486 
THE AGRICULTURAL GAZETTE. 
el 
[Jury 18, 
Now, nothing is so likely to inducea farmer to treat 
the land well asto assure him of his tenancy for a 
term of years, and we would draw from the case of 
newly broken up land an à fortiori argument for 
the advantage of “the lease.” But there is this 
additional benefit derivable from it for the landlord 
that, give the tenant lease of 14 years at the pre- 
sent value of this wet pasture farm, with permission 
to break it up, and he: will: execute the drainage 
himself, according to'a plan agreed upon between 
him and his landlord ; or give. him a.21 years’ lease, 
and he will also ereet the buildings himself, accord- 
ing to specifications agreed upon between the par- 
ties. There are few landlords, who- possess the 
means of taking all their estates in hand at once, 
and improving them in accordance with the present 
state of agriculture. Well, here is a method by 
which they may puta share of the burden upon 
others, who will be ready to bear it upon those Con- 
ditions of lengthened tenancy to which we have 
alluded. 
FEEDING SHEEP. 
(From a, Cornish Paper.) 
Ir will be in the recollection of our readers that a 
resolution was passed several months since by the 
members of the Probus Farmers’ Club, to undertake a 
series of experiments on the feeding of Sheep, on Barte- 
liver farm, under the management of Mr. R. Doble, in 
order to test the experiments of Professor Playfair and 
r. Morton, conducted on Whitfield farm, on the same 
subject. The results on Whitfield farm showed that 
five sheep fed under a dark warm shed, consumed less 
than one-half the quantity of food consumed by five fed 
in the open field ; with an increase at the same time 
of 4 lbs. more mutton during six weeks, "The argn- 
ment drawn from this was, that warmth was an equiva- 
lent for food, that the protection afforded was equal to 
acertain amount of Turnips, and that, therefore, food 
may be economised by protecting the farmer’s live 
stock from cold and wet, during the winter. The ex- 
periments on Barteliver farm, during 12. weeks, from 
the 5th December, 1845, to the 28th February, 1846, 
Show a different result fróm those on Whitficld farm. 
Three lots of Leicester sheep were selected from one 
flock, of nearly equal. weight, each lot consisting of five 
sheep. 
No. 1 was fed in an open field, exposed to the vicissi- 
tudes of the weather, on an unlimited quantity of Swedes 
and Grass. 
0. 2. Fed in an open house, having a yard attached, 
and therefore less exposed to the influence of atmo- 
spheric changes than No. 1. 
No, 3. Fed in the dark, in a. close warm shed. 
The two last lots had an unlimited supply of Hay and 
Swedes, and the weight of each consumed was accurately 
determiued daily, The weight of each lot of sheep was 
ascertained before the commencement of the experi- 
ments, and the results are as follow: 
Average Average | Average 
E : 
£ | Average g 
live ive A E Hay E 
Lots|weight, weight, | weight,| Weight of | foy on $ 
Obs od ootsfor |a | 8 
a 2 weeks. "T 
ewts, qr. Jue Ibs.| 
122 10 0 0 | 19 
da | di E 29 | 8 5| 1 
2.j| ,H9:|,H 51.43 22901 
In reviewing these two series of experiments, and 
when such different results have been obtained on Whit- 
field and Barteliver farms, the difference in the tempe- 
rature of the two seasons must be taken into considera- 
tion ; for during the period when the experiments were 
eonducted at Whitfield, the thermometer, we understand, 
was frequently below zero,—that it was a period of in- 
tense cold and stormy weather. Whilst the three months 
of December, 1845, and January and February, 1846— 
in Cornwall were comparatively mild weather, as the 
following account kept at the time will show— 
Ln a ago, Absolute Absolute Greatest 
1845. Max. Min. Incrs. Range. highest, lowest. daily 
Range. 
3409 456 94 28 23 
nuary 465 495 — 40 40 10 
Pebruary 49-4 45:4 474 40 26 13 
The difference in temperature when the two experi. 
ments were instituted will in some measure account for 
the difference of the results, and it must be taken into 
consideration; but as far as the experiments at Barte- 
liver are concerned, they evidently show that the fied- 
ing of sheep in confinement or the open air, during 
the winter, in Cornwall, even under the most favourahle 
circumstances, is far from being a profitable business. 
The field in which the sheep, No. 1, were kept, was ex- 
ceedingly good, and it may be observed that a less 
quantity of Turnips was consumed by this lot, owing 
to the excellent bite of Grass, [4 !] 
| seed, &e. A machine (Suffolk drill) of ordinary breadth, 
drawn by three horses, and attended by two men and a 
| boy, will sow from 10 to 15 acres a day—the kind’ of 
seed sown, and the width of interval between the rows 
of corn, of course, makes no difference, The day's 
work will eost Its., and the expense of the: operation 
will thus amount to from: ls. to 1s. 34. per acre. In 
drilling Carrots it is:necessary first to mingle 4 or 5 lbs. 
of the seed with the number of bushels of sand. or of 
ashes which the machine is set to drill per acre. 
Dibbiing-machines are not yet made to get over the 
ground so fast as this. Newberry’s excellent dibble is 
perhaps too heavy to admit of more than four or five 
rows being done at-a time with it, and the cost of the 
operation thus amounts to from 2s. to 2s. 6d. per acre, 
Mangold Wurzel seed is generally dibbled. We have 
done it hitherto by hand ; the drills being first marked 
across at equivalent intervals of the necessary length 
by a ribbed roller. Two women, whose wages are 
ls.8d.,will dibble an acre per day. Turnip seed is 
sown by a two-furrowed drill drawn by one horse and 
aman. These cost, say 5s. ; and will get over 5 acres 
per diem; 
3. Setting Potatoes.—This. is done at day's wages by 
women, who walk backwards in the drills, each with a 
basket full of sets,and place them as they proceed at 
intervals of a foot, They are kept from idling by two 
ploughs, which’ continually circling the party, open 
fresh drills on one side and close them on the other, so 
that the number of setters being proportioned to the 
work, the whole operation proceeds together without 
hindrance in any of its parts. Three women will set 
an aere of Potatoes ina day, so that. the-operation of 
mere setting costs 2s. 6d. per acre. The following 
operations again may be paid for by measure :— 
l. Hoeing in and Dibbling Wheat. . The one costing 
6s. or 7s., and the other about 8s. per acre. The one 
being done by men, and the other by men and two 
children to each, following with the Wheat.  Bentall's 
seed-dropper, I can assert from experience, isa very 
excellent instrument for the chidren to use; it saves 
much seed. 
2.. Dibbling Beans, which costs from 4s. up to 8s. per 
ng to the intervals hetween the rows. 
3. Dibbling Plants of Swedish Turnips and Mangold 
Wurzel. A practice which answers very well to the 
extent to which I have tried it; i. e. merely in filling 
up blanks in the regular machine-sown field ; and it is 
doubtless a fit subject for payment by the piece, though 
my experience does not enable me to name a suitable 
price with any confidence. It would probably cost 
about 5s. an acre, the rows being two feet apart, and 
the plants one foot apart in the rows. 
4, Cutting Potato Sets, and planting Potatoes. The 
first can be done at from 2d. to 3d. a sack, according to 
the size of the Potato, and the number of pieces into 
which they have to be divided; and the second, if 
wholly done by spade in land already prepared for it, 
will cost from 8s. to 10s. per acre, the distance between 
the rows being 30 inches.— M. S. 
ON THE DRILL HUSBANDRY OF TURNIPS. 
(Continued from p. 467. 
Process of Hoeing, Thinning, and ultimate comple- 
tion of Culture.—As the methods of hoeing and clean- 
ing vary considerably for the two modes of sowing 
which I adopt, I shall first deseribe the plans pursued 
where the ridge system is applied. 
In rather moist and warm’ weather the plants appear 
in the space of a week or nine days, but if very dry and 
cold I have known it from two to three weeks ere the 
row can be traced. Common Turnips generally make 
their appearance a day or two earlier than Swedes. 
This is now the critical period with all the Turnip 
tribe for the regularity of the future plant ; in fact, a 
crop or no crop is deeided in the succeeding 10 or 
15 days. It is an anxious, important, and excitin 
time with the great flock masters of this kingdom daily 
to watch their Turnip fields and notice at this period 
how the young plants struggle for existence against the 
attacks of the beetle, &e., and the vicissitudes of. cli- 
mate ; the insects actively sucking the sap from the seed 
leaves, and the scorching sun as rapidly drying up the 
wounded leaflet into a blaek withered speck ; first one 
seed leaf may be seen to fail, next the other shrivels 
up, and when this is the case the destruction of the 
plant is complete, as the stump withers and disappears 
in another day or two, It is surprising with what ra- 
pidity this work of devastation proceeds; one day 
blanks will be noticed in the rows of plants of 2 or 
3 inches in length ; in another day or two these blanks 
will have extended to a foot; in a few days more the 
openings will have increased to 3 or 4 fect; and thus 
in 10 or 12 days the farmer’s prospect for plenty of 
winter food for his flocks is partially or completely 
blasted. But when the brairding season is favoured 
occasionally with a mild wet day, the withering effect 
of the sun and wind on the wounded plant is ‘not so 
a single horse hoe, which is armed p doul 
flanged share in front and two seythe-like cutters 
behind, which effectually cut off all the weeds to the 
width of 17 to 20 inches, and move the land 2 to 3 
inches deep. The hoe is set to go as near the rows of 
plants as possible, but so as notto disturb them or 
the manure below ; generally speaking the two scythe- 
like eutters come within 4 or 5 inches of the centre of 
the row. The following diagrams will exhibit the ap- 
pearance of the ridges after the horse hoe has pro- 
ceeded with its work, and also their appearance after 
the sowing is finished. 
Transverse Section of Ridges. 
The double lines exhibit the 
working position of the dou- 
ble.flanged share and scythe- 
like cutters of the horse hoe. 
aa, position of manure. 
b, position of seed 
€ 6, the progress of plant 
when the seed leaves fairly 
expand.at the surface, 
jy.2. 
b Ath 
bebes s Br PME K MANT 
Na 
Fig. 3 exhibits the line of 
surface after the first hoeing 
has been given previous to 
commencement of thinning 
process, 
aaa, position of manure; bbb, position of young plant; 
cce, shows by dotted lines the part cut off by the first process 
of the hand hoe, 
I would here state that considerable damage is often 
done to the erop with this implement at the end of the 
ridges if there is an intractable horse, or a lazy fellow 
managing it; for if the horse is not driven straight 
forward to the outside of the headland, and the imple- 
ment lifted aside \by the handles as the horse turns in, 
many plants are trodden down or knocked out of the 
rows altogether ; and) it is often to be seen that whole 
fields are not above half planted for two or three yards 
at the ends of the ridges from this very circumstance. 
I have frequently, therefore sent two lads to this 
work, one to lead the horse and the other to guide the 
hoe. I never sow Swedes on the headlands; these are 
trodden so hard that we always plough them up the 
first rain which follows the sowing of the ridges, and 
after being reduced by harrowing and rolling are sown 
the Suffolk drill with common Turnips; and 
although the further treading and abusing o^ these side- 
lands are unavoidable, while the horse-hoe is required, 
we always have more than half a crop on them. 
It often happens that we are anxious to set the horse- 
hoe to work as soon as the rows are readily distin- 
guishable, in order to cut down the numerous weeds 
which crowd and often successfully strive with the 
young Tarnips for the ascendancy. However, I have 
seen an error arising from this in' very dry weather, 
when applied at too early a stage in the growth of the 
plant. If the rough or second leaves have not ex- 
panded to the size of a shilling, the roots are corre- 
spondingly small and weak, and as the operation of the 
orse hoe euts the mould perpendicularly away 2 or 
3 inches deep and within 3 to 5 inches (for it is impos- 
sible to have it constantly equidistant) of each side of 
the row, it lays tlat part which remains very much 
exposed to the inroads of a severe drought; conse- 
uently I have seen the rows of young plants in 
two or three days after this operation shut up their 
leaves, look siekly, assume a blueish-red appearance; 
and exhibit symptoms of dwindling off altogether. Now; 
I do mot think sueh a shock to the young plant 
can take place without the finer portion of the fibrous 
roots becoming withered, and eut back with the drought; 
and therefore when moisture comes, the check thus 
given must necessarily require several days’ exertion 
from the plant to replace the loss and re-commence its 
onward progress, Dreading this evil, therefore, I do 
not begin the process of horse-hoeing (unless compelled 
by the rapid growth of weeds) until the plants are Jarge 
enough to bear being hand-hoed close up to their roots 
immediately after. 
Having found that the old broadcast hoers perform 
drill hoeing very indifferently (being bigoted, and too 
much wedded to their own modes of executing the work, 
to be taught a different way—true types unquestionably 
of their antiquated masters of the broadcast school); 
therefore soon gave up employing these, and put oP 
several steady people, chiefly females with any children 
they had:to assist, and when tolerably acquainted wit 
hoeing Potatoes, I found little difficulty in soon making . 
them manage Turnips very well; in fact, the hoeing 
of drilled Turnips is not men's work. My first process 
Fig, 2 exhibits the appear- 
ance of the ridges after the 
horse hoe has passed through 
the first time, 
g 
< 
severe, for in such a season the seed leaves may be | therefore by manual labour is, to cut off the surface of 
seen pierced in numerous places by the proboscis of the | the ground not touched by the horse-hoe with a sharp 
: ; ] beetle ; but the occasional moisture, keeping the ground | band-hoe, and this is done by holding it in a slanting 
i which comes under this bead is properly performed at cool, enables the tiny plant to survive, and at Jast, position, and making one corner of the cutting part, © 
n day's wages, because the farm horses and men are for| when the second or rough leaves become perceptible, | edge thereof, come to the surface close by the root of 
| the most part engaged ia them ; the following I would] pushing out like the head of a pin between the ragged | the plants; this process is easiest and best performed 
i pay for at day's wages :— and much damaged seed leaves, the cultivator perceives | by the operator going down one side of the row 30,or 4 
li ON MEASURE WORK, 
|. SEED Oprratrons.—A large proportion of the work 
i 1.“ Broadcast Sowing — Wheat, Oats, Barley, &c. to his great relief. that the struggle in a few days more | yards, and then torn back the other side; it is.casily 
A man may sow from 12 to 18 aeres in a day, and his | will end in the discomfiture of lis almost imperceptible | done with great precision and rapidity. This work 
wages, with that of 2 person to supply him with grain, | but very formidable enemy. f being effected, the edge will then exhibit the appearance 
will amount to from 24d. to 31d, per acre. As soon as the rough leaves increase to the size of | as shown in diagram No, 3. few days after, oo 
3 : . 2 Drilling—Com of all kinds, Carrot, seed, Turnip |a shilling ora Tittle larger, I comme: ce operations with | nost a week, the thinning process commences ; 
