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THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 



these have been ahvays nearly at an elevation of 

 400 yards above the level of the sea; which oun[ht 

 to indicate that the olive might grow two 

 degrees more to the north of Ancona. Now, if 

 we take two degrees towards the north from that 

 point on the same meridian, we come to about 

 Lake de Harde and the neighbourhood of Como, 

 which are just the northernmost points at which 

 the olive is cultivated. The fig-tree, which goes 

 farther to the north than the olive, and not so far 

 as the vine, preserves a corresponding gradation in 

 regard to the elevations at which it will grow ; but 

 we can hardly determine any precise limit for a 

 tree over which aspect has more power than the 

 degree of positive heat. The same may be ob- 

 served in regard to the walnut-tree, which reaches 

 a little higher, both in latitude and elevation above 

 the sea, than the vine. 



We can hardly avoid, then, the conclusion that 

 there is something considerable yet to be accom- 

 plished, with regard to tlie examination of the 

 effects of temperature upon our field crops. The 

 power of plants to withstand wide ranges of tem- 

 perature is certainly more considerable than we 



are apt to believe ; and this power, there is reason 

 to conclude, may be materially aided by artificial 

 means. For instance, the Brassica tribe, in common 

 with other plants, growing on salted ground, be- 

 come frozen much less readily than on the adjoin- 

 ing soil to which salt has not been applied; and it 

 has been remarked in Scotland that salt has the 

 effect of hastening the ripening of wheat. It was 

 in his essay on the Climate of the British Isles in 

 its effect on cultivation, that Mr. B. Simpson had 

 occasion to remark {Jorir. Royal Ag. Soc, vol. ii. 

 p. 652), that where it is necessary to grow wheat 

 toward the limit of its growth, either in elevation 

 or latitude, salt should always be used as part of the 

 manure. " This," he adds, " my father has proved, 

 during a long course of years, to cause it to ripen 

 on an average fully a week before wheat, in the 

 manure for which salt had formed no part." These 

 facts are surely worthy of a more extended exami- 

 nation ; and other cheap saline dressings might, 

 perhaps, either with or without the admixture of 

 common salt, have still more value in aiding our 

 crops to withstand the effects of our ever-varying 

 temperature. 



SPRING RESORTS OF PRUDENT FARMERS. 



It is at this precise season of the year that considerable 

 anxiety and no little real difficulty arises as to the dis- 

 position of (he winter stock, till " Doctor Green" is 

 ready to take charge of them. The turnips for the most 

 part are done ; tiie mangolds are wasting a pace, and as 

 everything is now supplied with them, they cannot last 

 very long ; besides, some must be kept for the large 

 stock of pigs now abounding on every fjrm : these must be 

 moved from the land ; it must be cleared. The barley 

 and oats, &c., must be sown, and the earlier these are 

 got in the better ; so that every prudent farmer is watch- 

 ful to liave a good resort of some kind at this period, so 

 that his sheep ftock fhall not suffer any privation or in- 

 convenience, but be kept on ever thriving and prosper- 

 ing. 



What, then, are his chief resorts ? The farmer on the 

 customary rotations, known as the four or five course 

 shift, will have his grass seeds laid in, or reserved for 

 this emergency. These, with a moderate portion of 

 liaseed-cake, will suffice for threo or four weeks, and if 

 eked out by an occasional supply of swedes or mangolds 

 thrown upon them, they will not only last the longer, 

 but the transition to the stock from one kind of food to 

 the other — from turnips to grass — will not be sensibly 

 felt. This, generally speaking, is the great resort for 

 this order of husbandry, and makes such farms nearly 

 equal in pleasant occupation and ready efficiency to 

 farms having a large breadth of natural grass pasturage. 

 On these latter farms these grass pastures are usually 

 laid in for the like purposes, and with the like beneficial 



results. We know of no better or more profitable 

 appropriation of eitlier grass seeds or grass land than 

 this, at this season ; in fact, it is the best possible course 

 for the flock itself, which is thereby led on almost im- 

 perceptibly into the green pastures and the nutritive 

 summer food without noticeable effect. Who amongst 

 us has not had to deplore occasionally, when all our 

 prudent contrivances and well-meant reserves have been 

 totally frustrated by untoward seasons — I say who 

 amongst us has not had to deplore the loss of sheep 

 stock from causes over which we could exercise but little 

 or no control ? Perhaps we have been compelled to 

 stint them in their allowance of very indifferent food ; 

 the consequence, a falling off in condition and impaired 

 health. Anon, a flush of grass or flourishing grass-seeds 

 succeeds ; the animals arc weak, scouring supervenes, 

 and much loss too often is the result. To prevent this, 

 a free supply of linseed-cake and corn, withsuchattractive 

 dry food as they could be induced to feed upon, should be 

 given ; and, after all, should this prove ineffectual, it is 

 to no purpose to persist : some change must be sought 

 for, however difficult of attainment. The weakest might 

 be selected and placed on dry food for a day or two, or 

 sent to weed the bean crop or the fallow lands — any 

 course rather than continue them on over-luxuriant 

 pasiurage. 



But there are various minor resorts which prudent 

 farmers provide for the particular time. A plot of rye 

 will be found on one farm, a few acres of winter tares 

 will be found on another, a plot of lucerne on another, 



