1844.] 



THE AGRICULTURAL GAZETTE. 



773 



I 



to ascertain the best mode of its equal distribution over 

 the soil, he next caused it to be mixed with water to the 

 consistence of cream. This he had passed through a 

 fine riddle ; a fresh quantity of water was mixed with the 

 refuse, and in this manner the whole of the guano was 

 separated from the bones, feathers, skins, and grit. A 

 given weight of the guano thus prepared was mixed with 

 a given number of bushels of dry mould or wood ashes, 

 or botli mixed together, and when the mass was made up, 

 it was just dry enough to pass through a screen or iron 

 riddle, and to admit of being sown immediately before or 

 after the prepared soil. In mixing up the guano with 

 water, he used a few pounds of powdered gypsum as a 

 fixer, according to the common phrase, and he urged the 

 importance of such an admixture, whether the guano 

 was applied as he used it, or in its original state. He 

 was satisfied that, when he considered the influence of 

 the long-continued dry weather during the early part of 

 the season, he would have had little or no crop on his 

 dry soil, but for the invigorating and powerful influence 

 of the guano, and he had this year a better green and 

 corn crop than he had ever had before — Mr. Fraser, of 

 Reelig, briefly stated that he had been in the habit of 

 applying three cwt. of guano per acre, sowed with the 

 crop, and had found it succeed admirably. In his opi- 

 nion and experience the best way for Turnips was to sow 

 the guano broadcast (after the land is clean and in order 

 for drilling) — then harrow well in, and drill up — the 

 whole guano will be then in the raised drills, but inti- 

 mately mixed with the soil, so as to furnish food in the 

 best manner to the young plant, without burning the seed. 

 As to white crops, he thought that either the whole or 

 part of what is given per acre should be sown broadcast, 

 and harrowed in, then the seed sown and harrowed in, 

 so that the whole should be mixed as before with the 

 soil. When a part is reserved it should be sown in 

 spring, when the plant (Wheat) begins to look sickly, 

 when the guano will start it afresh. A friend from 

 London says, that it has been recommended, when sow. 

 ing guano with white crops, to add from £ to £ cwt. of 

 nitrate of soda, which brings away the plant finely. 



IVitham — At the late meeting of this Agricultural 

 Society the President read an account of the following 

 experiment with manure :— Much has been said respect- 

 ing the management of farm-yard manure, some con- 

 tending that rain or water injures the quality of such 

 manure, and renders it worthless. Others believe that 

 such manure cannot be made without a considerable por- 

 tion of water, as dry muck will mould, and lose all its 

 fertilising qualities. The following experiment was made 

 this iasr summer, 1844 :—On the 15th of November, 

 1843, 10 Scots were put loose in stalls 12 feet square, 

 fed with Bean meal, cut hay, malt coombs, and oil-cake. 

 Each bullock foddered or littered with one truss of good 

 wheat straw per day, 36 lb. per truss, carefully weighed ; 

 cleaned out once a month ; no urine escaped, all was 

 absorbed by the daily large quantity of straw foddered. 

 On the 13th of January, 1844, five stalls were cleaned 

 out, and the manure weighed the same day, carefully 

 laid by itself, and covered nine inches thick with earth — 

 no evaporation escaped ; stirred over three times and 

 watered each time, as the manure was disposed to mould 

 very much. On the 4th of April weighed again, and 

 carted upon the land for Oats ; not very rotten ; the 

 carts were filled exactly 3 tons weight, and laid upon 

 one quarter of an acre. On the same day, 13rh of 

 January, the other five stalls were cleaned out, and laid 

 upon dry ground, all exposed to the weather, from the 

 13th of January to the 4th of April, weighed and 

 managed exactly as the other five stalls, stirred on the 

 same days, watered when stirred ; what drained from it 

 was thrown upon the heap of manure. Exactly 3 tons 

 laid upon the same quantity of land. The whole threshed 

 directly out of the field, 24th August. One quarter of 

 an acre of Oats produced, from the manure closely 

 covered up, 18 bushels 1 peck; weighed 38 lbs. per 

 bushel. Straw 5 cwt. 1 qr. 18 lbs. One quarter of an 

 acre, not covered up, produced 17 bushels 1 peck; 

 weighed 38 lbs. per bushel. Straw 5 cwt. 1 qr. Gibs, 

 lu tabular form they will stand thus : — 



acre. One acre by the side of it ploughed with a wheel 



coulter. All dibbled; no visible difference throughout 

 the 



] 







1 



2 



7 



4 



1 



12 



3 



1 



11 



8 



14 



7 





 



19 

 9 



year either in produce or in cleanliness of the 

 land during the summer or this autumn, 1844. One 

 acre in the same field was folded 14 nights with 200 

 sheep, fed in the day-time on stubbles— no oil-cake or 

 Corn. The other part of the field all manured : 10 tons 

 of good muck per acre. The folded Wheat exceeded 

 the manured Wheat 2 bushels 3 pecks per acre, and the 

 straw 3f cwt. per acre. The folded Wheat 1 lb. 4 oz. 

 per bushel the lightest. 



Experiment upon Horse-kcc ping. —June 24, 1844.— 

 Two cart-horses in good condition were kept loose in the 

 stable, seven days, without going out of it, kept upon 

 green Tares and Corn. Consumed in the seven days 

 12 cwt. 1 qr. 8 lb. of excellent green Tares, then at the 

 top of their growth, before they had bloomed: dry 

 weather : no waste. 



. , cwt. qrs. lbs. 



Also one peck of Oats per day 'per horse, 



3 bushels 2 pecks weighed . . . 1 



Also chaff o 



Com and chaff .... 

 Tares ...... 



Two horses consumed in one week 



One horse consumed in weight in 7 days . 



That is, 113 lbs. per day for one horse. Drank 6 gallons 

 of water per horse per day. Two horses Uttered for 

 7 days, one truss of Wheat straw per day, 3G lbs. per 

 truss. 



cwt. qrs. lbs. 

 From 252 lbs. of straw and the above food and 



water. — Weight of manure in its raw state at the 



end of the week 12 2 3 



Monday, 5th of August.— Weighed the muck made 

 from tbe green Tares after lying in a dry stable 

 six weeks, stirred over four times, four pails of 

 water (that is, 16 gallons) thrown upon it, as the 

 dry muck required it every time to prevent its 

 moulding. It was not very rotten; it was re- 

 moved with a fork, no shovel used : weighed 

 this day 5 l 10 



N.B.— The stable was a sound old brick floor, with a 

 gutter in it ; a 10-gallon copper was placed at the fall 

 of the gutter, and cemented carefully. No urine could 

 escape. Only 21 quarts of urine in the seven days 

 drained into the reservoir. Second Experiment on 

 Horse-keeping — with dry food. — Monday, the 7th July, 

 1841. — Two cart-horses (not the same as before men- 

 tioned, but of the same size and condition) were kept in 

 the same stable upon dry food, and not removed for 

 seven days. 



cwt. qrs. lbs. 

 3 cwt. of excellent Clover hay consumed in the 



7 days 3 



1 peck of Oats per day per horse .... 1 



Also chaff 







7 



1 







2 



4 



Two horses consumed in one week 



3 11 



qrs 



Covered manure, produce 9 



Not covered ♦ . 3 



In favour of covered manure 



Produce of straw, per acre, covered . 

 Ditto not covered. 



bsh. 



1 

 5 



1 







4 



cwt. 



qrs. 



lbs. 



21 



3 



10 



^1 



1 



10 



One horse consumed in weight in 7 days . . 2 1 19 



That is, 39 lbs. per day for one horse upon dry food. 

 Drank 12 gallons of water per day per horse. 



cwt. qrs. lbs. 

 Weight of manure in its raw state, from 252 lbs of 



straw, and food and water . . . . 10 1 2 

 The same, after being kept in the stable 6 weeks, 

 stirred over 4 times, 4 pails of water each time 

 (great difficulty in preventing its gettingmonldy): 

 it weighed . 6 2 







Decrease in weight ....41 

 Only 13 quarts of urine drained from the dry food. 



cwt. qrs. lbs. 

 Observe, manure made from green food, when in 



a proper state to be carted upon the land .5 110 



Difference in weight in favour of green food .1 010 



Notwithstanding this increase of weight in the green 

 food, it is presumed the manure made from the dry food 

 is of the most value. 



The President then said, Mr. W. Hutley had put into 

 his hands the following paper relative to experiments 

 with Wheat drilled on the same description of land : — 



Account of the Produce from different quantities of Wheat, 



drilled upon equal quantities of land. 

 No. 1. Drilled at the rate of 4 pecks per acre, rows 



12 inches apart. 



qrs. b. pk. pt. 



Produce— Wheat, best 3 3 12 



Seconds and tail 1 



1 5 



Total 



3 4 2 7 











- In favour of covered manure 



n the same day f one quarter of an acre was manured 

 * l *h J cwt. of guano, and produced 19 bushels 37i lbs. 

 Per bushel. Straw, 24 cwt. 7 lbs. Oats, guano- 



aanured, equal to 9 qrs. 4 bush, per acre : straw 24 cwt. 

 2 qrs. pe; - r 



Uats per acre more than the covered nwick. 



ys. per acre. The guano- manured exceeded 3 bush. 



Straw 12 cwt. IS lb. 

 No. 2. Drilled at the rate of 6 pecks per acre, rows 



t> inches apart. 



Wheat, best 3 



Seconds and tail . . . . , o 



5 



1 



3 

 1 







24 



Total 



3 7 2$ 



ve ry 



little 



• B - Guano was sown on Wheat, Barley, Oats, and 

 Vjarraway, upon another farm, a different soil, subsoil 



*7 ; no benefit was observed. The drought continued a 

 lQ n? time. 



The following paper was then read :— Sowing Wheat. 

 U 6 U8 «» 1843, one quarter of an acre of a 



was f Soil ~~ in a '^ ot summer producing but li — 



t alter Peas, ploughed four times in the same day 



tii six horses, 15 inches deep ; dibbled with Wh-at in 



tooer, and produced at the rate of 5 bushels 3 pecks 



in th° re m ° rP ' than the land b y the side of ir « ploughed 

 per a t USUal * ay for Wheat 5 inches deep. Straw 3f cwt. 

 meaa ^ T - nore tnaa tlie ^joining land of the same 



Wire- lfe * n( ? 8ame S0il * This 8ame fielti is su0 J ect t0 

 [ rr, a i- } T ass in tlie autumn ; in a few weeks it is thickly 



Straw 15 cwt. 15 lb. 

 No. 3. Drilled at the rate cf 9 pecks per acre, rows 



6 inches apart. 



Wheat, best 36 



Seconds and tail 1 



I 



a 



5 

 3 



Total 



4 8 



the 



* . 



Straw 15 cwt. 3 qr. 21 lb, 



N.B.— No. l was about a week later in ripening: than 

 other two pieces. 



The President said, Professor Johnston told him that 

 the other day he was in Hampshire, and there he found 

 thin sowing answered very well. — Mr. H. Dixon said, 

 Mr. R. Dixon had tested Lord Western's recommenda- 

 tion of 9-inch drilling against his own, which was six 

 inches. He sowed at least two bushels and a half an 

 enerally three; and there were 71 acres of land 



acre 





which in 12 years had grown 272 acres of Wheat, the 

 average of the crops for those 12 years being pretty well 



was also a thick sower of Beans ; he put on six or seven 

 bushels of beans per acre; his average for the last 12 

 years was eight quarters (!) of Beans per acre.— The 

 President asked if Mr. Wm. Hutley could give them an 

 idea of the expense of burning and draining his land. 

 The land was forked after the plough, and he saw there 

 were 20 men to two ploughs, which must have been a 

 considerable expense,— -Mr. Hutley taid, when he took 



his farm he thought no farm was more out of condition ; 

 it was extremely poor, and was overrun with Thistles, 

 Docks, and everything that a man who pretended to good 

 farming ought to try to eradicate. The first thing he 

 set about was to t e the water off ir, which had cost 

 him rather more than 200/. on 160 acres, as he had made 

 rather more than a mile of drainage through it. At the 

 time he took the land there were a vast number of Pol- 

 lard-trees on it, and being fully convinced these were an 

 injury to the farmer, and an impediment to good culti- 

 vation, he cut them down and drew them home. He 

 then set about the tillage of the land with spirit. He 

 forked 25 acres of it, ploughing live inches and forking 

 ten, and keeping the subsoil at the top ; that cost him 

 10s. an acre to plough, because the horses going upon 

 the soft soil could not get over so much land ; and the 

 forking cost him 43s. Ad. an acre. He had 13 acres of 

 the land so bad, and so soft in some places, that the 

 cattle could hardly go upon it. After he had drained it, 

 it cost 51. or 6/. an acre to plough ; then 46*. for burn- 

 ing ; and he had now got as good a crop of Turnips on 

 it as at any other part. The whole expense of bringing 

 the land into this state was from 12/. to 15/. an acre ; 

 and with the year's rent for the 100 acres, it had cost 

 him, without anything for stock, except horsei, 2000/. 

 He ihought it was the duty of the landlord to take a 

 tenant that was competent to employ labour and improve 

 the soil. The next thing was to give them a lease and 

 stimulate them to lay out their money. He had seen a 

 vast deal of mismanagement and a good deal of good 

 management, but he never saw a man that could farm 

 that had not got a lease, for he never saw him disposed 

 to try. He would say to the landlords, " You cannot 

 grow timber and corn too." They had a discussion on 

 this subject at the Farmers' Club twelve months ago, and 

 the conclusion they came to was that they should endea- 

 vour to get rid of the timber by offering the landlord 2s. 

 an acre extra rent ; he was sure it would be worth it ; 

 and he was sure if the landlord laid out that money in 

 land, in the course of ten years it would produce more 

 than all his timber was worth. Let them grow their 

 timber where it ou^ht to be grown — in woods. Looking 

 around that neighbourhood they would find invariably 

 that when individuals were without leases, and had 

 timber on the estates, they had little in their pockets and 

 nothing in their cupboards. — Mr. J. Beadel, in the 

 course of his remarks on the state of Agriculture in Ire- 

 land, said, the system of cropping as he observed it 

 would rather surprise them — they began with Potatoes ; 

 then they took Wheat ; after Wheat they took four or 

 rive successions of Oats ; and then they laid the laud 

 down to "rest," as they called it, but during the time 

 land was thus at rest, he had seen upon it weeds, 

 Decks, &c, taller and bigger round than he was himself. 

 He walked over one field of this sort with the farmer, 

 and he said to him, M What do you call this ?" kt Oh," 

 said he, " that is at rest." " Rest ! we should not call 

 it rest in England, for we consider it draws the land as 

 much to grow weeds as to grow corn." — This, it would 

 appear, is an exaggerated picture of the most cultivated 

 districts in Ireland. 



Darlington. — The Members of this Club held their 

 Monthly Meeting on Monday last, at the O dices of Mr. 

 Thos. Dixon, Land Agent, their Secretary ; the subject 

 under discussion being The best Method of preserving 

 Turnips through the Winter, and whether it is desirable 

 to draw them from the Land, both as regards the preser- 

 vation of the Turnips and keeping the Land in condition. 

 The chairman introduced the subject, and during the 

 course of the discussion he read an able communication 

 on the subject from the pen of Mr. Davidson, a well- 

 known correspondent of the Club. The members present 

 were unanimous in opinion that in every case where 

 Turnips are stored either in houses, in camps, or other- 

 wise, in considerable quantities, it is desirable to pay 

 attention to the manner in which the Turnips are pre- 

 pared for storing. The top and roots ought to bs taken 

 off, together with as much dirt as possible, in order that 

 the Turnips be stored clean ; at the same time being 

 careful in cutting off the tops and tails not to injure or 

 wound the bulb or Turnip, as by that means, if wounded, 

 its juices are exhausted and it is more liable to decay. 

 With regard to storing or preserving the Globe or common 

 White Turnip, it was only considered expedient so far as 

 to have a regular supply always on hand, to serve the 

 cattle in case of severe frost or wet weather, and on that 

 account it becomes necessary to have three or four weeks' 

 provision laid up beforehand, else it is generally found 

 that White Turnips answer best and feed to most advan- 

 tage when fresh drawn from the land ; besides, when 

 stored they do not generally keep well for any length of 

 time, and in no case should they be stored later than the 

 middle of December. With regard to Swedes and other 

 hardy and late winter Turnips, the u embers were of 

 opinion that it was in numerous cases advantageous t-» 

 draw t.h°m from the land and store them, both as regards 

 preserving the Turnips and keeping the land in condition 

 and free from exhaustion. Swedish Turnips are of a 

 hardy nature, and when healthy stand the winter frost 

 well ; but in very early spring, when vegetation takes 

 place, both the Turnip and the land begin immediately 



One acre was hoed and burnt, costing 10s. per H qrs. per acre. This was from thick sowing. He J to suffer, the bulb of the Turnip begins to turn iato 



