1844.] 



THE AGRICULTURAL GAZETTE. 



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for himself, is quite as much so for his cattle. What 

 ■would farmers say, if, after a hard day's work, they were 

 obliged to walk tea miles for a supper, and the same 

 next morning for breakfast — losing six hours' rest, and 

 adding 40 per cent, to their labour I and yet this is how 

 they treat their horses daily. It teems too ridiculous to 

 be tolerated. I object entirely to turning horses out, or 

 to having pasture at all ; in our midland and southern 

 districts, the waste of food and manure is enormous. If 

 a horse is turned out 20 days on an acre, it is equal to 

 20 horses one day, or 40 horses half a day. Imagine 

 what they must destroy — their weight crushes and in- 

 jures au amazing quantity of food. It may be said, 

 11 Ob, the blades rise again next morning." Yes, but 

 with this constant treading do they grow as fast and as 

 luxuriant as if a'lowed to remain undisturbed and erect? 

 —a foot-path or rabbit-run in a Grass-field will convince 

 you. Then, where the droppings are, the food is lost ; 

 supposing the droppings and urine to cover and taint 

 four square yards per day, that is 130 per month, or 3 

 per cent, per month. It is, in fact, 36/. lost in 

 every 100/. per annum. The only excuse for depasturing 

 is the imperfect state of the farm-yard, which allows 

 the best part of the manure to be wasted. 



Again, as to manure, there it lies in hot sunshine and 

 bleaching winds, till it almost becomes its original 

 straw-colour, losing its ammonia and other gases ; and 

 what, perhaps, is of more consequence than all, deprived 

 of the benefits of fermentation which it would receive in 

 a well-arranged tank. Supposing a horse's liquid and 

 solid manure to be 1 cwt. per day, or 18 tons per 

 annum, we lose one-third that quantity. In fact, it is 

 not too much to say, that in the amount of labour the 

 horse performs, his keep and manure, we can, by man- 

 ger-feeding on my principle, save 30/. or 40/. out of 

 every 100/. This is enormous ! 



Well may our great manufacturers, who consider a 

 difference of 1 per cent, a good profit, exclaim against 

 the want of calculation and management in farmers. 

 Sincere friend us I am to the agriculturists, I admir, 

 with shame, they deserve the censure bestowed on them 

 in this respect. I call upon them to make at once 

 honourable amends, by adopting my plan, and so save 

 their money and their reputation. The idea of a man 

 having 40 horses, costing him 1500/. per annum, and re- 

 fusing to save 400/. or 500/. per annum in their keep, 

 manure, and labour, is absurd ; it is paying prepos- 

 terously for the maintenance of prejudice or obstinacy, 

 and yet, lam afraid there are some who will do so rather 

 than act on my suggestions. There are other inconve- 

 niences and dangers attending depasturing horses— fre- 

 quent kicks and accidents, loss of time in catching them, 

 broken knees in driving home, and injury to constitution 

 by sudden atmospheric changes. Besides, no horses fed 

 entirely on green food can undergo the labour of those 

 manger-fed on mixed food. Green food does not afford 

 sufficient material for muscle and bone. It is too washy. 

 I object in toto to permanent pasture, as a positive indi- 

 vidual and national loss. Clovers are useful — but you 

 cannot thoroughly hoe and clean the land when they are 

 sown with a Corn-crop. Lucerne (and Sainfoin) is my 

 favourite, and you can grow it anywhere* if you keep 

 it clean, supply it amply with lime and its constituent 

 parts, drain very deep (not less than 5 or 6 feet), and 

 protect it from frost in the winter by a strong coating of 

 manure, with a dust of guano in summer. Tares on 

 heavy land, and Rye on light land, are both profitable ; 

 and plenty of Potatoes, Swedes, Carrots, &c, which can 

 be grown on any land, however heavy, boggy, sandy, or 

 gravelly, if thoroughly drained, properly manured, and 

 deeply cultivated. By these means you may keep more 

 than twice as much stock as by permanent Grass. 



Were we to treat our bullocks and our sheep as we do 

 ourselves and our riding-horses— keep them clean, warm, 

 dry, and well fed — we should strangely increase the quan- 

 tity and quality of our animal food. 



Let us imagine ourselves standing or lying day and 

 night for mouths in the moisture and effluvia of our own 

 accumulated excrements, uncleaned and ill fed ; it won't 

 bear thinking of, and yet this is how most farmers treat 

 their cattle : their food is presented to them in large 

 unmanageable masses, with abundance of dirt (a corrector 

 of acid it is called) uncooked and unprepared. We need 

 not wonder at having to stab our bullocks to let out the 

 accumulation of windy flatulence, or forcing strange- 

 looking machines down their throats to remove solid 

 lumps of unmasticated roots ; we need not wonder at 

 foot-rot, fevered feet, or other complaints. I will lay it 

 down as an indisputable fact, as proved by our greatest 

 breeders of animals, that we must apply to them the 

 same treatmeut as we would to onrselves, if we wish to 

 render them profitable. It is high time we amended our 

 absurdities in this respect, or we shall have Spam, 

 Portugal, and other warm and genial climes stocking us 

 with what we ought to produce ourselves. Let us keep 

 them warm in winter and cool in summer— free from 

 tormenting flies. In fact, I shall never consider we are 

 perfect till we can keep up a given warmth in winter— 

 whilst we have in summer cool and shaded paved yards. 

 — /. J. Mechi, 4, Leadcnhall-strcet. 



(To be continued.) 



ON MINERAITaND INORGANIC MANURES. 



No. XXX. 

 By Professor Charles Sprengel. 



(Continued from page 803.) 



e. Ashes of Com Stubbles.— II fields on which grain 

 bas been grown be ploughed shallow, and then harrowed, 



* Some regard, however, must be had to climate •, 1 appre- 

 hend our northern districts and hills are hardly mild euougn 

 for such productions. 



the stubbles, roots of weeds, &c. f are brought to che sur- 

 face ; they are then raked together, and burnt in heaps, 

 and the ashes strewed about. These ashes do not pos- 

 sess any particular value, as may be seen froai analyses 

 of straw, previously stated ; their quantity also is so 

 inconsiderable, that they are not worth attention. In 

 the south, where they want less straw, the stubbles are 

 left several feet high, and afterwards burnt on the spot. 



not probable, the same also is to go in aid of the poor" 

 rates. Now, if such surplus rents are not to be paid 

 over to the overseers, to whom does M E. G. H." think 

 they ought to be paid? or would he have the land let to 

 a few*poor persons free of rent, to the prejudice of the 

 many? Then M E. G. H." has an illiberal fling at so- 

 cieties and committees, sub-committees, treasurers r 

 secretaries, and collectors in general, just as if Mr. Cow- 

 In this case the advantage is derived from the heating of per's Bill proposed to have one or ail of these officials, 

 the soil, and the destruction of vermin, as the value of j Mr. Cowper's Bill does not provide for the services of 



those ashes as a manure is very trilling ; 100 lbs. straw 

 yield, at an average, only 4 lbs. of ashes, the half of which 

 (as we have seen before) consists of silica. 



/. Ashes of Brown Coal. — Pure brown coal yields 

 ashes, which, according to all experience, are but poor 

 manure. The reason is, that they consist merely of silica, 

 alumina, and oxides of iron, and that most toils contain of 

 these substances as much as crops ever require. As the 

 ashes of pure brown coal contain neither potash, soda, 

 chlorine, nor lime, magnesia, sulphuric and phosphoric 

 acid, this may serve us as a proof that the fertilising 

 properties of inorganic substances chiefly depend on the 

 just-named seven substances. At times, however, brown 

 coals contain sulphuret of iron, and whenever this is the 

 case, they will yield ashes, which (if applied in proper 

 quantity) are a very superior manure ; because the sul- 

 phuret of iron will soou be changed into sulphate of iron, 

 which, as we shall see presently, acts like gypsum. 

 How many pounds are to be used per acre, experience 

 only or chemical analysis can tell, as this depends upon 

 their quantity of sulphate of iron, which varies. In 

 Belgium, and other countries, 1000 lbs. to 1200 lbs. are 

 strewed on one acre, which would indicate that it cannot 

 contain much of the last, as 50 lbs. to CO lbs. of that 

 substance are an abundant manure for one acre of land. 

 It is possible, however, that these ashes contain, besides 

 sulphate already formed, also a considerable amount of 

 Bulphuret of iron, which would improve the soil for several 

 years, as the changing of the latter substance into the 

 sulphate takes place gradually. In the above countries, 

 ashes of brown coal are used for manuring Rape, Clover, 

 &c, the results being always most satisfactory. 



g. Ashes of Coal. — Although the ashes of coal consist 

 generally only of silica, alumina, and oxide of iron, still 

 some are found which contain a little carbonate of lime, 

 sulphate of potash, gypsum, and sulphate of iron. In the 

 litter case, they are always a powerful manure; whilst, 

 if merely composed of the three former substances, they 

 are quite valueless, unless the protoxide of iron were to 

 form ammonia, which, however, is yet to be ascertained 

 by experiment. In the duchy of Luxembourg and on the 

 Rhine, ashes of coal are used, with the very best result, 

 for the rearing of jFlax, Peas, Clovers, Beans, and Rape ; 

 they bear 1000 to 1200 lbs. on the acre, whence it may 

 appear that these ashes contain gypsum or sulphate of 

 iron. Both the ashes of coal and brown coal will also 

 yield a superior manure for meadows, if they contain 

 these salts. In Belgium, the ashes of coal and brown 

 coal are often mixed with pig manure, and the com- 

 pound is strewed over Clover, &c, which, as a matter 

 of course, succeeds admirably. By using considerable 

 quantities of coal, or brown coal ashes, though they con- 

 tain neither sulphuret nor sulphate of iron, stiff 

 clayey soils may be improved physically in a consider- 

 able degree : they are thereby loosened. It is still more 

 important, that by a great amount of ashes, which con- 

 tain much of these salts, the deep-rooted weeds may be 

 destroyed, if the ashes be ploughed under to the depth of 

 16 or 18 inches. After the use of coal, or brown coal 

 ashes, containing sulphate of iron, many sorts of vermin, 

 especially snails, will disappear. 



Home Correspondence. 



Tottenham Garden Allotment Society.— I send you a 

 copy of the second half-yearly Report of the Committee 

 of this Society, to deal with as you may think proper. 

 In a late Number of your Paper is an article on the 

 Allotment system, by " E. G. H.," referring more parti- 

 cularly to the Bill of the Honourable William Cowper, 

 laid before Parliament towards the close of the last ses- 

 sion, copies of which are now on sale at Hansard's, 

 Great Turnstile, at 2d. each. I mention this circum- 

 stance, imagining that many who read your Paper may 

 be anxious to procure a copy. " E. G. H.," after 

 several common-place, ill-natured observations, such at 

 44 hoping the Bill may remain on the table of the House 

 for ever "— " subject not adapted for legislation"— 

 " proposition, if carried, will strike a death-blow at the 

 system "— " labourers have their full share of mother- 

 wit and suspicion "—" whatever we propose for better- 

 ing their condition must, on its very surface, display the 

 absence of self-interested motives, or the labourers 

 will attempt to defeat us "—then gives his own not 

 very charitable interpretation of the Bill: "Now it 

 appears to me, that this Bill of Mr. Cowper's, on the 

 face of it, provides a very fertile source of such suspicion, 

 for it proposes to enact, that any surplus arising after 





have known, that it proposes that the held-garden war- 

 dens shall have power to take land belonging to any 

 parish, or to the churchwardens and overseer, or guar- 

 dians of the poor, or to the poor of each such parish 

 (sec. 9), the rent of which land when let to the labour- 

 ing poor (the Bill provides) shall, after payment of ex- 

 penses, be paid over to the overseers, ID aid of the poor- 

 rates ; and if there should at any time be a surplus from 

 the other sources of rent specified in the Bill, which is 



either the one or the other of them. And now for 

 44 E. G.'H.'s" grand pamcea : — 44 The best i :iod of 

 getting the system into general action, is to leave it as 

 free and unfettered as possible ; let it spring from the 

 spontaneous desire on the part of the owners of property, 

 whether liy or clerical, to benefit their poorer neigh- 

 bours according to their own knowledge of their wants 

 and the best means of applying it, without the interfe- 

 rence of rate-payers or any officials whatever." Now, 

 let me ask, does Mr. Cowper's Bill interfere with that 

 freedom? Mr. Cowper's Bill is an enabling measure, 

 and not compulsory in any case, leaving to the majo- 

 rity of landowners and occupiers, in each parish or place, 

 the power of adopting the measure or not as they may 

 think proper; and when adopted, the landowners and 

 occupiers rated above 10/. a-\ear to the poor are to 

 choose two of the wardens ; sad the owners and occu- 

 piers of houses rated below 1(U. a-year are to choose the* 

 other two, the resident minister being ex-olficio the fifth 

 warden, than which a more equitable mode of appoint- 

 ment it is impossible to imagine. At last we do get a 

 bit of common sense, and ' 4 E. G. II." shall have the- 

 full benefit of it : — 44 The best method for insuring good 

 cultivation, is affixing a rent which, prima facie, may 

 appear rather a high one, but which (when it is borne in 

 mind that allotments are small, and all good land, gene- 

 rally near to the occupier's residence ; and that there is 

 no averaging of good and bad land, of long and short dis- 

 tances, for expense of cultivation ; and that, as is well 

 known, under the spade, land will throw out an enor- 

 mously increased produce) will only appear to be a fair 

 remuneration for expenses incurred, and accommodation 

 afforded, while it tends to insure active exertion in their 

 cultivation." So far so good ; but alas ! our differences 

 are not all over. " E. G. H." would give none of the 

 advantages of the system to any but persons of known 

 good character and conduct; I, on the contrary, would 

 not exclude any, good or bad ; and the Society formed 

 in this parish act on that principle, and with the best 

 results, as the following illustration will show : — A. 

 gentleman at the head of the Temperance movement in 

 this parish, and who is also a member of the Garden 

 Allotment Society, at the last half-yearly meeting of the 

 Society in the gardens said, he had tried every method to 

 induce a certain person (naming him) to give up his 

 drunken habits, but in vain ; he had not seen him lately — 

 indeed, for several months he had lost sight of him alto- 

 gether. I observed— 44 Do you see that man carrying a 

 watering-pot ?" at the same time pointing towards him. 

 " Oh yes," said he; l4 that is the man." I replied, 

 41 That man is earlier and later, and more constantly at 

 work on his allotment than any tenant we have ; and I 

 have never once seen him, since he has been here, the 

 worse for liquor." The gentleman, reflecting for a mo- 

 ment, exclaimed, M Yes, ye?, that is the true cure ; it is 

 clear the man wanted employment for his leisure 

 hours ;" and then, in his usual good-natured manner, 

 smilingly added, * 4 Henceforth let us work together : I 

 will continue to give them good advice, and do you fin* 

 them pleasureable and profitable employment, and a great 

 moral improvement is sure ro follow." Before I conclude 

 I will just remind 44 E. G. 11." that he might have given 

 Mr. Cowper credit for important matters which his Bill 

 contains, besides those referred to, viz., that of enabling 

 trustees and others who have or who may hereafter let land 

 in small allotments to the labouring poor, to recover the 

 rent and also regain the possession of the land by a sum- 

 mary process, instead of by the round-about expensive 

 way in which either could now be obtained, especially 

 since the passing of Lord Brougham's non-imprisonment 

 Bill for small sums. In illustration, I will just state 

 shortly a case, in which I was some time since engaged 

 as surveyor, to show what allotment tenants may do, if 

 disposed to set their landlords at defiance. A close of 

 land of eleven acres was, some years since, divided into 

 88 gardens, the rent Is. per pole, or 8/. per acre; three 

 acres of this land were lately required for the site of a 

 church, for which 500/. per acre was to have been paid ; 

 the owner was about to give the usual notice to the 

 tenants to quit their gardens ; they combined and re- 

 sisted ; their claims for compensation were so enor- 

 mously high that it became necessary to abandon the 

 treaty, nor could the Archbishop of York nor the church- 

 building Commissioners assist us, and to this day have 

 the tenants retained the possession of the land. To oust 

 them would cost nearly the fee-simple of the close, as 

 88 actions of ejectment would have to be brought, with 

 the certainty of the landlord's having to pay the costs ori 

 both sides, on account of the poverty of the tenant?, and 

 hence the unwillingness of many landowners to let their 

 land in garden allotments. This evil Mr. Cowper s Bill 

 will remedy, by providing a summary process in both 

 cases to meet the evils complained of. I have now had 

 twenty years' experience extensively in the management 

 of allotment gardens, and, notwithstanding the diffi- 

 culties which I have had to encounter, I have found the 

 good preponderate so much over the evil, that I have 

 never for a moment regretted the money and time I 

 have spent in assisting my excellent neighbours to extend 

 the system. In this parish we have now more than 140 





