242 
Farm  Prize  Competition , 1910. 
In  Class  IV. 
First  Prize.— Executors  of  the  late  John  Blackshaw,  Blue  Coat  Farm, 
Hatton,  Warrington. 
Second  Prize. — Mr.  Thomas  Croskell,  Bank  House  Farm,  Glasson  Dock, 
near  Lancaster. 
Reserve. — Mr.  Thomas  Abell,  Whitening  House  Farm,  Bradwall,  Sandbach. 
First  Prize  Farm  in  Class  I. 
Occupied  by  Mr.  Robert  Shepherd , of  Parkside , Aston , 
Preston  Brook. 
There  are  two  farms  in  Mr.  Shepherd’s  occupation,  com- 
prising 641  acres,  arable  and  pasture.  The  one  named  Parkside, 
at  Aston,  near  Preston  Brook,  which  consists  of  272  acres  of 
arable  land  and  158  grass  land,  is  held  on  a yearly  tenancy 
under  Hervey  Talbot,  Esq.  The  other,  Grinsome  Farm,  at 
Ince,  near  Chester,  which  consists  of  96  acres  of  arable  land 
and  115  grass  land,  is  under  yearly  tenancy  from  Mrs. 
Park  Yates,  of  Ince  Hall. 
The  land  at  Parkside  varies  from  red  loam  to  a strong  clay 
loam,  with  meadows  on  sea  sludge. 
The  cropping  for  1910  was  approximately  as  follows  : — 
72  acres Potatoes 
53  „ .....  Clover  (1st  Year’s  Seeds) 
32  „ .....  Clover  (2nd  Year’s  Seeds) 
86  „ Oats 
45  „ .....  Wheat 
24  „ .....  Mangolds 
58  „ Permanent  Pasture 
60  ,,  .....  Temporary  Pasture 
The  system  of  farming  pursued  is  not  based  upon  any 
particular  rotation.  The  chief  item  is  the  potato  crop,  for 
which  the  red  loam  soil  is  particularly  suitable.  A large  and 
lucrative  business  is  done  with  both  early  and  late  varieties. 
Potatoes  are  generally  grown  after  clover  ley  and  temporary 
pasture  ; they  are  followed  by  a corn  crop  undersown  with 
“ seeds,”  which  are  left  down  for  perhaps  two  years.  The 
first  crop  of  “ seeds  ” is  hayed  and  the  second  grazed.  For 
temporary  pastures,  the  following  is  the  mixture  used  : — 
\ bushel  of  Italian  Rye  Grass 
i „ Perennial  Rye  Grass 
8 lb.  Broad  Red  Clover 
4 „ Alsike 
2 — 4 lb.  White  Clover 
If  it  is  intended  to  leave  the  seeds  down  for  a second  year, 
2 lb.  of  cocksfoot  and  2 lb.  of  meadow  fescue  grass  per  acre 
are  added  to  the  above  mixture.  Occasionally  the  red  clover 
is  reduced,  and  about  3 lb.  per  acre  of  cow  grass  substituted. 
It  is  considered  profitable  to  sow  a heavy  mixture,  because  of 
the  better  grazing  and  for  the  fibre  with  which  it  fills  the  soil. 
