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THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 



sions drawn and the estimates of coat involved will at 

 best admit of exact application only under similar cir- 

 cumstances, not only in the soil and climate, but also 

 in the cost of labour both of men and horses, varying 

 as these do both in the weekly wages paid or expense 

 incurred for keep, and in the amount of work exe- 

 cuted at that cost. The farm in question consists of 

 460 acres, running in a long strip from the high 

 o-rounds in" Cambridgeshire which border upon Essex 

 andSuffolk to the old limits of Newmarket Heath. It is 

 all arable, with the exception of about eight acres of 

 indifferent meadow. About 80 acres on the higher 

 ground are slightly capped with clay ; 210 acres on the 

 slope are a light chalky loam, and 160 are heath- 

 land, varying from a brown sandy loam to a black 

 heath sand, resting on a chalk rubble. My chief en- 

 couragement in taking the farm into my own hands in 

 1851 was derived from Lord Portman's account of his 

 management of Shepherd's Corner Farm." The 

 shorter contribution " On the Steam-Engine" is al- 

 most entirely confined to the cost and product in 

 working an engine on Mr. Frere's own farm. The 

 more lengthy essay, so far as we have yet had time to 

 look into it, seems to be very well considered and 

 clearly put. There are, too, a number of tables on ex- 

 penses and effects, and some straightforward opinions 

 on the value and quality of artificial food. Indeed, as 

 a correspondent simply, Mr. Frere gives every promise 

 for his further connection with the Society. But the 

 country looks to him for something more ; and we have 

 only to hope that with further experience we shall find 

 this promise gradually realized. A want of attention 

 to certain minutiae, or a too ready acquiescence with 

 things as they are, should not be suffered to spoil the 

 effect of labours, that so far seem to be at least very 

 earnestly directed. 



As times go, and taken on their individual merits, 

 there are some very excellent papers in this first part. 

 Mr. Spearing opens with an able and evidently in- 

 dustrious Report on the Agriculture of Bei-kshire. 

 Tlie several sections of his subject are nicely ob- 

 served, while the composition of the whole paper needs 

 nothing of that apology the author so modestly sets 

 out and concludes with. Messrs. Harding and Fulton 

 furnish two welcome essays on dairy practice, a sub- 

 ject hitherto strangely neglected. Professor Voelcker 

 has three papers — " On the Composition of Kohl-rabi,'' 

 ' ' The Properties of Mangold-pulp," and the article of the 

 number, "On the Chemical Properties of Soils." Profes- 

 sor Simonds writes at some length on the blood of diseased 

 animals ; and a third professor, Mr. Tanner, on the 

 condition of the soil as favourable for the growth of 

 seed. The statistics of live stock and dead meat are 

 again associated with the name of Mr. Herbert, who 

 furnishes some well-timed information on the breeds 

 and crosses that pay; and Mr. Wells details the 

 drainage of Whittlesea Mere, to which the Editor 

 adds his own account of a day on the Mere. Mr. 

 Evershed has his prize essay on the proper oflSce or 

 use of straw on a farm ; and Mr. P. D. Tuckett gives 

 the finishing touch to the number, in a letter on the 



modifications of the' four-course rotation, which modern 

 improvements have rendered advisable. In all there are 

 fifteen articles, the only one we have yet to enumerate 

 being another of those joint productions for which 

 Messrs. Lawcs and Gilbert have become so deservedly 

 distinguished. They have here an elaborate report, 

 embodying a series of experiments on the growth of red 

 clover by different manures — a history " on authority" 

 that is sure to make some sensation. 



There would seem to be scarcely one of these 

 papers but is worthy of that mature consideration 

 it may hereafter receive from ue. How far the 

 credit of so many good articles may be due to 

 the new editor does not appear, but there is no doubt 

 but that in this respect the number reads well with its 

 predecessors. What the public or the members 

 generally will have to regret is that the work has not 

 made a fresh start in his hands. There are almost 

 endless opportunities for making it more attractive, 

 and relieving it of that "deadweight" character the 

 Journal has so long had to contend against. It would 

 have been a great point to have had the reports of the 

 judges and stewards of the Canterbury Meeting now 

 that it is still fresh in men's memories ; or the editor 

 might have most becomingly introduced himself with 

 a history of the week. But what will all this sort of 

 intelligence be worth in February 1 People turn 

 naturally to such subjects, though perhaps not nine 

 months after date. Here then, in its Lists, its Reports, 

 its chronicles of the status and success of the Society 

 itself the Journal is as much behind-hand, and below 

 the standard of what it should be as ever. 



PRINCE NAPOLEON AND ENGLISH FARMING.— 

 But Httle heed appears to have been paid to the ardour 

 with which Prince Jerome Napoleon (famiharly styled " Plon- 

 plou") seems to have applied himself to the study of English 

 agriculture. Not content with witnessing the wonders of 

 Tiptree Hall, the Prince passed on to West Norfolk, where 

 he put himself under the friendly tuition of Mr. R. Leeds, 

 of Lexham, Mr. T. Hudson, Mr. Keary (Lord Leicester's well- 

 kaowQ agent), and other gentlemen. His Highness afterwards 

 passed on to Liucolashire, where be became the guest for a 

 brief space of Mr. Torr, of Aylesby, who is to North Lin- 

 colnshire what the Overmans and Hudsons are to West 

 Norfolk. The Prince, who had with him M. Bella from the 

 Imperial School at GrignoD, and several other French gentle- 

 men, must have viewed with admiration the thirty or forty- 

 acre fields, or "brecks," of West Norfolk, and no doubt 

 detected therein the secret of the superiority of English 

 over French fsrming. But the Bonapartes can never go 

 much beyond theorizing. Probably not even Napoleon III, 

 could, with all his supposed power, destroy the one great 

 remnant of the Revolution of 1789— the equal division of 

 landed property ; and until large estates can he formed likely 

 to justify or induce the application of considerable capitals, 

 the productive powers of the land of France will remain 

 only partially developed, and the characteristics of the stock 

 comparatively unimportant. At Aylesby the Prince was 

 surprised to hear that such extensive operations were en- 

 gaged upon with nothing more binding than a goodwill 

 agreement. 



