76 



THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 



the opinions of the whole country on the best and most 

 feasible means of establishing that uniformity of custom 

 now so generally advocated. 



The question of arterial drainage, or the improve- 

 ment of outfalls, is one to which attention cannot 

 be too soon or too earnestly directed. Attention has 

 been drawn to it by the Society of Arts, which on more 

 than one occasion has taken the initiative in questions 

 of agricultural progress. If we mistake not, the Society 

 has offered a prize for the best essay on arterial drainage 

 in connexion with geology and engineering. These, how- 

 ever, are not the most important parts of the question. 

 The difficulties to be surmounted in carrying into effect 

 a system of arterial drainage are neither geological nor 

 engineering : they are moral, social, and political. 

 They arise out of time-honoured vested interests in 

 things as they are; and they arise from the inter- 

 mixture of property, and that power which the 

 minority of a district in which the outfalls require 

 to be deepened have to throw obstacles in the 

 way of improvements by the many. These difficulties 

 have been overcome by agreement in several districts, 

 though not without much of opposition, much time 

 expended in surmounting it, and much compromise in 

 the execution of the works, arising from reluctance to 



incur the outlay necessary to secure the full benefit of 

 the improvements. The difficulties arising from navi- 

 gable canals, mills, and so forth, were compensated 

 upon an equitable principle. In the case of mills this 

 consisted in estimating the steam-power equivalent to 

 the water-power actually used, and capitalizing it : 

 allowance was also made for the expense of alteration 

 and maintenance. It would occupy too much space on 

 the present occasion to state the principles which appear 

 to be those requiring to be kept most in view in any 

 measures for the improvement of arterial drainage, so 

 as to ensure unity of action and a central control, with- 

 out too much of centralization. The measure, also, 

 ought to be of such a kind as to guard against drain- 

 ing the country too much as well as too little — an error 

 into which we hope to show on some future occasion 

 that it is possible to fall. All the water of wells and 

 springs is water that has fallen from the atmosphere ; 

 and the annual rate at which the water-level of the 

 artesian wells round London subsides should warn us 

 that, if all water is to be turned into the sea, and 

 not preserved in subterranean reservoirs, the time may 

 come when we shall complain of a deficient supply of it. 

 — Mark Lane Express. 



CULTIVATION OF MILLET. 



Sir, — Since j'ou reported the treatise on the Cultivation 

 of Millet I forwarded to the Royal Agricultural Society 

 some months since, I have had many inquiries (written and 

 verbal, by some who had seen the treatise and others who 

 had not) on the subject ; and as I still believe that it may 

 prove a useful herbage plant, I state the final result, as 

 the millet was in a green state when I published the 

 treatise, to draw the attention of my neighbours to it, and 

 lead them to watch its progress, and also of passers-by, as 

 it was sown at a bend of a turnpike road, close by a gate, 

 and no one could pass without seeing it, growing as it did 

 among Swede turnips. 



I had been led to trj' to grow millet some 40 years since 

 by the astounding accounts of its produce of seed, and at 

 intervals afterwards ; but, as I have since ascertained, I 

 probably sowed the seed two months too soon, and suc- 

 ceeded badly, and gave it up. Mere accident led me to 

 purchase some millet seed at tne right time last year to sow 

 in my garden, to show an inquiring young friend what kind 

 of plajjt it was. My garden being a heavy soil, and passing 

 a neighbour's field (a light soil) being sown with swedes, I 

 scattered a few millet seeds. In both cases it grew up- 

 wards of 4 feet high. Every kind of stock eat it readily ; 

 it produces abundance of seed, and cattle and horses eat 

 the straw after producing seed. 



If I quote the answers to the questions put to me it will 

 be sufficient to enable those who have seen the treatise, and 

 those who have not, to decide whether to attempt to grow 

 any millet or not. 



There are several species of millet : I have seen but 

 three sorts. The African millet seed is nearly as large as 



lentils, but flattened. This species is eaten by the natives. 

 The Italian millet is now imported into this country to feed 

 cattle. This is a less seed, and dark brown. The French 

 millet is imported to feed cage birds. Millet flour is sold 

 in all large towns at 8d. per lb. ; and millet is in demand 

 to make patent starch, "and cannot get a sufficient supply," 

 as I am credibly informed. 



Several of my neighbours aie about to sow some millet, 

 presuming that it will supply them with fodder when tares 

 are done, and second-crop clover is become worthless — to 

 keep neat stock under cover when flies are troublesome, and 

 the horses in the yard at night, in lieu of hazarding their 

 breaking pasture and falling into ditches. Of course on 

 diflferent farms it would be of different value, according as 

 pasture abounded or not. 



I am, sir, j'our humble servant, 



Witnesliam, Ipswidi, May 29. 



Chas. Poppy. 



P.S. It is the French seed that I have sown; the price 

 was 12s. 6d. per bushel. Haifa bushel per acre is a sow- 

 ing crop, and a peck for seed. 



I should think it might be grown on Exmoor ; it is not 

 tenacious of soil. 



Seeing J. Hudson Esq.'s advertisement, offering early 

 tares, I sent him a treatise on millet, which might be grown 

 after his tares were mown. In answer he stated he had 

 sold all his tares, but sent me a sample ; these I planted, 

 and are now above a yard high and full in bloom. 



