1844.] 





THE AG RICULTURAL GAZETTE. 





all ploughing, except perhaps subsoiling, whatever be 

 the land, light or heavy, is performed with but two 



horses , ... 



plough these are found amply sufficient. 



Having now run over shortly what I think are the 

 leading defects that struck my notice in my short journey, 

 let me as shortly point to the leading remedies: — First, 

 then, the landlords as a body ought to grant long leases 

 of 19 years at leasr, and on grain rents, or at so many 

 bushels of grain per acre, at the average price of the 

 county ; for what man will invest his capital in im- 

 proving land, without having a vested right in his im- 

 provements ? or who would run the risk of spending his 

 means in draining or otherwise improving his farm, with 

 the liability instantly after of being turned adrift at the 

 mere caprice of his landlord ? The landlords should also 

 Uke upon themselves the payment of the whole burdens, 

 whether in the shape of tithes or poor-rates, &c, so that 

 the tenant would have a fixed rent before him, and have 

 nothing to fear— nothing to prevent him laying out his 

 capital to the best advantage. The law of hypothic 

 should also be abolished. This was enacted for the pro- 

 tection of landlords, but it is very questionable if it does 

 not react upon themselves, by preventing the tenant from 

 borrowing money to carry on improvements in the same 

 way as other classes of the community. If a manufac- 

 turer, for instance, has 1000/. on machinery, he finds 

 little difficulty in borrowing money to the extent of at 

 least half its value ; not so the farmer. Who will lend 

 to him, when his landlord has a preferable claim on the 

 property ? 



The next thing to a proper cultivation of the soil is a 

 sufficient supply of manure ; and this cannot be procured 

 without keeping a large stock of cattle, for which in the 

 counties named there is no means of subsistence : to 

 orercome this difficulty it is necessary, instead of as at 

 present having two-thirds nominally in Grass but in 

 reality producing little, to introduce green crops, crops of 

 artificial Grasses, Turnips, and other roots ; for it is 

 well known that the same ground which in poor pasture 

 would only feed a few cattle in summer, will, under the 

 crops mentioned, feed three or four times the number 

 all the year round, if they be kept in the house, the 

 food being brought to them : three or four times the 

 quantity of manure will thus be produced. Again, take 

 a farm of 300 acres, only one-third of it being cultivated 

 the remainder in Grass— how few people are employed' 

 here . Change the system, and we have three or four 

 times the number employed. Were this universally 

 adopted where required, and were the land drained and 

 rendered fit for bearing crops, and subsoiled, and tho- 

 roughly cleaned and manured ; were those useless hedge- 

 rows, ditches, and trees, that take up so much ground, 

 and damage so much more, swept away, we should find 

 no redundancy of labour in the market ; there would be 

 A anxiety about the unemployed— Be **& of editing 

 tne strength and sinew of the country, and no fear- as at 

 present, of annually importing a large quantity of foreign 

 gram.— A Strathearn Farmer. 



nlonaW °« )ln,0tt8 on the value of this mode of 



p oughing-opunons, too, which are held to stoutlv by 



IdTanr^rTfi 0Wn . er8 ' The one P art y -olds forth the 

 winter T. °l *?* pUn CSpeciai1 ' iQ laughing before 

 and thl \ \°\ f 8 / eat SUrface is «P°"d *° ^ frost ; 

 ?he Und f7 ' dS - ° rth thC CVil ° f «Ej half ploughing 

 ternii / ,S ™? mt thBt b rafteri 4 only every at 

 on nf S °! 'k "J?™ 1 ' the 0ther bei »S ^ land, on the 

 l?J u lCh th V° ds arelaid ' an <* thi. does not so 



wS & E* IaDd M t0 hind6r the * r0wth of 

 weeds. Having been accustomed to see land ploughed 



deeply and effectually before winter, and having no ex- 

 perience of the advantage of raftering land, I cannot 



TZ £ , ?! ni0n °u ltS merits ' U a PP"« l ° «e, how- 

 a i «„ H 6 r at \ er .^ Ch Cann0t P^etrate fast land 

 thVLtf hat k wl i lch 1S oose - c *»™t have the effect on 

 the half ploughed or raftered field that it can on the 

 field which is perfectly ploughed.— M S 

 ' On Reaping Grain.— The observations and testW 



w!J n f f\° Q the P r °P er Period of reaping 



VV heat at an earlier stage than is now commonly prac- 

 tised, are only confirmatory of an opinion that has lon ff 

 prevailed, and been partially practised, but not gene- 

 rally been adopted on account of the slow rate of pro- 

 gress in agricultural improvements, and the extreme 

 backwardness with which anything new is received. I 

 remember being told by an old practitioner a quarter of 

 a century ago, that Oats should be cut when " paddv- 

 nued or when the pickles are striped like the back of 

 a paddock and I have in many cases cut Oats in that 

 state I have got the straw more juicy, and better in 

 quality, and the farina finer. In the case of Barley 

 being cut in that striped state, I found it always pre- 

 ferred by the maltsters, the skin being thinner, and the 

 sprout quicker and more vigorous. With these two 

 jramste results we quite decisive. In the case of 

 Wheat, I had a field in Leicestershire cut fully ten days 

 before the usual time, the straw being greenish, and the 

 pickle hard, beyond shrinking, not admitting the striped 

 test, as neither the calyx nor corolla adheres. It was 

 threshed m due time, and sold to a miller of much 

 experience, who remarked the very superior quality of 

 the flour in point of fineness and gift, and could give no 

 reason till he asked me if it grew on the field cut so 

 early, and which in public opinion was so much hurt 

 thereby. H e saw the cause at once, but the fact con- 

 vinced none else. He even declared it the finest article 

 he ever saw. It may be very reasonably supposed that 

 fruits and seeds have passed the adolescent state when 

 the quantity of matter is fully gathered which forms the 

 body ; and when this has happened, the matter is in its 

 finest form, and a coarseness takes place immediately on 

 verging into confirmed maturity. The processes of 

 nature^universally confirm this observation, and in the 



at what 



595 



B Home Correspondence. 



rntl aP r Ceed '~~8™ P a8turea ar e nearly covered with a 

 thTvP, aSS /- Whlch thp y caI1 here knot-weed, and it is 

 2? ** kln 8** appearance even where they were 

 aown for Hay. Neither cows nor horses eat it. Is it 

 or any use m protecting the more tender Grasses ? or is 



of be 2r "T' by t8king U P the room and nourishment 



ud bv LT> ' x S t0 makG jt WOrth while t0 have Jt P u,Ied 



PuU .out ill W thC gr ° Und is wet some of the ° talks 



off it will ap ° rt,0n 0f the root * but as ra any break 



be eradTivT 1 ? pulUn ? several seasons before ifc can 

 has hp.„7" i Se . 6ms to S row m ost where the ground 



out aTl a,D ' Would !t not p a y s enera11 ? t0 P ul1 



™ ail the coarse weeds from permanent pasture land ? 

 with the sn a l rSeVere in puIli,, S ifc "P. or cutting it off 

 if treated thus j 5 ^ *"* CaQ continue lon S ia the S round 



oafdTbolna t0 *V k ° f Trees—Twitted Hay or straw- 

 coated *?,h r ° U the St6mS ° f fruit " trees » a nd slightly 

 them Pain?* 8 ' 1 * 1 ' wiU P rev ent sheep or cattle injuring 

 close'un thl g bark with -any kind of mixture may 



growth of theT 8 ° f thC ° Uter Skin ' and thuS retard the 

 access to thebol7!l^ B / the ab ° Ve plan ' the air has free 



Sowina Com ' ti ° ° n \ 

 ! ea land i« ♦ T Slm plest way of sowing Corn over 



Tie seed i Vu- lfc broadc ast over the first furrow, 

 forrow anH i I 8 Ca8e wiU fail between Ihe lips of the 

 alomr with ti? t advanta ges of drilling will be obtained, 

 It is evident X chea P ness and speed of sowing broadcast. 

 ha *in e mn l m this case there wil1 bean advantage in 

 w nich thp / arth raised in tbe form of ribs » between 



°e covered tk |U U ^ aS tben the 8eed wiU be sure to 

 raised the' greater the quantity of earth thus 



^ows dr a m ° r !i efficient wil1 the covering be when the 



ofl5ce of the^h 1 ' 8nd tbis a PP ears to be the proper 



Used tn ot;- . arr ? w * In some districts heavy drags are 



c "ectaallv » a ■ y e ca »ed, whicn will do it mor 



Wr ow j/' f! 1 ^ Wlth less difficulty. The office of th<= 

 cl °dsoranv, 3g weeds to the surface, and to reduce 

 this «fftctuall J leVenne8S ° f surfa ce ; and, to enable it to do 

 ■Aort that th t tCeth should not be long, but rather so 

 ^ th e ground _? ework of th e implement may rub 



8lice i%2rS? ° r Ribbin 9 ^anrf.-Each sod or furrow- 



brefl dth of fag" ,8 a °P era .tion, turned over upon its own 



^Poaed s Ur f ace an f wb ; ch ^ M ^t been ploughed. The tion> aad there is little doubt of tbeir pr0 ving good 

 ****** than that of ,Jk°At ploughed in this way is boiler8; their co i our is excellent, and the straw will prove 



ground ploughed in ordinary fashion. 1 f aluab i e for store stock. Swedes and Turnips are a 



case of cutting; erpj n> it only remains to judge 

 Mme th* matters composing the pickle have acquired a 

 consistency sufficient to prevent shrinking after the crop 

 is cut. It will be found that this period has arrived 

 some time before the straw and ears have attained the 

 common marks of ripeness— a yellow, gold, or white 

 colour ; when they are thus fully ripe, the pickles are 

 pushed much more forward in maturity than the append- 

 ages of support. My experience enables me to say, that 

 in most cases our grains are 10 to 14 days too late in being 

 cut ; and I am glad to be able to add my testimony to 

 the authoritiesjalready adduced. — D. 



Cone Wheat. — Having recently noticed some very 

 fine Cone Wheat growing near this city, I have had the 

 curiosity to ascertain the length and weight of two ears 

 taken indiscriminately, after removal of the crop from the 

 land, and consequently in a dry state. 

 Length of ear. Number of seeds. Weight (Apothecary's). 



6 inches 106 150prs. or 2idrs. 



5£ inches 110 1 66 grs. 



In both cases the stalk measured about 5 feet 6 inches. 

 — F. S. f Gloucester, [Very fine ears.] 



Vale of Evesham. — The harvest in this rich and beau- 

 tiful vale commenced in good earnest about the first 

 week in August. Although the weather was at first fair 

 and promising, on the second week the barometer fell 

 very low and the farmers' spirits more so ; however, a 

 brisk wind and bright sun cleared away the storms, and 

 many a thousand load of Wheat was secured in excellent 

 condition. Various were the implements used for cutting 

 down the Wheat : in some fields might be seen the cele- 

 brated Welsh bajrging-hook, in others the Scotch scythe, 

 and lastly, though not the least effective, the old English 

 sickle. Many commenced reaping this season earlier 

 than usual : some, tempted by the fine weather, others 

 from the numbers of reapers applying to be set on ; those 

 who delayed, thinking the Corn was not sufficiently ripe, 

 had a considerable quantity shed upon the ground. The 

 Wheat was remarkably free from rubbish, and conse- 

 quently soon ready for carting to the stack-yard. The 

 autumn-planted Wheat will average from three to four 

 bags per acre more than that planted late in the spring. 

 Had it answered as well this season as the three last 

 years, a vast many might have been tempted to deviate 

 from the general rule of planting in the autumn ; and 

 then, had such a failure as the present taken place, the 

 consequences to the country might have been very 

 serious. Notwithstanding this deficiency in the spring- 

 planted Wheat, the crop undoubtedly is a full average 

 one ; and the grain was never known to be finer. The 

 Barley will be a very indifferent crop. Beans are also 

 very short in the straw, and although in some fields 

 well-podded, the crop is far short of an average. Peas, 

 both White and Grey, were secured in excellent condi- 

 tion, and there is little doubt of tbeir proving good 



failure : although the young plants came up tolerably 

 well, no sooner did they make their appearance than the 

 little spotted fly commenced devouring them, and in a 

 very short time afterwards the aphis joined in the work 

 of destruction. After both these annoying little insects 

 had done their best to annihilate the plants, a white grub 

 began gnawing the roots, and finished the greater por- 

 tion of those that had escaped. Some tried lime, others 

 soot, but the most effective plan that I have heard of in 

 destroying the aphis was adopted by a neighbour of 

 mine. He sowed lime over the young plants, and after- 

 wards passed a hurdle drawn with willow branches both 

 ways over them—the crop is good. Scarcely one farmer 

 in a parish has a good field of Swedish Turnips ; many 

 have sown three or four times, and others have given up. 

 in despair. Never was the Swede land more expensively 

 dressed with bones, guano, and all kinds of stimulating 

 manures; notwithstanding which, all have failed. The 

 loss of the Swede crop will be most seriously felt by the 

 large stock owners. The young Clovers amongst the 

 Barley and Wheat present a very poor appearance ; few 

 grounds will bear stocking before the spring. Farmers 

 will do wisely to plant as many Vetches as they can- 

 spring keep will be highly valuable. Although reporU 

 of the Potato crop are favourable, on a closer inspection 

 they will prove to be incorrect. The early sorts have 

 nearly all rooted again since the rain, and verv many of 

 the late Potatoes are full of root without any tubers ; 

 only those planted just before the- rain in the early part 

 of July are good. The fruit in the Aj.j le and Pear 

 orchards is exceedingly fine and free from blight, and 

 promises to make excellent cider and perry. It is a 

 matter of great thankfulness that the Wheat crop is so 

 good this year. It is now evident that the British 

 farmer can grow sufficient for the increasing population; 

 scarcely a bushel of foreign Corn will be required before 

 another harvest — //. 11. , Jun. 



Arc Rabbits Game ?— In your Gazette of 27th ult. 

 you state " that the tenant of lands, or any person by 

 ins direction, may destroy rabbits on such lands without 

 taking out a game certificate;" and you quote Schedule L. 

 of 52 Geo. III. c. 93. Now in two recent Nos. of 

 BcWs Life (I think the last published, and the No. 

 14 days before), an answer to a correspondent gives an 

 opinion quite the reverse. On a point of consequence, 

 it is strange that two such authorities should so differ in 

 their opinions. Would you oblige a subscriber with cor- 

 rect information upon this point?— No. b.b. 7. [See 

 Notices to Correspondents in last week's Paper.] 



Vetches and Italian Rye-grass.— Mr. Huxtable in- 

 quires if Vetches and Italian Rye-grass may be sown 

 together ? You remark, " We doubt the propriety of so 

 doing ;" you invite information from your correspond- 

 ents. I now furnish the result of my own experiments. 

 In May, 1842, I sowed a field of four acres with Vetches, 

 Oats, Cow-grass, and linliar, Rye-grass; tiwfirttcrcp 

 that season consisted principally of Vetches and Oats, 

 which I took care to cut before the Vetches could de- 

 stroy the other Grasses. The second crop (that season) 

 consisted of all the Grasses, but now the Italian Rye-grasa 

 and Cow-grass prevailed over the Vetches and Oats. We 

 now come to 1843 ; May 22d I commenced mowing my 

 Italian Rye-grass and Cow-grass, the former prevailing 

 greatly over the latter. The whole field was mowed 

 three times that season, and part of the field four times. 

 Some of the Italian Rye-grass grew to the length of 

 5 feet 7 inches. Subsoil, gravel and large pebble-stones ; 

 previous crop Oats ; land very foul, requiring four 

 ploughings ; was well limed, and after mowing manured 

 with stable dung, pig's dung, ashes from iron-stone, 

 calcined with anthracite coal, and also the ashes of 

 anthracite coal — William Courtes, Yniscedwyn Iron, 

 Works, near Swansea. [Perhaps you will be kind 

 enough to give us the quantities of the different seeds 

 you sowed per acre. How were they sown r] 



House Manure. — Could you not suggest some mode 

 by which the drainage of large mansions might be made 

 use of as manure ? In most of our country houses, when 

 not situated near a stream, the drains are, I believe, 

 allowed to lose themselves in the ground at a certain 

 distance from the mansion. Might they not be made of 

 infinite service, by being conducted to a cesspool, into 

 which cesspool, from time to time, might be thrown dis- 

 infecting agents, sufficiently powerful to destroy the 

 offensive odour arising from the same? In Belgium 

 these excrements are looked to as the richest manure, 

 but I believe little pains are taken, if any, to overcome 

 its fetid smell, on being drawn forth for the purpose of 

 application to the growing crops — the proprietors of 

 the land being willing to submit to the nuisance for the 

 sake of the value of the article producing it. I have 

 long caused the urine collected from the bed-chambers 

 to be emptied on the dungheap, as well as the water 

 in which soap has been used ; but I should like to make 

 more use of the valuable manure created in my house ; 

 and as I am about entering a new residence, in which I 

 can make any alterations I like in the drainage, I shall 

 be glad to receive any hints you maybe disposed to give,, 

 which may throw a light on this subject. It has struck 

 me that, taking into consideration the quantity of water 

 which would run into a ces?pool from the water-closets 

 of a modern mansion, a pump placed in the same world 

 afford a rich and valuable supply for flowers or vegetables, 

 or, if a water-cart were used, for irrigating Grass land 

 with a liquid manure. — A Constant Reader. [Instead 

 of letting the drains lose themselves in the grounds, let 

 them all deliver into a tank at any convenient spot, 

 causing everything first to pass through a cesspool, in 

 which the solid matters may subside. The contents of 

 this should be mixed with fresh vegetable mould, and 



