

396 



THE AGRICULTURAL GAZETTE. 



former at about 3/. 10*. per ton, the latter from 6/. to 71. 

 l>er ton. In using guano for Potatoes it ought to be 

 applied at the rate of three cwt. per acre, either sown by 

 the hand in the drills, or broadcast just before the drills 

 are formed, Bnd 18 cubic yards of dung spread below the 

 Potato rut, and the whole covered in the usual manner ; 

 th«« Fotatoes set, as they are cut, being first dusted with 

 gypsum in powder. Or the guano may be mixed as 

 follows : — 3 cwt. guano, 1 cwt. gypsum, 1 cwt. sulphate 

 of soda, £ cwt. of sulphate of magnesia, and 1 cwt. 

 of common salt, sown broadcast as above mentioned, and 

 18 cubic yards of dung in the drills. This last mixture 

 appears, after repeated trials, the best for Potatoes, and 

 to give a larger crop than 40 or 50 cubic yards of the 

 best farm manure ; and the after-crops, as far as 

 can be judged of from trials for the last three years, do 

 not seem to be inferior, and in some cases are better than 

 when farm-yard manure alone had been used. The same 

 mixture as for Potatoes answers well for Turnips with a 

 little dung; but a cheaper one without dung seems to 

 answer as well, viz., guano, 2£ cwt., bone-dust, 6 cwt. or 

 15 bushels, and of gypsum, common salt, and sulphate 

 of soda, 1 cwt. each, to be sown broadcast on the land, 

 ■which is immediately to be formed into drills in the 

 usual manner, or with the double-mould plough, and the 

 Turnip-seed sown with the barrow. Mixture for Top- 

 dressing Hay, Pasture-Grass, and Oats.— Hay to be 

 cut (if top-dressed with the following mixture), viz. :— 

 1 cwt. guano, 4 cwt. or 10 bushels fine bone-dust, 1 cwt. 

 gypsum, and 1 cwt. of common salt, give a third more 

 produce in Hay, and the after foggage, both of that and 

 the succeeding years, is much improved. The same 

 dressing may be applied to old or young pastures with 

 great benefit, and makes the land to carry at least one- 

 third more stock, besides benefiting the after crops. 

 This dressing may also be applied with benefit to Corn, 

 Barley, Wheat, particularly in poor lands, and where the 

 •traw is likely to be short. All top-dressings of ammo- 

 niacal and oth.r salts should be applied in rainy or moist 

 weather, early in the season, i. e., in April, just as the 

 Grass or Corn is beginning to spring. The following 

 are some of the experiments, showing the effects of the 

 manures mentioned above, in 1843 : — 



Potatoes (Perthshire Reds), planted 25th to 2;th April, 1813. 



favourite food, Parsley or Cabbage-leaves, and allowed for 

 a short time to run over the trap ; it may then be set, 

 and it is sure to catch them alive. This is an excellent 

 trap too for rats and mice, and in fact all kinds of vermin. 

 —J. B. C. 



&0C 



70 



10 



I 



Manures. 



Farm-yard 



Guano 

 Farm-yard 



Quantity of 



manure per 



imp. acre. 



cub. yds. 



Produce 



Cost of 

 manures 

 excluding • per 

 cartage &c! ,m P- acre 



40 



Farm-yard 



Gypsum powdered "\ 

 on cut sets before [ 

 planting . . ) 



Farm -yard dung 



Sulphate of soda 

 Guano 



Sulphate of magnesia 

 Gypsum . 



18 

 40 



18 



cwt. £. s . d. Itons.cwt 



— 10 o 



3 



1 



1 10 

 4 10 



10 



1 



14 15 



19 



Value of 

 Potatoes 



at ivs. 



p. boll. 



16 



£. s. d. 

 29 10 



33 10 



32 10 





21 



*0 



no* wh™Th X J h 1 ? " -° Wa br ? adcast "P°» the land, then drilled 

 up, when the dung is spread, cut sets laid, and covered up. 



Swedish Tlexips, sown June 5th. 1843. 



Description of 

 Manures. 



Quantity of 



Manure per 



imp. acre. 



Cost of L , lvalue of 

 Manures, Produce p ™duce 

 excluding . P er 

 cartage &c im P- ac ™ 



Farm-yard dune 

 Guano 



Sulphate of soda 

 Bone-dust . 

 Gypsum . 



Guano . 



Farm yard dang 

 ""Bo 



cub.yds.lbus. 

 16 



40 



i.i 



cwt 



3 



1 



4 

 1 





•oe-dnst . 



40 



*. 







10 



6 



1 10 

 1 



d. 



o^ 



i 



6J 



tns.cwt. 



p. acre, 

 at 15*. 

 per ton. 



2 10 

 10 



4 



42 9 



32 8 



33 17 

 25 14 



* s. d. 



31 17 *0 



24 6 



25 7 11 



19 6 o 



io«ther a nn *n UjP ?H tC ° f o^' and SYPSutn, mixed an.l sown 

 together on top of dung. Bones drilled in, in contact with seed. 



Top.Drbssi.vos, sown by the hand, upon three years' old 



Lea, 1843. 



Description 



of Top- 

 dressings. 



No dressing 

 applied 



Guano . 

 Bone-dust i 

 fine .) 

 Gypsum 



Commn. salt 



Nit. of soda 

 Commn. salt 

 <*vpsum 



10 17 fo 



The greater part of thi7^u7e~w^n^^ 



* Advantage was taken of heavy rain to nut n« ♦» 



•dressings. After-crops good. pUt on tll€8e to P- 



t Advantage was taken of heavy rain to put on th*** * 



dressings. After-crops not so good. P these to P" 



— - W. M. F. t Barochan, Renfrewshire. 

 Destroying Rabbits.— Since writing to you on the means 



^nl ^ ,ng , Rabbi ^ i 8ee page 3l7 )> J have hea ' d of a 



sun better plan, which is commonly adopted in Derby- 

 £tnre, vi2., making a covered pit with a trap-door nicelv 

 balanced ; to thi. the Rabbits must be enticed by their 



teties. 



ROYAL AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY of ENGLAND. 

 The Right Hon. Earl Spencer, President, in the chair. 

 .Natural Manures.— Professor Sewell presented to 

 the Council the following analysis, made for him by his 

 friend Dr. Spurgin, of the substance (resembling mouldy 

 peat) transmitted to the Society on the 17th of April 

 last, by Mr. Churchill of Colliton, near Dorchester ; 

 occurring in considerable quantities in a sour Kimmeridge 

 clay on his farm, and found to be an excellent manure 

 for his Grass lands : 



Silica . 



Organic Matter . . . 



Sulphates of Lime and Magnesia, Oxide 

 of Iron, &c. . . . .17 



Moisture 3 



100 



The Council returned to Professor Sewell their best 

 thanks for the favour of this communication. 



Kelp Ashes. — Dr.Burgess, of Margaret-street, Caven- 

 dish-square, presented a sample of a manure, which he 

 thought might be worthy of the consideration of the 

 Society ; namely, the ash of the common kelp of com- 

 merce. He thought this application would be found ad- 

 vantageous on stiff clay soils deficient in saline matter. 

 It was very cheap, being delivered in London by Messrs. 

 Adam White and Co., of Leith, at 3/. 10s. per ton. Dr. 

 Burgess conceived that, although the kelp ash does not 

 contain the volatile alkali ammonia, or possess the animal- 

 ised properties of guano, it could not fail, on account of 

 the potash, which constituted its most active ingredient, 

 to be useful on such soils, which he believed were always 

 benefited by the vegetable alkalies. 



Moisture in Manures.— Mr. Davenport laid before 

 the Council an interesting communication he had re- 

 ceived from Mr. Bernays, of Manchester, on various 

 topics connected with the progress of agricultural im- 

 provement in the midland counties. Mr. Hubbersty, 

 of Wirksworth, in Derbyshire, had set apart a portion of 

 his land for the trial of experiments with ten different 

 manures: the soil had been analysed, and the produce 

 when obtained in each case would be separately weighed 

 and also analysed. Mr. Bernays thought it worthy of 

 remark, that although only one slight shower had then 

 fallen since the manures were sown, the land manured 

 with guano and charcoal had not only equalled that on 

 which the other manures had been applied, but totally 

 outstripped the portion manured with farm-yard manure'; 

 while the land to which guano alone was applied had not 

 at that time kept pace with the farm-yard manure lot, in 

 consequence of the want of rain. Mr. Bernays thought 

 these facts were worthy of remark, inasmuch as the 

 beneficial effects of charcoal in dry weather, as a retainer 

 of moisture, and an absorbent also of carbonic acid and 

 ammonia, and other gaseous matter, are clearly proved 

 Air. Bernays did not hesitate to say, that if the land to 

 which artificial manures were applied were strown in dry 

 weather with a top-dressing of chloride of calcium, the 

 baneful effects of a drought would be unknown, and the 

 crops increase to a marvellous extent. The chemical 

 substance thus recommended by Mr. Bernays has long 

 been known under the name of muriate of lime, as one 

 or the most deliquescent of our salts. It may easily be 

 obtained by the action of spirit of salts on common chalk. 

 \\ hen exposed to the atmosphere it remains constantly 

 damp ; and, by the French chemists of the last century 

 was regarded as a powerful stimulant, when applied in 

 very dilute solution to the growth of plants. Professor 

 fcolly, in his Agricultural Lecture at the Royal Institution 

 on the 19ih of April .ast, refers to the d e li ? q ue S ceote ffect 

 of this salt, and its communication of dampness to soils 

 (or the power of retaining water in their pores), when 

 d ffused hrough them in very minnte quantity by means 

 of a solution in water. ■ ' ' " ,cau!> 



resul U t. A f°'hl?!, r ' Daven P° rt a,so communicated the 

 results of his own experiments in Cheshire, with euano 



Thom'as^T"' '? d ( "V" A manUre " and « h <> «"' 

 of IT, ^ various analyses of guano, and the results 



hi. a "P erlments w '"> that manure, tried along with 

 lands of dZent" 8 '*; ^"""IT' 8nd 'oU-man™ on 



tunas or ainerent character • all nf w u;~i 



referred to the Journal Committee -Mr jV^h" We ? 

 of Spariing-street, Liverpool '"for™ tVuX't 



traro\r, r s e e P fficac S vtn Tr,:atiSe0n ga ™> -nSng 'i'oo 

 trial, ot its efheacyin comparison with farm.yard manure 



and bones, which, when complete, he should offeror the 

 acceptance of the Society. He stated that such was he 

 amount of adulteration in the article, that there had been 

 sold » L.verpool as guano, double the quantity of 

 genuine guano that had actually been imported »H i° 

 would, therefore, advise no person to beTm a pirchaser 

 of any of the varieties without having a nrevio... .n.i • 

 made of the sample offered to him fo 7a e h\ \" ''j™' 

 mended parties of agriculturists, who'ntended o^e" 

 guano next year to become at once contractors for The 

 amount required, at «. per ton, the price at which he 

 genuine Ichaboe variety could now be secured. M r 

 bheppard inclosed m his communication a lithoranW 

 print of the Island of Icbaboe, on the weste n co a8 f of 

 Africa for the library of the Society.-Mr. Ge or *e G 

 Cum mmg8 , of Mincing-lane, communicated, thrWh 

 he Marquess of Downshire, a statement in referenced 

 the African guano. He was about to send out several 

 vessels to the Island of Ichaboe, which were exLTJ?! 

 return to thi. country by the first or second Lonth of 



[June 15, 



next year ; when all parties, who^^d^rTw^rTT^T^ 

 at the present time, would be entitled to have it Art?* 

 at 61. per ton ; the guano being obtained freVof „» d 

 on the coast of Africa, and the only charges attend?! * 5 

 the speculation, those of the collection, freight &r \-°? 

 last year had amounted to from 5/. to 71. The hieh • 

 of guano at the present moment, and the P fr»?" Ce 

 adulteration of it by fraudulent dealers, were zr^T. 

 stacles to its purchase and efficiency. —Messrs r 

 and Gilgour, of Exchangcbuildings, Liverpool, S 

 mitted to the Society a list of the various places in dtf 

 ferent parts of the world where guano was likely to K 

 found. They conceived that it would occur probably T 

 all islands of a volcanic nature, of good quality ■ bur th *► 

 beyond the limits of 28 degrees north or south of thi! 

 equator, its properties were likely to be less valuable 

 I he list comprised the latitude and longitude of 80 dit 

 tinct geographical positions. 



The following communications and presents wer* 

 received with the best thanks of the Council •— m? 

 Jonas Webb -a copy of the printed order of the Privy 

 Council in 1747, containing further rules, orders and 

 regulations for more effectually preventing the spread of 

 the distemper then raging amongst the horned cattle- 

 Colonel Rawstorne— a letter from Mr. James Dixon on 

 the subject of the present complaint among cattle • Mr 

 Henry Hudson, of Wick, Worcestershire—a letter on 

 the Turnip-fly ; Mr. Christopher Johnson, Lancaster- 

 communications on a grub in Wheat ; Rev. T. Cator 

 Mr. Frederick Manning, and Mr. Tweed— reports on 

 the draught of oxen ; Rev. John Barlow— invitation to 

 Agricultural Lectures at the Royal Institution ; Mr. 

 Bates, of Kirkleavington— on the appointment of judges • 

 Lord Western— an oil-painting of a Devon ox, by Mr! 

 Vine (an artist destitute of arms, but a most skilful 

 painter, and exact copyist from nature or art) ; Mr. 

 Bigg— a model of his sheep-dipping apparatus; Mr. 

 Henry Overman— a model of his milk-trays (with an 

 explanatory paper for the Journal Committee); Mr. 

 Graham, of Bersted Lodge, Bognor— the model of an 

 implement for working among drilled Turnips; Mrs. 

 Le Jeune, of Romsey— Wheat- ears of 1844 ; Mr. Ber- 

 nays— notice of the Grass on which the Spanish merino 

 sheep are fed ; Mr. Fleetwood, 12, East Suffolk- street, 

 King's-cross — gratuitous offer of sunflower plants to 

 members of the Society ; Mr. Comins, South Molton— 

 notice of his one-way or turn-over plough; Mr. John 

 Read— notice of his garden and fire-engines ; Mr. Abbot, 

 of Gravesend — letters on cheap periodicals ; proceedings 

 of the Jamaica Agricultural Society and the Roval 

 Society of Agriculture at Caen. 



A Monthly Council was held at the Society's House 

 in Hanover-square, on Wednesday last, the 5th of June: 

 present, the Right Hon. Earl Spencer, President, in the 

 Chair; Duke of Richmond; Marquis of Downshire; 

 Earl of Euston ; Earl of Ilchester ; Viscount Torrington ; 

 Lord Camoys ; Hon. R. H. Clive, M.P. ; Hon. G. H. 

 Cavendish, M.P.; H. Allen, Jun., Esq.; R. Archbold, 

 Esq., M.P. ; Col. Austen ; T. Raymond Barker, Esq. ; G. 

 Raymond Barker, Esq. ; John Raymond Barker, Esq. ; 

 T. W. Bramston, Esq., M.P. ; F. Burke, Esq. ; R. H. 

 Cheney, Esq.; R. Etwall, Esq., M.P. ; A. E. Fuller, 

 Esq., M.P. ; B. Gibbs, Esq. ; S. Grantham, Esq.; Sir 

 John Guest, Bart., M.P. ; John Hudson, Esq. ; R. H. 

 Hurst, Esq., M.P. ; W. H. Hyett, Esq. ; G. Kimberley, 

 Esq. ; J. Kinder, Esq. ; Sir Francis Lawley, Bart. ; Sir 

 C. Lemon, Bart., M.P.; W. Miles, Esq., M.P.; Col. 

 Pennant; F. Pym, Esq. ; Prof. Sewell; J. B. Simonds, 

 Esq. ; T. H. S. E. Sotheron, Esq., M.P.; and W. R. C. 

 Stansfield, Esq., M.P.— The following new Members 

 were elected :— 



Pittis, George. Wymoning, Portsmouth. 



Washbourn, William, Tillingrtown, Tandridere, Surrey. 



Ethelston, Rev. Charles W., Uplyme, Lyme- Regis, Dorset. 



Michel, Lieut.-Col., Dewlish House, Blandford, Dorset. 



Aplin, Henry, Misterton, Crewkerne, Somerset. 



Lacon, John E., Ormesby House, Great Yarmouth, NorfolK. 



Curtois, Rev. R. G., D.D., Nile Terrace, Rochester, Kent. 



Dyke, George Potton, Chiistchurch, Hants. 



Hodding, Edward Davis, Odstock, Salisbury. 



Beale, James, Canford, Wimborne, Dorset. 



Hart, Thos. Fred., Barham House, East Hoathley, Hurst- 

 Green, Sussex. 



Gale, Richard Christopher, Winchester. 



Girdlcstone, Rev. H , Salisbury. 



Young, J. G , Salisbury. 



Ellis, Charles, Franklans, Burgess Hill, Sussex. 



Blunt, Rev. Walter, Longstock, Stockbridge, Hants. 



Lewis, Anthony, Mist, Nether Wallop, Andover. 



Elton, Sir Edward Marwood, Bart., Widworthy 

 Honiton, Devon. 



Padwick, Wm. Fred., Manor House, Hayling, Hants. 



Court, 



Gamlcn, Wm. Hornsey, Hayne House, Tiverton, Devon. 

 Brooke, Sir Arthur B. de Capell, Bart., Oakley, Kettenflf, 



Northamptonshire. 

 Elliott, Thomas Christopher, Southampton. 

 Elliott, John, Chichester, Sussex. 

 Willis, Joseph, jun., Bucknowle, Corfe Castle, Dorset. 

 Lankester, Joseph, Southampton. 

 Lankester, William, Southampton. 

 Robson, John, East Kieider, Hexham, Northumberland. 

 Bridger, Jame> Weddel, Belmont, Chigwell, Essex. 

 Williams, Herbert, Stinsford House, Dorchester, Dorset. 



»uss, wiiiiam, »* est ouuiwiuvvie, v^wie t-dsnc, 



Rowe, William North, Cove, Tiverton, Devon. 



Gough, Edward, Gravel Hill, Shrewsbury. 



Blachford, Lady Isabella, Osborne, Isle of Wight. 



Gater, George Henry, Westend, Southampton. . . 



Halsey, Rev. J.F. Moore, Gaddesden Park, Hemel Hempstea, 



Herts. . 



Witham, Henry, Lartington Hall, Barnard Castle, Durham. 



The names of twenty-eight candidates for election at 

 the next meeting were then read. 



Finances.— Mr. Raymond Barker, Chairman of the 

 Finance Committee, presented to the Council the 

 monthly report of the examination of the accounts, ana 

 the state of the funds to the end of May. He state 



