582 



THE AGRICULTURAL GAZETTE. 



when we entered to the farm at Whitsunday, 1839, we 

 pat two calves into it in the month of June, and were 

 obliged to take them out two or three weeks afterwards, 

 as it did not grow as much Grass as to support them. 

 Its herbage was of the coarsest description, and although 

 in a sheltered situation, much of the ground was un- 

 swarded, and stunted heather was beginning to show 

 itself upon some of the driest parts, while a few strag- 

 gling rushes wore a sickly appearance upon those parts 

 which were saturated with wet. In January, 1840, we 

 turned it over with the plough, and found the soil to be 

 much inclined to Moss, especially in the lower part of 

 the park. It appeared as if it had been burned at some 

 former period, as the soil was partly mixed with ashes. 

 In the lower part of the park the subsoil is a stiff gr 

 velly clay, while across the middle it becomes hard and 

 stony, and is only covered with a few inches of surface ; 

 from this part a large quantity of mineral water flowed, 

 and left a brown ochrey sediment on the surface ; nearer 

 the top the soil is a dark-coloured earth about six inches 

 deep, and the subsoil a fine clay. We sowed it with 

 Oats in the spring, and, excepting a small space at the 

 upper end of the park, it was a very poor crop. We 

 furrow-drained it in autumn, and planted it with Potatoes 

 in the spring following, with farm-yard manure at the 

 rate of about 25 cubic yards per acre ; the crop was 

 middling good, being about 28 bolls, or 7 tons per acre. 

 We then ploughed it into ridges about 18 feet broad, to 

 answer the declivity. In the following spring we spread 

 upon it the small quantity of about 10 bolls, or 60 

 bushels, of lime shells, per acre, and harrowed them in 

 with the Oats and Grass seeds. Perennial Rye-grass of 

 excellent quality, which had been cut after the nine- 

 teenth year, and a few pounds of red and white Clover, 

 were the only seeds sown; the crop of Oats was middling 

 good, being about 7 bolls, or 42 bushels, per acre ; but 

 the sward of Grass in autumn was far from luxuriant. 

 We applied the water to it in the month of November, 

 which was done in the following manner: — A small rill, 

 which has its source from a few drains at a little distance, 

 had trickled by the steading for a great length of time, 

 without being used for any other purpose than to afford 

 drink to cattle, for which purpose, at times, from the 

 emallness of the run, it was scarcely sufficient. During 

 wet weather, however, in the winter season, it some- 

 times swelled to a considerable size, and as it then 

 brought the washings of the farm-road along with it, 

 from a distance of about 300 yards, we thought it might 

 be turned to some useful purpose in irrigation. We were 

 in the habit of collecting all the urine from the offices 

 into a reservoir, and carting it to the fields ; but there 

 was at times a considerable loss of that valuable liquid 

 from the dunghill, which, when fully saturated, ran 

 over. If, therefore, we could by any means raise the 

 water of the rill to a sufficient height to come in contact 

 with the refuse liquid of the dunghill, and form a small 

 reservoir, it would then in wet weather catch all the 

 rich washings of the premises, and conduct them over 

 the park in irrigating rills. We managed to effect this, 

 and we have not been disappointed. When we got the 

 • water raised to a sufficient height, we formed a main 

 conducting flooder along the head of the ridges, and 

 made small feeders from it to conduct the water occa- 

 sionally into each ridge. The supply of water was 

 small, and to prevent waste, we laid the bottom of the 

 feeders with clay, which we got puddled at the clay-mill 

 in the vicinity. The water was generally not more than 

 sufficient for one ridge at a time, so we commenced at 

 one side of the field, and regularly watered it ridge by 

 ridge. We usually allowed the water to flow only about 

 two days over a ridge, when we turned it off into another. 

 We spread it over the ridges by damming the cuts with 

 pieces of slate or stone. When we got once over the 

 field, we commenced again at the other side, and con- 

 tinued to do so during # the winter. That part of the 

 park which lay at the greatest distance from the water 

 was apt to get a less supply than the rest ; but, fortu- 

 nately, a few drains emptied themselves into a cfftch 

 which ran along the side of the park, and of this we took 

 advantage, by raising the water in it to a sufficient height, 

 where it had ample declivity to run along a cut made 

 across the ridges ; and we found that, from the feeding 

 qualities of this water, and partly from a little of the 

 more fertilising liquid soaking into it from the flooder 

 above, that it had a most wonderful effect in promoting 

 fertility. Indeed the effects of the irrigation were visible 

 in a few days after this contrivance was applied. When- 

 ever the weather was fresh during the winter, the Grass 

 assumed a green appearance, and nothing could exceed 

 the luxuriance of its growth when the spring set in. We 

 allowed a few ewes and lambs to pasture on it the first 

 two weeks of April, which kept it back a little, but com- 

 menced cutting the Grass about the beginning of June, 

 and cut and consumed it green by horses and cows for 

 nearly two months. Before it was all cut it was much 

 too ripe, and some beginning to rot at the roots ; but as 

 the cattle continued to relish it, and it was so conve- 

 niently placed, we were loth to make any of it into Hay. 

 We, however, measured and won a portion of it to ascer- 

 tain its weight per acre, and found it to be 402 stones, 

 of 22 lbs. to the stone per imperial acre. This portion 

 was cut about the middle of the field, and might be 

 reckoned a fair average sample. It was cut July 26 

 and weighed August 16. The second crop was excellent 

 being exceedingly heavy where the first crop was earliest 

 cut. We commenced cutting it the second time on the 

 20th of August, and we cut a beautiful third crop from a 

 considerable part of it till the frost came on the 13th of 

 October, when its growth was completely checked, and 

 we then allowed the cows to eat up the foggage. When 



cutting the second and third crops, the sward was so 

 close, that the swathe might almost have been rolled up 

 like a fleece of wool. Thus we have reason to believe 

 that, by the continued application of the water, small as 

 its allowance is, the ground may still, in future years, 

 increase in fertility, and, of course, prove a valuable ac- 

 quisition to the farm. It is now worth as many pounds 

 a-year as it was before worth shillings, and the means 

 which have been used to improve it have not been ex- 

 pensive, and any future charge that may be incurred to 

 maintain and increase its fertility, will cost nearly nothing, 

 seeing that the application of no fertilising ingredient is 

 required but what heretofore ran to waste. The second 

 portion of irrigation consists of about three imperial 

 roods, which lie in a steep acclivity on the banks of a 

 river. It is too steep to be brought under cultivation by 

 the plough, and, being a dry gravelly soil, the want or 

 sufficient moisture in summer seldom failed to render it 

 almost useless. Having, two years ago, furrow-drained 

 the field immediately above it, we led the main-drain in 

 a direction where we could catch another small supply of 

 water that came from the surrounding fields. This was 

 nearly all that was required ; we had merely to make a small 

 cut as a flooder along the top of the bank, and another 

 across about half way down, when we let a small supply 

 of water into each, and the steep declivity rendered it an 

 easy matter to spread it over the surface. We kept the 

 water upon it throughout the whole winter, and during 

 summer, until a week or two before commencing to cut 

 the Grass. When the supply of water was very small, 

 we let it run a few days in one flooder, and then in the 

 other ; but we found that it did no damage when it was 

 allowed to run continually upon the same part. The 

 first year the irrigation was applied, being 1842, it had 

 no great effect, and the Grass which was cut from it was 

 foul, and not highly relished by the cattle ; but in autumn 

 a beautiful sward appeared ; and in the present year, 

 1843, nothing could exceed the luxuriance of its growth, 

 the water being still applied in the same manner. The 

 Grasses were much finer in quality than in the preceding 

 year, and the cattle devoured it greedily. We measured 

 and won a part of it to ascertain the weight, and found it 

 to be the extraordinary weight of 440 stones, of 22 lbs. 

 to the stone, per imperial acre ; the Hay was cut on the 

 7th of August, and weighed on the 28th of the same 

 month. Thus another small portion of land has been 

 brought from comparative barrenness into a state of great 

 fertility, by means both simple and cheap, as a very small 

 amount of labour and attention have been required, and 

 for which, certainly, we have been most amply repaid. — 

 Mr. Wilson, of Penicuik, in the Transactions of the 

 Highland Society* 



On Rolling Wheat. — Agriculturists in general allow 

 that a friable soil is favourable to the growth of Wheat ; 

 and they even recommend a harrowing in spring, to 

 loosen the soil and promote the action of the air and 

 the sun. In an experiment I have tried, I set out on a 

 principle entirely opposite, founded on a practical fact. 

 We like to trample the sprouting Wheat in October and 

 November by flocks of sheep, for the purpose of pressing 

 the soil. The treading of these sheep causes every trace 

 of vegetation to disappear : yet the Wheat fields so 

 treated look the finest in spring, and yield the best 

 crops. This trampling by sheep must not be confounded 

 with folding, to enrich the soil, for the sheep, in treading 

 a field, drop very little dung, which would only fertilise 

 the spots where it fell ; but the fields thus trodden ex- 

 hibit a vegetation uniformly vigorous. In the month of 

 October, 1842, I passed my heavy roller, above 4 feet 

 long and 4 feet diameter, and weighing about 3 tons, 

 once over a field of about 5| acres. The Wheat had 

 come up, and the rolling was even and complete. In 

 this operation I had in view to condense the soil that it 

 might not absorb moisture, and that no water should 

 lodge upon it, because this, in freezing, would, of neces- 

 sity, injure the young plants. I also thought that com- 

 pressing the soil, which promised to be particularly 

 favourable to Whsat, would retain moisture in fine 

 weather more effectually, and that the roots, fixed more 

 firmly in the ground, would push up more vigorous 

 shoots. My anticipations were realised beyond expecta- 

 tion ; the field was uniformly covered with plants, which 

 shot up early in the spring, and continued to flourish 

 until harvest. All the neighbouring farmers observed it 

 with astonishment. The 5± acres of Wheat compressed 

 by the roller consisted of light sandy soil, mixed with a 

 little clay, not well adapted to Wheat, which prefers 

 strong soil ; and it had been cropped the year before 

 partly with W T heat and partly with Oats. I had, there- 

 fore, transgressed the ordinary rules of rotation by 

 sowing Wheat again ; but I hoped to compensate this 

 disadvantage by manuring the land. From these bh 

 acres I reaped 213 bushels of Wheat, weighing about 

 oh tons, and about 12 tons of straw. This is a very 

 satisfactory produce on a light soil of moderate quality. 

 By mistake, my whole field was rolled, and therefore I 

 could not ascertain the difference between portions that 

 were rolled and those that were not ; but, judging from 

 the crops of my neighbours, I must believe that the 

 rolling of my field augmented the produce one-fourth/ 

 The compressed state of the field continued until harvest ; 

 and, from the first, I was struck with its compactness. 

 I remarked that a weed, which grows only on highways 

 much frequented, was collected on my field, whilst other 

 weeds were very rare, notwithstanding the frequent rains 

 of 1843. However, I found no difficulty in woiking it, 

 and I sowed it with Turnip and Rape, some parts of which 

 were rolled immediately after the seed was put in. I had 

 some portions watered with solutions of salts of ammonia, 

 and I have rolled some Wheat, leaving parts of the field 



[Aug. 24, 



untouched. Next year I shall be able to speak"*^ 

 positively of the effects of heavy roiling. I make a iT 

 cessful use of my highway roller on my meadows in ear£ 

 spring. A single rolling is sufficient to produce a hard 

 smooth surface, conducive to the growth of herbage and 

 easy to be closely mown.— M. Schattenmann,in th* 

 11 Annales de Chimie et de Physique," Ayrshire 

 Agriculturist. # 



Sale of Guano at Liverpool.— \. cargo of KUana 

 brought by the ship Hamilton, Ross, from Ichaboe was 

 offered for sale on Friday, by Mr. Alexander Allan 

 broker, at the Sale-room in Oldhall-street. The quantity 

 announced was 350 tons, but only 2.00 tons were offered 

 the difference having been disposed of by private contract' 

 The article was said to be the best ever imported, and 

 the analysis showed that it was of superior quality! It 

 was divided into four lots of five tons each, and twenty- 

 three lots of ten tons each. The biddings commenced 

 for the first lot at 5/. per ton, and rose slowly by half- 

 crowns to 5/. 105., at which it was knocked down, and 

 the purchaser took the next lot, making ten tons 'alto- 

 gether. The third and fourth lots were put up, and sold 

 at the same price. The first lot of ten tons was offered 

 at the same rate, the broker stating that no more would 

 be sold at that price, but there were no higher biddings, 

 and it was withdrawn at 6/. Twenty tons were all that 

 was sold. The attendance was rather numerous, but 

 there was little or no competition. 



Notices to Correspondents. 

 Allotments.— S. L. S.—We quite agree with you, and will have 

 the subject attended to fully. 



Arb Rabbits Gam k ?— Rabbits are not game within the Game 

 Act, l & '2 Will. IV. c. 32. We have not seen; the opinion in 

 Bell's Life in London referred to, and therefore do not know 

 the precise point upon which it was given. The opinion given 

 in a former Number is correct. We understood the question 

 of our then correspondent to be— Whether a tenant cuuld use 

 a gun to kill rabbits on his land without taking out a 

 game certificate, and we referred him to the exception in 

 Schedule L. of 52 Geo. III. c. 93, to show that he could. W. 



Barley a.vd Rice.— T. C. asks for information on the nutri- 

 tive qualities of Rice and Barley-meal, and also on the relative 

 nutrition of the bran and flour of Wheat. Have any of our 

 readers experiments on these matters in the fattening of cattle 

 to report ? 



Clover Dodder. — G. Kirk. — It has probably a foreign origin, 

 being introduced into this country with Clover seed. Mr. 

 Babington, of St. John's College, Cambridge, requested some 

 time since that farmers would send him specimens of this 

 weed, and of the seed, with information as to where the seed 



was obtained. 

 Draining Level.— Constant Reader.-^A very excellent level 

 was exhibited at Southampton, by Mr. Bailey Denton, as you 

 will see in our report of the Exhibition. We do not know Mr. 



Webster's. 

 Gypsum.— A. H.— We will endeavour to get the title of the book 



you refer to, for you, next week. 

 Names of Plants.—/. F.— The small sweet-scented plant 

 from South America is Melilotus parviflora. It has been cul- 

 tivated in Botanic Gardens, but not as an agricultural plant 



that we ever heard of. 

 Professor Johnston's S^^p.—A Correspondent was last week 

 erroneously referred to ) of the Agricultural Gazette ou 



this subject: it should** oeen to No. 19, where he will see 

 the following substances recommended as a steep for Corn 

 and Beans :-Phosphateof soda, sulphate of magnesia, nitrate 

 of potash, common salt, sulphate of ammonia-- 1 lb. of each, 

 in 10 gallons of water, to steep 300 lbs. of seed. To be dried 



with gypsum or quicklime. , 



RATS.-Proteas.-Mr. Meyer's Rat Poison is continually adver- 

 tised in our columns. »« u ft fMrnrdi»W 



Stall-feedino.-J Teifiside Su^eriber.-h^ot^^t 

 acres should answer your purpose, one-third ? f * £ f^™ 

 the three roots, Parsnips, Carrots, and Mang old Wa™el. G i ye 

 your cows 10 or 12 lbs. of hay each day. a nd asma Ca rots 

 and Parsnips as they will eat besides; which will probably be 

 from 80 no Too lbs. Mangold Wurzel should not be given till 



B%S££ &£**>-* *.-See .the advertisement over the 

 Leader of the Agricultural ^^^^ on tnis S ub- 



■20 cwt. per acre 



You need not deprive the 



ticity if >ou apply them or ■ fallowed jtobdjU : or so before 

 &£g t r 5KSX ad£ JnApharic acid is 

 .^Xfusual. many communications have been received too late. 



ifflarfms 



SMITHF1ELD. Mondav Aug JS^*"*™* ™fc „ , 



Ciilves • ■ ■ 



there is a slight ^"^.^.^^^^^ 



disposed of; the second quality '* j^™°™ j 1 ^ Q of th « supply is of very rmd- 

 not make any more money; a large P" , P° h r ; I r ° f s heep and Lambs than last 

 Sling quality. There are a l» r * r f °" m H r Stance realised on Friday 



week, but the demand is ^^^^inle more than 4s for the best Downs, 

 ia fully supported to-day-namely,;^ uttle ™>re J quotab i e advance. 



and rather over 3s K'd for the ^.^"^Xi, 'rticle is nearly closed.. Veal 

 Lamb-trade is still worse; *««»"» ?„Xc"es? quality making 4.4d-indeed 

 is a rather worse trade, very few o [ ***%.„£ U«?ucla more in request at an 

 many very good ones are sold at 4s. roi* « 



advanced price. FRIDAY Aug. 23. 



We have a fair supply of Beast, ^^^1.°^? Sco^^S 

 quality ; the trade 1. about th. ^^^^^ut 3. 10d-l» «»• 

 readily sold at from 3s lud to 4s '-*»*»"-. effecte d. We have not quite " 

 instances a little over ; a good c learanc e is e ^ fc fa ^ , t „ 



many Sheep and Lambs, but the £™ge » * r nQ more than 4s, and LoBf- 

 support .Monday's prices ; th .best jowu ^ ^ 2% fid Veal- trade 



wools nothing over 8 » i^' J^*™ S be quoted at more than 4a. Lamb- 

 5s .till heavier and £ta ^^4. 4 d? PorS remains steady 



tradC " ZlX ^ sU and Lambs, 97*0 , Calves, « ^^^ 



PrimeUpland 

 Inferior „ 

 New Hay „ 



Superior Old 

 Inferior 

 New Hay 



HAY.— Per Load of 36 Trusses 

 Smithpikld, Aug. 22. 



Hay 100s to 110s , Clover - 100s to 125s Straw 



Fine Old Hay 

 New Hay, 



. »4StO»* 



M ^ . Joni Coorw, Salewnan. 



Cumberland Market, Aug. 22. 



Hay 100s to 110s 1 Superior Clover 120. to 1» ^^ ^ t0 33, 

 90 95 I Interior „ J0JJ I 



. 90 100 lNewClov«r MB U0 B ^J IaySBlefmM i. 



Whitbchapel, Aug. 23. % 



. 95. to 105s I Old q ? ver ISO. 13^ | Straw ** 



M 



95 New Clover U0 1*> I 



