598 
Typical Farms in Cheshire and North Wales. 
laid out by the tenant, and the fences on the arable land neatly kept, those 
surrounding the grass being allowed to grow strong for shelter. Hay is cut by 
Samuelson’s grass mower, and Hornsby’s self-binder is used for the corn crops. 
The face of the pastures looked well, and they were grazing satisfactorily. 
An outlying portion of grass land of strong nature, about 27 acres which 
had been laid down 12 years, had been stocked since May 10 with upwards 
of 100 ewes and lambs and 30 yearling heifers, and was a good pasture. 
The stock upon the farm included : — 
6 cart horses. 
2 hack „ 
1 yearling filly. 
87 milking cows and 6 calves (2 
to calve and 1 dry). 
30 yearling heifers. 
26 heifer calves. 
1 two-year-old and 1 yearling 
bull. 
2 bull calves. 
57 ewes. 
77 lambs. 
2 rams. 
5 breeding sows (Middle White), 
and 50 feeding and small pigs. 
70 head of poultry. 
Mr. Lea’s beautiful herd of dairy cattle show much character and 
quality, and great aptitude for milking, and the 30 yearling heifers selected 
for the herd are calculated to sustain its reputation. He obtains well-bred 
Shorthorn bulls, and has now in service a heavy-fleshed two-year-old which 
has done most of the work the last season. This animal is assisted by 
a useful yearling Shorthorn. About 30 heifers are brought into the 
milkiug-herd each year, and the same number of cows disposed of. The 
early bull calves are usually sold fat at 3/. 10s. a head average, but after 
cheese-making commences the calves are disposed of shortly after birth. 
The bull is put to the cows in July, and to the heifers when they are about 
16 months old. Mr. Lea likes the cows to calve down in April. The 
heifer calves for rearing are kept for a short time on new milk, and gradually 
taken on hand and well done. The cows are kept off the land entirely for 
three or four months of the winter. The milking is done by three servant 
maids, a labourer’s wife, two labourers, and two of Mr. Lea’s sons. They 
are assisted in the summer by the Irishmen, who are engaged for a few 
months in the year. Cheese is the principal product derived from the cows, 
and its making is superintended by Mrs. Lea. Milk has been for some 
years sold during the winter, but this was discontinued last year. The 
dairy premises are contiguous to the house, and the pressing is done in the 
cheese-making dairy. The medium-ripening system is adopted. The 
rennet is now added to milk at a temperature of 86° F. ; but as the season 
advances it is raised to 90°. The whey is conducted from milk vat to 
troughs. It stands until the following morning, when it is skimmed and 
the cream converted into whey butter. It then runs by pipes to the food- 
mixing house for the pigs. Three cheeses per day are turned out. They 
are white cheeses, no annatto being added to give colour. They remain under 
press four days. Mr. Lea estimates his return in cheese per cow at four 
cwt. (of 121 lb.) per annum, and the whey butter now produced is about 
60 lb. per week. A little cream cheese is also manufactured. He finds a 
ready sale for the cheese, and sends it off as it becomes fit, at from 65 s. to 
66s. per cwt. 
The sheep are cleared off each season; about 75 Clun and Shropshire 
ewes are purchased in the autumn, and tupped in September by Shrop- 
shire and Leicester rams. They run the grass land during the winter, 
and have turnips, oats, and cake after lambing. The lambs, which vary 
in colour according to the parentage, are sold off as they get fat, at 
about 30s. each, and the ewes go to the butcher as they become dry. They 
