398 



THE AGRICULTURAL GAZETTE. 



only necessary to draw a trench along the line of the 

 ipnngs at a short distance below where they burst out, 

 and sufficiently deep to cut into the porous stratum con- 

 taining the water, and thus intercept it before it rises to 

 the surface or overflows the land. The line of the drain 

 it determined by the application of the spirit-level, upon 

 tbe principle that water always stands at the same eleva- 

 tion in the same reservoir or in reservoirs communicat- 

 ing with one another ; and in cases where the porous 

 stratum, containing the water, lies too deep to be reached 

 by the bottom of the drain, wells are sunk at intervals, 

 or a large auger is used to make bore-holes in the bottom, 

 up which the water ascends, and of course lowers the 

 spring or reservoir to the level of the bottom of the drain. 

 In the second case, where the bog lies nearly level, and 

 the springs burst up at intervals through accidental cre- 

 vices in the till or clay bed on which it rests, one or 

 more deep trenches are cut across the bog, in the proper 

 direction to secure a good fall, and wells or bore-holes 

 sunk as in the former instance through the subjacent 

 clay to let the water escape : its level will consequently 

 be reduced to the height of the bottom of the trench, 

 which it is always better to cut down to the clay or till, 

 where the bog is not more than ten or twelve feet deep. 

 Sometimes, when the bog lies perfectly landlocked or 

 surrounded on every side by hills which afford no outlet, 

 the water may still be carried off by sinking a well or 

 bore holes into a dry subjacent stratum of sand or gravel, 

 and thus letting the water escape beneath. These prin- 

 ciples, Mr. Ogilby stated, were applicable to many dis- 

 tricts, and afforded the only cheap and efficient system 

 of drainage for lands injured by subjacent water. 



Elevations and Latitude s.-~lst. As 



[June 15, 



FARMERS' CLUBS. 



Tiverton. — At the late annual meeting of the Agricul- 

 tural Society here, which was presided over by Lord 

 ralmeraton, his Lordship made the following remarks in 

 illustration of the advantages derivable from Agricultural 

 meetings : — " Each man's experience must inevitably be 

 confined to a small scale— to the range of his own farm, 

 or to the range of his immediate neighbours' ; but by 

 these meetings he is able to acquire all the benefits 

 of the experience of a large portion of country. Agri- 

 culture has of late years taken an entirely new character. 

 XJp to a very recent period Agriculture was a practice ; 

 it is now daily becoming more and more a science.' 

 In former times men did in Agriculture, as they have 

 been wont at differe: t periods to do in many other de- 

 partments of knowledge ; they groped about very much 

 in the dark. They saw that certain things produced 

 certain results, but they did not know why those causes 

 produced those results. They knew that certain manures 

 viere good for certain soils, that certain soils were best 

 adapted to the cultivation of certain produce, that some 

 pastures fattened better than others, but why those dif- 

 ferent results rose from those different causes, not only 

 the farmer could not tell you, but no man had turned 

 his attention to investigate it. Chemists have of late 

 years turned their attention to Agriculture, and that 

 science which had formerly been considered to be con- 

 fined in its practical application to medicine, has of late 

 years been turned to the practical advantage of Agricul- 

 ture, and the agriculturist is in fact a manufacturer. He 

 is a manufacturer of grain, and grass, and cattle. He 

 knows by experience that certain manures are favourable 

 to the growth of certain crops. But the chemist has 

 stepped in of late years, and by careful analysis has told 

 the farmer first of all what are the chemical elements 

 ot which his crops are composed; has instructed him 

 what are the substances of which the straw, and the 

 grain, and the grass, and various other vegetable produc- 

 tions, are composed. Well then, the chemist analyses 

 your soil. He tells you what the soil is composed of. 

 By knowing what the soil is composed of, on the one 

 hand, and what the crop you want to grow is, on the 

 other, you can tell whether your soil contains all the 

 elements necessary for the crop, or whether any, and if 

 any, what are the ingredients to be added. Well this 

 reduces Agriculture, which before was a matter of 

 experiment and trial, to a science very nearly amounting 

 to certainty; because every man can tell, within a cer- 

 tain calculation, whether his soil is adapted to the par- 

 ticular culture to which he wishes to apply it, and if it is 

 not, he knows what manures are necessary in order to 

 render it fit for his purpose. The chemist elso teaches 

 the farmer that those chemical substances which are 

 found in his farm-yard, if carefully stored, if carefully 

 collected, and not allowed to run to waste, as has been 

 too much the practice all over the country, are among 

 the moat valuable applications which he can add to his 



contains «' ' ," £*■ the farm 'J^ of every farmer 



W " ZZ?^ manUre than he can obta ' n b y « 

 sXancL frori T^ in P"<*««»S elementary 



^"ttS^v^S'T 15 kne * by the,r expe 



favourable to vegetation Tnf rt**™ W ? ter W6re UD " 

 various woMn^T^t^^ZT^^ aU the8C 

 Nature does, and how .hHoe. ?t ?** y ° U know what 



ft 1-1. 1 1 *-* 4* I***** _ ~» A— ■*_ • . - J 



as co 





rr . • , , . — a general rule 



turnips may with advantage be sown at an earlier period 

 m the north than would be suitable for the same species, 

 with other circumstances equal, in the south. Thus 

 although ,1, the East Riding it is common to commence 

 sowing Swedes the second week in May, and to finish 

 W hite Turnips by the 21st June, in Suffolk it is usual to 

 commence Swedes near the end of May, and white 

 Turnips a month later. 2nd. The effect, however, of 

 difference in latitude is partially counteracted by a greater 

 or ess degree of elevation, as well as by a difference of 

 soil, where other things are equal. 3rd. As arr en eral 

 rule, the greater the elevation of the ground the" older 

 is the climate ; therefore, if this is not counteracted bj a 

 difference of soil" or situation, the high ground of the 

 south will have a climate somewhat similar to land in a 

 more northern latitude, at a less degree of elevation, and 

 should be sown accordingly. 4th. Some soils are natu- 

 rally of a colder nature than others, and a difference in 

 this respect will counteract what is known to be the 

 common effect of any given elevation or latitude. 

 5th. Any peculiarity of the soil or situation which tends 

 to promote rapid growth and quick maturity will render 

 the land less suitable to be sown early. Thus we see that, 

 although there is said to be a general difference of about 

 three weeks in the proper time for sowing, between the 

 north and the south of England, the occupiers of the hills 

 in Gloucestershire find if desirable to sow about as early as 

 those of the wolds of Yorkshire; also those of some of 

 the rich and low grounds of the East Riding sow 

 about three weeks later than their neighbours on the 

 wolds not 10 miles from them, and consequently nearly 

 three weekslaterthan those on the hills of Gloucestershire. 

 Similar deviations from those general rules may be met 

 with in most districts where the soil, aspect, or elevation, 

 vary as above alluded to. The proper season for sowing 

 all the common varieties of Turnips does not usually 

 extend over much more than six weeks in any given dis- 

 trict. Swedes are generally sown first. Hybrids, 

 being partly of the same nature, are usually sown next, 

 and white Turnips the last, especially if they are intended 

 for late consumption. When for early use, they, as well 

 as the other species, may with advantage be sown at an 

 earlier period. The more solid the texture of the Turnip, 

 mpared with others of its own particular species, 

 the more suitable it will be for late consumption, and 

 consequently for late sowing. To exemplify this, it is 

 only necessary to say, that the White Globe, which, 

 from its quick growth and large size, is highly valued for 

 early consumption, is, by the same peculiarities, unfitted 

 for standing over winter. In districts where about one- 

 fourth of the arable land should each year be sown with 

 Turnips, there is necessarily more work for the horses 

 than could be done within the period best calculated 

 for producing the heaviest crop. Therefore, the occu- 

 piers, through fear that they might be driven into a late 

 season for part of their land, and then, perhaps, be 

 almost compelled to sow in unfavourable weather, with 

 scarcely the chance of obtaining a productive crop 

 will seize on the earliest period, when the weather 

 is favourable, at which a given species of Turnip 

 has been sown in that situation with success. The 

 chances of a heavier crop are so far in favour of what 

 is considered early sowing, as to justify in this case 

 a little risk of being too early, in order to secure the 

 positive benefit of a commencement under favourable 

 circumstances. In districts where the occupiers are 

 most dependent on their Turnip-crop, from want of good 

 0»rass-land, it is of great importance to spread the advan- 

 tage of having Turnips over as long a period as possible : 

 thus some will sow part of their white Turnips before 

 Swedes. This very early sowing of white Turnips might 

 be ruinous to the crop, were it intended to stand over 

 the winter but for early consumption may have every 

 recommendation. I say may, because everything must 

 depend on the weather of the season in question. Thus 

 until we have an assurance that successive years will be 

 counterparts of each other, no man can accurately foretel 

 what period of sowing will have the best effect in any 

 given situation. That climate which by its warmth 

 enables the occupiers of land to sow Stubble Turls 



Zu?\ haS -,!, he drawback 0f renderi °S Turnips 

 Tnrninc deW from t0 ° earl y sowing. When 



I ,P P ! re80W : t0 ° ear,y ' there wiU * lso b * danger of 



.ndif g th,r ,ng ° mUCh int0t °P durin S the autumn; 

 and if they are sown too late, the crop will be light ■ 



spect.— Extracted from Mr. Barugh Almack's Essau 

 .» the Journal of the English Agricultural SoclL ,' * 



rich. Wt shall publish a tul nmiiB.«in 



Shorty. A manure is valuableTn T* 2r°L ?" thi * "*ct 

 the >Iant wants, and the soil does not conSn T' h * S wh * 

 tier of this will convince you that it i. \Z' \ COn sidert- 

 wtethersnaper'fl ashes or farm-yard manure w^?' 6 f ° »* 

 purpose best. The latter is most likely to b? li We - r your 

 Urns a greater number of the substances plants r - *"*' 

 fbod. Can any of our correspondents give as their E qu, - e ** 

 of soaper's ashes as a manure ? tne,re *l*rieiice 



Mare avo FoAL.-iVo. 5.57.— Can any one infnr m „ 

 pondent how he may best rear a foal on ? °™ corr ««- 

 induce its dam to take to her offspring > s-milk, or 



Peat.— G. Willinns.— The beneficial effects whlnh fc,~ . 

 the application of Cay and lime on pel soi^l^^ 

 out as the but correctives of such soils ltta J, nt thetn 

 that salt would have much influence in a district P ,# 



the sea. 



new 



Poisonous Plants.— X.- States that he has had in w-» 

 land two sheep very suddenly poisoned in a field wher'* 



an occurrence was never known before. On f v a „ UCQ 



feld minutely, no poisonous plant can be found ex^F the 

 ma-ulatum, of which there is a patch under a *S P iA rum 

 gree^ and tempting-, while the field is completely J™!" 1 * 

 and destitute of herbage. It was near t™ s £ thH °* 

 CIS&S*"! •"■* that * ^rdener 8 toa a n lit'? 



. ... ...wv... wiiwiuirtitum sucn a season as this Tf.o^u 



to talk of the red spider being the cause rhi^ 5i Sab8urd 



the better for being very popular ; * Opinlon ,s not 



Potatoks.-^ Potato Fancier.-\Ve must refer you to tfe 



PovlT R ?-f7T n We°r USO{ f COrreSP ° nden ' S ™ ^s subject 

 from a work to which we have referred in « nrSw « i ** 



answer 





Pulverising Chalk.— W. W.— Lay it down as road m»f«ui 

 where your carts are passing and r ,Z ni , /m material, 

 some sufficiently small. g repassing this will break 



Saltpetrb.— A Subscriber.— You are. in all nrnhahii;< v „,,«, 

 in attributing the failure of your ^^^^^^ 



iCred?JnM„ n ;;S ,ire - The Ml ^ «« th P emostvau a be 

 ingredient in the manure you applied. The weathpr *,.«»,! 



sufficient to account for the faille of yoS croj You -'l™ 

 m this respect is not this year a singular one 

 Small Farms.-.** Enquirer, observing a communication 



know 

 upon it 



hands) j and 2d, the amount of and The' value of* th^rodTce! 

 with the number and description of stock it will maintain. 

 Steeping Seeos -J. B. C.-The small quantity of inorganic 

 manure thus administered is supposed to be influential on the 

 future plant, by g.ving it a vigorous start in life, and by 

 hastening it through that period when it is peculiarly liable 

 to injury from insects, &c. r 



Substitute for Guano.-.* Constant Reader asks Mr. Diras- 

 dale what quantity of lime and sulphate of magnesia should 

 be added to urine in order that the efficiency of his artificial 

 guano may be greatest. We have no hesitation in saying 

 that the addition of caustic lime at all to the liquid is wrong 

 in principle, and calculated to volatilise some of its most 

 valuable constituents. 



Weeds.— Spade and Anchor.— Your weed. Genista tlnctoria, 

 must be dug out; that is the only way to destroy it. We 

 should be glad to publish any instances in which your expe- 

 rience has proved the accuracy of our advice. 

 Wheat.— J. C. M.— The production which is affecting your 

 Wheat is not the true mildew, nor indeed at all nearly allied 

 to it, but is of the same genus as the Hop.mould, which is 

 sometimes so destructive. It is a peculiar form of Erisiphe 

 communis, and is by no means confined to Wheat, but far 

 more common on broad-leaved Grasses. It is, however, not 

 unusually observed on the different kinds of Corn in close 

 damp corners, but in these cases rarely produces fructifica- 

 tion. It usually makes its appearance later in the year, and 

 is generally confined to the leaves and sheaths, and conse- 

 quently is not so injurious as those species which attack the 

 stem. We shall be obliged by your examining the progress 

 of the disease, and forwarding specimens in the course of a 

 fortnight or three weeks, especially if it extends to the stem 

 or ears. We shall also be obliged by your informing us 

 whether it affects the produce of the crop or not. Your spe- 

 cimens are not quite mature, as the fructifying bodies are not 

 yet developed. The structure of the young plant under the 

 microscope is quite different from that of mature individuals, 

 and the two states have consequently been referred to two 

 different genera. After we have received additional inform- 

 ation, we shall probably take an opportunity of again advert- 

 ing to the subject.— M. J. B. Subscriber.— With regard to 



rust, mildew, &c, we hope to publish on the subject soon. 

 Will, Construction of. — J. B. W.— We cannot undertake 

 to answer this question satisfactorily without seeing the 

 Will, or a sufficient extract. If the subject-matter of the devise 

 were pasture land, and the restriction were against ploughing 

 it, such a restriction would extend to spade husbandry; but 

 the question as put does not sufficiently give the facts of the 

 case. You should consult ) our solicitor.— \V. 

 *»* As usual, many communications have been received too late. 



more 



SMITHFIELD, Monday, June 10.— Per stone of 8 lbs. 



Beat Dovraa & Half-bred* 3s 8 to 3sl0 



Beat Long-wools - - 8 3 8 



Ewes and second quality 3 3 



Lambs - - - 4 6 



35,650; Calves, 178; Pigs, 390. 



Vi 



4 







Barlkt.— J. B. 



Notices to Correspondents. 



£~-^ 



mac or trial and observation. These are „„.» * 



tages, which science b.s of .a.e ^Kt 



-, "-™- * «« u. i d i e years brought to f 



the practical farmer, as these are descriptions of k 

 ledge which the occupation and pursuits of the fa 

 prevent him from acnuirinir" — rr rt »/»- »_ r. 



assist 

 now- 



pre 

 Gazette, 



from acquiring. 



rmer 



fVootmer's Exeter 



Miscellaneous. 



'iJ. D !!^ Hushandr y °f Turni ps .— The Time of sowinq 

 *ne different Varieties on different Soils, and at different 



bone-dust acted on by sulphuric acid i^a SL ' *' *'» 



phosphoric acid for plants than ^ of 



that the use of the latter w^ ?£ k 



market. In ordinary circumstances ? I \l *IZ r iS * °* *? 

 a toother worn oj, we .hoa.d £& ^FS£&5?£ 

 superphosphate of lime to B uano as a manure tor Turniw 



BVRvr.vo Earth.— Subscriber.- Please to state mirnnlr 

 more in detail. We do not understand [ to ^ Zt\Z IS™ 



Guavo and BoxB.nusT.-il Furmer.-2 cwt of thVfnil 

 and l quarter of the latter, will be a aufficEnt?^ 

 acre, for Turnips. 20 or 30 bushels of old "^ «f wood 

 ashes will make a good compost with the same quMtU^nf 

 guano, for an acre of land. quantity of 



GvrsuM.-£. fl._Sow six bushels of tbe powder ner a™* 

 broadcast by itself, in wet weather. It wiU pjobablv act 

 beneficially on your aftermath, if the weatherTe auitabte 

 Sulphuric ac.d t l gallon to about every 40 of urine s the 

 best fixer of the ammonia in liquid manure. ' 



i-iNSKKD.-j, c.— The seed crushed and given by itself is too 



Best Scots, Herefordsj&c. 3« 6 to 3s 10 

 Best Short Horns - 3 4 3 8 



Second quality Beasts - 8 10 3 2 

 Calves - . . -3642 

 P *K« - - - - 8 4 4 



Beasts, 3082; Sheep and Lambs, __, _— __, .... 



We have to-day a large supply of Beef, and a very preat many remain 

 unsold. The prices above quoted— namely, 3s lOd for Scots, and 3s &d tor 

 Short-horns— are extreme quotations, a great many ol excellent fl"* 111 ? 

 having made fully 2d per 8 lbs less, still, several of the choicest have reaJtsea 

 those prices. The supply of Sheep is larger than has be«*n known for a very 

 Ion* period, owing to the scarcity of keep; they are also, from the same <*tis*> 

 of middling quality ; there is, consequently, a fair demand for the very wy 

 but eTerything surfers a reduction in price. Veal-trade is excessively oaa, 

 and very few Calves make over 4s. per 8 Jbs. Pork-trade is heavy. 



Friday, June 14. . 



Our supply of fresh Beasts is not very large, but with whatjrert turnea 

 out on Monday, it is more th 

 heavy, at about the same rat 



for Scots, and 3s 6d for Sh« *j.c*» »*» «- *-»••» 



Mutton-trade, but prices are no better. Lambs are selling rather morerreejjj 

 and the best are making about 6s 4d per 8 lbs. We have a large ? JJPP|- 

 Veal, but there is rather more demand for the best qualities, whicn »**• 

 about 4s Ad. Pork remains about the same. 



Beasts, 610; Sheep and Lambs, 11,090; Calves, 425; ?ig?> ?, 7 i-M 



41, West brc 



POTATOES.— Southward Waterside, June 10. 



Om season is fast drawing to a close, unless some good-conditioned |°f tC con . 

 be procured, which might protract it beyond its usual time. , T f -yburbs 

 tinned drought has considerably retarded all the early crops in th* ^esl 

 of London, consequently old Potatoes are still wanted. Th«-re n» ^ 

 arrivals from the various shipping districts during the past «"£•*• , on u \\ 

 best samples were in great request, and a further advance wase) AA ^ 



descriptions, and at ihe close the following prices were 

 Dutch Whites axe selling at 60s to &&a. 



well supported 



York Reds 



- 



- 90s to 100s 









Early Devons - 



• 



. — — 



Late Devons - 



• 



- 85 95 



Cornwall - • 



• 



m mm — 



Hossm Whites - 



• 



* — 



Kent and Essex Kidneys 



80 90 



— sto 



—1 



Essex and Sussex Blue* 



Wisbeach Kidneys m ' ■* ^ 



— Blues - " — ^ 



_ Whites - * ~ ssl 



Jersey and Guernsey Blues 70 ^ 



Prince Regents • ^ 



York Shaws - - — 



