556 



THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 



Grosbois (Seine-et-Oise). The prize of honour is a piece of 

 silver, value £105. This in addition to the first prize awarded 

 to the ox in his class — about £60. 



In the classes for sheep the prize of honour was awarded to 

 a pen of Southdowns, age 13 months ; gross live weight 

 1,705 Ib.i., belonging to Viscount Charles de Bouille, Villars 

 (Nevre). Sheep are shown out of the fleece. The Southdown 

 flock at Villara was formed in 1855. Thc^ flock originally 

 purchased from Mr. Jonas Webb, Babraham, Cambridge- 

 shire. Value of the cup of honour £65. 



In the classes for swine the prize of honour was awarded to 

 a pig, New Leicester, age 10 months 5 days ; live weight 

 312 lbs., belonging to M. de la Vaktte of Villiers-Charle- 

 magne (Mayenne). 



The exhibitions of fat stock in the local departments tave 

 also been successful, viz., at Bordeaux, Nantes, Nimes 

 Lyons, and Lille. These exhibitions are all under Govern- 

 ment management, the National Exchequer furnishing the 

 funds for the prizes, &c.— Abridged from the North Britisli 

 Agriculturist. 



CALENDAR OF AGRICULTURE, 



Swedish turnips may be sown till the tenth of 

 this month, and all common turnips till the 

 twenty-fifth. The land must be well reduced and 

 pulverized, thoroughly cleansed from all weeds 

 and stones, and rolled flat. Drills are opened by 

 the double mould-board, or by the common plough, 

 the dung spread along the intervals, and the seed 

 sown on the reversed drills of fresh soil. 

 Auxiliary manures, as bones and guano, are de- 

 posited by machines which split the drills with 

 coulters into ruts that receive the dung and seed 

 over it in the fresh tilth. A light rolling of the 

 drills is required, chiefly on cloddy crumbling 

 soils, in order to crush the small clods, and to 

 close the surface against drought, and to hold 

 moisture as with a lock and key. In dry seasons 

 this rolhng is a most useful part of turnip farming. 

 Turnip sowing is generally finished during this 

 month. 



In the end of the month plough, with a thin fur- 

 row, the lands that have been pared and burned, 

 and on which the ashes are spread ; harrow the sur- 

 face into a fine tilth, roll it if cloddy, sow the seeds 

 in broadcast by hand, and cover with a line of 

 harrowing, and roll again if clods are present. If 

 the lands are deep and loamy, work and drill the 

 land as usual. 



Plough the intervals of the drills; horse and 

 hand-hoe potatoes, beet, parsnips, and carrots, and 

 plough potatoes deeply, and break the drills very 



carefully with the handhoe. Plough lands on which 

 winter tares have been consumed, harrow the sur- 

 face finely, and sow the turnip seed with bones or 

 guano in ruts made by the coulters of a machine. 

 A light rolling may be required. 



Shear sheep, and mark by distinction the dif- 

 ferent ages and conditions. "Wean the lambs of 

 the year, place them on the best pastures. Put 

 mares to the stallion every fortnight. 



Cut and destroy all weeds on pastures, pull all 

 tall weeds among grain crops, and destroy all 

 weeds on the sides of roads, ditches, and hedges. 



Hay harvest will sometimes commence during 

 this month in early seasons. Clovers, sainfoins, 

 and early meadows are first cut; get the crop dried 

 and stack it quickly. Allow six haymakers to one 

 mower, besides the carrying process. Cut the 

 grass quickly behind the mowers, spread it thinly 

 with Smith and Ashby's machine, place it in cocks, 

 spread it again, and in three or four days it may 

 be carried and built in a rick or stack. Turn clo- 

 vers in the swathe, and gently, in order to preserve 

 the leaves. Place the newly made hay on the 

 stack to consolidate by its own weight, and not by 

 treading as is usually done. Salt may besprinkled 

 among hay when partially damaged. 



Continue to feed in the yards with clovers and 

 vetches the workhorses and the milch cows over 

 night : provide ample litter in order to produce 

 manure. 



CALENDAR OP GARDENING. 



Kitchen Garden, 



In the first week sow early peas, kidney beans, 

 and runners for succession, cabbages to come in 

 quickly, Dutch turnips for autumn, carrots and 

 onions to draw young or stand the winter, i 



In the fourth week sow again turnips, salads, \ 

 and lettuces. 



Transplant Cape broccoli about the middle of 

 the month, cauliflower for August, making the 

 ground rich with compost; also transplant broccoli, 

 Jerusalem and Scotch kale, savoy, and Brussels 

 sprouts. 



Asparagus beds still yield, but should be cut be- 

 yond the 10th, leaving untouched a shoot to each 

 crown, and scattering fine compost over the beds. 



Plant thyme, savoy, sweet marjoram, basil, and 

 slips of rue, lavender, and rosemary, and other 

 sweet herbs in cool shady beds for subsequent 

 transplantation. Cut aromatic herbs for being 

 dried when they begin to show flower. Thin out 

 onions by degrees for use, leaving the bulbs to 

 stand in four to six inches asunder : gradual thin- 

 nings prevent the eflFects of drought. 

 Fruit Garden. 



Strawberry beds should be stringed on each side, 

 the twine fastened to short sticks, so as to support 

 the entire rank of ti'usses. 



Arrange in proper order the green plants in pots 

 and all flowering shrubs : take up bulbs when the 

 green parts change colour and become dry. 



