^1 



;.hlf that part of the field being stiff and hard, 

 Tery rrobaDj i^ ^^ ^ ^ §ame time as on the 



tb ! irt of the field, and being at a different stage of 

 0t ,H a frost or blight might have a very partial effect. 

 ^ - .hat some of your Correspondents will make 

 1 h0P ^ nervations, and communicate the results for 

 S^S'the agricultural piW^MM 



* ft*** *• **«**-* send you herewith four ears of 

 Whea taken from a field in the county of Essex, which 

 Vriou«lf affected with disease. You will perceive 

 "?♦ «r/than one-third of the ear (in one case about 

 ** m Vnrh from the top is white and dead. The 



THE AGRICULTURAL GAZETTE. 



437 



bers present, the following interesting statement of 

 results connected with th% fall of rain during the present 

 and the last 14 years : — 



" Rain which fell on my Farm at Chapel- Brampton. Northamp- 

 [ toushire, during the Spring and Summer months of the 

 under-mentioned years:— 

 March, April, and Mat. 



Inches. 

 . 5.90 



half) 

 crop 



in 

 from 



hich these specimens were taken was par- 

 »* lasted bv the disease, and the owner of it observed 

 k! crop* in his neighbourhood similarly affected. Is 



f^lTXk ear affected by the disease, and may not 



tu Xe appearance be expected to extend itself over 



k whole if it cannot be checked ? Probably there are 



w.e.nt of stopping it when once begun, but there may 



mcaui of preventing it, and if so, it is very desirable 



- * Were the disease at all gene- 



be 



1830 

 1831 

 1832 

 1833 

 1834 

 1835 

 1836 



1837 

 1838 



1839 



1840 



1841 



1842 



1843 



1844 



1830 

 3.71 ! 1831 

 4. 52 1832 



3.27 



1-74 



6.39 



5.27 

 3.13 



4.32 

 332 

 2 80 

 2.87 

 4.49 

 6.11 



1.56 



Junk, Jvly, and Acgcst. 



Inches. 



. 779 

 . . . . 734 



, . . 7-91 

 . . • . 673 



. 9 34 



.... 3.36 



. 4 32 



. 6.81 



Average of 14 yearn 



4.13 



that tht-v should be known 



™l in a crop, the effect would be very serious.— H. F. F. 

 r This disease has appeared in many quarters, and it is sup- 

 id l0 be one of the injurious consequences of the long- 

 continued dry weather which we hare experienced this 

 tear It is not unfrequently the case that the culms of 

 the ear of Wheat at both its extremities prove abortive, 

 when there is not sufficient nourishment for the plant in 

 the soil, or when, as now, though there may be a 

 sufficiency of nourishment present, a drought destroys 



the means of conveying it to the roots of the plant.] 



We add as follows from another Correspondent, respecting 



this disease : " The field in which the diseased Wheat 



occurs is in a high state of cultivation ; it was a 

 Clover lea fed off by sheep and pigs all through the sum- 

 mer, which were also supplied from troughs with oil- 

 cake, Beans and Peas. The soil varies ; full one-half of 

 the field is affected as the inclosed ; this has a subsoil of 

 gravel covered by a good mixed rather light soil ; the re- 

 mainder of the field has a clay or loamy bottom, and on 

 this the Wheat u very luxuriant and entirely free from 

 this unnatural blight." [This appears to be in accord- 

 ance with the theory which ascribes this disease to the 

 influence of the weather.] 



Artificial Guano.— In your paper of 25th May," W. 

 M„ Dunsdale," writes that a compound of urine, sulphate 

 of magnesia, and hydrated lime, is equal to guano and 

 bones ; he states the quantities of urine and sulphate- 

 mapnesia in 14 lbs. to 100 gallons, but not of the lime ; I 

 should be glad of information from him, as to whether 

 that should be added in such quantities as to saturate the 

 liquid, and in what quantity would this compound be 

 equal in fertilising strength to guano, and in about what 

 proportions should it be used as a substitute for guano. 

 — J.Green. 



Hooks. — Your Rook correspondent should inquire of 

 the farmers and labourers of the moorlands of Stafford- 

 shire, who are obliged to live upon Potatoes the most 

 part of the year, if Rooks are a benefit to them. They 

 pull the sets out of the ground, and carry them away 

 during six weeks in spring, and if the weather be 

 unfavourable to get them up in the autumn, the Rooks 

 will do it lor them.—/'. X. O. 



Average of the spring \ 

 months when less > 2.70 

 than 3 inches f ell. } 



Average of the apring^ 

 months when more > 5.91 

 than 5 inches fell, J 



1833 

 1834 

 1835 

 1636 



1837 



1838 



1839 

 1840 



1841 



1842 



1843 



1844 



6.S2 

 8.96 

 4.88 

 11.10 

 6.45 



§.;« 



? 



Average <>r u years 



6.94 



Average of correspond- 1 

 lng summer months i 



8.44 



Average of correspond- 

 ing summer mouths 



} 



5.30 



The smallest quantity of rain which fell since 1830 

 inclusive, previous to 1844, in April and May, was 

 1 inch 35. This year, there has only fallen during those 

 two months, inch 28. (Signed) Spencer." 



Societies. 



ROYAL AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY of ENGLAND. 

 A Special Council., for the purpose of taking the 

 -Prizes for next year into final consideration, agreeably 

 with the Bye-Laws, and appointing the Judges for the 

 Society's ensuing Show of Stock, Implements, &c, at 

 Southampton, in July next, was held at the Society's 

 House, in Hanover-square, on Wednesday last, the 26th 

 of June; present, the Rt. Hon. Earl Spencer, President, 

 » the chair ; Duke of Richmond, Marquess of Down- 

 shn-e, E ar i f Chester, Earl of Lisburne, Viscount 

 Tomngton, Hon. Col. Douglas Pennant, M.P. ; Hon. 

 K. H. Uive, M.P. ; Hon. G. H. Cavendish, M.P. ; 

 inos. R.ymond Barker, Esq.: John R. Barker, Esq. ; 

 John Benett, Esq., M.P. ; T. W. Bramston, Esq.. M.P.; 

 W. K. Browne, Esq. ; F. Burke, Esq. ; Col. Challoner ; 

 2' ^-CoMpton, Esq., M.P. ; J. Cotes, Esq.; J. H. 

 «• Foley, Esq. ; B. Gibbs, Esq. ; S. Grantham, Esq. ; 

 *• risher Hobos, Esq.; E. Holland. Esq. ;' Sir John 

 Johnstone, Bart., M.P. ; S. Jonas, Esq.; J. Kinder, 

 £*q. ; Sir Francis Lawley, Bart. ; Wm. Miles, Esq., 



Stopfo.d, Esq.; and Vincent Stuckey, Esq. 



The Council finally arranged the Prize Sheet for the 

 anrewsburv M *»»;„.. t- 10 j* • j..-: ««, d,;,..« f n . 



zes for 



orned, 



zes for 



* Zu^U MeetiD 5 in 1845, introducing new Pri 

 IW a U " der each of the divisions of Short- U 

 u nr ' a ° d Devon Cattle ; additional Prizw.. ... 

 a JwT I* newcl *M of Prizes for Sheep best adapted to 

 thZ 7 !? di8trict > a Pri " for Oats, in addition to 

 m«T red-Wheat and Barley ; and Prizes for Cheese 

 »ae within the range of the counties of Anglesey, 

 Cli^r rV0 !\ Meri °n«th f Montgomery, Denbigh, Flint, 

 whirh k *i° Pl and Sta fford, constituting the district in 

 Tho£ \< M e«ing »t Shrewsbury in 1845 will be held. 

 tiluTit eaibers <* Council who intended to be 

 *°om mW, 8t the Soutfaam pton Meeting then left the 

 ■PPoint the rema ' nio & Members proceeded to the 



the Sh nt ° f Jud g e8 f or the various departments of 

 * n, >w on that occasion. 



the bni ° F R / IN —The President, at the conclusion of 

 «ne 8 t of the Council, communicated to the Men?. 



* 



CLUBS. 

 Axmxnster.— The Rev. W. D. Conybeare lately de- 

 livered a lecture here on Manures. It is to be observed, 

 that throughout all nature there is a great and continuous 

 circulation of matter — nothing perishes— nothing is de- 

 stroyed. Besides the great materials of which the globe 

 is composed, vegetables are found to grow and reproduce 

 their species like organised beings; they afford sustenance 

 to the animal creation ; and, indeed, no animal could be 

 provided with nutriment from what had not passed, in 

 some shape or other, through the beautiful laboratory of 

 the vegetable world. Oxygen, hydrogen, and carbon- 

 each subservient to the higher uses of animals—entered 

 into new combinations in nature — numberless in their 

 variety, but all serving the purposes of man or beast. 

 Vegetables were found to be composed of these elemen- 

 tary constituents, as had been proved by analysis. The 

 gluten of vegetable bodies was found to be similar to the 

 gelatin of the blood of animals ; for the solid particles of 

 the blood had been shown to possess properties precisely 

 like gluten. The combinations of carbon, oxygen, hydro- 

 gen, and nitrogen in the vegetable world were almost in- 

 finite, presenting every variety of product— oil, wine, 

 resin, gum, wax, starch, &c, of every complexion, taste, 

 and hue. It was also in the vegetable kingdom that Na- 

 ture produced chemically four-fifths of the medicines 

 named in the Pharmacopoeia; and the lecturer had no 

 doubt that cattle were directed by an instinct implanted 

 by their Creator to the use of various herbs which their 

 constitution might require. Plants separate noxious 

 matter from the air by decomposing it; they obtain carbon 

 from the air, and give out oxygen in return ; the carbon 

 exists in the atmosphere in the shape of carbonic acid gas, 

 which, it is calculated, forms one thousandth part of the 

 entire volume of air. Animals, on the other hand, throw 

 off carbon from their lungs, and plants take it in by their 

 leaves ; and thus the composition, or the relative propor- 

 tions of the elements forming that medium in which they 

 both exist, is maintained constantly unchanged. Thus 

 has an equilibrium been preserved since the beginning of 

 creation ; the elemental constituents of the atmosphere 

 have been running a round from air to vegetables, vege- 

 tables to animals, and animals to vegetables again, yet 

 they exist in the same proportion as ever. We are com- 

 puted to breathe a pound of carbon per day into the air, 

 and this is taken up by vegetables, which give us back 

 oxygen instead. Eight thousand years would, it is sup- 

 posed, be occupied in turning the oxygen of the atmo- 

 sphere into carbonic acid, and were all the oxygen thus 

 changed we could not breathe ; but plants come in to our 

 help, and by taking up the carbonic acid generated by 

 man and by animals, restore the atmosphere to a health- 

 ful state. 1 he fact that plants obtain carbon from the 

 air may be proved by allowing a plant to grow in a 

 vessel under water, connected with another vessel con- 

 taining carbonic acid gas; the carbonic acid gas will be 

 absorbed and the water take its place. But, to look 

 above gallipots and experiments to the great forests of 

 Nature — it may be asked how are they supplied ? They 

 can obtain carbon only from the air ; very true, but they 

 take long periods of time in which to grow, whereas crops 

 of corn must be raised in one season ; and we, therefore, 

 have to surround them with an atmosphere which will 

 supply carbon quicker. This is done by manure. Nitro- 

 gen forms another element of vegetable growth, and is 

 procured from the air also, in the shape of ammonia, a 

 volatile and pungent compound of hydrogen and nitrogen : 

 plants also obtain ammonia from rain, which holds one 

 thousandth part of it. Ammonia is given off in the 

 decomposition of animal matter. The ashes of vege- 

 tables consist of lime, silica, alkali, and chlorine, ob- 

 tained from inorganic natur* in an altered condition. 

 Many of these inorganic consequents vary according to 

 the soil in which the plants grow ; but without a certain 

 number of them they never arrive at maturity. It is 

 calculated that from an acre of land, in a course o! four 

 years' cropping, there U taken away J200 lbs. of these 

 substances ; they must needs be restore*?, £*rUbis i* done 

 by manure ; or allowing ground to remain f^low, wr **reby 



new particles are brought out, or into contact with each 

 other. Fresh surfaces are exposed, and new salts are 

 formed by fallowing. The learned gentleman then re- 

 capitulated some observations in reference to the con- 

 sumption of food by animals. A part was taken up by the 

 blood — carbon was thrown off by breathing and perspi- 

 ration ; the earthy particles go to the formation of bones, 

 and the remainder is given back in liquid or solid excre- 

 ment. The fertilising power of animal manures, whether 

 fluid or solid, is dependent, like that of the soil itself, 

 upon the happy admixture of a great number of those 

 substances which are required by plants in cultivation, 

 and upon the large proportion of nitrogen which they 

 contain. The grand principle of manuring consisted in 

 applying or restoring to the soil what had been abstracted 

 from it ; this was done every day by the farmer in folding 

 bis sheep ; and when he heard from his friend Dr. Buck- 

 land, a few days since, »he doctor speaking of everything 

 being given back to the soil, said — ■' Why do you not 

 advise my Axminster friends to do as the Chinese do — 

 take care of their beards when they shave ? " The reve- 

 rend lecturer then proceeded to recommend liquid 

 manure, as being extremely rich in ammonia and the 

 salts of potash ; he said the ammonia might be fixed by 

 means of gypsum found at Branscombe ; the gypsum 

 should be placed in tanks with the drainage of stables 

 and cattle-stalls, and it would form sulphate of ammonia, 

 which is far less volatile than the carbonate or smelling- 

 salts. This sulphate of ammonia was readily obtained 

 from urine strewed with the plaster of Paris or gypsum.. 

 This forms the urate sold as manure. Every town and 

 farm might thus supply itself with the manure, which, 

 besides containing the most nitrogen, contains also the 

 most phosphates — both fertilisers to a great extent. On 

 the Continent the powerful agency of urine as a manure 

 was well known, and in many places it was preserved. 

 Some philosophers were wont to regret the large waste 

 of valuable manure by means of sewers and drains ; but 

 such was not actually the case — nothing was really wasted 

 — the bank of Nature was as full as ever, and contained 

 the same stock of ammonia and earthy salts, although 

 they might be diffused. Still it was a very different 

 thing to the farmer whether the gold were in the Bank of 

 England or in his own pocket — there might be plenty in 

 the former while he remained poor ; so fertilising matters 

 might be floating about, but his object was to have them 

 ready at his own door. The salts contained in the depo- 

 sits of birds were very efficacious ; hence the great value 

 of guano, respecting the results of which the accounts 

 were highly satisfactory ; Turnips, Wheat, and indeed 

 every crop, had been raised in increased quantity by its 

 use. It should not, however, be used with lime, as he 

 had been informed by Messrs. Toms, of Chard, because 

 there was an antagonism between the two substances — 

 the carbonic acid in the lime flew off and united with the 

 ammonia of the guano, and carbonate of ammonia resulted, 

 which was apt to fly off like smelling-salts. The salts of 

 potash were necessary constituents of the soil, and their 

 application had been attended with good results in some 

 cases. Nitrate of soda, saltpetre, and common salt were 

 each valuable as manures, provided the soil were defi- 

 cient of these substances ; and the uncertainty of result 

 in their application might be attributed to the varieties of 



soil. Guano and other excrements brought each thing 

 which the soil required, whereas the salts only supplied 

 a particular deficiency. Lime acted mechanically upon 

 the soil, rendering it friable and pervious to rain, and 

 was therefore valuable; now, clay was found in most 

 soils, but not pure — it was mixed with silica— an import- 

 ant constituent of Wheat ; lime liberated the silica, or 

 earth of flint, and enabled it to be taken up by the 

 W heat-plant— Sherborne Journal. 



3£UbfefoS. 



The Dictionary of the Farm. By the Rev. W. L. 

 Rham, Vicar of Winkfield, Berkshire. London : 

 Charles Knight and Co., Ludgate-ttreet. 

 This work is the production of one who, by familiar 

 acquaintance with the science on which the farmer's 

 practice depends, as well as by extensive practical know- 

 ledge of his subject, was eminently qualified as an agri- 

 cultural writer. Its Preface commences thus:— " The 

 lamented death of Mr. Rham, within less than a month 

 after he had completed the materials of this volume for 

 the press, cannot be passed over without a brief notice 

 of his estimable and valuable life." Then follows an 

 interesting biographical sketch; and to convince our 

 readers of our justice in recommending this work to 

 their attention, at the same time assuring them that the 

 articles it contains are such as might be expected from 

 the qualifications of their author, we quote further as 



follows : — 

 M His early connection with the Continent, which was 



kept up in after life, afforded scope for observation of 

 the husbandry of different countries ; and his thorough 

 knowledge of several living languages gave him access to 

 the works of scientific writers on foreign Agriculture. 

 In the next place, Bis chemical studies at Edinburgh, 

 while preparing for the medical profession, were of emi- 

 nent service to him ; and scarcely less so was the profi- 

 ciency in mathematics which he attained at Cambridge. 

 It may safely be asserted that no other writer on J^^ 

 culture ever enjoyed in so great a degree such a com 1 

 tion of advantages ; and to bis knowledge of the che^cat 

 and mechanical department* of Agriculture w ^.^ 

 united a thorough acquaintance with its ^, ^ 

 We would simply refer to the arnde r ! 5 j 



example of this «-^^*SSdS engaged in hi. 

 knowledge. On his farm at wuw* 



/ 



J 



