1844.] 



THE AGRICULTURAL GAZETTE. 



859 









A 



whole of their wages in the necessaries of life ; they 

 have thus all the necessary articles of food continually 

 at hand, and the quantity of corn and butter which those 

 ■with moderate families are enabled to sell, provides for 

 other demands. It is evident that the annual money- 

 value of a hind's wages cannot be accurately stated, as 

 this must depend on the market prices of the articles in 

 which he is paid ; but it may be observed, that the 

 seasons which are the worst for other labourers are 

 usually the most favourable for hinds; because the surplus 

 corn, of which they can dispose, returns a better price. 

 The numerous advantages arising to farmers and ser- 

 vants from the general adoption of this mode of payment 

 are clearly set forth in the following extract from Somer- 

 ville's " General View," &c. : — " Wherever labourers are 

 paid in money, if they have the smallest inclination to 

 be extravagant, they are furnished with the means. 

 Having money among their hand?, they do not scruple 

 to gratify the present propensity, and live in expectation 

 that pay-day will soon return. They are even laid under 

 temptations to dissipation, though they may have no 

 natural inclination to it ; they must often, in procuring 

 necessaries for themselves and their families, have occa- 

 sion to meet their neighbours, with a little time to spare 

 and a little money in their pockets ; they must have a 

 little conversation ; that can be enjoyed to greatest advan- 

 tage in the ale-house ; and why may they not enjoy them- 

 selves with a trifle of the money for which they have 

 toiled so hard ? Thus, love of sociery at first, and after- 

 wards love of liquor, induces a habit which the prospect 

 of disgrace and misery cannot counteract, and which had 

 probably never existed if the unfortunate beings had 

 been paid for their work in the necessaries of life, in- 

 stead of being sent to the market with money to procure 

 them. The cottage system, which found many advo- 

 cates some time ago, was far inferior in every view of the 

 matter, to the manner in which labourers in agriculture 

 are accommodated here. Many of those who laboured 

 to introduce the new cottage system, deserved all praise 

 for the purity of their motives ; every friend of humanity 

 will honour them for the generous interest which they 

 felt in behalf of the labouring poor; but if they had 

 understood the condition of the hinds in this county, 

 they would have found out a much better plan for ac- 

 complishing their object, than giving to every cottager 

 land to produce his subsistence. A hind here receives 

 as much corn as such a cottager might be expected to 

 raise; his work for his employer is not interrupted, nor 

 himself worn out by extrn and excessive labour ; he has 

 no care upon his mind, no rent to pay, no bad seasons 

 to dread ; for whatever may be his master's crop, he is 

 sure of his full share. If the labourer profit by this 

 system, the employer and the public profit still more ; 

 the employer does not pay a man who wastes half his 

 strength at other work, nor rely on a servant who, may 

 sometimes disappoint him, by attending to other con- 

 cerns. The public must gain in the increased quantity 

 of human food produced, for without doubt an acre of 

 land occupied by a cottager will not yield as much, at as 

 little expense, as if it made pirt of a farm cultivated by a 

 person with sufficient capital. Were all the farm ser- 

 vants over the kingdom pa'd in kind, it may be safely 

 affirmed, from the experience of the p'aces where this 

 practice prevails, that the advantage would be great to 

 thems?l*es and to the public. The master might pro- 

 bably, in some cases, find it more convenient to give 

 money, but he is far more than recompensed for any 

 trifling disadvantage attending the other mode, by the 

 valuable moral habits which it is calculated to preserve. 

 Every master who properly understands his interest will 

 admit that he had better pay sober, honest, and indus- 

 trious servants, than have those of a different description 

 almost for nothing. From their being accustomed to 

 pass little money through their hands, many of the far- 

 mers' servants in this county acquire such habits of 

 saving, that they lay up a few pounds for old age, or to 

 meet any contingency which may require more thau their 



ordinary income/' 



The dwellings of the hinds are remarkably clean and 

 comfortable: simple, but well-kept and tastefully ar- 

 ranged furniture, with the invariable accompaniment of 

 an eight-day clock, replenish the in f erior, whilst the 

 climbing Honeysuckle, or delightful Rose-bush, adorns 

 the exterior. The servants' houses are generally situated a 

 short distance from the farm steading, of which they form 

 a part. Each hind is under the obligation of furnishing 

 his master with an approved servant (either male or fe- 

 male) to work on the farm during the summer half-year, 

 viz., from Whitsuntide to Martinmas; and should he not 

 have a son or daughter sufficiently capable of filling this 

 place, he must engage and maintain in his own house a 

 sufficient bondage for the work— a designation which 

 aptly expresses the grievous nature of the obligation ; hit 

 wife is also required to reap 22 or more days in harvest, 

 in payment of the house-rent. 



Friendly Societies or Clubs are established by the farm 

 tervants in almost every parish, which have produced 

 incalculable benefit to the labouring class. The affairs of 

 these highly useful Societies are conducted by a committee 

 annually chosen from among the members ; the parish 

 teacher generally acting as secretary and treasurer* Each 

 Society possesses different Funds, as the Cow's Fund, 

 Funeral Fund, Sick Fund, &c. By contributing a few 

 pence monthly to the Cow's Fund, a member ia entitled 

 to receive from 91. to 12/. from the Society on the natural 

 or accidental death of his cow, provided the usual reme- 

 dial measures have been resorted to for her recovery. In 

 *&e manner, by paying a trifle into the Funeral Fund, 

 °n the demise of the contributor his friends or wife re- 

 vive about 3/. to defray the funeral expenses ; and an 



individual regularly subscribing to the Sick Fund is 

 entitled to 10s. a-week for a limited period, when disabled 

 from working by indisposition. 



It is remarkable that none of the landlords or farmers 

 contribute anything to the support or efficiency of these 

 excellent rural Societies ; the servants themselves endea- 

 vour to spare a few pence monthly in order to provide 

 against the many contingencies to which their station in 

 life subjects them ; but it is evidently the interest as well 

 as the duty of the landowners and tenants, who con- 

 jointly pay the poor-rates in Scotland, to encourage So- 

 cieties whose tendency is to keep the labourer above the 

 necessity of applying for parochial aid. — T. Sullivan. 



TREATMENT of FARM HORSES & LIVE STOCK. 



I will proceed to detail the feeding of our horses, and 

 the proposed treatment of our cattle and sheep : — They 

 are never turned out, nor do they receive any Grass-hay, 

 or Clover-hay— except a small portion during the interval 

 between green-crops and root crops. In summer they 

 are fed in mangers on Wheat -straw chaff, cut one-eighth 

 of an inch, and Tares, Lucerne, or green Rye, cut also 

 into chaff the same size, adding ground Beans, Oats, or 

 meal with Linseed. In winter, our Carrots, Swedes, and 

 Mangold, will be well washed, passed through Gardner's 

 Turnip-cutter, and again passed through a toothed cutter 

 machine, so as to become what I call root-chaff; it will 

 then be mixed with very fine Wheat, Bean, or Orit-s'raw 

 chaff, and a little ground Beans, Barley, or Oatmeal, 

 soaked Linseed, steamed Potatoes, and a little salt, 

 varying the food as much as possible to stimulate their 

 feeding. In fact, to sum up, we shall present their food 

 in the form occupying the smallest possible compass and 

 requiring the least mastication. Every haK-hour sired 

 in feeding is so much added to their rest — a most im- 

 portant ingredient in fattening. The dry chaff will pre- 

 vent laxity and flatulence, producing also a sufficient and 

 healthy excitation of the stomach, whilst it will afford to 

 the gastric juices a ready access to every part of the masi 

 of food. This mixture appears by its various constituents 

 perfectly adapted to the formation of bone, muscle, fat, 

 and flesh, all which are essential to the perfect develop- 

 ment of a well-fatted animal. On this subject I annex, 

 by permission, the very kind opinion of Mr. C. R. Bree. 

 Our horses have a plump muscularity and vigorous 

 rotundity, proving what I said before, that their food 

 contains every necessary element; they thrive wonder- 

 fully and cost but little — they get their breakfast, dinner, 

 and supper, in perfect quiet. This is better than send- 

 ing them for a ten-mile walk morning and evening, thus 

 depriving them of six hours' rest ; their skins are sofc 

 and their coats glossy — their general appearance exhi- 

 biting health, strength, and content. In this all viiiton 

 to my farm agree. Were it not for their daily labour, 

 I have no doubt they would be excessively fat ; therefore 

 I am justified in anticipating a similar result for my 

 bullocks and sheep. The least they plough is one acre 

 per day, seven inches deep for each pair, and occasionally 

 one and a half acres, particularly during harvest. One 

 pair also trench or subsoil-plough one and a half 

 acre per day during harvest, which is great work, I 

 cannot now state exactly what number of horses we 

 shall require permanently. s I rent 45 acres adjoining my 

 land, so that the total holding is 173 acres; we shall 

 certainly require six at least on our principle of trench 

 ploughing, and not resting the land. At present, owing 

 to the great arrears of cultivation, and the various opera- 

 tions of subsoiling, stone-catting, &c, we have an addi- 

 tional four, and sharply they are worked too. 



For very lean bullocks, the straw.chaff and green feed, 

 or root-chaff, will be better than too rich a diet at firat. 

 As they freshen we shall give them richer food, and in- 

 crease its quality by degrees, adding soaked Linseed, &c. 

 Our horses and cattle will always have access to rock- 

 salt. I apprehend in bullocks as in horses, a change 

 from very poor to stimulating diet would be hazardous 

 without a previous preparation by physic. 



As I said in my former letters, there should be warmth, 

 cleanliness, ventilation, and good grooming ; briektd 

 floors set in cement and well drained, appear well adapted 

 for cattle generally. They should occasionally be washed 

 down with sulphuric acid and water, or sprinkled with 

 gypsum. This will convert the offensive ammonia into 

 hii efficient manure. All stables and cattle-rooms, should 

 have their walls and ceilings lime-washed at least once 

 a year — the mangers occasionally well scrubbed, A 

 harness room in stables is indispensable. 



My farm-yard will not look like one, for not much 

 loose straw will be seen — a little straw-chaff may appear 

 here and there, to absorb the moisture and excrement 

 from the cattle ; but the soiled part will be removed daily 

 or frequently to the roofed tank, so as to go on the land 

 as rich as possible, fermented, but not washed by rain, 

 or evaporated by sunshine or wind. The rest of my 

 straw, both Wheat, Bean, and Oat, will be converted as 

 chaff into food for my stock, and so go to market in the 

 shape of mutton, beef, or pork — or be forming bone and 

 sinew for my horses. In conclusion, it will afford me very 

 great pleasure to receive hints from competent practical 

 men on the subject of this letter. — /. J. Mechiy 4, 

 LeadenhaW street, London, August, 1844. 



P.S. — Cost per week of keeping each farm-horse in 

 high condition and full working order :— 



Twenty four bushels of Wheat-straw chaff, cut one- 

 eighth of an inch, at 2rf 



Twelve bushels of green Tares cut into chaff, at 9*. . 



Four and a haif pecks of Beans, ground into small 

 pieces • 



Pollard 



Cutting chaff 



Straw for litter . 



I value my Wheat-straw a*: 6d. per truss of 36 lbs. o r 

 18s. per load of 36 trusses, which is the average price it 

 could be sold for on the farm. My green tares I value 

 at 1*. per rod, or SI. per acre. Of course where Lucerne,. 

 Clover, or Rye are used, a due regard will he had to pre- 

 serve the same relative cost. In winter a proportionate - 

 quantity of roots will be substituted for green food. I 

 believe it is seldom accurately known what farm-hortet 

 do cost. Ihrveasked the question frequently, and re- 

 ceived for answer a shrug of the shoulders, or a shake of 

 the head and the words iC A great deal too much." A 

 first-rate farmer and clever valuer told me, the farm- 

 horses always consume one-fourth the produce of the 

 farm ; that is, 25 acres out of every 100. My own cal- 

 culation was 20 acres ; but he is no doubt right on 

 average lands. 



A gentleman writes me, that cutting hiy very fine 

 caused fermenta'ion and griping amongst farm-horses, 

 which he attributes to want of mastication ; since 

 he had it cut 1£ inch, no such injurious effect has 

 been experienced. On our own farm, during several 

 months' experience, our fine-cut food has caused no in- 

 try, probably owing to our using so a large proportion 

 of straw chaff and little or no hay. I beg to refer 

 to my fifth letter for other particulars of my cattle 

 management. I think, generally speakir i loose box, 

 with just room for the animal to turn in, is better thsn 

 stalls — although I have not practically compared the 

 t*o — nor can I say from experience, whether the total 

 absence of light is more injurious to the animal's health 

 than any increase in its fattening, I should consider 

 both light and air are necessary to health. Mr. Warnes's 

 pamphlet (Longman and Co.), contains useful informs- 

 »n on fattening cattle. The Rev. J. C. Bliir Warren, 

 of Horkesley Hall, near Colchester, applies the close 

 box system with judgment and advance, and is in other 

 respects a scientific practical farmer. 



Extract of a Letter from Mr. C. R. Bree. — With 

 regard to your question about the application of Wheat- 

 straw chaff in the function of nutrition, 1 have much 

 pleasure in offering you my opinion. Wheit-straw con* 

 tains very little albumen — according to Playfair none. 

 It therefore can be of no use in supplying the nitrogenous 

 elements of muscle. But as you supply this in your 

 urem food, and more particularly in the Be*ns, its ab- 

 sence in the straw can be of little importance. It will, 

 however, have the ?ame effect when given as you do, as 

 vegetables have when eaten by human beings with meat. 

 It will be useful in the following objects : — 



1. In supplyng the phosphate of lime to form the 

 earthy part of bone. 



2. It will assist in the formation of muscle by supply- 

 ing the non-azotised portions of that structure. 



3. It will supply carbon in abundance. If this carbon 

 is uot required for the restoration of waste, it will assist 

 in forming a supply of carbonic acid for the performance 

 of the function of respiration, and the supply of auimal 

 heat. 



4. By this appropriation it will permit the excess of 

 carbou, taken in with the other food to unite chemically 

 with the elements of water, and thus be deposited in 

 the system as fat. Straw, chemically speaking, differs 

 from hay, in {A.) containing little or no albumen. 

 B> In containing rather more organic matter. C. Hay 

 leaves as much again of ashes after incineration. 



I consider ycur union of straw with green food and 

 Beans as sound in theory. Beans have per se too much 

 albumen for animal food ; by uniting straw with them 

 you counteract the effects of this excess, and by adding 

 green food, you supply saline matter, which is indispens- 

 able to the due performance of the function of nutrition* 

 1 think your plan judicious as well as scientific. 



3. 



d. 



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Home Correspondence. 



7i r on- interfere nee trith Politics. — Before the close of 

 the first year of your Paper, I hnd you departing from 

 your own principle of non- interference with politics, and 

 giving notice tha r in your next Number you shall teat the 

 merits of the arable and pasture tjttitttn, on the principle 

 of the labourer having a right to employment, as his in- 

 heritance. Surely this is a political question ; and let 

 me put one question to you on that. subject s — Supposing 

 the higher grades of society are determined to eat bread 

 made of foreign Whea% and driok beer and spirits made 

 of foreign Barley, and that their horses shall eat foreign 

 Oats, and themselves foreign beef, and their ships shall 

 consume foreign provisions — and let me tell you, this is 

 ry largely the case — under what principle of right or 

 justice can you expect the owner of the land to produce 

 what nobody will us° ; or, whit amounts to the same 

 thing, will not pay for cultivation ? Why should the 

 landlord or tenant be obliged to produce Wheat, which 

 he cannot sell but at a loss? And how is the labourer's 

 right to be enforced on owners of the land, whose market 

 is destroyed ? Are they to be obliged to sell and mort- 

 gage to mill-owners, cotton-spinners, and other trade 

 and craftsmen, all their inheritance, to pay for labour 

 which does them no good, but makes them poorer still ? 

 Answer this question, if you please, and not argue pasture 

 and arable on a wrong foundation, or principles that will 

 not bear being tested with truth.— C. Kent, December 10. 

 [The criterion by which we have estimated the propriety 

 of any system of cultivation is not only its capability 

 of giving employment t> the labourer — as our corres- 

 pondent appears to think. Oar words were as follow :— 

 %4 We maintain that the merits of any system of cultiva- 

 tion depend not merely on\the profit to the cultivator and 

 the quantity of food which it produces, but also on thr 

 [quantity of employment it provides for the labourer. 9 * 





