THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 



5o5 



feasiou, as well as to proprietors and tiiaiiagtra of estates, by 

 the production of this work, which comprises valuable inform- 

 ation on everything; relating to the erection of dwelling-houses, 

 from a shanty in tlie Backwoods to an Italian villa, of the cost 

 of which latter a specification is given. The illuatratious 

 which are very numerous, consist of drawinRs of every section 

 of a dwelling-house and farra-builJing?, &c., with valuable 

 hints upon practical mechanism, carpentry, well-sinking, &e. 

 The work having reached a second edition, is proof of the 

 estimation in wtiich it is held by the public. 



FARMING ECONOMIES, 



No. 1.— GARRETT'S HORSE-HOE, 

 Sir, — Instead of wasting our time by the mere per- 

 sonal discussion whether Mr. Mechi is a good or bad 

 farmer, making or losing money, let us see how we can 

 diminish the expense and increase the profit of every- 

 body's farming. In my Agricultural Catechism I nsk 

 (Question No. 24) : Do you use Garrett's horse-hoe for 

 your corn and root crops .^ Answer: Yes. Nine fanners 

 out of tea would answer No ; and I now want to convince 

 them that that word is to them an expensive negative, 

 causing them a diminution of their farming profits. Let me 

 illustrate it. 



This is a late season, and a sudden favourable change 

 may naturally be expected to cause a rush of vegeta- 

 tion, and an impossibility of cleaning the corn crops 

 by hand-hoeing. Last week being so dry and suitable for 

 ■weed-killing, I stimulated my horse man to do extra hoeing. 

 Having only one Garrett's hoe, my man put on a pair of 

 horses in the first half, and a fresh pair in the second half 

 of a long day, say from sunrise to sunset, and in that one 

 day clean horse-hoed 21 acres of wheat on stiff clay. I 

 gave him extra pay for his overtime : — 



Two pair of horses . . . . ..£090 



Ploughman 2 



Do. extra time . . . . . . 10 



Wear and tear of hoes and imple- "1 

 ments, and interest on ditto .. J 



2 



£0 14 

 The 21 acres were thus well and deeply horse-hoed for 8d. 

 per acre. Unless pressed for time and opportunity, a man 

 with one pair of horses usually horse-hoes from 8 to 10 acres 

 per day of either wheat, beans, mangel, or turnips, at a 

 cost of Is. per acre. In the case of root crops, the 

 hoeing is almost as deep and elTicient as the ploughing. 

 Different hoes are used for root crops. The lines of 

 wheat are picked over by hand-labour. It is essential 

 to use the horse-hoe before the spring fibres of the wheat 

 push into the spaces, or they would be injured by the hoes. 

 Garrett's horse-hoe covers a space of 7 feet 2 inches. I 

 have used this horse-hoe for 16 years. 



May 7. J. Mechi. 



P.S. May 14. — As I anticipated, the splendid rain of the 

 12th inst. has rendered weed killing a much more expensive 

 and difficult operation. 



HADLEIGH FARMERS' CLUB. 



This Club celebrated its anniversary meeting on May 18. 

 The show of stock was a good one, but scarcely so large as in 

 Bome former years. The horse stock maintained the reputa- 

 tion which Suffolk has earned in this department. The prize 

 bull (Mr. T. Partridge's, Oldham Hall) was a very fine short- 

 horn. The pure Suffolk cows attracted a good deal of notice ; 

 and the Southdown sheep were good. The judges were Mr. 

 Cooper Clarke, of Tattingstoue ; Mr. S. King, of Preston; and 

 Mr. K. Scott, of Lavenham. The prizes were awarded as fol- 

 lows : For best stallion for general purposes, Mr. W. Steam, 

 Elmsett ; best brood mare, Mr. W. Strutt, Groton; best geldiug, 

 Mr. S. B. White, Bildeston ; second best ditto, Mr. J. Gentry, 

 Wasbbrook ; best gast mare, Messrs. R. and J. Rand ; best 

 colt under 27 months, Messrs. R. and J. Rand ; best gelding 

 under 27 mouths, Mr. J. P. Everett, Hadleigh ; best filly (a 

 good class), executors of the late Mrs. Everett ; best colt or 

 gelding under 15 months, Mr. R. Sheldrake, Kersey ; best 

 filly under 15 months, executors of the Iste Mrs. Everett; 



best foil, Air. W. 10 racy ; bett b;.ll, Mr. T. Partridge, 

 Oldhaco Hall; best Suffolk cow, Mr. J. Everett, Wash- 

 brook (Mr. S. O. Kersey's cow highly commended) ; best cow 

 of another breed, Mr. W. Grimwade, Hadleigh; best fat steer 

 Mr. S. B. White, Bildeston ; second best, Mr. J. G. Stow, 

 Boxford ; best shearling Southdown tup, and best Southdown 

 tup of any age, Mr. T. Hawkins, Bentley; best shearling 

 longwool tup, iMr. E. Cook, lloltou ; best longwool tup of 

 any age, Mr. G. F. Parson, Waldinglield ; best pen of five 

 Southdown ewe hoggets, Mr. T. Hawkins; best pen of Suffolk 

 down ewe hoggets, Mr. J. G. Stow, Boxford ; beat pea of 

 wethtr and ewe hoggets of auy shortwool breed, Messrs. R. 

 and J. Rind; best pen of pure bred longwool ewe hoggets, 

 and long wool cross-bred ewe and wether hoggets, Mr. E. 

 Cook ; best (Icece of hogget short wool, Messrs. R. and J. 

 Rand ; best fleece of hogs;et long wool, Mr. E. Cook ; best 

 boar; Mr. T. Partridge; and best and second-best breeding 

 sow, Mr. J. Everett. 



Sir Charles Rowley presided at the dinner, which took 

 place at the Town Hall. Major Parker, M.P., in referring to 

 malt-tax question, expressed his cordial concurrence in the 

 movement for repeal, and argued that farmers ought to be re- 

 lieved of some of the burdens pressing upon them. Mr. 

 Joseph Rand, in responding to the toast of his health, made 

 some practical observations on the early sale of atock. 

 Lately, he observed, the aim of graziers had been to briug 

 stock to early maturity. Formerly, a sheep was never sold 

 under three years of age ; but now, hoggets were disposed of 

 a year younger ; the consequence was, we were losing in the 

 number of head, and meats would soon be considerably dearer. 

 Mr. W. Gurdou followed with some observations on pleuro- 

 pneumonia and the growth of mangel wurzel, to which we 

 propose to refer next week. 



SHOW OF FAT STOCK AT POISSY. 



The annual exhibition of fat cattle, sheep, and pigs, waa 

 held at Poissy during the first week of April. The address, 

 delivered by the Minister of Agriculture, M. Rouhtr, contains 

 several references to the commeicial treaty between Franco 

 and England. The Minister pointed out the advantages to 

 French agriculture which might be expected to result from 

 the freer intercourse between the two countries, and the 

 lowering of the duties on articles of export and import. 



The judges were in two sections, one section awarding the 

 prizes in the cattle classes, the other in the sheep and pig 

 classes. 



The number of animals exhibited is in excess of that of 

 previous years. Compared with that of 1859, the increase is 

 considerable, particularly in the entries of sheep, the increase 

 being 140. There was a falling-off iu the eijtry of pige. The 

 following shows the numbers of the respective years: — 



1859. 1860. 



Oxen 257 281 



Calves .. .. .. 11 11 



Sheep 310 450 



Swine 89 78 



667 820 



The age of the cattle competing is a remarkable feature of 

 the exhibition. Doubtless, many of the aged animals had 

 been used in the yoke : — 



122 oxen were under 4 years. 

 34 between 4 and 5 years. 

 67 between 5 and 6 years. 



46 between 6 and 7 years. 

 5 between 7 and 8 years. 

 7 between 8 and 9 years. 



The animals are classed according to the territorial division 

 from which they come, and not according to breed, France 

 being divided into seven districts, each district embracing 

 several departments (counties). There are seven divisions 

 corresponding to the region from which the cattle came, and 

 in each division the animals are divided into three categories 

 according to age and breed. In the first category animals 

 under a certain age and without regard to breed comptte. Iu 

 the second category animals of French breed, but of above a 

 certain age, compete ; and in the third category animals above 

 a certain age, but without distinction as to breed, compete. 



The prize of honour for the best animal in all the classes 

 was awarded to an ox, Shorthorn-Swiss, age 36 months, live 

 weight 2,0701b8., bred aud fed by the Prince of Wagram, at 



