of the Stockley Park breed and 4 half-bred 
Tamworths were the well-kept occupiers of the pigstyes. 
Labour. — The average annual cost of labour for the past 
three years has been about 28s. 6r/. per acre. Seven or eight 
labourers are employed at wages from 17s. Qd. a- week for the 
waggoner, with a house, to lUs. without a house, for the 
shepherd. Three boys at 8Z. 10s., 6/. 10s., and 3/. a-year, board 
and lodge in the house ; in the spring, women are employed 
at Is. per day at weeding, &c. Seven or eight hands and the 
master do the milking. 
The board and lodging of the boys is reckoned at 7s. per head 
per week. It had been the practice to give food and beer to 
the men during harvest, but Mr. Stretton has not done so for 
the last three years ; this year he has agreed to give 3/. 10s. 
per head for harvest wages, and no food or drink. There is also 
a dairy girl, who receives 14/. a-year, and lives in the house, but 
the dairy is under the efficient management of Mrs. Stretton. 
Purchased Food and Manure. — A large quantity of home- 
grown corn has been consumed on the farm, still the figures 
