560 



THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 



of the soil ia this district, viz. the formation of a Steam- 

 plough Company. A few months since, a body of county 

 gentlemen, who with a singleness of mind and a disin- 

 terestedness of motive which is a leading characteristic of 

 their lives, appreciating the system of steam-cultivation 

 adopted by Mr. Fowler, established a company to carry out 

 this system. The company so formed have made several 

 sets of tackle-working. One set we hear, at Longford, 

 Uokingtou, and Brockworth, having ploughed about 100 

 acres at a depth of from 7 to 11 inches, at a cost of 

 16s. per acre, without scarcely any hindrance or breakage. 

 The cost of horse-ploughing these most adhesive lands 

 would, at the lowest, be 21s, per acre, so that there is a 

 money saving of 6s, per acre, besides the advantage, which 

 is nearly as much, of working this clay land without the 

 treading of cattle. The greatest drawback to its usefulness 

 seems to be the small enclosures and crooked hedgerows. 

 However, when the importance of steam-cultivation is duly 

 appreciated, no doubt this evil will be remedied m a great 

 measure, and thus seal the doom of many a really lousy old 

 pollard tree that has for many a long year destroyed its 

 bushels of corn annually. — November 21. 



NORTH NORTHUMBERLAND. 



During the many years that we have closely attended to 

 the duties of rural economy, and noted the alternate seasons 

 of our northern climes, we have no data comparable with 

 the protraction of the late (or rather present) harvest. 

 While thankful gratitude to Divine Providence is felt by the 

 fortunate, who have secured the fruits of the field weeks 

 (aye, and months ago), we regret to say, considerable patches 

 of grain remain in the field; up to Monday last (when we 

 had severe frost) a full moiety of the bean and pea crop was 

 outstanding, part uncut; and on cold clay subsoils, wheat, 

 barley, and oats exposed in the sheaf. A part was saved on 

 jftonday in frozen middling condition. Tuesday a thaw, 

 followed by an immense fall of rain; strong breeze from S.E., 

 which continues up to the hour we write ; field labour en- 

 tirely suspended, all being flooded. To avoid ex- 

 tremes, we shall confine our notes to a medium cul- 

 tivated farm situated near the centre of the district from 

 which we write. Commenced reapmg oats Aug. 24th ; con- 

 tinued with the usual faim labourers to cut down all ripe 

 pieces until Sept. 1st; started horse-reaper, and made good 

 work until 4 p m. ; rain fell and put a full stop to the work. 

 Alternate sunshine, wind, and rain until 18th, when the first 

 sheaf of winter wheat was cut; weather fine for a few days ; 

 showeis fell at intervals to the end of the month, which 

 closed with a perfect deluge. Oats and barley all in stack 

 tmd safe. October 1 st, foggy and close atmosphere. Wheat 

 all exposed, and very wet. 2nd, foggy, with rolling clouds ; 

 cleared up at sunset, with squalls. 3rd, a hurricane of wind 

 from due west, which by 10 a,m. had barely left a sheaf 

 standing; about a third of spring wheat uncut. 4tli, 5th, and 

 6th, withering drying wind, and all wheat cut before the 

 wind safe in stack ; last of late wheat-carrying safe on the 

 12th. Beans and other grain all under thatch on the 

 20tli, which finally finished a tedious harvest. Hands were 

 plentiful, yet as all corn was taken " rusky" and half i-ipe, 

 work proceeded in a heartless sluggish way, trying to while 

 away time, and save work for another day ; there has not 

 been ^ warm sheaf in the stack ; yet it required no telescope 

 to see steam in not a few rick-yards. As it is, straw was 

 under the best management put together dry for keeping, 

 while the grain, which never fully matured, was carried to 

 the stack soft and raw. Hence we see samples and bulk 

 exposed in the market, of weight very various, Wheat 50 

 to 63^ lbs., barley 48 to 58 lbs., oats 35 to 44 lbs. per impe- 

 rial bushel. Beans and peas have not been exposed for 

 sale from the new crop ; the yield is also very various on all 

 dry or well-drained land; the crops have lifted bulky in 

 sheaf, and except from the early stiflf-slrawy wheats the 

 yield is very meagre. Oats and barley, where not large, 

 yield fully to expectation ; taken altogether, quantity and 

 weight will fall considerably short of the ordinary crop, 

 Turnips have improved, and will lift a fair average crop; 

 there are always exceptions — only one we shall note: a 

 crop up\»ards of 120 acres, nearly half swedes, we had the 

 pleasure of walking over a few days ago, were really im- 

 mense ; we venture to say Mr, Mechi himself could not en- 



joy a better treat than to put his foot on the soil and see a 

 real crop of swedes, grown without steam, pipes, or dissolved 

 horses and pigs. Mangolds all but a failure. Kohl-rabi 

 much run to head, and very small. Potatoes lifted sound, 

 and taken in all a good crop : part we see not lifted. — 

 P.S. During the last three days the fall of rain has 

 been immense. Wind since 9 a.m. from E.N,E,, bitter 

 cold, fall a little abated, and mercury rising. Not a foot can 

 be set on the naturally driest soil without slumping to 

 midleg. Cattle and sheep must be fei, and where roots 

 are not in store, woe to the occupant. Early-sown wheat 

 brairds well ; large breadths unseeded. — Nov. 23, 



AGRICULTURAL INTELLIGENCE, 

 FAIRS, &c. 



ABERGAVENNY FAIR.— There was a very Kood at- 

 tendance of store cattle, which sold much more readily than 

 had been expected, at prices something in advance of those 

 recently realized. In the horse fair little business was done. 

 Strong store pigs commanded a high price. 



ALYTH MARKET.— Cattle and sheep were in good sup- 

 ply. Animals fit for the butcher kept their value ; those 

 sold brought from 9s. to 9s. 6d. per stone. Grass-beasts were 

 stiff in sale, and were depressed somewhat in price. Good 

 crossed sheep realised about £1 lOs.j blackfaced wethers 

 averaged £1 4s. 



ANDOVER. — A larger quantity of lean beasts, cows, 

 heifers, and calves than have been brought to this fair for 

 several years past — of Scotch and Welsh breeds more than 

 half; shorthorns, Herefords, and Devons a considerable quan- 

 tity, the remainder of various breeds, ages, and size. Many 

 unsold at Kingston had been driven to this fair. The demand 

 was not very brisk, yet a good number found buyers, there 

 being some purchasers out of the lower part of Hants, from 

 Wilts, Berks, and other counties at the following prices: 

 Best three-year-old large beasts made from £13 to £14 each, 

 Scotch from £11 to £12, Welsh from £9 to £10; smaller 

 two-year-old beasts from £7 to £8, nine to tweke months' 

 old from £3 to £5. Cows, best shorthorns, down calving, 

 £18 to £19, with a calf £19 to £20,? barren £14 to; £15 each ; 

 heifers from £14 to £15 each ; bull-calves from 208. to 253., 

 cow do. from SOs. to 353. each. Fat beasts were soon taken, 

 at from 123. to 12s. 6d, per score. Some of the droves, not 

 being disposed of, were taken back to await Guildford fair on 

 the 22nd instant. Best Down tegs made from 36s. to 408., 

 Down ewes from 38s, to 42s., and larger do. from 44rf. to 46s. 

 each. Fat sheep from 4s. 4d. to 5s. per stone, or frota 7d. to 

 T^d. per lb. Horses : A lar^e quantity of nags (riding and 

 driving), cart (large and small), cobs, ponies, colts, and fillies 

 for sale, of various breeds, ages, and sizes. There appeared a 

 fair demand for best horses (warranted), whether nght or 

 heavy kinds. Prices varied from £10 up to £40 for nag, 

 and from £25 to £35 for cart kinds. Welsh and otherponiea 

 from £6 up to £15 each. 



BATTLE FAIR.— A short supply of good stock. Trade 

 heavy throughout. Inferior stock could not be disposed of. 



FARNHAM FAIR was anything but well attended. 

 There was about the average number of stock penned, but 

 the quality of the lean stock particularly was very inferior, and 

 no boast can be made of the fat stock. There was an unusual 

 number of horses^ such as they were. Few (if any) changed 

 hands. 



GARSTANG FAIR.— A moderate show ot cattle, and 

 anything likely for beef or good-bred young stock was readily 

 disposed of at better prices than has been realized at the neigh- 

 bouring fairs. Only an indifferent show of horses, the majority 

 of which were aged and geldings. Very little business was 

 done in either, and those sold were at low prices, fodder, no 

 doubt, being the main object, which is by no means plentiful, 

 and only of inferior quality. 



GLOUCESTER MONTHLY MARKET.— The supply of 

 stock was very large, but of an inferior QuaUt.T. both as re- 

 gards Cattle and Sheep. Trade was dull, and lower, rates were 

 submitted to; some quantity left the marker, n»si4ld Trade 

 was heavy at the following quotations : Beef from 6d .o 7d., 

 Mutton from 6^d. to 7^d. per lb,; Pigs from 10». Od o lis. 

 per score. 



HALTWHISTLE FAIR.— Good Galloway cattle for win. 



