614 



THE AGRICULTURAL GAZETTE. 



be made to our stock of domestic animals. The Alpaca, 

 from the experience of it which has been compiled from 

 Tarious quarters in this country by Mr. Walton, really 

 seems likely hereafter to play an important part in t.ie 

 stock-farming of the hilly districts of the kingdom. 

 This animal is indigenous in the mountainous regions 

 of Peru, where two domesticated species of it occur. 

 The one receiving the name of Llama is used as a beast 

 of burden ; the other — the Alpaca — to which we at pre- 

 sent allude, is a wool-bearing animal, and of it large 

 flocks were formerly possessed by the Incas, sovereigns in 

 former days of that country, and by other wealthy in- 

 habitants of it. The climate of the districts in which 

 this animal flourishes is described by Mr. Walton as 

 follows : — 



"The woolly natives possess a hardiness of constitu- 

 tion, and a peculiarity of structure, admirably well 

 adapted to the nature of their birthplace. There, during 

 half the year, snow and hail fall incessantly, whilst in the 

 higher regions, as before noticed, nearly every night the 

 thermometer falls below the freezing point, and the peaks, 

 consequently, are constantly covered with an accumula- 

 tion of ice. The wet season succeeds," &c. 



On the applicability of the Alpaca to our soil and cir- 

 cumstances we quote the following remarks :— 



"The hardy nature and contented disposition of the 

 Alpaca, cause it to adapt itself to almost any soil or situ- 

 ation, provided the heat is not oppressive, and the air 

 pure. The best proof of its hardiness is its power to 

 endure cold, damp, hunger, and thirst, vicissitudes to 

 which it is constantly exposed on its native mountains ; 

 while its gentle and docile qualities are evinced in its 

 general habits of affection towards its keeper. No animal 

 in the creation is less affected by the changes of climate 

 and food, nor is there any one to be found more easily 

 domiciliated than this. It fares well while feeding below 

 the snowy mantle which envelopes the summits, and for 

 several months in the year clothes the sides of the 

 Andes. It ascends the rugged and rarely trodden 

 mountain path with perfect safety, sometimes climbing 

 the slippery crag in search of food, and at others in- 

 stinctively seeking it on the heath, or in rocky dells 

 shattered by the wintry storm ; at the same time that, 

 when descending, it habituates itself to the wet and 

 dreary ranges on the lowlands, so long as it is not ex- 

 posed to the intense rays of the sun. 



lt Many of our northern hills would try the constitu- 

 tion of any sheep, and yet there the weather is never so 

 inclement or so variable as on the Cordilleras of Peru. 

 With so many advantages, why then shall not the Alpaca 

 have an opportunity of competing with the black-faced 

 sheep, the only breed that can exist in those wild and in- 

 hospitable lands 1 Of the two, the stranger would fare 

 best on scanty and scattered food, at the same time 

 affording to the owner a far better remuneration." 



The Alpaca wool is at present used largely in British 

 manufactures. Mr. Walton estimates the quantity 

 hitherto consumed since its introduction in 1832 at 

 12,000,000 lbs. The price of it varies from U. 8d. to 

 2s. Gd. per lb., and the average weight of the fleece may 

 be put at 10 lbs. Were the animal fairly naturalised on 

 some of our bleakest hill districts, such land would soon 

 increase in value from the increased worth of its annual 

 produce in Alpaca wool. And it appears from the expe- 

 rience of several gentlemen who have small flocks, that, 

 when its habits shall be thoroughly understood, little 

 difficulty will be experienced in doing so. The follow- 

 ing is a statement by Mr. Stirling, of Craigbarnet Flace, 

 Lennoxtown, Glasgow — a gentleman better qualified to 

 speak on the subject than any one we coull name : — 



" 1 can have no doubt that, when the subject is better 

 understood, the animal itself better known, and a more 

 expeditious method contrived to bring them to Britain, 

 we shall have thousands of them. When known, their 

 docility, their temperate habits, their hardiness, and, I 

 may add, their easy keep, will erelong bring them into 

 general notice. I can answer, without the fear of being 

 contradicted, that they will thrive and breed in Scotland, 

 equal, if not superior to our native blackfaced sheep." 



To those who would laugh at the idea of bringing over 

 here, and domesticating on our hills, a Peruvian camel 

 or sheep — for the Alpaca has properties in common with 

 both — we would point to Australia as a country which 

 not many years ago possessed no quadruped but the 

 kangaroo, and yet, notwithstanding its many peculiarities 

 of climate, is now thickly peopled with our sheep and 

 oxen. But the question must not be left to generalities of 

 this kind — the experience of a few short years on the 

 larger scale, which expected importations will enable, 

 will determine it satisfactorily ; and if, as in all proba- 

 bility *U1 be the case, the Alpaca should become one of 



° mi v? 0mestic ani «»als, the best thanks of the country 

 will be due to Mr. Walton for the persevering energy 

 with which he h*s pressed the subject on public atten- 

 tion. His book is an exceedingly interesting and neatly 

 got up little volume, and will, we doubt not, prove a 

 useful publication. 



upwards, are as follow- 

 10 in. ; third, 2 ft 6 in. 

 Journal. 



first, 2 ft. 2 in. ; second, 2 ft. I COVENTGARDE>TsE^r~^r~; 



[Sep t . \ 



and fourth, 3 ft. — Gloucester 



dantly supplied during the week th T ,c,e «* 

 has, however, by no means ena-l.Tn ?i?. e " tnd . 



Notices to Correspondents. 



Books.— Tyro. —There are many good ones. De La Beche's 

 "Manual;" I.yell's "Elements;" Phillip's "Guide," and his 

 "Treatise" in Lardner's Cyclopaedia; Trimmer's "Practical 

 Geology and Mineralogy." We have been informed that Prof. 

 Johnston recommends the last to his class. 

 Bone-di/st.— Querist. — Apply 3 qrs. of ordinary bone-dust, broad- 

 cast, per acie, on your pasture land. now. We do not know how- 

 to destroy wireworm. Work your land thoroughly; lay it well 

 open to the frost; and in your spring cultivation, use Crosskill's 

 clod-crusher, or some equally efficient presser. Perhaps that may 

 help you. See Mr. Curtis's Paper on the wireworm, in the 

 English Agricultural Society's Journal. 



Dibbling Wheat.- Constant Reader.— If) ou intend to adept this 

 system on the large scale, use Newberry's dibbling machine. 

 The seed you will save by its use on 100 acres will pay for it 

 the first year. But if your object is a merely experimental one, 

 a simple dibble used in some places will answer your purpose; 

 it consists of an inverted T with pendant dibbles about 2 inches 

 long at intervals of 8 inches. This makes, perhaps, six holes at 

 each blow, in each of which two grains should be placed— one to 

 grow and one for the birds, if they choose to have it. If you will 

 forward your address, we will publish the facts you state. To 

 decompose common salt, slake caustic lime with a saturated 

 brine, and leave it spread out for a week. The carbonate of 

 lime which is at first formed, decomposes the muriate of soda. 

 Carbonate of soda and muriate of lime— an extremely deliques- 

 cent salt— being the resultant compounds. 



Distemper. — T. D.— Pleuro-Pneumonia only attacks horned 

 cattle. Your dogs have probably got the distemper.— W. C. S. 



Dkainaoe.— T. T.— Many thanks: your views are, we believe, 

 quite correct, and we shall give them prominence as soon as 

 possible. 



Dv.aixixo.-D. E. /''.— Many thanks for your offer, which we 

 gladly accept. 



Flax Dobdkr.- B. B. II.— Yon must cut it out of your Clovers, 

 gather it in a heap carefully, and burn it. We shall, probably, 

 publish next week for our agricultural readers, the substance of 



communications on this subject, in the Gardeners' Chronicle 

 last year. 



Indices of Well-drained Lasd.— Querist.— Land may be well 

 drained though it dries patchy in spring; this may be owing to 

 a variability in the composition of the soil, or to the former ex- 

 istence of occasional peat deposits in the field from stagnant 

 water ; it may be well drained, though after heavy rains you 

 find at the lower ends of the furrows the sands arid silt washed 

 down and deposited, evidencing a flow of water over the surface; 

 this will often occur after showers on land which is thoroughly 

 dry, either naturally or artificially; it may be drained sufficiently, 

 though water should stand twelve hours after rain in the foot- 

 marks of horses ; in ordinary clay soils, the least puddling or 

 breaking of the surface will cause the retention of water on the 

 surface, even at the very edge of a ditch ; and land may be suf- 

 ficiently drained though even twelve months after the completion 

 of the operation, Rushes and Sedges be found in the Grass: their 

 destruction by drainage is a work of years, not of months. But we 

 doubt that it cannot be considered sufficiently drained if ahole 2 ft. 

 deep near drains 30 inches deep retain the water for many days 

 after rain. You must, if this be the case, adopt some measure 



in dry weather for loosening the subsoil— by subsoil ploughing, for 

 instance. On land such as you describe, G yards is a sufficient 

 interval between drains 30 inches deep, to effect its drainage, 

 *'. e. provided you adopt all possible means of loosening the sub- 

 soil after the drains have been some time in action. 

 Kelp and Guv vo.— Subscriber.— The addition of finely powdered 

 kelp to guano would be advantageous, provided no caustic alkali 

 existed in it. Mix equal quantities. The best mode of using 

 graves for Potatoes or Turnips, though we never before heard 

 of such an application, is, probably, to let it ferment together in 

 a heap covered by fresh mould, and apply, probably 4 or 5 cwt. 

 per acre in the drills. 



Mangold Wurzel.— Subscriber.— We think that the food for 

 cattle afforded by the under leaves of this plant can rarely be 



worth sufficient to balance the injury done to the plants by tak- 

 ing them off. 



Pipe Drai.y-tiles.— J. B.— The publication of the information 

 you require would subject us to advertisement duty. We cannot 

 recommend tradesmen. Mr. Etheridge said at Durham the other 

 day, that you could make them on your own land for 15*. a 

 thousand. You had better apply to him about it. 



Preparation for Grass.— Admirer.— Do not be afraid of spoil- 

 ing your Grass by tearing it to pieces. A strong harrow will not 

 be sufficiently efficient— you had better use a scarifier and work 

 it to and fro thoroughly, then sow your seeds, and roll with a 

 heavy roller. Do it in wet weather if possible. Much the best 

 plan is to break up your land if it be foul ; but this you say you 

 cannot do. Lawson recommends for dry gravelly situations 

 which resist a sward from all ordinary means, Agrostis vulgaris 

 6 lbs., Festuca rubra 3 lbs., and Poa pratensis 6 lbs. per acre. 



Report op Discussion on Potato Failure.— W. E.— Thank 

 you : you will see that you have been anticipated. 



Tanks, Sec— A Subscriber.— Slake them circular, basin-shaped at 

 bottom, and cover them over with a flat dome. A depth of 8 ft. 

 and width of 12 will be a convenient size for a stable of 6 or 8 

 horses. The liquid should have sulphuric acid or sulphate of 

 iron added to it occasionally; and may be removed by a pump 

 and spread directly on the land, or indirectly by making dune 

 heaps. We know of clay lands on which farmers use Cone 

 \\ heat only, and on comparatively light soils Red-straw Lammas 

 is used. From experience on both clay and sand we can recom- 

 mend the varieties advertised in our columns by Mr. Morton. 



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



articlethare 

 for 



are good and plentiful, as" arTiiso Cra'T^ 



. wc (fumciem rorthe demand Pp a ol mini * hed ' ^ 

 good quality are abundant , Apr^sar^*"? N 



Greengage and Orleans PI um8 i 8 a lit»£ r ,?- pc, \ Th « 

 kinds are sufficient for the dernW nf d ! min *bed, 



ec 



few good samples of Morel'lo~ChPrr7« re be ? om »n& **£? 

 there is little demand for them Ap es"? 2 *« wG£l$ 

 plentiful. Amorg Pears are fin* «„' • ' man 7 ▼»rict£.Z 

 Chretien. The suppl/ofFUberts^r^f^^^fi 



plentiful. Amorg Pears a7elneToVrL° f m ! ny Y 

 Chretien. The supply of Filbert^ • ensof W - 

 there is sufficient fo'/the dS2 anTc?^ °< 

 and plentiful. Tomatoes are somewha ? Z mb§n "• **" 

 Among Vegetables, Cauliflowers hJve no -Jl ^ in 



Shh Mt R 7° n ; Br ° CCOli "■ becoming rn 0r e a L° ■J* ' 

 Cabbages of excellent quality are zlmouJl? abuQ J»* i 



Carrots and Turnips are good and "lenSSl ol ° r , the de «*C 

 able weather that we have had. cilery L ™£n.n* t0the, *5 

 My ; it is quite clean, and free from rot ??H- a . lly f f00d io W* 

 other kinds of Salading are good and ni.nf.^' ^"^Z 



ns, and p 



*£g° <*«*%f it**!.*,, 



»• ilberti, per lOOIhi., soi tow. 



Oranges, per dotea.'ii to ft 



chiefly ■ WMW-^TGllltotaf p'uL d i„ P a s en GarV Cl ""^ 



Combretura purpureum, Fuchsias p£.™ dema r *° 

 Heaths, Camillas, Verbeuas, Ss, SSSSS^L &S3 



D . . , FRUITS. 



Pine Apple, per lb., 3s to 5i 



Grapes, Hothouse, p. lb., \s to 3* 6d 



»/7 Spanish, per lb., U to ls6d 

 Melons, each, )s to 3* 



Peaches, per dozen, It to 4s 



Nectarines, per doz., Is to As 



Apricots, per doz , 1$ to 3s 



Plums, per halt-sieve, 2s 6d to 5s 



— Orleans, per hf.-sv,, Is to3s 



— Green Gages, 3i to 5/ 

 Figs, per doz., 2s to As 

 Apples, Desa , per bush., 2s Gd to 4s Gd 



— Kitchen, 2s to 3s 

 Pears, Deas., per haJf-sv., 2s to 3* 



r uu * VEGETABLES. 



Cabbages, per dozen, 6d to If 2d Garlic, per lb.,<d to « 





per 100, Cs to 2«g 

 — bitter, per 100, 10. toll, 

 demons, perdoaen, U to u 



A1 - , P« r 1°0, Bs to lfe 

 Almonds, per peck, «* 



S vveet Almonds, per lb., fe u 

 ^ ut.«, Barcelona, 22* 



— Brazil, \Cs 



— Cob, 14* 



Cauliflowers, per doz., 2s to 5s 

 Broccoli, per bundle, 6d to 1* 

 Sorrel, per hf.-sieve, 6d to 9d ' 

 Artichoke?, per d<>z., \s to 3* 

 French Beans, p. hf.-sv., \s to 2s 

 Potatoes, per cwt , 8s to 5* 

 Turnips, per doz. bch., 1* 6d to is 

 I ea3 f per bushel sieve, 2* 6d to 4s 

 Red Beet, per doz., 9d to 1. 6d 

 Carrots, per doz. bchs , Zs to 6s 

 Basil, per bunch, 2d to 3d 

 Horse Radish, per bundle, 2s to7s 

 Savory, per bunch, 2d to 3d 

 Cucumbers, Frame, each, 2d to 9d 

 _ r — R idge, doz., Dd to 2s 6d 



vegetable Marrow, per doz., Ad to 1* 

 Spinach, per sieve, IsGd to 2s 

 Leeks, per bun., 2d to 3d 

 Chilis, per 100, 9d to Is 6d 



Onions, per bun. h, 24 to id 



rnTii lar * e ' P er bushel, u to u 

 Shallots, per lb. f idxoli U 



Tomatoes, per half-.t., u to U U 

 Capsicums, Ripe, per loo, u u>% 



r> mA T u Green, per lot, U to* 



Radishes, per doz., ed to Is 64 

 Lettuce, per score, 6d to U U 

 Lelety, White, per bunch, 9d to ],« 



— Red, per bunch, U to UM 

 r-ndive, per score, U to \$6d 

 Mushrooms, per pottle, 1# «J to 9» U 

 ^rnaJl Salads, per punnet, %4 to U 

 H atercress, p. 18 im. bun. U to U 

 I arsley, per doz. bunches, Lto* 

 Tarragon, Green, per bunch, UujU 

 Green Mint, per bunch, 2d to 3d 

 Marjoram, per bunch, 2d to 3d 

 Chervil, per punnet, 2d to 3d 



MARK-LANE, Moxda?, Sept. 2. 

 The accounts from all parts of the Kingdom this morninf 

 represent the weather during; the past week as having bee* 

 remarkably fine for the harvest, which is progressing rapidly. 

 This morning the supply of English Wheat was moderate, the 

 quality and .condition generally bad, and sales could only be 

 effected at a decline of 2s. to 45. per qr. The demand for 

 Foreign was very limited, and we reduce our quotations If. 

 per qr. — We had a few samples of new Barley at Market, 

 the quality was various, and the value must be noted 30$. 

 to 38s. per qr. j one very superior parcel from Kent obtained 

 405. The sale. of Foreign was not large, but its late Talue is 

 supported.— Beans, as also Grey and Maple Peas, are I*. dearer ; 

 White are little inquired after.— Oats are in good request, and 

 in some instances a trifling advance is obtained.— We reduce 

 our quotations of the best Mustard is. per bushel ; inferior and 

 damp samples are very unsaleable at a greater decline. 



BRITISH, PER IMPERIAL QUARTER. 

 Wheat, Essex, Kent, and Suffolk . . White 



Norfolk, Lincolnshire, and Yorkshire 



Barley, Malting and distilling 27s to 30s Chevalier 



Oats, Lincolnshire and Yorkshire • . Polands 



Northumberland and Scotch . • Feed 



Irish .... • Feed 



Malt, pale, ship * • # ■ • • 



— — Hertford and Essex • . • 

 Rye 



Beans, Mazagan, old and new 29 to 32 Tick 



Pigeon, Heligoland . 35 to 38 Winds. — 



Peas, White . . . . 32 to 36 Maple 30 



8. 



8. 



#. *. 



40 



60 



Red . 4J * 



— 



m m 



White — — 



31 



zt 



'.rind. 85 *) 



19 



21 



Feed 18 SO 



19 



n 



Potato » SI 



17 



m 



Potato 19 U 



50 



56 





64 



m 





29 



32 





31 



34 



Harrow 83 U 



34 



Long pod— 

 Grey « 



21 



ARRIVALS IN THK RIVER LAST WEEK. 



Flour. 

 English . 5G24 Sks. — Bils. 

 Irish . . — „ — „ 

 Fore : gn . — „ 1035 ,, 



Wht. 



4185 



Barl. Malt. 

 11 | 6238 

 — 32 



21125 | — I 



Oati. 



62 

 13463 



(i!>70 



Rye. 



Bnt. 

 33S 



P«M 



£10 I 17W 



11447 



Friday, Sept. 6. 

 The arrivals of all."Corn since Monday- have been moderate, 

 and the value of English Wheat continues to have a downward 

 tendency. The attendance at Market being very small, scarcely 

 any business in Foreign has been transacted, and prices must dc 

 considered nominally unaltered.— Barley is a limited sale at urn 

 prices.— Beans and Peas remain as on Monday.— The Oat- crane 

 is heavy, and barely supports our late rates. 



arrivals this week 



English 

 Irish 



Forei gn 



Wheat 

 4590 



2770 



Barley 



60 



3560 



Oati 



750 



2033 



ie:o 



Flonr 

 3170 Ski 



IMPERIAL AVERAGES 



July 

 Aug. 



Jftarfem. 



SMITHFIELD, Monday, Sept. 2.— Per stone of 8 lbs. 



Best Downs & Half-bredt 3sl0 to 40 



Beit Long-wools - -36310 

 Ewes and second quality 3 3 4 



- 3 8 4 4 



Best Sots, Herefords,5cc 3i 8to4s 

 Best Short Horns -36 3 10 



Second quality Beasts .30 32 

 Calves • . . -3440 

 P, K* - - - - 3 4 4 



Beast., 3811 ; Sheep and Lambs, 36,040 ; Calves 



M 

 2 

 9 



10 



per Quarter. 



— 30 



Lambs 



, n „♦„„,. nrif .» f ft A?K r y * r . €at maB X r * mai n unsold ; 3s lOd per 8 lbs is also 



as K and thV 7rS? ^l ™* 5?f !?* P ! y of * hee *> and ^mbs is nearly 

 "J X??' ??J l h V rade ■?"?! wpeciallr tor b!<r Sheen, mem^ rmh. h/t 



6 weeks' Aggreg. Aver. 

 Duties on Foreign Grain 



Canary - - per qr 

 Carta way - per cwt 



Clover, Red, English 

 — . — Foreign 



— White, English - 



— — Foreign 



Coriander - 



Hempseed - per last 



Linseed - - per qr 



— Baltic 



— Cake»,Eng. per 1000 



Wheat. 



1 Barley. 



Oats. 



1 Ry *^ 



52s 9d\ 34s 2d 



20s\0d 



33s 9d 



51 34 O 



SO 3 



37 <* 



43 10 34 6 



SO 1 



35 9 



49 1 



34 6 



SO 



35 11 



50 4 



33 3 



20 4 



36 8 



50 11 



84 11 



34 3 



20 7 



34 2 



60 6 



20 4 



35 8 



20 1 



4 



6 I 



~TT 



Beam 



61 to* 



44 



52 



SEEDS, Sept. 2. — 



62s to 56. LinseedCakes,Foreign.P-MB 



Mustard, White - P- outh. 



_ Superfine „ ■ 2 " 



__ Brown „ iL 



Rapeseed, English, per last ** 



Rape Cakes . per toa - _ 



Sainfoin ■■ » ■ T 

 Tares, En*, winter p.busn. ^ J 



— Foreign - - " m 



Trefoil - - P e J cWt „ r r^-> 

 Turnip (too variable for quocati mh 



1-2 

 35 



18 

 40 



II 

 13 



107 11/ 



Miscellaneous. 



Extraordinary Produce.— \ correspondent says,— In 



the course of last week, as I was taking in some Peas for 



seed, curiosity induced me to count the number produced 



from several Peas separately ; and among others, I give 



you the following as a sample : — I found one Pea had 



produced 94 pods, containing altogether 344 Peas ■ 



another 99 pods, containing 368 Peas ; a third had pro* 



duced 102 pods, containing 418 Peas ; and a fifth had 



produced 105 pods, containing altogether 432 Peas. 



The lengths of the haulm, measured from the ground 



u-orse, owing to the hot weather. 



Friday, Sept. 6. 



S, 8d per 8 lb,. The very hot weather du in« the wtA^^^SSvSSt 



deal «.f meat, and prevented the Butcher, killing what the" hSon hS 



^T^l e . n A\L± er .lll^^}Lf D ]f demand 'o-dny for either Beef or Mutton! 



The best Downs cannot be quote 3 / at more" than Vi7./'«77 r"" ri " r X"£ 



l" k 8 2 , ;«fti£ ta " r,th " '--"^ fS. <3rf ^"52?; 



Beasts, 652; Sheep and Lambs, 8110; Calves, 203; Pig., 3 W. 

 41. West Smithfield. 



8d 

 2d. 



HOPS, Friday, Sept. 6. 



Ou. Market remains firm, bud the duty from 130,000/. to 135,000/. A few 



» ll, V Z™ ° f '- neW ?° P KTV'Hk lut bein * "> ^ry unripe, we can 

 as yet form no opinion as to what the quality of the " 



arrives at maturity. 



»M* 



Ssl 



HAY.— Per Load of 36 Trusses. 

 Smithfibld, Sept. 5. 



PrimeUpland Hay 100s to 10Us , Clover - 85s to 110s | Straw 



K, : ■ s si- Ne " " tJ coo™, . 



Cumber i. avd Market, Sept. 5. 



Superior Old Hay 105. to 110. I Superior Clover lao. to 128. 1 m «,» 



Inferior - «> 100 I Interior „ 100 108 »trs 



New Hay - * 105 1 New V™}^-*^, \ li7 Sa!«-~ 





,.' "— . wciiir w very unripe, we can 



quality oi the growth may be when it 



WOOL.-British, Friday, Sept. 6. rte i. 



Oi. English Wool Market continues in the fiesta M " ' the tra** 

 Our advice, from Bristol report.the Fair a, having been ^'^ qO0 ^ 

 actions in Long Wools were limited, but prices fully equa» io ou 

 ti ons, and holders evinced no disposition to give w*7- 



per lb. 



Long-wooled Wethers Is Odto Is Id 

 l)o. Hoggitts 11 I M 



PAniXDRH to Surra, Hop-Pactom Soutl'down Fleeces 



1 



1 1 



Southdown HoggitU \'\ dt ° ] U 

 KeBt KEpmm"* Wool ***• 





oft nA 





c 



