346 THE 
AGRICULTURAL GAZETTE. 
[Max 23, 
its farmers at first were certainly great, but they 
fell off as the land deteriorated ; the number of 
labourers employed was indeed large to begin with, 
bat it diminished as profits fell, and those who in 
ihe prospect of employment had obtained a settle- 
mentin the parish are now simply an addition to 
the burden which oppresses it ; and lastly, in conse- 
quence of all this mismanagement, the annual gross 
amount of human food produced on the estate, 
doubled or quadrupled as it was during the first two 
or three years of its arable culture, does not now 
exceed its original amount. 
What has been the cause of this failure? For it 
was by no means a necessary consequence. It 
must be attributed to want of consideration in the 
landlord ; and to want of intelligence in the tenant. 
In the above few sentences we believe we have 
stated most of the advantages which have been 
urged in favour of the practice under consideration, 
as well as the principal objections or misfortunes to 
which it is liable. We have thus simply enume- 
rated the considerations which this snbjectinvolves, 
and hope to have opportunities of illustrating them 
in greater detail in future Numbers of the Agri- 
cultural Gazette. 
METHOD OF APPLYING GUANO FOR 
TURNIPS. 
Now that the season for the application of guano for 
green crops is so near at hand, I am desirous, through 
the medium of your Journal, to call the attention of 
agriculturists to the proper and economical mode of 
employing this valuable manure. have every reason 
to believe that want of success or disappointment, from 
the use of this article, in so many instances in England, 
has arisen altogether from inattention to the proper 
way of applying it; and I haye no doubt that were a 
fair trial in every instance made, according to the me- 
thod adopted in my own practice, and so generally fol- 
lowed here, guano would soon be in as universal repute 
in England as it is now throughout Scotland. 
I feel the more called upon and encouraged to com- 
municate my further experience, and to make the pre- 
sent recommendation to my brethren of the south, as T 
believe I was among the first to point the attention of | 
agriculturists generally to the practical value of em: 
first of manure the growth of Turnips, and have 
since very successfully, and without one instance of 
failure, extended its application to this crop, to the ex- 
tent of considerably upwards of 100 acres in each of the 
last two seasons. 
My method, then, is simply this :—After reducing the 
guano, by means of bruising and sifting, to an equal and 
uniform consistency, to apply it in the drill by the hand 
without any admixture of other substance. The drills 
being formed in the usual way, as in Seotland generally, 
for the reception of other manures, in preparation for 
Turnips (see Stephens’ “ Book of the Farm,” vol. 2, 
pp. 491 and 743), not quite so deep, perhaps, as for 
farm-yard dung, the guano is applied from the hand in 
the centre of the original rib, or drill, which, being re- 
formed by being split, the manure is effectually covered, 
so as to prevent injury tothe seed by contact, which, it 
is presumed, has been the entire cause of failure when 
a different method has been pursued. The seed is then 
sown by the ordinary drill-machine on the top of the 
drill so made up. In no ease ought it to be attempted 
to put in the guano along with the seed, or by means of 
any implement where a full covering of earth does not 
intervene between this manure and the seed ; and, in- 
deed, from the nature and consistency of the material, 
it is very doubtful if it is at all possible, by any machine, 
to distribute it in that equal manner necessary for the 
growth of a uniform crop. 
I may further mention that the guano is here applied 
by women or boys, who upon the land being stepped 
off are supplied from a cart at either end of the drills, 
with no more than is sufficient for each ; and in this 
way, after a few turns, they obtain an exactitude in the 
operation which is abundantly evideneed from the 
precise equality of the crop, and which may be said to 
be characteristically indicative of Turnips manured 
with guano. The usual quantity I have applied per 
aere, is 3 ewt.; and though it does seem of small 
bulk to distribute so far, and indeed, when scattered 
along the drill to appearance almost invisible, still 
there will be found no praetical difficulty in the opera- 
tion, and I have no doubt perfect satisfaction in the 
result, The quantity required for any ordinary length 
of drill is thus easily earried in an apron, and is much 
more manageable than if any admixture had taken 
place. Thus upon a length of 200 yards, the drills 
being 27 inches apart, not more than 11 lbs, will be 
necessary at the above rate, so that one woman can 
easily accomplish 3 acres per day. The expence of the 
operation is thus almost nothing, while it affords great 
facility to increased expedition at so important and 
precarious a season, seeing the success of the Turnip 
crop requires the operation of sowing to be limited to 
a very short period of time. 
It will be noticed that guano, to be properly adapted 
for being used in the manner above recommended, 
must be of a consistency fitted for equal distribution, 
and in all cases farmers should particularly observe, 
besides, that the analysis is favourable, that the mate- 
rial is free from moisture, and so composed, if contain- 
ing lumps, that these may be capable of easy reduction 
by pressure, or with the hammer. When guano is so | 
moist as to resist being again reduced to powder after 
having been compressed, or the lumps already existing 
refuse to yield to trituration, it is quite unfitted for 
efficient distribution with a view to the growth of 
Turnips in the manner I have proposed; and by no 
process of admixture with other bodies can it be ren- 
dered so suitable, but could only be applied with any 
advantage as a top-dressing to green, or other growing 
erops.—John Dudgeon, Spylaw, May 4. 
THE AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY’S PRIZE FOR 
AN ESSAY ON FLAX CULTURE. 
Tus subject I wish should once more find a place in 
your columns, I have brought it several times before 
the Royal Agricultural Society, through the medium of 
transmitted documents, which conveyed a mass of in- 
controvertible evidence as to the benefits derivable by 
farmers and the working classes if an improved system 
of Flax cultivation were i duced and di 
cases on any farm in this neighbourhood ; nor can any 
person to whom I have ioned the ci 
assign any cause for it this year. As it is of conse- 
quence to the farming interest in general, I trust you 
will give this a place in your next paper, and hope some 
of your readers will afford me some satisfactory in- 
formation on the subject.—David Harris, Asgood, 
Llanfihangel-Abercowin, Carmarthenshire. [In the 
absence of any information as to the mode of treatment 
pursued with the cows in question, we are inclined to 
attribute the calamity either to the wetness of the 
season, or the luxuriance of the pasture, both which 
causes have often operated in inducing the disease. It 
must be confessed, that the eause of abortion, which is 
so frequent amongst cows, is often involved in consider- 
able obscurity ; one thing, however, is certain that it 
possesses a sympathetic influence by which it is propa- 
gated from one cow to another, and this, when once 
2rd 
ged in 
this country. Observing, in your Gazette of May 9, that 
the Couneil of the Royal Agricultural Society have deter- 
mined on giving a Prize for the best Essay on Flax 
Culture, I cannot but express my satisfaction at having 
been in any way an humble instrument to induce the 
Society to concede its countenance and support to so 
promising a cause. I rejoice in this commencement 
toward promoting an object alike important} and de- 
sirable to farmers, Flax-spinners and their respective 
labourers ; and I hope and expect it will in due time 
create a feeling between English landowners and the 
eminent houses engaged in Flax-spinning in this 
country, similar to that which happily exists between 
these two great interests in the north of Ireland. 
As an advocate for Flax culture, and fully persuaded 
that both the agrieultural and ial iti 
d in a herd, is kept up during a long course 
of years. Chabert relates a case of a farm in France 
being subject to abortion for 30 years, in spite of every 
precaution or endeavour to avoid the pest. It was 
caused in the first instance by a single cow, which was 
purchased at a fair, and which cow warped, and it was 
only got rid of at last by changing the whole herd: a 
remedy which we would not fail to adopt if we had good 
reason to fear the establishment of abortion in a dairy. 
—W. C. S-] 
Rabbits.—In answer to a correspondent, who inquires 
in a recent Number what will cure the canker in the 
ears of rabbits, I beg to inform him that the strong 
mereurial ointment lightly smeared over the part af- 
fected, will eure it generally in a very few days ; if not 
well in five or six days it may be repeated. I have used 
ith 
nc 
will greatly benefit therefrom, I hail the Society's boon 
(restricted though it be), as a pledge of those exten- 
sively advantageous effects which my position enables 
me confidently to expect will result from adequate 
encouragement being in various ways afforded to this 
important object; still I eannot but regret that the 
Couneil should have deemed this one solitary prize suf- 
ficient of itself to create a desire amongst farmers for 
experimental knowledge of the Flax plant ; and there- 
fore I respeetfully suggest measures whieh I think will 
more effectually conduce towards the production lof. 
quantities sufficient for our wants, and of quality equal 
to our foreign supplies. To this end I consider practi- 
cal farmers should be prompted by premiums to expe- 
rimental trials on a moderately broad scale, and that for 
the best sample of Flax, the growth of 3 or 4 acres 
(notless than 50 stone to the acre produce), a prize 
should be offered of 307. ; for the second best, 207. ; and 
for the third quality, 107. This would encourage them 
to ascertain whether or not they are able to grow Flax 
worth 1007. to 1507. per ton, as readily as the Belgians. 
I would also suggest that a prize of 207. be given for 
the best, and 107. for the second best “ Portable Mill" 
for dressing and preparing Flax for market. This 
would bring practical science to bear on the subject ; 
and, although instructions and am Essay are very de- 
sirable, still I cannot but regret that the farmers should 
be lacking the stimulant of a premium and the honour 
appertaining thereto, to induce them to compete with 
their continental rivals. I therefore consider the in- 
tended solitary prize will produce but one effect ; it will 
be an inducement to many theoretical seribblers (to 
whom the 20/. may be an object) to supply themselves 
with the Reports of the Belfast Flax I 
it fr tly, for the disease is very common, and always 
with success.— R. C. B. 
Deep Drainage for Surface Water.—Vor the infor- 
mation of numerous inquirers who are unacquainted 
with the practical details of my deep drainage in strong 
clays, I state the following particulars :—The trench is 
opened 18 inches with the broad spade ; a second man 
with a narrower spade continues the trench in a narrow 
sloping direetion ; a third man witha dagger-like spade, 
14 inches long, 3 inches wide at the shoulder and 
2 inches wide at the point, removes the last spit. This 
spade is put in edgeways, parallel with the side of the 
drain, first on one side and then on the other, the work- 
man working it backwards and forwards so as to cut a 
deep slice on each side. He then inserts it as one 
would a common spade, and (the two side cuts haying 
been previously made) removes a considerable mass or 
spadeful. I must observe that this last spade or tool is 
dagger-like, being thiekest in the middle, with cutting 
edges on each side, like a two-edged sword. There is 
a great strain on this tool. The scoop then follows to 
remove any crumbs or loose pieces that may have 
fallen into the drain. In tenacious clays or tile earths 
it is mostly necessary that a boy or girl should be 
pouring or dropping water on the men’s spade as they 
work, otherwise they could neither insert their spades 
readily or get rid of the tenacious clay, which sticks like 
putty or bird-lime ; but by wetting the earth or the 
tools (sometimes the men have a tub of water by them 
and dip in their spades), all adhesion is prevented. E 
would strongly recommend drainers to get their tools in 
sets from Mr. Lyndon, of Birmingham, who has a patent 
for his spades, which are so hard, thin, and. well tem- 
pered that they permit a much larger amount of labour 
d, and in fact will act where the common 
Society ; and if, in addition to such information, they are 
able to take a marine steam trip hence, and get 24 
hours’ contemplation of the Cave Hill or Giant's Cause- 
way in the north of Ireland, they are certain to return 
full of pretensions, as able instructors of British farmers 
in Flax culture, although they know no more of Flax, 
its management, qtality, or value, in the rough or 
dressed state, than they do of the Tea plant. 
The cultivation of Flax, and a correct economical 
ledge of its g t, is not to be picked up in 
one, two, or three years’ trifling experiments, although 
some think otherwise, and have presumed on hearsay 
evidence, and facts gleaned from others, to write upon 
the subject ; and I have already proved how ridiculous 
some of your correspondents have made themselves 
appear by attempting to instruct, aided only by an in- 
dustrious collection of information borrowed from others. 
A. three-fold apprenticeship to the Flax trade induces 
me to prefer that premiums be held out to farmers, to 
urge them to the trial of the capacities of their soil and 
climate in relation to Flax eulture, rather than that 
prizes should be offered to bring a host of theorists into 
the book market. 
I therefore hope the Council of the Royal Agrieul- 
tural Society may reconsider the subject, and bear in 
mind that the farmer should, in these days of severe com- 
petition, be urged and encouraged to enter the lists, not 
only manfully to maintain his ground in self-defence, but 
even to make inroads upon his adversaries,—J. Hill 
Dickson, 29, Broad-street Buildings, May, 1846. 
Home Correspondence. 
Abortion in Dairy Stock.—[The following question 
was asked in the Carmarthen Journal, and has been 
forwarded to us:]— Will you allow me, through the 
medium of your Journal, to inquire if any of its nume- 
rous readers can name any probable cause why so 
many as 12 of my cows should have slipped their calves 
this season. I have lived at Asgood (which is the 
property of George Bowen, Esq., of Llwyngwair,) 21 
years,and have never known of half the number of 
to bep 
spade cannot be used. I know nothing personally of 
Mr. Lyndon, nor have I any motive in mentioning his 
name, except to benefit the cause of agrieulture by 
facilitating its operations ; 18 inches does not seem a. 
wide enough trench for a man to work in, but it really 
is so, and I strongly caution drainers against the too 
prevalent error of opening broad trenches, which adds 
enormously to the expense. As to pipes, I presume no 
one will be so miscaleulating as to use tiles or soles 
when pipes at half the price will answer better. I 
say better, because the more rapid and confined the 
stream the less chance is there of deposit. As to pipes, 
there requires a thorough reform amongst the great 
body of draining-pipe makers, who are quite at sea as 
to the best mode of making and proper price to charge. 
At Caversham, near Reading, 1-inch pipes 12 in. long are 
to be bought at 10s. per 1000 (for cash payment in quan- 
tities), and in the Isle of Wight at about the same 
price ; these are made by Clayton’s machine. Reason 
and calculation tell us that there is an outrageous dis- 
erepancy between the price of pipes and that of build- 
ing bricks. One thousand of bricks weigh 4,500 lbs., 
and cost generally in country districts about 32s. to 34s. 
