482 



THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 



mer. If adopted by large farmers, the plough, horse- 

 hoc, subsoiler, and scarifier must be brought into requi- 

 sition. INIy next suggestion as to the best mode of 

 cropping, &c., is this: I would divide the remaining 

 three-fourths of the arable land into four equal parts, so 

 that the rotation would be— 1st, Fallows and root-crop 

 (mangolds, swedes, &i.c.) 2nd, Barley or oats, beans or 

 peas. 3rd, Seeds (clover, Italian ryegrass or tares, &c.) 

 4th, Potatoes. It may seem superfluous to allude to 

 the fallowing process ; but we all know that if a good 

 and deep loose tilth is not provided, a poor crop of man- 

 golds, or a still worse crop of swedes, is obtained ; and 

 not much better fare with the commoner root crops. I 

 shall therefore only say that deep and continuous culti- 

 vation must be pursued on the fallowing plot, taking 

 care to avoid working it in a wet or unsuitable state. A 

 slight application of dung and a moderate supply of 

 superphosphate or guano will then suffice to ensure ex- 

 cellent crops of roots. These roots are to be led off for 

 the consumption of the stock, or they may be fed on (he 

 land. The former plan is best, because on the consump- 

 tion of this crop with the straw mainly depends the value 

 of the manure to be made; and (he land can be under- 

 going preparation for the ensuing corn crop, which may 

 vary according to circumstances, or as seems best in a 

 rotation of years ; but as seeds succeed best after a white 

 corn crop, it is to be preferred ; but if a pulse crop is 

 desirable, then I suggest the succeeding crop should be 

 tares (winter tares) or rye. My fourth crop is potatoes 

 after seeds, or tares or rye. I do not strongly recom- 

 mend the latter crop— it is too nearly allied to a corn 

 crop, and thus detrimental to the most advantageous 

 working of the course. The potato crop I consider the 

 mainstay of small Irish farms, and the root crop I place 

 next in estimation, because if these can be secured the 

 others arc nearly certain. It may be questionable whe- 

 ther it is most advantageous to take two root crops in 

 succession. Why not take an intervening wheat crop ? 

 I answer because I want to provide as much food for the 

 farm stock as possible, and I have provided the farm 

 with an ample wheat crop independently, and as an ad- 

 junct to these very crops, i. e., in supplying its straw 

 for food and manure without requiring a return. The 

 potato crop, then, must be assiduously provided for. 

 As soon as the seed or tare land can be spared, it should 

 be deeply ploughed or dug— if in trenches all the better 

 —and so laid up for the winter. In the early spring, 

 the weather and soil being suitable, it should be broken 

 down, and be thoroughly pulverized till it is brought 

 into the finest possible tilth ; then have it trenched or 

 ridged into 28- inch ridges. Api^y the fold-yard manure, 

 and also a sprinkling of I'eruviau guano, or other good 

 artificial manure, at the rate of 3 cwt. to the acre. 

 Plant good sets from a good stock of potatoes, and cover 

 all in together. It will only require hoeing, weeding, 

 and a slight hilling-up, to make it a productive crop of 

 great value. 



I now come to the particulars of management of this 

 smallholding or farm, and for the better arrangement 

 of my business, I shall assume the little farm to consist 

 of twelve statute acres of arable land, of a useful 



loamy character. L have already subdivided my little 

 holding into five plots, i. e., the fourth of the whole to 

 be annually under wheat. The remaining three-fourths 

 I again divide into four equal parts, and to be respect- 

 ively under roots, corn, seeds, and potatoes ; so that 

 my twelve acres will thus consist of three acres of 

 wheat ; two and a-quarter acres of mangolds, swedes, 

 or other roots, or green-food crops ; two and a-quarter 

 acres of spring corn ; two and a-quarter acres of grass 

 seeds ; and two and a-quarter acres of potatoes. This, I 

 think, is laying out the farm to the best advantage to 

 test its powers of production. 



I will now for a moment consider what varieties of 

 grain, seeds, and roots I would cultivate. Of wheat I 

 would invariably sow a variety possessing prolific quali- 

 ties both in straw and grain. Of barley I would sow 

 the most productive, irrespective of its malting qualities. 

 Of oats, the better-strawed sorts. Of beans, a large- 

 grained variety. Of peas, a sort producing a good crop 

 of both haulm and peas. Of seeds I would adopt the 

 large broad-leaved red clover, or the Italian rye grass, 

 for sowing upon the white-strawed crop, and rye or 

 winter tares for sowing after beans or peas. Of roots I 

 would select long red bugle mangolds or long yellows, 

 for deep loamy lands, and red or yellow globe mangolds 

 for shallower loams. Of turnips I would select a strong- 

 growing variety of purple-top swedes or Scotch yellows 

 for early sowing, and the common white-fleshed varieties 

 for late sowing, according to circumstances. 



According to this arrangement I shall thus have 2^ 

 acres of seeds, 2^ acres of roots, 2^ acres of barley or 

 oat-straw, and 3 acres of wheat-straw, to consume or 

 make into manure. What then is the best kind of 

 stock for use, grazing, sale, and profit. I shall estimate 

 my root crop at 50 tons the 2^ acres of food ; my seed 

 crop, taking the three mowings at 2.5 tons the 2^ acres ; 

 and my straw at 10 tons the bi acres ; besides, I have 

 many potatoes which may be unsaleable. What am I 

 then to procure as grazing stock for use and profit, and 

 how many ? First, I must have one horse for general 

 service ; second, three useful cows for milking and 

 breeding ; third, two or three yearlings, and three or 

 four two-year-old heifers or steers ; fourth, ten or a 

 dozen pigs, and two or three breeding sows, besides 

 poultry. Sheep I could not fully recommend, as they 

 do not always thrive well under the course of manage- 

 ment I am now about to develop ; but I by no means 

 deprecate the adoption of sheep in preference to the 

 young cattle, provided they can be conveniently lodged. 



We now come to consider the best system of grazing 

 and stock management for these small farms. The 

 course that I would suggest is to adopt the soiling 

 system throughout, i. e., to carry all the food to the 

 animals in their yards or hovels for consumption : for 

 this purpose the horse would prove valuable as well as 

 in cultivation. The horse and cows should be tied up 

 in their stalls, and fed in their cribs ; the yearlings and 

 young cattle in conveniently sheltered yards ; and the 

 pigs in sties, with airy yards. These should all be fed 

 with great regularity and care — in the summer with 

 the mown seeds or clover, and in the winter with roots 



