6S 



THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 



seven ia the evening, again stopping in the mean 

 time half an hour for refreshment ; thus, but little 

 manual labour is required for working a large number 

 of horses, and as it is hard work, is enough for the 

 horses themselves. It is necessary to pass over the 

 land twice with the scarifier, first with the tips or tines, 

 afterwards with the hoes ; in this way the land is 

 thoroughly broken and the rubbish exposed to the action 

 of a scorching sun ; after the cJtrtage of the wheat the 

 few remaining stetches are then scarified in the same 

 manner : this can be done in harvest ; and if a farm is 

 conveniently situated, the corn cartage and the autumnal 

 cultivation may both be proceeded with. I observe, by 

 reference to my labour book, that last year one scarifier 

 was at work twenty days, which was ten days after the 

 corn securing had commenced. Upon very foul land I 

 scarify a third time, and at right-angles to the previous 

 direction ; the entire surface is thereby disturbed and 

 more fully exposed to the action of the sun's rays. 

 (Hear.) 1 have used the Biddell scarifier because it is 

 a strong effective implement ; I prefer it to the skim- 

 plough — it can be worked more economically with 

 manual labour, and this is a great consideration at 

 harvest. The common plough is not suitable for autum- 

 nal cultivation, it buries the weeds instead of bringing 

 them to the surface. (Hear, hear.) After harvest, 

 and probably after rain, I harrow the very foul land, 

 when the scorched and withered grass harrows out, and 

 the clods fall to a powder ; the couch-grass is then col- 

 lected with the horse drag-rake and burned ; if any 

 small pieces remaining show the slighest signs of vitality 

 they are picked by women and children. Having ex- 

 plained the process in detail, I will place before you the 

 expense. It requires the equivalent of three horses per 

 acre for a common day of nine hours to do the scarifyings 

 and the furrow opening ; therefore 



£ s. d. 

 .3 horses, at Ss. 6d. per day 10 6 



1 man, 1 day, at harvest wages 5 



For harrowing, raking, burning, and 



picking if necessary 8 



Total per acre £1 3 6 



This is the average of the cost to me ; in very extreme 

 cases of foulness the expense is more — in other cases 

 less, as the scarifyings often prove sufiicient. I have 

 druwn out the cost of the spring cultivation for compa- 

 rison with the autumnal ; thus, for cleaning purposes — 



£ s. d. 

 .3 ploughings, at 8s. per acre 14 



2 cromings, at Is. 6d 3 



3 rollings, at 9d 2 3 



Harrowing, raking, and burning 8 



Totalperacre £1 17 3 



When we contrast the two systems, it is evident which 

 has the advantage in expense — say 14s. ; and I do with- 

 out the slightest hesitation assert that the cleaning in 

 autumn is much more effectually done than in the 

 spring (Hear, hear)— it is the season alone which makes 

 the difference (Hear, hear). Spring is not so favourable 

 a time; in March the soil is wet from the winter rains; 

 April is characterized by its showers; May has but a 

 mean temperature of 53", and in June the fervid heat 



of summer does not usually commence till the 18th. 

 Not only is the autumn cultivation cheaper and more 

 effective, but the subsequent beneficial results are very 

 considerable, especially on stiff retentive soils ; it allows 

 of early preparation for the root crop (Hear, hear), 

 whereby the land is thoroughly frosted, producing a 

 friability and a fineness of tilth which the roll and the 

 harrow cannot so fully secure (Hear, hear) ; the frost 

 also disintegrates the soil, and in conjunction with 

 atmospheric influences supplies more food as available 

 to the plant ; the early preparation ensures moisture 

 (Hear, hear) for the vegetation of the seed of the mangel- 

 wurzel or swede ; it also allows of early drilling, thereby 

 not only securing a plant, but a heavier crop, from the 

 increased length of time for the roots to grow. The 

 further consequence of early seeding is the finishing the 

 hoeing before the corn harvest commences, and ensuring 

 early maturity of the plants. Early maturity allows 

 of early harvesting, whereby the crop is carted from the 

 soil in dry weather (Hear, hear), and the land ploughed 

 before the wet season sets in; this again allows of 

 thorough frosting, and causes the yield of a much better 

 succeeding crop of barley. One other advantage even 

 yet remains unmentioned as accruing from autumnal 

 cultivation, and it is the increased breadth of good early 

 root crops which may be grown on clay or loamy soils 

 instead of no root crop at all, or but poor half-sized 

 bulbs (Hear, hear). I now come to the second division 

 of the subject, viz., "the subsequent preparation and 

 growth of a root crop, especially on stiff retentive soils" ; 

 and my observations will apply solely to such lands, and 

 to the Eastern division of the kingdom. Gentlemen, I 

 am no advocate for long fallows (Hear, hear) ; I think 

 a wide breadth unpaying and undesirable (Hear) ; I do 

 not like the straw-and-water providential manure system 

 which it induces (Hear, hear). It was all very well when 

 we had neither the mangel-wurzel as a root, or artificial 

 manures to assist us ; it was all very well when a root 

 crop could not be grown, or, if it could be grown, it 

 would not pay ; but if we are to have — as free trade 

 promises on the average — cheap wheat and dear meat, 

 our clay soils must be made stock-producing as well as 

 corn-producing (Hear, hear). And why not? But, 

 again, I do not like the common turnip system on 

 heavy land, except for early feeding ; it is prepared 

 for late, it comes late, andit is carted off late (Hear, hear)- 

 And if any two prinoiples are more fully established 

 than others as to such soils, they are that the " land 

 should never be trodden in wet weather," and " that 

 it should be ploughed early to receive the winter's 

 frost" (Hear, hear). But I often see these golden 

 principles disregarded ; I see the cart going all 

 weathers — wet and dry the same ; I see the field rutted 

 in different directions— perhaps one mass of mud; and 

 then to complete the mismanagement, the land un- 

 ploughed till spring. As to the succeeding crop of 

 barley, of course, it is but a mockery to expect any ; it 

 will not deserve the name of " crop" — it will be but an 

 apology for one, and the land is injured for years (Hear, 

 hear). Again, I do not set my seal to the growth of 

 but half crops of roots on retentive soils (Hear, 



