THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 



79 



therefore a logwood solution, by boiling a few chips of log- 

 wood in a good pint of soft water in a pipkin or skillet (not 

 iron), till the liquid becomes a deep orange colour that one 

 can just see through, straining it off, letting it cool in a 

 basin, then putting in a slice of bread without crust, be- 

 tween a quarter and half an incli thick, letting it digest two 

 or three hours, and then taking out the bread and Ijreakiug 

 it ; if it contains aluui it will be dyed purple, more or less 

 through (not merely on the surface), except the bread is 

 very sour, which will prevent the dye from changing co- 

 lour : ar, on the other hand, when the baker or miller has 

 put in too much soda to correct the sourness, in which case 



it will turn purple (liquor and all) without alum, so that it 

 is not quite certain ; thoutrh if bread which is 7iot sour takes 

 no purple dye, it may generally be regarded as free from 

 alum, and when it does take the purple it is likely to be 

 alumy or otherwise unsound, and if needful should be sub- 

 mitted to chemical examination. 



J. Prideaux. 

 _ P.S. I am obliged to your correspondent for the complete 

 mfoirnation respecting 'Mill-seed." It is odd enough 'that 

 the English translator should have gone to India for a name 

 so well-known as Sesamum or Sesame, at least from the 

 first translation of the "Arabian Nights' Entertainments." 



ROYAL DUBLIN SOCIETY WINTER EXHIBITION OF FARM PRODUCE. 



Those who have had an opportunity of visiting the 

 Christmas shows of the Smithticld (London) Farmers' 

 Club, for the last few years, have been delighted and in- 

 structed with the extraordinary specimens of mangel- 

 wurzel and other crops from Ireland. Without drawing 

 any invidious distinction between English and Irish 

 farming, it must be confessed that so far the Emerald 

 Isle has yielded larger roots than has been produced on 

 Uritish soil. Whence arises this superiority .' There 

 is much in the climate of Ireland ; but we believe that 

 the chief cause lies in the stimulus given to Irish agri- 

 culturists by intercourse with those English and Scotch 

 farmers who have made Ireland the land of their choice. 

 If this supposition be correct, — and it is the opinion of 

 many Englishmen of our acquaintance, — what an apt 

 illustration the circumstance affords of the importance 

 of having our own experience whetted occasionally by in- 

 tercourse with others— by an occasional run by " rail 

 and road," to see a cattle show, or the farm of some 

 eminent agriculturist. 



With these introductory observations, we proceed to 

 give a brief notice of the exhibition of farm produce 

 opened on Limton Lawn last Thursday, under the aus- 

 pices of the Royal Dublin Society. The show is de- 

 cidedly the most successful which we have seen, either 

 in Dublin or anywhere else, "both as to the number of 

 entries and the excellence of the specimens. Passing by 

 the cereals and ligumincus crops, which were very cre- 

 ditable, but which present few features worthy of notice, 

 we come to the plants cultivated for their roots and 

 tubers. Judge Radcliffe (per his steward, Mr. Lincham), 

 and Mr. Vernon, of Clontstrff Castle (steward, Mr. 

 Bowers), are at once the most extensive and successful 

 exhibiters in this department. The forms had 109 

 entries, all admirable specimens. Some of the mangels 

 are on average half a stone heavier than any yet pro- 

 duced. In the long red, red globe, and yellow globe 

 varieties, Mr. Vernon got first prize. We apprehend 

 Mr. Lenchara's were weightier specimens, but Mr. 

 Bower's were cleaner and better grown. These gentle- 

 men exhibited sugar beet nearly as large as the largest 

 of the mangels ; and if the specimens of Robert Rabi 

 can at all be considered a fair exponent of what that 

 root is capable of producing, the farmer may safely calcu- 

 late on having another valuable crop for feeding cattle. 

 We hare experimented largely on this root, and our 

 opinion of it is certainly very favourable. It is a hardy 

 and nutritious crop. At first the yield was so inferior 

 that many abandoned it immediately ; but they seem to 

 overlook that on its first introduction the yield of the 

 turnip was equally small. 



We may be excused for undertaking to correct an 

 opinion which, from judging by the monster root at this 

 show, many persons, especially landlords, form as to 

 the capabilities of the soil. One often hears the question, 

 " Why can't my stewards and my tenants grow as large 

 roots as these ? My steward raises only 25 or 30 tons 

 an acre, and here I find as much as 60 or 80 tons. Had 

 my land been skilfully farmed, my rental would be 

 double what it is!" These are questions of vital in- 

 terest to the agricultural community. And with all de- 

 ference to the exhibiters we have named, we must express 

 the oj)inion that the specimens exhibited on this occa- 

 sion have not been produced by legitimate means. We 

 don't mean to detract from the merit of these exhibiters ; 

 they have all the same means of forcing, and the same 

 command of manure and labour ; but the weak point in 

 the whole system is, that only a few roots are taken as 

 the standard of superior skill and well-directed industry. 

 Mr. Lencham is, beyond all doubt, a most successful 

 farmer, and so is Mr. Bowers ; but give either of them 

 an ordinary farm, and no extraordinary means, and will 

 he produce mangel weighing 2^ stones .' 



We would next draw attention to the potatoes. As 

 usual, Dr. Taylor is an extensive and successful exhibiter 

 of this tuber. " Taylor's seedlings" were justly awarded 

 a first time. Several excellent varieties were contri- 

 buted. We find that great confusion has arisen re- 

 specting the White-rocks and Downs, which are gene- 

 rally regarded as the same potato ; they were so regarded 

 on this occasion. They possess distinct properties. 

 The White-rock has a pink blossom, with a slight pinkish 

 tintintheeye ; high in the shoulder, and hence the term 

 "rocky." The Down has a white blossom, a soft and 

 downy eye, not so coarse a potato as the Rock, and 

 occasional specks are seen under the cuticle. 



We were glad to see that the agriculturists in con- 

 nexion with the National Board of Education have 

 cheerfully come forward for the first time as exhibiters 

 of farm produce. This is a step in the right direction. 

 Much has been said against the Board school farms of 

 late ; and the most judicious course which the agri- 

 culturists could pursue, is to come fairly before the 

 agricultural public, who are competent to judge for 

 themselves, and who can see if the managers of these in- 

 stitutions are up and stirring. As we cannot here enter 

 into thfcir merits, we will only observe that the collections 

 contributed, — but not for competition, a wise idea, as 

 public bodies and private individuals should not compete, 

 — are exceedingly creditable in quantity and quality. 



