204 



THE AGRICULTURAL GAZETTE. 



[Mar. 30 



gentle slope to one point, at which point a hole should be 

 made, if the subsoil be an impervious clay ; or, what is 

 better, a tar-barrel, or something of that sort, should be 

 inserted in the ground, with its top on a level with the 

 surface, and covered with a lid of some sort. Into this 

 hole, or tub, all the drainings will run ; and into it should 

 daily be poured, when there is any, all the wsste wash, 

 soap-suds, &c, that the cottager's wife can command. 

 Whenever the hole, or tub, is full, it must be emptied 

 with an old bucket, or watering-pot, not used for other 

 purposes, and carried into the garden, either to the differ- 

 ent crops, or when they do not require it, to some vacant 

 place before cropping/for which it will be an excellent 

 preparation. It may be applied with great advantage to 

 the roots of Gooseberry, Currant, Raspberry, or other 

 fruit-trees, not merely to the stems, but at some distance 

 from them. I dare say it is often out of the power of 

 many respectable labourers to procure a tar-barrel. If his 

 own resources be inadequate, let him state his case and 

 his intentions to his landlord, or neighbours, and they, one 

 would hope, would readily aid him in such a laudable object. 

 To the owner of a cow, or a horse, &c, and who is gene- 

 rally the occupier of more or less Grass land, this subject 

 is also important. In this case there will probably be a 

 atable or cow-house, and, if of a good size, the tar- 

 barrel will, in my opinion, make a cistern large enough 

 for a cottager who keeps two cows, or a cow, horse, and 

 pig. If he also have a fold-yard, the draining from that, 

 as well as from the pigsty and eaves of his house, should 

 all run into it. The waste of the house, too, must help to 

 fill it. The cottager must also see that all the dung his 

 cattle drop in the field or near his house is carefully col- 

 lected, and put into the tub, and stirred well up before 

 using it. 1 bel-eve that to be the best way of using out- 

 door manure. Or he may collect it often, and throw it 

 upon his manure-heap at his house; or do with it as 

 recommended in a previous article. In disposing of the 

 liquid the cottager must attend to his Grass-land ; and if 

 it be close to his house — as it always ought to be — he 

 will easily apply it by means of a bucket or watering-pot, 

 which should be emptied all at once with a jerk, to spread 

 it, taking care to select the barest places on which to 

 apply it. Nor must he forget the claims of his garden. 

 I have been in the habit of applying this liquid manure at 

 all seasons of the year. I have manured, the last dry 

 summer, a great deal of close grazed land in this manner 

 with the best effects, and I never observed any burning or 

 scalding from it when applied in any state, or at any 

 time. In a very short time after applying it the herbage 

 springs up luxuriantly, and is greedily eaten by cows, 

 horses, and pigs. This plan of managing liquid manure is 

 much better for the cottager and small occupier of land 

 than catching the drainings, and returning them again 

 upon the dung or compost heaps, as recommended by 

 some popular writers. The benefit is immediate, sure, 

 and without waste. — W. Billington, Oswestry. 



Foot-rot in Sheep. — Caution. — While your readers' 

 attention has been turned to the disease of foot-rot in 

 sheep, when either house-fed or kept in a damp situation 

 for any length of time, I would beg to offer a caution to 

 shepherds, and others looking after the animals, when so 

 affected. If any of the matter of foot-rot come in contact 

 with a sore or abraded surface on the hand or other part 

 of the body of a person tending the animal, it is apt to 

 produce a violent inflammation and rapid mortification of 

 the part, — a disease termed by medical men gangrenous 

 inflammation. A shepherd in this neighbourhood nearly 

 lost his life from this cause lately, and the disease was 

 only arrested by burning out the whole affected part. 

 The mode of treating sheep when labouring under foot- 

 rot here, is to clean the parts diseased, and apply the 

 strongest nitrous acid carefully with a straw, or glass rod. 

 This very soon conquers the disease. Those animals 

 affected with the complaint should be immediately sepa- 

 rated from the rest of the flock, as treading in the same 

 footsteps will spread the disease from the tainted to the 

 free. — J. Z,., Newburgh. 



Fieldbeet v. Mangel Wurzel, alias Mangold Wurt- 

 zel. — In the last Number of the Agricultural Gazette, 

 your correspondent " S." comments upon "the barba- 

 rous mode often adopted of spel-iug this name Mangold 

 "Wurtzel," and pretends to show that it should be called 

 Mangel Wurzel. This is decidedly exchanging bad for 

 worse, as will be seen from the following explanation : — 

 The word Mangold signifies Beet, and is applied in Ger- 

 many to Leaf-beet (Beta cicla, L.), which is grown in gar- 

 dens for the sake of its leaf-stalks, which are e»ten like 

 Seakale. Wunzel, or more correctly, Wurzel, signifies 

 root ; Mangold Wurzel, therefore, is literally Beetroot, 

 a name given to a variety of Beta vulgaris, L., of which 

 the Field-beet and Sugar-beet are also varieties. As for 

 Mangel Wurzel, which literally means root of scarcity 

 or deficiency, it is ridiculous to suppose that this root 

 should be abundant when other crops have failed. If 

 your correspondent •« S." is not content with the proper 

 jiame of Fieldbeet (however generally adopted that of 

 JWangel Wurzel may be), and if he should have a predi- 

 lection for foreign names, then let him import those of 

 N Runkelrube," M Knolhube," or "Dickiube," by which 

 the Fieldbeet really goes in Germany ; as for that of 

 Mangel Wurzel, be may in vain ask for it in the seed- 

 ahops on the Continent. How the wcrd Mangel Wuizel 

 came to be received in English I am not prepared to say, 

 •unlets we allow the usual dose of distortion in adopting 

 foreign names. With regard lo consulting dictionaries 

 for the proper translation of technical or scientific terms, 

 the following example will show how far such authorities 

 can be depended upon : — The word Melocoton is applied 

 in Spanish to a yellow-fleshed cl ngstone Peach ; in some 

 fruit-catalogues 1 rind it changed to MClecoton and Malia- 



coton ; in an English and German dictionary, I find the 

 original pure Melocoton, but for an explanation I must 

 turn over to Melicotony, where I see it translated M a 

 Quince," "a, Peach." Not satisfied with this informa- 

 tion, I refer to a Spanish and English dictionary, where, 

 in the mean time, it had grown into " a Peach-tree in- 

 grafted in a Quince-tree !"— A German. [Melocoton is 

 evidently the Malum cotoneum of Pliny, which was our 

 Quince, whence the Melacotogna of the Italians ; it has 

 been applied to the woolly clingstone Peaches on account 

 of their resemblance to Quinces.] 



Jlemarhable Heifer.— Mr. Matthew Bailey, of King s 

 Cliffe, Northamptonshire, killed, on the 7th of March, a 

 Short-horn heifer, in which the left kidney with the fat 

 attached to it weighed six stone and a half, 14 lbs. to the 

 stone. The suet was extremely compact and white, and 

 of the very best quality, and there was not the slightest 

 adhesion to any of the adjacent parts, or the least appear- 

 ance of disease. The heifer had been in the field without 

 any hay during the winter, till the middle of January, 

 when it was taken up and fed with oilcake and hay by 

 Mr. Boughton, of Fotheringhay. The weight of fat on the 

 kidney is very extraordinary, especially in a beast which had 

 been fed so short a time, and weighed only 58 stone. The 

 other kidney had the usual quantity of fat upon it, and the 

 beast altogether was in excellent condition.— M. J. 



Berkley. # 



Manure. — The necessity of bringing land, which now 



lies fallow, into cultivation, becomes daily more pressing 

 as the population increases, and the demand for food is 

 greater. The reason for allowing arable land to remain 

 unproductive, is the want of manu'e. Cropping the soil 

 where it is well fed is an advantage, as it tends to keep it 

 clean and healthy; whereas the best fallows are often, 

 during part of the year, covered with weed?, which require 

 sustenance, and are stealing that which would enrich grain, 

 and by so doing impoverish the land. To obtain a cheap 

 and lasting manure should be the grand object of the 

 landlords and farmers. The greatest part of household 

 refuse in towns and villages is now thrown away (forming 

 the very essence of food for vegetation), all drains are 

 being led into some neighbouring stream, by which thou- 

 sands of pounds' worth of valuable dressing is carried into 

 the sea, and lost to the present inhabitants of the country. 

 The fertilising power of night-3oil is extraordinary, being 

 too strong for any plant excepting Tobacco, for which it 

 is much used in France. The question arises, How can 

 the offscourings of towns, &c. be judiciously collected 

 for beneficial use? It is not perhaps possible to save the 

 whole drainage of a populous district, in consequence of 

 the manure being in a liquid state; yet by constructing a 

 succession of reservoirs, of a certain depth, the fluid 

 passing through these would deposit a valuable portion of 

 matter in each ; and they might be so connected that any 

 one might be cut off from the rest, to admit of the solid 

 substance settled on the bottom being cleared out for agri- 

 cultural purposes. These receptacles would answer also 

 for liquid manure, which might be pumped out for water- 

 ing the land. On examining into the results of experi- 

 ments tried with various composts, it appears that, in 

 almost every instance, good farm-yard dung carries the 

 palm in giving heavy crops, and afterwards in essentially 

 benefiting the soil more than what may be termed the new 

 manures. Such being the case, it is most important not 

 to discard that which is even more powerful than the 

 common muck-heap. — Falcon. 



Turnip Seed As the following method of treating 



Turnip seed has proved very successful in preventing the 

 ravages of the flea, I have taken the liberty of sending it 

 to you. A day or two before sowing, put the seed into a 

 sieve and tub of clean water, and rub it quite clean through 

 the sieve, changing the water once or twice ; dry it in the 

 sun under a wall or glass, or before a fire. A little flour 

 of brimstone may be mixed with the seed while still damp. 

 If the egg of the Turnip flea is committed to the soil with 

 the seed, this is an effectual preventive. — A. B. 



Mr. Booth, in the article "Experiments with Ma- 

 nures," states that " the soil is a free light loam, averag- 

 ing about a foot in depth on a yellow clayey subsoil, in- 

 terspersed with spar." Perhaps it would have been more 

 satisfactory to the readers of the Chronicle if he had told 

 them what sort of spar it was — whether it was calcareous 

 spar — carbonate of lime, gypsum — sulphate of lime, or 

 heavy spar — sulphate ofbarytes, &c. If it was either of the 

 latter-— barytes perhaps — it might have some effect upon 

 the other sulphates which he used. — Peter Mackenzie. 



British Guano. — I have just received a bag of sea- 

 birds' dung from the Flamborough Clffs, on the York- 

 shire coast ; it is like the dark guano. There are recesses 

 in the rocks, where it is a ^reat many feet deep, where 

 this was got ; there were a great many tons got up last 

 autumn by the farmers, who were going to try experi- 

 ments with it, but the time has not come to know the 

 results. If you would like to see a little of it, I will send 

 it you. As there are so many different opinions about 

 guano, you would have a chance of comparing the two 

 together, as we know this to be the real dung of sea- 

 birds. — A Yorkshire Subscriber. [We should be glad 



not only of a specimen, but of the results of its applica- 

 tion when they are known.] 



Rooks. — Your correspondent " S." suggests that sports- 

 men should shoot these birds for the purpose of examin- 

 ing their crops, to ascertain the good or evil which they do. 

 I have frequently requested farmers to examine the crops 

 of every Rook which they cause to be killed ; some of 

 them having done so, have declared that they would never 

 destroy another. These trials, however, may not be fully 

 decisive, because they will generally be made when the 

 grain is most exposed, whereas the birds must feed all the 

 year. Besides, we have a simple remedy against any evil 



which they may do, by watching at seed time or aan> 

 harvest, when corn is laid. I believe it will be found th i 

 they will never touch corn when they can procure grub 



&c. ; that is, in moist weather. Similar observation' 



arm as many 



a v ^ -™ "umu ^5 HJ1 \m 



uppose. They will sometimes be found full of Charlock 

 eed, &c. when the faimer shoots them for destrovin 

 is Barley ; and the grain which they may eat occatinn.n? 



will show that pigeons do not so much h 



su 



seed 



his Barley ; and the grain which they may eat occasional]. 



is only what is left on the surface (and would come to 



very little), as they cannot move the ground.— B. Jr. 



Moles. — I recollect seeing many years ago, that the 

 tenants of the Duke of Buccleuch had resolved to destroy 

 no more of these hard-working animals. Can you tell 

 whether they persevered in their experiment— and with 

 what success ? In high farming, without summer fallows 

 we should take every precaution against destroying our best 

 allies. At least, let us try to distinguish friends from 

 foes. — B. IV. [Can any one answer " B. *W.Y' question >] 



Nettles as a Fodder for Cattle. — Some of your readers 

 will perhnps think we are jesting when we assure them 

 that such a common weed as the Nettle may be used with 

 advantage as a green and dry fodder for their cattle. It 

 is much used on the Continent, particularly in Holland, 

 where whole fields are cultivated for this purpose ; it is 

 cut five or six times a year. In Holland the horse-dealers 

 give the seeds to their horses to make them brisk, and to 

 give them a fine skin ; the roots are also extensively used 

 for dyeing yellow. Nettles either eaten green or dried are 

 considered by the farmers of the Continent to promote the 

 fat of horned cattle, as also sheep and pigs, and the seeds 

 when mixed with Oats are considered excellent for hard- 

 working horses ; it is a good food for poultry, and the 

 fibres are manufactured into cordage. In our own country 

 the tender shoots are often used as a pot-herb, and they 

 are said to relieve consumption ; it is also much used on 

 the Continent as a salad, for which purpose it is some- 

 times forced in gardens, when other salads are scarce. If 

 any of your correspondents have made use of this plant as 

 above, we shall feel obliged for the results through yonr 

 pages.— J. Mel., Hillsborough. 



Steeping Seeds. — I have been not a little amused on 

 perusing the article on Steeping of Seeds, by the Rev. 

 Mr. Huxtable, in page 170 of the Agricultural Gazette. 

 It is to be expected, however, that failures will happen on 

 a first trial of the process, as there are many contingencies 

 that will affect the success or failure of it. In many 

 instances, at first, I destroyed the vitality of seeds in 

 endeavouring to ascertain the precise limits of quantity, 

 strength of solution, &c, that are necessary to obtain the 

 maximum of fertilising effect. I expect, however, if in 

 health during the course of this spring and summer, to do 

 so ; but, as yet, I must confess that I have not satisfied 

 myself on these points, although my experiments have in 

 this respect been eminently successful Being the first, 

 in this country at least, who has turned his attention to 

 this subject, I have entered a caveat for England, Scot. 

 land, and Ireland, in order to secure to myself the right 

 of manufacture, for sale, of all fertilising solutions from 

 salts of ammonia, soda, potass, alumina, silica, magnesia, 

 liquefied guano, &c. ; but, at the same time, I shcu.d be 

 very glad to hear of other experimenters among Agricul- 

 turists who are trying by similar means to increase the 

 productive powers of their own properties or farms. I 

 may soon, perhaps, write you more fully on this important 

 subject; but, at present, I have with difficulty found time 

 even to write you these few lines.- James CatnpMh 



Dundee. 



Waste of Manure.— -In these times of low prices, un- 

 usual exertions must be made, and an improved system 

 of cultivation adopted. The soil undoubtedly, were v. 

 cultivated aright, would send into the market a third more 

 of the staff of life than it does at present. To attain tbis 

 desirable object, nothing should be wasted. Ine : aust 

 from the house, ashes of every description, soap suds, me 

 wash not used for the pigs,— indeed, anything tangioie 

 either solid or fluid, should go to the general mass oi 



fructifying materials; not, however, placed in a neap 



3 rishing parts to escape, but 



cast into a large tank formed 



order to allow the most nourishing parts to esc ape, 

 cast into a large tank formed out of the soil, if bud is 

 clayey ; and if sandy or loose, the sides and bottom must 

 be bricked. Nitrate of soda on Grass land answers' 

 markably well every other year, and brings up * 



all large towns for the purpose of collecting i^^ 

 See, and applying them to Agriculture, jfle r e g 



speculations to an overflowing money mar Kec ' * , dge d 

 a certain and large per centage. It must be •ck^e - 

 that a manure composed of a great variety ot sue i 

 is more beneficial on any kind of soil than on »« - 

 ingredient ; this must continue to be the ca se unt ^ 

 pie mode of analysis can be discovered, by whicn 



ponent parts of the land may be « nn £ U 5 '* iate the 

 The object of these remarks is not to dep " ccd 

 value of many excellent preparations lately mi fl 



into this country, but to show that a supe tic » f| 



exists within the reach of all »«?«»•■*„* Reared 

 which is now permitted to waste its fragrance 



for.— Falcon, Cheltenham. }U of the 



Guano and Turnips.— On reading, at pa a e JohQ 



Agricultural Gazette, the statement maoe j ^ 

 Henry Vivian, Esq., M. P., _ as cbair«n« 

 Swansea Farmers' Club, respecting the failure "^d 

 nip crop that had been manured with g uan0 » frien d of 

 me of a similar occurrence which happened to ^ ^ 

 mine in this neighbourhood, and of wn.cn ^s of 



witness. Hearing so much about the wondertui 



