304  Farm  Prize  Competition,  1909. 
feature  of  the  farm  is  the  herd  of  pedigree  shorthorns,  with 
which  Mr.  Butler  has  had  considerable  success. 
The  sheep  consist  of  six  Oxford  Down  rams,  291  Hampshire 
Down  ewes,  394  lambs,  and  116  ewe  tegs,  and  are  well  managed. 
The  system  is  to  keep  the  sheep  as  much  as  possible  on  the 
arable  land,  and  sell  the  young  sheep  out  fat  in  the  spring 
when  twelve  months  old.  Two  boars  and  ten  sows — all  pure 
bred  Berkshires  — are  kept  for  breeding  purposes  and  the 
produce  fed  off.  Poultry  form  a considerable  item  on  this 
farm,  this  department  receiving  Mrs.  Butler’s  special  care  and 
attention.  The  Judges  were  impressed  by  the  thoroughness 
and  attention  to  detail  here  shown,  and  the  measure  of  success 
evidently  attained.  There  are  about  600  head  of  turkeys, 
ducks,  and  fowls.  Pure  breeds  of  fowls  are  kept  for  laying, 
and  crosses  with  the  Indian  game  for  table  birds.  Artificial 
manures  cost  from  145i.  to  150Z.,  and  purchased  foods  from 
1,200Z.  to  1,300Z.  per  annum.  The  homestead  and  buildings 
on  this  farm  are  very  good,  and  exceptionally  well  kept. 
The  Judges  considered,  the  good  management  of  stock  and 
crop  and  the  thoroughness  shown  in  every  detail  fully  entitled 
Mr.  Butler  to  the  Second  Prize  in  Class  I. 
The  farm  occupied  by  Mr.  James  T.  Hobbs,  at  Maisey 
Hampton,  Fairford,  consists  of  624  acres  arable  and  471  acres 
grass.  The  basis  of  cropping  is  a four  course — wheat,  roots, 
barley  or  oats,  seeds.  A crop  of  rye  on  a small  portion  of 
the  root  land  is  taken,  and  about  one-third  of  the  root  land 
is  first  cropped  with  vetches,  then  followed  by  roots.  About 
one-fifteenth  of  the  corn  area  is  sown  with  winter  beans  after 
barley,  and  wheat  follows  the  beans.  The  mangold  crop 
receives  per  acre  ten  tons  farmyard  manure  and  four  cwts. 
superphosphate.  Swedes  and  turnips  usually  receive  super- 
phosphate only.  The  mowing  grass  is  manured  annually 
with  eight  tons  per  acre  of  farmyard  manure.  The  pastures 
are  well  grazed  with  stock. 
Twenty  working  horses  are  kept.  The  cattle  consist  of 
sixty-two  cows,  thirty-two  in  calf  heifers,  thirty-nine  yearling 
heifers,  twenty-four  heifer  calves,  twenty  bull  calves,  ten 
young  bulls,  and  three  stock  bulls.  The  cows  in  full  milk 
have  a daily  ration  in  winter  of  6 lb.  corn  and  4 lb.  mixed 
barley,  oats  and  bean  meal  in  equal  parts,  mixed  with  straw, 
chaff,  and  sliced  roots  or  cabbage.  In  summer,  when  at  grass, 
they  have  4 lb.  cotton  cake  per  day.  The  heifers  are  kept  in 
yards  in  winter,  and  have  from  4 lb.  to  6 lb.  of  corn  accord- 
ing to  age.  The  mixture  given  is  equal  parts  of  best  linseed 
cake  and  cotton  cake  with  the  same  amounts  of  barley,  oats 
and  bean  meal — in  each  case  mixed  with  cabbage  or  roots 
that  may  be  in  season  ; hay  is  given  morning  and  evening. 
