846 



THE AGRICULTURAL GAZETTE. 



thy of »htlU raised each summer is about 59,496 tons, 

 ■which on the shore immediately opposite the bank st 

 for Is. per ton ; but at Derry and Strabane for l.v. Od. 

 to 2*. per ton. Altogether Captaia Portlock cr iders 

 the shell banks of Lough Foyle to be worth 5000/. per 

 annum to the country. * They are particulirly useful in 

 bringing bad Ian !s into cultivation, and in ameliorating 

 stiff wet clays, deficient in calcareous matter, being a; 

 plied at the rate of from 30 to GO barrels per acre. They 

 •re preferred to lime, as warming and brittleing the 



tod." 



u Value of those sands dredged upon the north and 

 touth coasts — of gypsum ; of sea-weed ; of bones ; farm- 

 yard manure ; its composition and relative power— im- 

 portance of its preservation awl suitable economy to 

 practical agriculture. Of rotations — relation of Com 

 crops and grren crops — amount of food produced by 

 various systems of culture— influence of different cul- 

 tures in the exhaustion or amelioration of the soil — size 

 of J arms in Ireland— principle of consolidation not as 

 applicable to Agriculture as to manufactures — relation 

 cf the size of farms to the population — relative profit 

 and employment afforded by large and small farms — 

 average available farms for existing population" On 

 these latter subjects we venture to quote a short 

 pasiage from a lengthened argument, which requires, 

 however, to be perused throughout thoroughly to appre- 

 ciate it : — 



11 I:i his valuable work on Agriculture, Professor Low 

 gives some estimates, from which it results that he con- 

 siders a 500 acre farm to give an amount of occupation 

 equivalent to the employment of 20 persons throughout 

 the entire year. Now it has been already shown that the 

 area of land available for cultivation is about 18,000,000 

 of acres, made up of : 



Land actually cultivated .... 13,464,300 acres. 

 Land capable of cultivation . . . 4,600,000 „ 



Kow if this be divided into 3G,000 farms, of 500 acres, 

 there will be given by their cultivation employment for 

 720,000 individuals ; but as the actual agricultural popu- 

 lation amounts to 5,406,743, the difference, or four mil- 

 lions and a half of human beings, will be thrown on the 

 world without any means of subsistence." — " On the 

 other hand, as the total number of existing agricultural 

 families is 971,188, it results that from the available land 

 there could be allocated to each a farm of 1 7 statute 

 acres. That this quantity is sufficient to support a family, 

 paying full re it, is a matter of which there is no doubt." 



" Secondary uses of food crops— manufacture of Po- 

 tato-starch, sugar, and spirits— composition of different 

 binds of Potatoes — manufacture of Beet-root sugar ; its 

 economic circumstances— of fibre crops— cultivation of 

 Flax and Hemp— composition of ligneous fibre — mode 

 of cult> and preparation of Flax— principles which it 

 gives off' in st> ing— average crop of Flax— its value — 

 uses of the Flax residue as food an I as manure—Flax 

 manufacture and linen trade — total value of Flax 

 grown in Ireland— exert ions of the Royal Dublin So- 

 ciety and Flux Improvement Society, and their results 

 —employment given by the Flax and linen trade- 

 tables of mill power and of exportation of Flax and 

 linen— localization of this industry— favourable situa- 

 tions for it — culture and composition of Hemp— con- 

 clusion." 



Our last extracts shall be on the cultivation of Flax— 

 a crop which is becoming every year more extensively 

 cultivated in this and the sister country : — " Mr. 

 Crosthwaite, whose intimate acquaintance with all 

 branches of this industry renders his authority highly 

 •valuable, considers that there are about 100,000 acres 

 under Flax in Ireland, and that the produce is about 

 30,000 tons, of an average value of 50/. per ton. This 

 is 6s. 3d. per stone, and should give about 12/. 10s. for 

 the usual produce of the statute acre." — "The Flax, 

 when it has grown to suitable maturity, according as the 

 design is to allow it to ripen its seed or not, is pulled, 

 and either immediately, or in the next spare season, 

 according to the circumstances of the locality, it is sub- 

 jected to the process termed rotting or watering. In 

 the stem of the Flax there may be recognised three 

 structures-— the outer skin or epidermis, covering a close 

 network of fibres which incloses the plant as in a sheath, 

 and in the centre a stem of dense pithy material. The 

 jbrous network is connected together by a glutinous 

 matter which must be decomposed before the fibres can 

 be separated from the stem, and it is to soften and rot 

 this sul tnce that the plant is steeped. If the steeping 

 be continued too long, the fibre itself may rot, and be 

 weakened aud injured in quality ; if the steeping be not 

 continued long enough, the fibres are not thoroughly 

 separated from each other, and the quality of the Fiax 

 is coarser than it might be."—" When the Flax is 

 Steeped, the water acq es a darker colour, a disagree- 

 able odour, and, it is well known, becomes poisonous to 

 fish. This arises from the solution of the glutinous 

 material which had cemented together the pure fibres." 

 — "The author of the Survey of Somersetshire (Mr. 

 Billingsby) says : ■ Having myself culti- 1 Flax on a 

 large scale, and observing the almost instantaneous 

 effect produced by the water in which the Flax was im- 

 mersed, I was induced, some years ago, to apply it t 

 some pasture land, by meanB of watering-cart6 s lar to 

 those used near London for watering the roids. The 

 effect was astonishing, and advanced the land in value 

 10.9. per acre.' " 



This part of the subject is illustrated by analyses, 

 ex •scuted by th ithor, of the I i-plant, its ashes", t< 

 e*tr<. %ct in tlie Flax-steep, &c. Professor Kane's work i 

 *ne of nut ^ ona ^ importance. 



) The British Farmer's Almanack and Diary of Agri- 

 culture and Gardening for 1815. Company of 

 Stationer*. London. 

 This is another well-compiled Farmer's Almanack. Its 

 Agricultural Calendar has been written by a gentleman 

 who, we happen to know, is thoroughly vrell qualified for 

 the task. 



[Dec. 14, 



meadow is to be inspected eiery three or four days t„ 



that r\n ln^rnmtiAn <V~— At. i »• CO 



■ee 



that no interruption from the breaking of bank, 

 umuUtion.of weeds, or otherwise, is giteii to ti 



irinrrnf th nrof.n TJTTU .t .' 6"CU to the 



acc 



flowing of the water. 



, H - r . . ^ ken the spring months arrive 



and the Grasses begin to grow, the periods of flood!?' 

 are to be shortened. In the month of Fehrn™ u 



the 



is 



Miscellaneous. 



Practice of Irrigation. — The first operation on the 

 intended meadow is, to free it thoroughly of water by 

 draining. If springs exist, they should be cut off by 

 drains of sufficient depth to reach the source of injury. 

 Hut, in addition to this, the land, if the soil is clayey, or 

 rests upon a tenacious subsoil, should be effectually 

 furrow-drained, so as to afford a ready egress to the water 

 underground. The land is then to be lerelled and other- 

 wise prepared. If it is already in old turf, it will be well 

 to pare off the sward with the spade, and after having 

 dug and prepared the ground, to replace the turf. In 

 this manner the meadow will be ready for the reception 

 of the water, as soon as it is formed. But should there 

 be no turf upon the ground, or should this turf be filled 

 with useless or innu'ritious plants, the land should be 

 thoroughly worked, levelled, and otherwise prepared, and 

 then sown with the suitable Grass-seeds. These Grass- 

 seeds may be sown in autumn. We cannot, however, 

 in this case, admit the water during the first winter. 

 We must retain the land in pasture for the whole of the 

 following winter and summer, so that the young plants 

 may establish themselves in the soil. But in the second 

 winter we may generally admit the water. The ground 

 may be in part prepared by the plough, and we may even 

 economise expenditure by taking a crop of some kind 

 before we begin to level aud otherwise form the meadow ; 

 but generally it is better to proceed at once with the 

 formation of the mead ">w, and employ the spade in place 

 of the plough for levelling and preparing the ground for 

 the reception of the Grass-seeds in autumn. Along the 

 higher side of the meadow is first to be formed the main 

 conductor, to which the water is carried, and from 

 which it is conveyed over the surface of the meadow. 

 The earth taken out of this trench is to be employed in 

 banking it, and filling up hollows in the surface of the 

 ground. The size of the main conductor must be pro- 

 portioned to that of the meadow, and the quantity of 

 water to be conveyed. The next operation is, forming 

 the main drain, at the lower part of the land to be 

 flooded. It is of the same size as the main conductor, 

 and the earth taken out of it is to be employed in bank- 

 ing or filling up hollows. The surface of the meadow, 

 supposing it to be flat, is now to be formed into beds or 

 panes, from 30 to 40 feet in width, extending from the 

 main conductor to the main drain. These beds may be 

 elevated about 12 inches at the centre; they are not 

 curved like the ridges of a ploughed field, but form in- 

 clined planes from the centre to each side. At leaving 

 the main conductor they may be 20 inches wide, gra- 

 dually narrowing to nearly a point at their termination 

 when they reach the surface. If stops of solid earth 

 are left, these may be six inches either way, with their 

 diagonal in the line of the feeder, and such of them as 

 are not required maybe afterwards removed. The earth 

 taken out of these feeders is to be employed in making 

 good their own banks, and in levelling inequalities of the 

 surface. Corresponding with the feeders, and alternating 

 with them, are to be formed the series of subordinate 

 drains, communicating with the main drain. They are 

 of the same dimensions as the feeders, with this distinc- 

 tion, that they are widest and deepest where they com- 

 municate with the main drain, and become gradually 

 smaller to the upper part of the meadow, where they 

 terminate. The surface of the meadow being formed, 

 the Grass-seeds, where no turf has been reserved, are to 

 be sown. The following admixture of Grasses will be 

 found suitable : — 1. Alopecurus pratensis — meadow fox- 

 tail ; 2. Phleum pratense — meadow cat's-tail ; 3. 'Agros- 

 tis alba — marsh bent-grass ; 4. Poa trivialis — rough- 

 stalked meadow-grass ; 5. Poa pratensis — smooth- 

 stalked meadow-grass ; 6. Festuca loliacea — spiked fes- 

 cue-grass ; 7. Festuca pratensis — meadow fescue. When 

 the old turf has been replaced, the water, it has been said, 

 may be admitted in the first winter ; when Grass-seeds 

 have been sown, the water cannot be admitted until the 

 second winter, and sometimes even not until the third. 

 The ground should be depastured with sheep during the 

 first summer, to such a degree as to prevent the plants 

 from putting forth their flowering stems and producing 

 seeds. The next point to be considered is the manage- 

 ment of the meadow when completed. At the beginning 

 of October, we are to prepare for admitting the water. 

 To this end the drains and feeders are to be cleaned out, 

 and the banks where injured repaired. The main sluice 

 is then to be withdrawn, when the conductors and 

 feeders will be gradually filled. The next point is to 

 adjust the water in the several feeders. To this end the 

 workman is to observe that each feeder, beginning with 

 the first in order, receives a due quantity of water. If 



it, he enlarges the mouth so as to allow the proper 

 quantity to enter. He then adjusts the stops in the 

 several feeders, so that the whole surface of the beds 

 shall be covered equally about an inch deep with water. 

 During this and the three following months — namely, 

 November, December, and January, the ground is to be 

 regularly flooded for 15 or 20 days at a time, with inter- 

 missions at each time of seven or eight days, during which 

 the ground is to be laid perfectly dry. Further, when 

 severe frost is threatened, the water is in like man r to 





water should never be allowed tc flow above six or sev*> 

 days at a time, and in severe frosts it should be with 

 drawn, so that no ice may be formed upon the meadow 

 The same management, shortening to five or six da i 

 the periods of flooding, may be continued till the middl! 

 of March, by which time the meadow will be readv fa 

 receiving any kind of stock. In this manner, aQ earl, 

 supply of herbage is obtained, and after the stock ha< 

 been removed, as by the beginning of May, the flooding 

 maybe resumed and continued till near the end of the 

 month, so as to prepare the meadow for hay. But often 

 this spring feeding is not resorted to. The irrigation is 

 continued during the months of March, April and 

 until the middle of May, when it finally ceases ' But 

 during this period, the frequency and length of time of 

 watering are gradually diminished from five or six davs 

 in March, to two or three in the latter period of flood- 

 ing. Caution is required in flooding as the season ad- 

 vances ; because, were the finer Grasses to be too lone 

 submerged at this period of their growth, they would be 

 injured and destroyed. The actual periods of flooding 

 differ with the stare of the season and the nature of the 

 soil. A practical rule adopted by irrigators is, never to 

 continue to flood when a white scum is teen to form on 

 the surface of the water, for this indicates that the putre- 

 factive fermentation has commenced in the turf. By the 

 middle of May, or rarely later, the flooding is to cease, 

 and the land to be laid thoroughly dry. The Grasses 

 will now grow with great luxuriance, and produce an 

 abundant crop of hay. When the hay is removed, the 

 aftermath is depastured, after which the sime process of 

 flooding recommences. Sometimes, after the hay is re- 

 moved, the ground is again flooded ; but, in this case, 

 no sheep must be admitted on the flooded land, or, if ad- 

 mitted, they must be such sheep as are to be immediately 

 killed ; for this summer-flooding never fails to bring 

 with it the disease of rot in its most destructive form. 

 In place of the meadow being applied to the production 

 of hay, it may be applied to the production of green 

 forage for soiling. This is a more profitable mode of 

 applying the watered meadow than for the production of 

 a crop of hay. Three crops in this case may be taken, 

 the meadow being flooded after each crop is removed. — 

 Professor Low, on Landed Property. 



Notices to Correspondents. 



The letter, J. C, Kent, has been received : too late for publica- 

 tion this week. 



Acorns as food for Pics.--T. D.— See pase 699. 



A Leaking Tank.— Bingo.— The recomim ation to put Oat- 

 meat into such a tauk was not ours ; we cannot speak of the 

 efficiency of such a plan, and should think it uasuited to 



your case. 

 Bacon.— To Readers.— A.— How can I prevent the formation 

 of reastiness in bacon ? Does it arise from improper curing, 



or improper keeping? 



Books.— Broadway.— The works yon want are published by the 

 Society for the Diffusion of Useful Knowledge. 



Bocoy Laxd.— Air ic/csey.-Umc it at the rate of 100 bushels 

 per acre ; in sprint? you can apply ordinary farm manure. 



Carrots.— Subscriber.— They can be siren to milch cows, with 

 advantage both to the health of the animal and the quantity 

 and quality of the milk. We have given 100 lbs. weight a 

 day to cows, along with the Wurzel. 



Farm Accounts.-./. M. ii/.-There are some instructive chap- 

 ters on this subject in Stephens's "Book of tnc Farm. ine 

 best principle of any system of accounts is of course war. 01 



Gab Lm^Shdravel, -Your compost will be a pojverful ferti- 

 liser. Turn the lime 3 or 4 times, at intervals of 8orl0day s , 

 before soaking it and the tau wita urine. A waggon-ioau 



ought to dress an acre. „ ___ w ho«?a 



Gvaso.-E. F. A-Apply guaoo and all other manure, wJk 

 value depends in anv measure oa soluble ingredient., eany 

 In spring-say first week in April-in wet weatner. 

 IICB of T0RNiPs,&c.-il»an.-Swedes,W.perton,^ia fc cM 



Wurzel, los. per ton; Carrots, 21. per ton. ™se«^ v ^ 

 which we have known given for large quantities, 



course they vary somewhat. ivhirfield Farm do 



Shekp.-J. E.— We understand the sheep at \J n 5n' u thc yard 

 not receive any chaff as food. They are all tea in i 

 under shelter, on Swedes and oil-cake. . , d be 



Spring Wheat— J. M. F— It may be sown .« trie 

 drained, on any suitable day through the winter 

 rally sown in February. The Belle Vue Talavera is a s 



variety. rpreived too latt. 



%* As usual, many communications have been recei> 



SMITHFIELD, Monday, Dec. S.-^Sef <• oto* J 



Best Scots, Herefords,&c 4* 0to4» * Best Downs & Hall- a w 4 2 



Beit Short Horns - 3 10 4 



PR 



Second quality Beasts - 8 3 '■ 

 Calves - - - .3846 



4 



4 



10 



Best Lod«-wooIs - g 



Ewes and second quality a ^ 



Beasts", 4120 ; "sheep^u// Calve.. DC » ; *£•• ^ rtioB of pri 



Our supply of Beast, to-day is very targe.. I^n* a n tmp<> rt8at ie» 

 quality. The importation of Irish Stock T. joining MJ^ direct from 

 in the consignment* to our Market; we have _ to-day J^^^tf » ch**; 



Ireland. 



yet, the weath 



same mnne 



and some onoice snort norns «•-»• - - Q r ,, - . ra ther more i 



dling sorts, and several remain unsold. »n« e P.*™ and fully »«?| 



the best qualities, however, are not ?&£?*£&» %£»»•** U l 

 lite quotations. As is usual so near Chrtetm inle £°J£, are malungabous 

 be disposed cf. Veal -trade is h V. but the beat qualities 

 the same price as of 1 ate. Pork-trade is heavy. 



Friday, D!c. 13 



our 

 iilt 



be -withdrawn, so as that it may not freeze upon the 

 [ f .;;c. During this, the *' ' icipal periods c p V 



sur- 



r 1 



best Sheep are -th a lrifl« less 



ranging lrom£4d toj^ ^^ ^ ^^ 14?J p;, ^, 



-' . 



Wahav nm- edema 



HOPS. Friday, Dec. 13. ices 





