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Farm Prize Competition , 1913. 
part of the year began to slacken. Like most spring crops in 
1913 the barley was got in rather late ; the soil was a fine red 
sand “a typical barley soil,” the Judges described it — and the 
crop had germinated well and was beautifully even. The 
clover seeds were very good even in this year of wonderful 
seed crops. The wheat, most of which followed a bean crop 
on a piece of strongish land with a good clay subsoil, was the 
best piece shown to the Judges by any competitor. The 
variety grown was “ Square-head’s Master,” and it was a grand, 
level piece standing nearly six feet high before all of it was in 
ear. Mr. Matthews has since informed the writer that one 
part of it yielded 60 bushels per acre, whilst the rest of it 
yielded 8 sacks of wheat, and 6 sacks of beans self-sown from 
the previous crop. The barley also turned out well, and won 
the diploma for the best barley grown in Gloucestershire at the 
Brewers Exhibition, 1913. The grass land had every appear- 
ance of good management ; it is the tenant’s custom to apply 
town manure to the meadow land, and to give the pastures a 
coat of farmyard if it can be spared. Coming to the livestock, 
Mr. Matthews is a great believer in the value of pedigree, and 
all his stock is registered, or at least eligible for the various 
books. The farm horses are registered shires, and all except 
one of them are under six years of age. Two or three foals 
are bred each year, and if a mare misses a good foal is bought, 
so that Mr. Matthews always has a good young horse or two to 
sell into the towns, which will help to make the working horses 
profitable. The cows are dairy shorthorns, nearly all of them 
bred on the farm, and the herd of twenty-five showed evidence 
of careful selection and mating ; it was a matter of no surprise 
to learn that several of them had won prizes at local shows. 
The Judges were also impressed with the bull in service, bred 
by Mi. Hauison, of Gainford, and bought for a high figure. 
All the yearlings and calves were bred by Mr. Matthews. The 
cows are milked for Bristol, the price realised in 1912-13 being 
lid. for the winter months and 8d, for the summer. They were 
getting about 3 lb. cotton cake on the grass and some vetches 
or clover, and as regards the winter feeding, Mr. Matthews 
gives about 40 lb. mangolds, hay, a little oat straw, and 4 lb. of 
cotton cake and a few pounds of sharps or meal. The young 
stock have cut roots, barley straw, and about 3 lb. cotton cake 
Once again it is to be regretted that the milk records of this 
beautiful herd have not been kept, but that the cows are good 
milkers is proved by the fact that they have won first prize on 
three occasions within the past ten years for the best herd of 
cows, under forty, to be judged on the farm, in Connection 
with the Bath and West Shows. The sheep are Oxford Downs, 
and a flock of fifty registered ewes is maintained. Like the 
