318 
Farm Prize Competition , 1913. 
farm of Mr. William R. Withers, Lower Court Farm, at Long 
Ashton, Bristol, is 404 a,eres in extent and entirely grass with 
the exception of 10 acres. It is situated about two miles out 
of Bristol, on the Weston-super-Mare road. The house is partly 
constructed out of the remains of a charming old manor-house, 
and the buildings for the cattle are new and good. There were 
some most excellent concrete, drinking places at which cattle 
and horses could drink in cleanliness and comfort ; these had 
been made by the landlord at the tenant’s suggestion. 
Being near Bristol the farm is managed entirely for milk 
production, and the Judges remarked that Mr. Withers’ herd 
of Dairy Shorthorns was the finest they had seen. They are 
a collection of ideal dual purpose cattle, all of a roan colour, 
but if possible even more typical in shape than in colour. All 
the young stock are home-bred ; many of them have been sold 
away as calves and bought back again as heifers or cows about 
to calve. Mr. Withers is an exceptionally fine judge of stock, 
so that he is able to get pedigree prices for non-pedigree stock. 
The pastures are clean and well grazed, first by cows in 
large numbers on one field while another rested, and then by 
sheep and horses to clear up behind the cows. The sheep are 
Hampshires, and a flock of 100 ewes is maintained. A naturally 
fertile farm and excellently managed. The Judges record that 
competition in this class was very strong, and that had there 
been a class for Dairy Farms they would unhesitatingly have 
placed Mr. Withers first. 
After leaving Long Ashton and motoring in the direction 
of Bridgwater a small herd of the old Somerset “sheeted” 
cattle were noticed. Youatt wrote of them nearly a hundred 
years ago as the “West Somerset breed,” but already in his 
day they were getting scarce, and were being replaced by the 
In Glass IA ., faims between 150 and 300 acres, the premier 
position was awarded to Mr. J. King-Brain, of Little Weston 
Farm, Sparkford. The holding is situated about four miles to 
the west of the old Fosse-way, being five miles south of Castle 
Cary and about eight miles north of Yeovil. The house and 
buildings are fairly complete and good, with the exception of 
some of the pig-styes, which appeared damp and ill-ventilated 
with bad floors, and some authorities would object to the head- 
to-head arrangement in the cow-shed. There is a good Dutch 
barn, an implement shed, and a water supply, all provided by 
the tenant himself. The farm is one-quarter arable, the 
remainder being grass and orchard. It is a typical dairy farm, 
managed for cheese-making in summer and milk-selling in 
