322 



THE AGRICULTURAL GAZETTE. 



As the size and quality of every vegetable greatly de- 

 pends on the size and number or the surface of its leaves, 

 the advantages of attending to the growth of the leaves 

 of bulbous-rooted plants must be evident. By increasing 

 the growth of the leaves of the Turnip plant, we fur- 

 nish it with the means of increasing the bulk of its bulb; 

 for if the leaves be to the vegetable what the lungs and 

 stomach are to the animal — if they are large, the roots 

 will naturally be large also. When, therefore, we Lave 

 our Turnips so close together, that the leaves have not 

 room to grow, we prevent ourselves of getting a good 

 crop of roots. — John Morion, Whitfield, Tkornbury. 



ON BLACK IIORSEPONDS.— No. If. 



Tiie office performed by the kidneys in man an'l 



animals is that of separating from the blood the soluble 



saline substances, as well as the nitrogenous matters which 



are destined to be carried out of the animal system ; 



these substances we find dissolved in water in the urine, 



and they t t in much larger quantities in it than in the 



solid excrements of animals ; yet how little attention is 



bestowed by the farmer in collecting and preserving this 



valuable liquid ! The solid matter contained in the 



urine of man and our domestic animals is at least as rich, 



if not richer in quality, and capable of supplying plants 



with as large an amount of nitrogenous, as well as of 



inorganic food, as the best guano imported, and when 



judiciously applied to the land is found to produce an 



effect on the crops in every respect equal to it, giving a 



large increase both in the quantity and in the quality of the 



produce. The amount of dry fertilising matter annually 



lost to the farmer, who allows the water from his cattle 



stalls and stables to waste, valued at the present price of 



guano (10/. n^r ton), will amount to a sum of money 



which few imagine, and from which) under judicious 



management, and at a trifling cost, the full effect of a 



powerful manure might be obtained. 



The solid matter, both organic and inorganic, as well 

 as water, contained iu 10,000 parts of the fresh urine of 

 man, and some of our domestic animals, will be seen by 

 the following table :— 



Urine of 



Man 

 Cow- 

 Horse 



Pfr .. 

 Sheep 



Water in 



10,000 parts 



! > 

 9300 

 D«00 

 9*260 



1.1)00 



Solid matter in 10,000 parts. 



Inorganic 



7(3 



200 

 330 

 ISO 

 J 20 



306 



700 



6oo 



740 

 400 



From the above table, it is obvious that for every 

 10,000 lbs. of the urine of the horse that is allowed to 

 run to waste, 600 lbs. of solid dry matter, of high fer- 

 tilising power, is tot to the farmer, worth 21. 15s. at the 

 present price of guano ; and for every 10,000 lbs. of the 

 urine of the cow, the loss would be 700 lbs. of dry matter, 

 worth 3/. 2s. Grf. The same calculation might be ex- 

 tended to the urine of the other domestic nnimnls, and tfl 



that of man. 



But to prove this st -itement, and convince the farmer 

 of the great loss he annually sustains, it will be neces- 

 lary to enter a little more into detail. 



From recent observations, made with every precaution 

 to insure success, it appears that the average quantity of 

 nrine annually voided by man, the cow, and the horse, 

 amounts to the following quantities :— 



Man, 1000 lbs., containing of solid matter 67 lbs. 

 Cow, 13,900 „ „ „ „ Q00 



Horse, 1000 „ „ „ n 6o 



It may appear rather surprising to many that the amount 

 of urine voided by the horse should not exceed that of 

 man, particularly when the quantity of liquid taken into 

 the stomach by each is considered— the horse often 

 drinking four or five gallons of water in the 24 hours, 

 while man seldom exceeds 3| lbs. of liquid ; the explana- 

 tion of the cause of this difference is to be sought for in 

 the extent of skin and lungs in the horse capable of 

 giving off large quantities of water as insensible perspira- 

 tion, while the same function in man seldom amounts to 

 one-tenth part the liquid tiken. 



It appears also, from the recent experiments of Bous- 

 singault, that when a cow is giving milk, a less amount 

 of nrine is voided. He found that a horse which drank 

 So lbs. of water in 21 hours only gave 3 lbs. of urine : 

 and a cow which drank 132 lbs. of water in the same 

 time gave 18 lbs. of urine, and 1.9 lbs. of milk. But, 

 besides the amount of water drank, many circumstances 

 tend to modify the amount of water, nitrogenous and 

 saline substances contained in the urine, such as the 

 quantity and quality of the food, the temperature of the 

 air, and amount of exercise. 



As an illustration of the loss sustained by a farmer 

 wno allows his liquid manure to run into his horse-pond 

 or nearest ditch, we will take the case of one occupying 

 vljZ"- nd ' consistin ? of 400 of arable, and 100 of 



50 head 'J UPP ° S1 ^ \ h& St0ck 0n SU(h a farm t0 »e about 



I we onlvTl °- h ° rSeSjand G0 PW besides 'beep. 

 fc^M -«!*• -ine of the oxen, 



If we assume that 3-4ths of this valuable manure is 

 annually wasted through bad management, the loss to the 

 farmer of every 500 acres of land is equal in weight to 16 

 tons annually ; and if 3 cwt. of guano is sufficient to 

 keep an acre of land in a high state of fertility, he here 

 loses the means of manuring no less than 105 acres of 

 land at the same rate ; and if we extend our calculation 

 to the whole kingdom, the subject becomes far more im- 

 portant. It is estimated that the number of cattle in the 

 United Kingdom amounts to eight millions : hence, if 

 we multiply the dry solid matter contained in the urine 

 voided annually by one ox, by the number of cattle, we 

 have upwards of 3.000,000 tons, which, at 10/. per 

 ton, will amount to 30,000,000/. sterling, or more than 

 six times the amount of the income-tax of the country, 

 and as much as would purchase 4J cwt. of guano for 

 every acre of arable and garden land in England, Ireland, 

 Scotland, Wales, and the British Isles !* 



In Holland and Flanders, they well understand the 

 amount, and appreciate the value of these manures ; but 

 how little knowledge exists of either in this country ! — 

 Alfred Gyde, Painswick, 



ON THE CULTIVATION OF FLAX.— No. VI. 



When the saving of seed for sowing is an object, it is 

 better that the Flax should be stacked up so soon as 

 thoroughly dried, and the treatment of it can afterwards 

 be resumed when convenient. This is the Courtrai sys- 

 tem, so called from the name of the district in the north 

 of Franc; 1 , in which it is so successfully practised. This 

 system is peculiarly deserving of the attention of flax- 

 growers in this country, especially such as can afford to 

 wait for a season for a return from their capital, for 

 which they will be amply repaid. 



In the Courtrai district, the Flax, after being pulled, is 

 placed on end in a very peculiar manner, of which the an- 

 nexed figure will convey a 

 better idea than the most 

 lengthened description. 

 Though apparently loosely 

 placed on end, it is so skil- 

 fully arranged," that it is 

 difficult to blow it down by 

 winds, nor do the heaviest 

 rains penetrate it. In a few 

 or ten, according to the state of 



days, 



ffht 



we 



of 



horse* anrl ,»„« a , *"•"""" ™e urine ot the ox. 



shThave 4 Sob in' * - P , T bcin * in the ioU ^> 

 snail nave 45, 000 lbs. weight, or upwards of 20 tons or 



frfi^EP n* at ! er conta ;? ed ia the »iS 25£ 



200/ .terl in* * Th ' ^ *! W ° rth ™ leS3 *» 

 dmt. sterling. The urine of the horses would vield 



an amount equal to 1200 lbs., or .early 1 ™ * ^ 



iri ? * 9/ k 10 " ' , aDd , lf the * nl > P««es 3 ',, U o 

 urine in 24 hour., the GO pigs WO uM produce 4 110 bs 



or nearly 2 tons of solid matter, worth 20/ • maki n. ' 

 sum total of dry matter equal to 2_> tons' 11 cwt. in 

 weight .\ow, taking the solid matter, which is in fact 

 identically the same as guano, at the price of guano 

 viz at 10/. per ton, it would be worth no less thai! 

 tcol. IQs. annually. 



usually i 

 the weather, it will be sufficiently dried" after which it is 

 bound up into bunches. The Flax is then made up into 

 small wind-stacks, as they are termed, only a single bunch 

 in breadth, and after remaining some time further in this 

 state, it is ready to be at once carried to the barn, or 

 stand in some convenient situation until the further 

 operations of the manufacture are to be commenced. The 

 method of storing in this case will not differ from that 

 employed in the case of grain crops in the stackyard. In 

 this state the Flax may be kept for an indefinite length 

 of time without injury— nay, indeed, but with absolute 

 advantage, — experience having prove* that in the second 

 or third year which it remains in the stack, it will have 

 materially improved in quality. An important advantage 

 gained by this system of treatment is that of being able 

 to have the watering and grassing done in the summer, 

 when the weather is more favourable than the autumn. 

 May or June is the usual time to steep Flax thus treated, 

 but it may be done at whatever period of the summer 

 may be most convenient. In the flax-growing districts 

 in Ireland considerable prejudice exists against this sys- 

 tem, it being supposed that allowing the stem to harden 

 before steeping, injures the quality of the fibre ; but the 

 superiority of the Courtrai Flax shows that such is not 

 the case. 



The seed may also be taken off Flax treated in this 

 manner at any convenient time; but it is usually done 

 during the winter, that the seed may be ready for sowing 

 in the spring ; and after the performance of this opera- 

 tion the crop is again stacked up as before. It would 

 obviously be more convenient to take off the seed imme- 

 diately before steeping the Flax, when the labour of re- 

 stacking would be saved ; but the steeping takes place 

 at too late a period of the season to admit of that ar- 



ngement. This is not done by the ripple, as in the 

 former case, but by repeated strokes of a stick, the 

 not being, at the same time, kept on the root end of 

 the tlax, to prevent it from being turned about or disar- 

 ranged, which would interfere with the after processes 

 ot the manufacture. 



inJ h ! Tm °P eral | on in ** treatment of Flax is water- 

 ing, and he mode of conducting this does not vary, 

 whatever the previous management may have been. I 

 I ii to be observed, however, that when the Flax has been 

 dried a longer time will be required in the water The 

 object of this process is to facilitate the separation of the 



■ h/ fib™* 1 hC 5*5 the ™ciIa S inous Otters causing 

 he fibres to adhere to it, thereby partially undergoing 



Lh,£. t Ct 7 e l e J mentat ' l0n - »• ^ should of 



If. f/° (t ? *, inSUre Which ifc *OnW be col- 



lected several days in the pond before being required- 

 rtor is it to be changed during the time the Fla* is in it 

 he quantity lost by leakage from the pond and evapora- 

 tion b,mg, however, cautiously supplied. But, above 

 all, it I necessary to guard against the use of water im- 

 pregnated with mineral mitten, which would prove 

 most injurious to the Flax. This must be guarded 

 against by previous examination ; but to prevent anv 

 mistakes on this point, if ,he quality of the water is "n 

 any degree doubtful, it will be well J have . "i fo m d 

 all round the pond, which may be filled up with 8 Ce7 

 o bserving that tbe cut or jrem ^hjhus for,.*,, 8hK °„ b( ! 



■I.ff°?n Mr ' Uo,,1, "e' s srarement tolTlJolmmtteT'^FTT 

 House of Commons, it appears that 13,746,050 acreiLrp L r 

 arable and garden culture in Great Lritain * Under 



considerably deeper than the pond.^fhVa7^^~^ 

 will, m general, prevent the ingress of ini„r£ ReB,e * 

 The water should be at least of ■nffieie^ZS! ?**"- 

 of the Flax being placed almost S ft^ 

 and breadth of the ponds will obviouslfbe «. 1 h "* th 

 the situation and quantity of Flax to be ,? gUiated b 7 

 serving that more than one day's pnllin* s Sj ed ' ob - 

 placed in the same pond. The Flax £ 1° T bc 

 water with the root end uppermost and a tbe 



straw or other matters not liable to rapid decomS ° f 

 is found to be advantageous in preserving n^ffi? 00 ; 

 colour, by shading off the light. After bein co Z ll ' f 

 this manner, stones are placed along the surface tot J* 

 all under the water, and in this state it remains until i' P 

 ready to be taken out of the pond. Although an^ c ' " 

 siderable current of water passing through the n2 

 been said to be injurious, such a'flow as^il, Ca P r ^ 

 the impurities caused by the fermentation is nece^ 

 to produce fibre of a good colour. "pessary 



The time required in the water is variable hut*. - 

 lated by the state of the weather, the qua «V 'ottfLT 

 employed, and the degree of ripeness or dryness S 

 the Flax had previously obtamed. Wh7n ^ 

 watered it will be observed to sink in the pond, and the 

 fibres will separate freely from the stalk on tn L „! 

 broken and rubbed by the hand. Eight or ten dat Twill 

 m some cases be sufficient, and in others ten or twelve 

 may be required ; but repeated examinations of the Flax 

 itself only can be depended on. For this purpose a few 

 stalks of average quality should be taken from bunches 

 m different parts of the pond, and carefully examined 

 as before directed. While it is important that thi 

 watering process should have been continued until the 

 fibre readily separates from the stem on bein<* rubbed, 

 an excess of watering is to be strictly guarded against, 

 It is apparent that carrying the fermentation beyond a 

 certain extent would cause the destruction of the Flax 

 altogether. 



After being taken out of the water, the Flax is placed 

 on end a few hours, on the bank, to drain, the bunches 

 supporting each other. It must not be allowed to re- 

 mam long in this state, as the action of the water would 

 continue unimpaired on the inside bunches, by which 

 they would continue to get softer, while those on the" 

 outside, being comparatively dry, would not be affected. 

 This, then, would interfere with uniformity in the water* 

 ing, and lower the value of the Flax. 



Grassing is the next operation in the management of 

 the crop ; the intention of which is to remedy any defect* 

 in the watering, and to wash and bleach the Flax by ex- 

 posure to the sun and rains. Pasture-land, on which 

 the Grass is short and close, is the proper place on which 

 to spread the Flax ; and in this operation it is important 

 to distribute it evenly on the surface, and to make the 

 rows perfectly straight, to prevent confusion in turning* 

 It should also he rather thickly spread, to prevent thrf 

 weather from hardening it too much before being pro- 

 perly bleached, and further, to prevent it from being 

 easily tossed about by the winds. After remaining a 

 short time on the Grass, it is turned over by long poles* 

 or wattles, run under the rows, beginning with the firs! 

 row, and proceeding so that the second falls upon the* 

 ground occupied by the first. The object in turning the) 

 Flax, is to secure both sides being equally bleached and 

 washed ; and with such facility is this process performed 

 on the Continent, that after three or four turnings, the 

 crop is as evenly and regular in the rows as when first 

 spread. The turnings, as far as possible, are performed 

 immediately before rain, so that the Flax may be lain 

 down by it, and obtain a better hold of the Grass— if the? 

 phrase be allowed — as it is obviously more easily dis- 

 turbed by wind after being turned than before. Turning 

 the Flax is never neglected on the Continent, and hencd 

 a primary cause of the uniformity of colour of the fibre to 

 treated. Recent trials in Ireland have shown that at 

 least 2s. per stone are lost by neglecting this particular 

 alone. 



The length of time during which the Flax should re- 

 main on the Grass, will depend on the weather and state 

 of the Flax itself. If not fully watered, a greater length 

 of time will be required on the Grass; and in dry wea- 

 ther a longer time will be necessary than in wet weaker 

 —the reason of which is obvious. The precise time re- 

 quired, either in watering or grassing, can only be asc - 

 tained by careful observation ; and to guide the nax- 

 grower on the point, some experience is r \ eces&9 JJ' 

 Fibre of an inferior quality will be the result of allowing 

 too short a time for these processes ; but an exce " 

 either is still more injurious, as effecting the tesUueno^ 

 of it altogether. 



ON BREEDS OF SHEEP. 

 The management and selection of any breed ot s ^f 

 must, after all, become matter of pounds, snllIin ?,' j* 

 pence. The question the farmer has to con * 1 the 

 what description of sheep will in the long-run ret ^.^ 

 most profit ; and this question must be viewed 1 ^ 

 relation to the management he will be able to aa i^ ^ 

 the particular farm on which he may be located. ^ .^ 

 not therefore a simple, but a compound question. ^ 

 not merely which breed will make most flesh ana- ^ 

 which will make it in the shortest time and on u ^ 

 food ; which can bear the weather, or hard kee f\ fc to e 

 veiling, or a particular mode of managemen t, ' » ^ tf 

 greatest impunity. All these considerations m«» 



