Calendar of Farming Operations. 337 



next, and then horses, at distinct times, and eat it clean doMni. 

 Keep an extra field in hay, so that in case the pastures fail you may 

 have it to turn your stock into. Pull up thistles in wet weather, or 

 spud them. Spread daily the droppings of the animals. Mow early 

 meadows. 



July. — Peas will soon be ready to harvest : mow and cut with 

 hook and crook into bundles : leave to dr}-, daily turning them till 

 fit to carry. Winter-sown beans will be ripe by the end of July. 

 Horse-hoe caiTots and parsnips for the last time. Single any plants 

 left double, by means of children, and pull up young plants which 

 have appeared, for carrot seed so'wti in April will keep germinating 

 through May and June. Horse-hoe mangold wurzel at intervals this 

 month. Hand and horse-hoe turnips. Hoe rape as soon as it is 

 high enough not to be covered by the operation, then set it out as 

 turnips, only, instead of singling, leave two or three plants together : 

 continue sowing it through the month. Pull flax before the bolls 

 have ripened. Sow autumn turnips on the flax and rye stubbles 

 (Chivas' of Chester, excellent kind). On grass-lands, thin stock on 

 dry subsoils ; cool soils will carry as many as last month. Fat 

 beasts and sheep should be ready for the market. Do not stock 

 aftermath till fairly grown. Manure hay-fields from which a crop 

 has been canied ; the practice of manuring land after every crop 

 is an excellent one, which may be exjDected ultimately to cany the 

 day. Keep ewes well this month, so as to blossom early next 

 month. Eemove boar from sows till beginning of November. Wean 

 lambs. Get ready barns, waggons, tarpaulins. Eepair and make 

 hurdles. Buy wethers for winter fattening. Look to shape, size, 

 quality of wool, and flesh. 



August. — Horse-hoe tuniips. On light rich soils scarify the 

 earlier stubbles, especially of peas ; harrow and sow broad-cast 

 stone or Chivas" turnip : roll and leave to grow : if not bulbs there 

 will be a green bite useful for lambs. Pull seeding mangold wurtzel 

 and carrots, and give them to the pigs. Pastures decline. Pegin 

 to use aftermaths, putting on them the drafted ewes and fattening 

 beasts. In case of the pasture failing fi'om dry weather there shoidd 

 be ready a few acres of tares, coleseed, second clover crop, Italian 

 ryegrasses. Calves get lean and stunted now if keep be short, and 

 no subsequent care Avill repair the defect. Sow Italian ryegrass 

 with trifolium incarnatum for spring keep. In south of England 

 com is ripe. Do not let it get too ripe or you will not be able to 

 cut it fast enough, and must lose much seed, and if wet comes on 

 it will sprout. The crop should be clean enough to cut and cart 

 away at once. Com, with green weed in it, will require to be out 

 six or eight days. Millers prefer com that has not been allowed 

 to get too ripe : the skin is thinner, and the produce of fine flour 

 greater. Thin sown wheat has a stouter straw and is more easily 

 harvested. Prefer to stack your grain : you may cart it from the 

 field sooner ; it will be safer from vermin. Put ram to ewes early 

 this month, for earl}' fat lambs. Stock fanners sell off their lambs 



