The Farm Prize Competition of 1892. 
583 
adapted for the tenants, who are largely occupied in fattening 
cattle for the Stratford market. 
To show the peculiarity of the rainfall in this district, we 
may mention that a farm we visited in the immediate neigh- 
bourhood of this holding had had a bountiful supply of rain 
during the season, while Mr. Spencer had suffered so much 
from drought that he had been obliged to turn stock into a field 
of seeds that he had already shut up for hay, because there 
would not have been anything worth mowing, although there 
was a good plant of clover all over the field. Another field, that 
had been left for hay, had been dressed with 12 tons of lime 
compost per acre in the autumn, but was so cut up by drought 
that our advice was to mow it at once and trust to a second 
crop. 
The working Horses were three in number, and one horse 
was kept for general purposes. They were a very good lot, far 
beyond an ordinary small farmer’s team. At our first visit, one 
mare was in foal to Hitchin Conqueror, and at our second visit 
the foal had been sold to Mr. Freeman-Mitford, who is keeping 
the mai’e till harvest, for 32^. 10s. 
The Cattle numbered twenty-four — one dairy-cow, seven 
fattening cows and heifers, eleven two-year-old stirks, one 
heifer, one calf, and three weanlings. They are of no particular 
breed. IMost of these had been sold on our second visit with 
the exception of the eleven stirks. These were being fed on the 
grass, and were having an allowance of 3 lb. of linseed cake a 
day each. They were a nice lot, and getting very forward in 
condition. 
The number of Sheep fed and sold off this farm fat, last year, 
was 278. At the time of our first visit there were eighty-three 
sheep on the farm (fifteen ewes iu-lamb, and sixty-eight tegs). 
These latter were sold to a butcher, to take away as he wanted 
them, at S^d. per pound, making an average of 4Cs. 6d. each. 128 
had since been bought, costing 40s. each in the wool, and had been 
fed with mangel and about | lb. of cake each, and on our June 
visit were ready to be sent to market at once. The fifteen ewes 
had lambed down twenty-one lambs, but the latter did not 
seem to have done very well. 
Three Sows were kept, and their produce are fatted and sold 
as baconers at Stratford-on-Avon. 
The Corn crops, both wheat, barley, and oats, were generally 
looking exceedingly well. A small field of wheat had lost plant 
a little, and a field of early barley was beginniug to feel the 
effects of the drought. 
The winter Beans, though a nice plant when we were here 
VOL. III. T. s. — 11 s s 
