Farm-Prize Comjjetition, 1880. 
539 
quality. In the year following the dispersion of his herd, 
340 fat cattle were sold off the farm ; and last year no less 
than 250 were marketed. The proximity of Whitehaven 
affords a tempting opportunity to speculate in this direction, 
since very large numbers of Irish beasts of every variety 
are continually disposed of in its market ; and with cows and 
heifers, a very short time at Preston Hows with Mr. Jefferson's 
good keep, puts a gloss upon them which fits them for the 
shambles. Good fat meat of fine quality does not seem prized 
by the Whitehaven community, but there is no difficulty in dis- 
posing of " half-meated " animals. To gratify this taste, Mr. 
Jefferson's efforts are therefore directed, and under the circum- 
stances, viz. a good market for both the supply and demand of 
this description of stock close at hand, he finds this the most 
profitable line of business. The cattle are picked up at all 
prices. Less than 5/. is sometimes given, but 8/. or 10/. may 
be taken as an average price. Mr. Jefferson has a most me- 
thodical system with regard to his stock. Every animal is 
ear-marked as soon as it becomes his property, and entered 
in a book kept by him, with the date of its purchase ; on 
its sale the price made for it is carried out in the same 
column, together with the number of weeks it has been on 
the farm, and the amount it has paid per week for its food. 
The beasts are all measured before they are sent to market, 
and the estimated price marked in a column of the same 
book. It is very rarely indeed that a week passes without 
four or six animals being sold. They are all disposed of by 
auction. 
Pastures. — With a flying stock of this kind winter and 
summer (for Mr. Jefferson's pastures are of a very good feeding 
quality) it is difficult to describe any system. As I shall show 
presently, the outlay on feeding stuffs is large, the beasts are 
kept as long as Mr. Jefferson thinks best for " pay," and, as a 
rule, those kept the shortest period (as the book clearly shows) 
leave the most money per week for their keep. 
Shorthorns.- — Among the Shorthorns we found a fine bull, 
bred by Mr. Chrisp, of Hawkhill, called " Northern Hero," 
who has taken several prizes. He is about 2^ years old, red and 
white in colour, of capital flesh and quality. There was also 
an American bull, " Floridan," bought at a sale in the Isle 
of Man, imported when about two years old, one of Mr. Torr's 
" Princess " tribe ; and several others less noticeable. 
Cows. — Some of these are remnants of the former glories of 
the herd, good Shorthorn beasts of a fine type ; and others 
moderate dairy animals, some of them only bought as nurses 
for the young Shorthorns. The total number of cattle in 
