Typical Farms in Cheshire and North Wales. 583 
5 cwt. of prepared bone manure per acre. The same meadow land (about 
4 acres) is mown every year, and is manured annually with farmyard 
manure in the winter, or, if there is insufficient manure to complete it, with 
5 cwt. of prepared bone per acre. About 4 acres of the grazing land is also 
annually treated with a similar dressing of bone manure. The farm was 
cropped this year as follows : — Cereals 3* acres, green crops 2 acres, first 
year’s seeds H acres, the remainder in seeds longer laid down and per- 
manent grass. The fields are irregular, and are surrounded by strong quick 
fences. The land was clean. The potatoes looked well, but the mangel was 
irregular, and the swedes had been troubled with the fly, but were growing 
vigorously when seen. Cereals were a good crop, whilst the hay was deficient 
and the grass land bare. 
The live-stock on the farm consisted of — 
1 strong general-purpose horse. 
1) crossbred Cheshire Shorthorn 
milking cows. 
2 yearling heifers at ley. 
2 heifer calves. 
10 pigs. 
20 hens. 
Cows are put to a neighbour's bull to drop calves in February or March. 
Their general management is similar to that already described. The calves 
are kept by their mothers for the first month after birth, and are then sold 
to the butcher. Two heifer calves are taken into the herd annually and 
reared on hand, a corresponding number of cows being sold fat in winter. 
The heifers are put to the bull to calve at two years old. Cheese-making 
is commenced early in April, and the cheeses are disposed of either at 
home or at the fairs established at Whitchurch, Salop. The price realised 
had been 60s. per cwt. this year, but it was not anticipated that this would 
be sustained. Pigs are fattened off at about ten score weight ; they are 
fed on whey and Indian meal and thirds flour. 
The labour on the holding is principally done by Mr. and Mrs. Edwards 
and a boy and a girl who live in the house and are paid 6/. and 4/. respec- 
tively per annum. Extra labour amounts to about 51. per annum. Mr. 
Edwards sells a few turnips, but no hay, straw, or cereals, all of which are 
consumed on the holding. The family live principally on the produce of 
the holding, but although feeding-stuffs are cheaper and pigs selling well, he 
finds there is less coming in than when he first became tenant. His outlay 
for feeding-stuffs and purchased manures is about 45/. per annum. 
5. The Farm of Mr. J. Ankers, Cholmondeley, Malpas, Cheshire. 
This farm is in Malpas parish. The geological format ion is the New lied 
Sandstone covered by drift (clay, sand, and gravel). The surface soil runs 
from strong loam to clay, and the subsoil is sand and a marly red clay. The 
springs are cold, but the climate is not otherwise severe. The farm is rented 
on an annual tenancy from the Marquis of Cholmondeley, and has been in 
the occupation of Mr. Ankers for 17 years. No change has been made in 
the rental, and no temporary remissions have been allowed. The agreement 
contains the usual restrictive clauses as to sale of produce, and as to crop- 
ping and cultivation, which, in this case as in others, are not observed. 
Rates are much the same as in the past. The house is small, with garden 
at front and back, and an orchard adjoining. The buildings are compara- 
tively new and well built. There are a stable, ties for 50 cows, and 
piggeries capable of housing 50 pigs ; also implement sheds and corn-mixing 
room, in which chaff-cutting, pulping, See., are done by machinery driven 
by horse-power. The tenant has erected two Dutch barns at a cost of 90/., 
the timber uprights being found by the landlord. He has drained about 85 
a q 2 
