534 



THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE, 



CALENDAR OF AGRICULTURE. 



Dnring fresh weather, proceed with the plough- 

 ing of stubble grounds, and with subsoiling, for 

 the green crops and fallows of next year : begin to 

 plough grass leys for Lent corn. Cast-up earths 

 for composts on roadsides, and wherever it can be 

 found ; cast ditches ; and clean out water-courses ; 

 mend roads; make new fences, and repair old 

 ones; and continue furrow-draining when the 

 weather allows. 



Collect earthy and vegetable materials of all 

 kinds for the manure pit ; gather mud and earths 

 from the roads for the compost heap ; and at no 

 time or season omit any opportunity, or neglect 

 any quantity or substance, however small, that 

 will add to the bulk of the most indispensable of 

 all articles — in most cases more valuable to the 

 farmer than money in his pocket. 



Plant forest trees of all sorts ; cut underwoods ; 

 and fill up vacancies by laying and planting — in 

 hop countries, ash, oak, and willow, are most 

 suitable, especially the former : be careful to keep 

 plantation fences in most efficient repair — nothing 

 shows more clearly the sloven than fences allowing 

 trespass, open and neglected. 



Flood meadows at proper times, and lay dry 

 occasionally. 



In some early situations, lambs will be dropped 

 this month ; provide the most commodious shelter 

 possible; and give the ewes full allowance of the 

 most succulent food on the farm. 



Take up turnips, and carry home for store 

 during every opportunity of mild weather, dry 

 and fresh — give the tops to the store flocks. 



During frosty weather, thrash and deliver grain ; 

 carry stones for buildings and for drains ; collect 

 earths ; carry fuel, timber, faggots, and dung from 

 the cattle yards to heaps in the fields. Litter the 

 yards as emptied. Spread all substances evenly 

 and thinly ; and keep the yards dry and comfort- 

 able. 



The Winter now being set-in, the live stock, of 

 all kinds, require the most constant and vigilant 

 attention ; provide ample littering, both in the 

 yards and stalls; give food in abundance, but no 

 waste ; keep the steamer in constant work to afford 

 cooked food daily to cows, pigs, poultry, and to 

 the work horses — give it fresh done and warmish ; 

 any acidification of food cannot be recommended. 

 Strive ])y every possible means to have fresh 



turnips from the store heaps daily ; but, in fresh 

 weather, they are best drawn from the field : the 

 yards should be so constructed that all animals eat 

 under cover, unless it be in very warm situations. 



It is most essential that property of every kind 

 be insured — the stock and crops by the farmer as 

 his property; and the buildings by the owner of 

 the land. The expense of insurance is now reduced 

 to any convenience, and removes all complaints on 

 that head; no loss need be sustained from fires; 

 and the damage done to growing crops by hail- 

 storms is also repaid, by the new arrangements. 

 These provisions are most highly useful and ad- 

 vantageous to the agricultural interest. 



GIANT WHEAT.— The improvement in our seed wheat 

 has engaged the attention of the most eminent agriculturists 

 and seedsmen, and this description comes nearer to our esti- 

 mate of prime and productive wheat than any that we have 

 yet seen. At the late Show we saw some specimens of the 

 Giant Wheat, grown at Old Court by Major Quentin, but it 

 failed in producing in our miud the conviction which an inspec- 

 tion of the growing crops of this year has done. On a recent 

 visit to Old Court we examined his crops ; and while his stock 

 and general crops demanded our admiration, we were particu- 

 larly struck with the Giant Wheat. The first piece we saw 

 was about half an acre, which was interlined with potatoes, 

 that is, each alternate bed, or breadth of about four feet* 

 was potatoes and wheat, the wheat this year growing where 

 the potatoes had been last year. The seed was all dibbled in 

 with Sigma'a Corn Planter, which deposits the seed at nine 

 inches apart ; the corn now stands nearly seven feet high, and 

 is a very heavy crop ; the length and weight of the ear is sur- 

 prising — they average from 8 to 9 inches in length, and each 

 ear has from 28 to 32 rows of spikelets, each spikelet havin(» 

 three or four grains in the row ; but what struck us with most 

 surprise was the immense number of ears from each grain that 

 had been sown ; the clumps of corn {:;rowing from one setting 

 were almost sheaves ; we counted several of them, and found 

 from 40 to 60 ears of corn growing together from one setting, 

 and we learned that some were found to have 72 ears. It may 

 have been that in the planting more than one grain got into 

 each hole ; but even if there did, the aruiful of stalks now 

 growing is surprising; and if the average yield of each head 

 is 80 grains, which is far under the mark, and the number of 

 stalks growing together is 40, which is also below the average, 

 we have the enormous yield of 3,200 fold. Looking over this 

 plot at a distance, or from the top of tlie fence, it has the 

 appearance of a very heavy crop ; and yet all the seed that was 

 put into it — which, in couaequence of the interlineation with 

 the potatoes, may be called a ^ plantation acre — was four 

 pounds. We also examined another half acre not interlined, 

 sowti af;er, which received 131bs. 4oz , and a third piece later 

 still, which was planted with ISlbs. 12oz. ; another acre sown 

 in December got SGlbs. seed, as Sigma recommends the quan- 

 tity to be increased as the season advances. All these pieces 

 are remarkably heavy crop?, and if the season is favourable, 

 and that the yield is equal to that of last year, there will be 18 

 to 20 barrels to the plantation acre. We brought away as 

 specimens a couple of ears of this Giant Wheat, and they may 

 be seen at our office by the curious in such matters. — Water- 

 ford Mail. 



