1827.] Monthly Medical Report. 663 



yield only to the genial influence of time. The favourite specific of (he present day is well 

 known to be a combination of carbonate of soda and cochineal powder. Its real influence 

 is very small, and probably on a par with that of the once vaunted, but now forgotten, 

 jremedies of a former age, tincture of castor and paregoric elixir. 



GEORGE GREGORY, M.D. 

 8, Upper John Street, Golden Square, May 24, 182T. 



MONTHLY AGRICULTURAL REPORT. 



THE Lenten seed season for all the various crops, corn, pulse, and seeds, seems to have 1 

 generally concluded with the month of April ; and if not the earliest finish, it may safely 

 be averred that the spring lauds were never sowed in better order, or under happier prospects 

 for a crop. The early sown and forward crops, which received a check from the prevailing 

 easterly winds, accompanied in the north with frost and snow, have recovered, from the 

 succeeding warmer temperature and genial rains, and have now, from generally concurring 

 accounts, a most luxuriant and promising appearance. The wheats on all good lands, or 

 those in good heart, never appeared stouter or finer, having advanced rapidly within the last 

 two or three weeks ; in the meantime, those on poor light lands have a very inferior aspect, 

 and some have failed; no uncommon occurrence, since the "golden crop " is ever one of 

 considerable risk on lands naturally poor and light, or any lands already exhausted by 

 cropping. In Scotland, the wheat crop has not so good a report as in the south. All the 

 grasses, natural and artificial, lucerne, rye, winter tares, have pushed forward during the 

 present month with the utmost luxuriance, and the expectation of a good crop of hay is 

 sanguine throughout the country. These crops, however abundant they may prove, will 

 assuredly not overtop the demand, which probably has never been more urgent; for winter 

 fodder, indeed provender of all kinds, were so completely exhausted, in the chief cattle 

 districts, by Lady-day, that the stock, from necessity, was turned out to pick what little 

 they oould find upon the then bare pastures. This anticipated consumption of the grass 

 crop must necessarily reduce the crop of hay, indeed affect the quantity of keep throughout 

 the summer. We had occasion to advert in a late report to the improvident risks to which 

 stock-feeders have ever been prone to expose themselves, by tbe insufficient culture of the 

 well known cattle crops for winter and early spring subsistence ; and the present spring has 

 afforded us a most pregnant and practical evidence of the truth of our allegations, and the 

 soundness of the advice, which we have obtruded periodically upon those so materially 

 interested, through a long course of years. Let that stock-farmer who, with his herds and 

 his flocks, his couples, ewe and lamb, was at last Lady-day without sufficient provender 

 for them, and reduced to all kinds of shifts sale, putting out to keep, starvation at home, 

 immense immediate loss, with no hope of future reimbursement but contrast such a 

 ruinous situation with the cheering and fortunate one of plenty, and tbe thriving and 

 prosperous condition of his animals, and surely he will not again feel bold or presumptuous 

 enough to encounter the risks of winter, without a supply in proportion to the extent of his 

 stock, both of roots, of mangold wurtzel particularly, so greatly productive, and of green 

 food winter tares, rye, lucerne, where the land may be adapted to it, <fec. Let him weigh 

 seriously the probable loss which may result from having too great a growth of these 

 articles in a mild winter, against that of his having too little in a severe one. Those flock- 

 masters, who at this time have sufficient breadths of the green food just mentioned, for the 

 support of their couples, are indeed fortunate, their ewes being enabled to milk largely, to 

 the forwarding their lambs, and the natural grasses being spared for an abundant hay crop. 

 The old practice, formerly called " sheeping the wheats," that is, grazing them down with 

 sheep, has in course, from necessity, been much resorted to during the present spring. It is 

 bad and slovenly farming, and at best not without danger to wheat crops on light and poor 

 land. A great part of the land laid down to grass last year failed from the excessive 

 drought, the severe frost, subsequently, being unfavourable to it. Much of it has been 

 ploughed up and sown with spring-corn crops ; that which has been risked, appears thin 

 and weak, and bare in patches, and seems to require tbe harrowing in of fresh seed ; or 

 oats might have been advantageously dibbled upon such lands for a reen crop, a month 

 since. The spring tilths were forward for every purpose, and potatoe planting commenced 

 with the present month. The use of potatoes as a cattle crop has increased much within 

 these few years, as the least liable to risk. Rutabaga and mangold wurtzel are getting 

 into the ground with much expedition, and the seed is in request and dear. With respect 

 to the latter, its great produce, and its success on lands too heavy and wet for turnips, are 

 its chief recommendation. In nutritive power it is far inferior to the carrot and Swedish 

 turnip, perhaps even to the best white turnip ; and has had dangerous effects on cattle, 

 being given to them in the autumn, previously to its having gone through its sweat by 

 keeping. The risk is great to leave it in the field, since a single night's frost may corrupt 

 and render it quite useless, indeed hurtful ; and in storing it from poachy soils, great care 

 is required to lay the roots by as clean as possible. Every cattle-feeder should store t 



