258 
Farm  Prize  Competition , 1910. 
First  Prize  Farm  in  Class  IV. 
Occupied  by  the  Executors  of  the  late  John  Blackshaw,  of 
Blue  Coat  Farm , Hatton , Warrington, 
Consists  of  58  acres  arable  and  74  acres  grass,  held  on  a yearly 
tenancy  under  Sir  Gilbert  Greenall,  Bart. 
The  ordinary  four-years’  rotation  of  cropping  pursued  is  : — 
Clover 
I 
Oats 
I 
Green  Crops 
I 
Wheat. 
The  acreages  under  the  various  crops  were  : — 
Mowing  Grass  .......  27  acres 
Oats . . 36  „ 
Green  Crop 16  „ 
Wheat 6 „ 
Pasture 47  „ 
Owing  to  the  wet  season  in  1909,  the  ordinary  acreage  of 
wheat  was  not  sown. 
The  green  crops  are  manured  with  20  tons  of  farmyard 
manure,  5 cwt.  of  superphosphate,  and  2 cwt.  of  sulphate  of 
ammonia  per  acre.  Buxton  lump  lime  is  also  used  and  worked 
in  with  the  potato  crop.  Early  potatoes  are  grown  and  sent 
to  Manchester'  Market,  where  they  realise  good  prices. 
The  potato  lifting  is  done  at  1 \d.  per  score  yards  up  the 
drill. 
There  are  thirty-six  dairy  cows  and  heifers  and  ten  calves. 
The  cows  are  fed  upon  flat  maize,  Bibby  meal,  and  brewers’ 
grains.  All  heifers  that  yield  less  than  12  quarts  of  milk  per 
day  for  the  first  three  months  after  calving  are  fed  off  for 
the  butcher.  Cows  are  expected  to  yield  from  16  to  18 
quarts  per  diem  for  the  first  three  months  after  calving  or. 
are  not  again  put  to  the  bull.  Pigs  of  the  Large  Black  breed 
are  kept,  and  made  up  to  twelve  score  at  six  months. 
Labour  comes  to  2007.  ; manures,  307.  ; food  stuffs,  2007. 
per  annum. 
The  tenant  is  responsible  for  the  upkeep  of  drainage  and 
fences,  but  not  for  buildings  or  gates. 
The  backbone  of  the  farming  here  is  sound  horses  and  good 
milking  cows ; the  principal  sources  of  income  being  from 
horses  (which  are  sold  at  four  or  five  years  old  for  town  and 
corporation  work),  milk,  corn,  and  potatoes. 
The  farm  is  well  and  carefully  managed  by  Mrs.  Blackshaw’s 
sons,  who  are  evidently  very  industrious,  and  it  gave  the 
Judges  great  pleasure  to  award  them  first  prize  in  this  class. 
