416 THE 
AGRICULTURAL GAZETTE. 
except in a small degree, to most of the hill sheep 
farmers in Scotland, who assert that it destroys some of 
the plants on which they depend in winter and the 
early spring for the subsistence of their sheep, acting 
oa this prineiple—and I state this from personal ob- 
servation (as in every instance to which I have referred 
on matters of practical detail) they merely surface- 
drain, and that in such a way as will not give the water 
too hasty an escape; the drains are made to meander 
down a slope —an evidence of the reluctance with which 
the pastoral farmer parts with the water. 
Paring and burning (strong heath, and such like 
ineumbrances, on the ground excepted) would evidently 
diminish the already deficient amount of vegetable 
matter, and therefore ought not to be practised, espe- 
cially if a covering of clay marl can be applied, or a 
dentallv effata 
drained. From the very wet season, it was found dif- 
ficult to manage correctly the whole set of experiments, 
and the three here recorded were therefore kept sepa- 
rate, and may be regarded as trustworthy. The result 
of this experiment seems to show that Peruvian guano, 
at 10s. per cwt., is as cheap as African at 6s. 6d., when 
applied to the Potato crop. Animal charcoal as a 
manure for this erop is worthless, if applied alone; and 
in these experiments the land had no other manure. 
t was strongly recommended by several practical 
writers on the subject, to avoid applying guano in direct 
contact with the Potato-sets; but as that had been done 
here for two years without loss, this opinion was con- 
sidered erroneous. To prove the matter, a basket of 
Potatoes was cut, and each cutting dipped into a basket 
of guano, the guano adhering to the moist sides of the 
l t sets; these were then put into an empty 
sufficient allowance of lime (thai 
agent on any land naturally deficient. in it), or of any 
ealcareous substance. e have pursued the following 
method on such hungry heath land, within a mile of a 
marl pit. The very strong plants of heath, with some 
Gorse or Furze, being hoed out, 300 cubie yards of in- 
different clay marl were laid and spread on the surface, 
which was not ploughed until the autumn of the follow- 
ing year, when it was broken up and sown with Wheat; 
in the ensuing year a fair allowance of farm-yard 
dung was given to a Potato crop, which was good; 
Oats and Grass seeds completed the course, and the 
land was decidedly reclaimed from a perfectly worthless 
condition to a state in which it was profitable for pas- 
turage. The marl tended considerably to consolidate 
the soil, whieh, in the dry summer seasons, otherwise 
would have been worthless from its absorbent nature. 
The good effects of the dung after the marling was 
very great; and unless this manure had been afforded, 
the benefit denied to the soil from the mineral manure 
would have been (except as to its mechanical- effect on 
it) comparatively insignificant.  Turnips might have 
sueceeded to the Wheat in the last case ioned 
guano-hag, and left in it for a fortnight. They were 
then planted in a drill by themselves. About a tenth 
part of them never vegetated, but the rest grew so well 
that when the tops were full grown the blanks could 
not be discovered without minute inspection. I think, 
therefore, there is very little danger to be apprehended 
from applying this manure in direct contact with the 
seed. 
No. 2. The quantity of land in this experiment was 
one-eighth of an acre in each plot. The soil level carse 
land, furrow drained. No other manure applied. The ex- 
periment explains itself, On this description of soil I 
have grown Turnips of excellent quality on a large 
scale, with no other manure than 6 or 7 ewt. of guano. 
No.3. The soil on whieh this experiment was tried 
was level carse land, furrow-drained ; the extent under 
trial 6 acres, one acre in each division. Each acre was 
stacked separately, and the whole produce of each care- 
fully measured by itself. "This soil had been analysed 
by Professor Johnston, and contained, according to 
analysis, rather less, in its natural state, than 1 per 
cent. of carbonat 
I] 
and if there had been no compost or farm-yard dung 
available to them, guano, bone-dust, or some other fer- 
tiliser of the same nature, might have been used to 
raise green crops with nearly equal benefit to the ground. 
But to think of finding marl-pits within a short distance 
of high gravelly moors, and covering them with it, is an 
absurdity ; nor are we to assume that even lime (so 
much more portable) can be conveyed without an enor- 
mous expense and difficulty to mountain moors. 
We must, to reclaim them, generally speaking, be 
content either to pare and burn (according to the cir- 
cumstances of the soil and the vegetation), and sow 
Rape, as I have recommended, and mixed Grass seeds ; 
or,if there be no manures for Rapeor any other such crop 
(which, considering modern facilities in this particular, 
need hardly be supposed), we would merely turn up a 
new surface, and sow in the case of a peat soil (like that 
of No. 1. in the former part of this Essay) Grass seeds, 
or leave it to acquire a natural sward. The gradual 
decomposition of the inverted sod will of itself afford 
new principles of food to a rising generation of plants ; 
if it be, on the contrary, a light, shallow, vegetable soil, 
or an open subsoil, we would recommend ploughing and 
harrowing sufficient to reduce the surface to mould, 
with a subsoil ploughing to give more space to the roots 
of plants, and to increase the volume of active earth. 
(To be continued.) 
EXPERIMENTS WITH MANURES ON POTA- 
TOES, TURNIPS, AND WHE 
By Jas. Carrp, BALDOON, 
[Taken from the Galloway Herald.) 
No. 1.—Experiment on Potatoes (Cups), to test the 
relative value of the following manures—erop planted 
22d May, raised 1st November, 1845. Manure applied 
in the drill along with the seed :— 
Manure applied when Po- | Quantity |Cost per! EH of 
atoes were planted. per acre. | acre. n pear Lore 
tons. cwt. qrs. 
African guano .... 8 cwt. 48s. bee een 
Peruvian guano .. ..| 8 cwt. 80s. (re ta t 
30 mal charcoal .|_1 ton. 60s. | 2 19 8 
_ No 2. On Turnips (White Globe). Manure applied 
in the drill, and seed sown, 3d June, raised Ist Decem- 
ber, 1845 :— 
African guano, Tm 8 cwt. 36s. 29 14 O0 
Bone manure +++ 20 bush. 50s. 19 16 0 
Dawson's animal charcoal 1 ton. 0. 13 10 0 
s. 
0. 3.—Experiment on Wheat, to prove the value 
of different applications of lime. Soil, alluvial clay ; 
seed, Hunter's Wheat. Sown 23d Sept., 1844 ; cut 
27th August, 1845 : 
Produce 
of Straw 
per acre, | per acre. 
Produce Weight of 
f Grai Grain per 
Quantity of Lime ap-|Cost per| 
i acre, 
bushel. 
plied per acre. 
s. d. | Bushels. |tns.cwt. . 
300 bushels of quick- Barat. d 
lime.. ..[107 6 43 25-2 60} 
44 22 
Nothin; 
240 bushels of quick | 7 : Ph 
lime. .| 86 0 42 0 00 60; 
Nothing ct eniin 40 0 00 60 
180 bushels of quick- 
jme. 64 6 AT 0 00 | 60} 
Nothin 
No. 1. The quantity of land experimented on was one- 
eighth of an acre in each plot; and the three examples 
detailed above are part of a series of nine intended to 
determine the relative value of African and Peruvian 
guano, and of animal charcoal. The land was quite 
level and of very uniform quality, being in the middle 
of a large field of carse (i. e. alluvial) land, furrow- 
of lime, which is less than is found in 
most produetive soils. * Therefore," the Professor adds, 
“the application of a heavy liming is indicated by the 
composition. It is possible, however, that in a soil such 
as yours, into which the roots can enter without meet- 
ing with noxious matter, the addition of lime may not 
sensibly, or for a ble ti terially, increase 
the produce.” An inspection of the table will show the 
correctness of this opinion, There was a considerable 
increase of strawin each case where the lime was applied; 
but the increase in grain was so small in both cases 
where there was an increase (and in one there was a 
decrease), that no immediate benefit appears to have 
followed the application. The difference in quality, in 
so far as that can be ascertained by weight, was in each 
case slightly in favour of the plots which received no 
lime. The lime, after being slaked, was scattered on 
the surface in a state of fine powder, and ploughed in 
witha light seed furrow immediately before the Wheat 
was sown. 
The foregoing experiments were all made on strong 
carse land, and may, therefore, not be of general appli- 
eation.— Baldoon, 5th May, 1846. 
Home Correspondence. 
To Irishmen.—We are in this neighbourhood in 
great want of men to cut the Hay crops. Noticing the 
absence of Irishmen this season, I avail myself of your 
paper, in order that you may apprize them that work 
is to be had, and plenty of it; and not only Irishmen, 
but all others who work at mowing. The season being 
so early, I conclude is the cause, not only of scarcity of 
hands, but of the great demand.— A Subscriber, 
Waltham Abbey, Essex. 
The Weather and the Crops.—I beg to send the 
following remarks as required by ** G. W.” :—As I am 
no corn grower, I am no judge ; I have taken the two 
corn harvest months, and have put down decided wet 
days either in the day or night. 
August 9° .. September El 
” » 3 
Mo 5j 3 
Number of wet 
days or nights. 
1845 .. "n7 I Şi 1 
Our Potatoes are very bad about here; but such 
stacks of corn I never saw before at this time, not taken 
in even by the very smallest farmer. Wheat, 23s. for 
168 lbs. ; Barley, 12s. for 144 lbs.; Oats, 10s. for 105 Ibs. ; 
Potatoes, 8s. for 195 lbs.— T. W. H., Abergele, May 2. 
Rooks.—One of your correspondents under the head 
of “Garden Gossip," speaks of “those mischievous 
vagabonds the rooks, on whose history and evil doings 
he could write pages." I also could write pages on 
their history, but certainly not on their evil doings. 
Your correspondent says he * has no patience with 
those who write from their libraries in large towns 
about the poor persecuted rooks ;" and goes on to say, 
“these people can certainly never have used their own 
eyes in a country where rooks are plentiful.” I beg to 
assure your correspondent that I write from a part of 
the country where rooks areas plentiful, if not more 
numerous than in any part of the United Kingdom. I 
beg to assure him also, that I was born in the country, 
and have lived in the country all the days of my life, 
and that I am engaged in agriculture, If rooks are as 
ischi as your pondent asserts, how is it 
that at harvest time we have anything left in the neigh- 
bourhood? Whilst I write, hundreds of young rooks 
are being constantly fed by the old ones, almost within 
gun-shot of the table at which I sit. What are these 
young ones fed with? I have no ripe corn, no Pota- 
toes. What are they fed with? They are fed with 
countless thousands of grubs picked up from and out of 
the earth by these invaluable birds, from five in the 
[JuNE 20, 
morning until seven at night. Had your correspondent 
lived in the Canton de Vand, in Switzerland, as I have 
done, he would have told a different story. I have 
there seen valuable pasture ground so utterly destroyed 
by the grub which turns to the cockchafer, that there 
was not a blade of Grass left. The cultivators are 
there compelled by law (a very unnecessary law you 
will say), to collect these grubs and destroy them, and 
I have seen heaps as large as a bushel, and many of 
them, in a field thus collected to be destroyed. Vast 
flights of rooks pass over Switzerland in the spring and 
autumn, but do not remain except to feed, and the 
peasants say that they do infinite good. I admit that 
when Beans are coming up they pilfer them. I admit 
that they steal Potatoes, and I admit that in years of 
drought they do mischief to the ripe Barley where it is 
lodged. But this may be prevented by keeping boys 
constaittly in the field at such times, and by firing a gun 
at them occasionally. How is it that in a large piece of 
excellent pasture adjoining the rookery at this place, 
there is nothing like a wireworm to be found? What 
are the rooks eating for hours at a time (for eating they 
are) on this pasture? Last year, during Barley sowing 
a large quantity of rooks were following the plough and 
eating something ; the farmer felt convinced they were 
eating his seed Barley; he shot one, and in the poor 
bird’s crop not one grain of Barley was found, but it was 
full of wire-worms. Facts are stubborn things.—Z. 
Grazing and Mowing.—Many thanks for your notice 
on this subject. I have doubts myself respecting the 
of the inf i It is contained in an 
essay read by Mr. J. D. Greaves, the secretary of the 
Burton-upon-Trent Farmers’ Club; vide “ Farmers’ 
Magazine " for March, 1846, page 207. He argues that 
each successive week during which Grass is left un- 
cropped, it throws up more and more, that the larger 
it becomes the more it increases, until mature (as a 
tree does). He then says, suppose a pasture of fair 
average quality is left without stock in the spring, it 
will produce 30 ewt. of hay by the middle of June. 
This is equal to at least (qy. ?) 15 weeks’ keep of a 
cow ; but if you turn in on Ist May, while the bite is 
spare, an acre will not more than supply a cow for six 
weeks, until the middle of June, when the land will beas 
bare asif mown. The last words meet your objection, but 
the point is, is all this reasoning true in practice? It is 
very material, and well worthy of being proved. The 
essay is worthy attention. I do not know if Mr. 
Greaves is a practical man or not, but it would be very 
satisfactory to know what practical men think upon 
the subject. If an acre of good pasture (it must be good 
to give 30 ewt. of hay by midsummer) yields 30 ewt. of 
hay, worth 4/. 10s., and the latter worth, say, 157. to 207. 
If this aere would only keep a cow six weeks before 
midsummer, say 36s., it would only keep half a cow 
after midsummer until Michaelmas, or in all 72s. The 
expense of hay-making is the only deduction, for the 
manure is equally on the farm in both cases.— 
Inquirer. 
The Present Potato Crop.—“ It is now almost a 
certainty that the whole of the crops which have been 
planted at the usual season, and that too without any 
revious preparation of the seed tuber, will be again 
destroyed.” Such is the lugubrious prognostication of 
Mr. Barnes, Bieton Gardens, Sidmouth. So we find it 
in his article 1st and 2d columns of p. 396, of the 
Agricultural Gazette, June 13. It is needless to 
recite the pre-advanced examples ; my object is not to 
deny or refute, I only say pity it is for the noble, the 
beautiful county of Devon, if a calamity so dire be 
permitted to devastate it. As, however, the assertion 
is positive, and of general application,—‘“ the whole of the 
crops,"—they who are Potato growers, who reside in a 
different county, who planted fully, extensively, in 
despite of augury, should investigate for themselves, 
and bring assertion to the proof. I, for one, certainly, 
lost half my produce of last year, the disease first ap- 
pearing about the first week of August, After digging, 
selecting, and storing in a very dry barn, I reserve 
2, number of diseased tubers, generally of a second early 
variety like a Champion; and these, some divided, 
some entire, according to the size, I planted by the 
trowel with my own hand, so that there should be no 
mistake. The site, a plot of the garden of sound hazel 
loam, deep, but over chalk and gravel. The time, 
middle of November, 1845. Seven rows, 30 inches 
asunder, were planted, the tubers or sets 10 inches 
apart, and 5 or 6 inches deep—all were dipped in, and 
after planting dusted over with air-slaked lime, The 
earth was then returned, made level, and covered alon; 
the line of each row with about half an inch of sifte 
coal-ashes. "These were laid on merely as a mark, if 
being intended to mulch the rows with litter in the 
event of frost, but noneoccurred. The eyes had pushed 
prior to planting, but they appeared above ground s? 
very late, that deeming it probable the whole might 
have decayed, I planted in Mareh intermediately, with 
an early variety. Both arose nearly together, were 
thoroughly hoed, but not earthed up, and now, June 14, 
I find the diseased tubers to have produced by far the 
finest plants, though both are healthy. I cannot 
discern a spot on leaf or stem, but perceive the 
autumn sown variety to have the largest stems, the 
boldest leaves, and a perfect development of blossoms: 
Disease may show itself—and if it do, as truth and sin- 
cerity are my objects, I will announce the appearance 
of my plants. All my Potatoes of this year, cut OT 
entire, were set with lime, or lime and soot : none had 
manure placed in contact with them, and all as yet—in- 
cluding the self-sown—that is, those which sprang from 
