862 



THE AGRICULTURAL GAZETTE. 



i 



[Dec. 21, 





f perity and success. The noble duke then left the chair, 



and the meeting broke up. 



The Meetings of the Council stand adjourned over the 

 Christmas recess to the 5th of February. 



SMITHFIELD CLUB SHOW. 

 We omitted mentioning in our report last week of this 

 Exhibition, a model of farm-buildings, exhibited by Mr. 

 Crogiron, covered with his asphalte roofing, to the value 

 of which, we understand, he has many testimonials^ 



tricitj. The except 

 planntion, and do not militate against its general 

 application. On this important subject much remains to 



r. Solly hailed with great delight the 



spirit seems to have been infused, into our Society, Sir 

 H. Davy was invited to apply his chemical knowledge to 

 the means of increasing the production of food. His 

 views on this subject have not hitherto been surpassed in 

 utility, although they are greatly undervalued by the 

 disciples of foreign empirics. In the application of elec- 

 tricity to chemical analysis, Sir Humphrey tcok the lead, 

 after his predecessor Ritter had through his natioual love 

 of mysticism become bewildered in the mazes of Mes- 

 merism. The prominent position which Sir Humphry 

 attained in this path of science has been nobly main- 

 tained by his pupil Farady, who is looked up to by all 

 nations as the first authority in electrolytic science. His 

 idea that electrical attraction and chemical affinity are 

 one and the same, first occurred to Sir Humphry, in con- 

 sequence of his decomposition of the alkalies by elec- 

 tricitv. The exceptions to this rule may admit of 

 ilana 



ppli 

 be investigated. 



prospect of a permanent connection between the Society 

 and the Royal Institution, for the purpose of examining 

 the nature and composition of the objects of agriculture; 

 but, as a reason for caution against placing unlimited 

 confidence in chemical analyses for the purpose of ascer- 

 taining the nutriment essentially required by plants, Mr. 

 Solly mentioned the obvious difference in their nature, 

 produced by difference of soil. This is particularly ob- 

 servable in Grasses, which are frequently refused by cattle 

 wheu manured by their own dung ; but the same cause 

 does not render them distasteful to animals of a different 

 species. In Norway the excrement of horses is greedily 

 devoured by cows. Mr. Solly mentioned that some of 

 the large and more profitable Grasses seem to prefer a 

 great depth of loose soil, particularly of leaf-mould : 

 therefore some of them flourish with the greatest luxu- 

 riance on the banks of hedges. This is particularly the 

 case with the Holcusavenaceous, highly recommended by 

 German writers of the last century. Mr. Solly exhibited 

 some remarkable specimens of other indigenous Grasses 

 obtained from hedge-banks in Hertfordshire — the Bro- 

 mus giganteus and the Festuca elatior — the height of the 

 former exceeded 8 feet, that of the latter was more than 6. 

 This Grass has been particularly recommended for cul- j off the straw, were not so fond of the Grass as they 



Miscellaneous. 



Fibrous Covering, or Gurneyism. — Fibrous cover- 

 ing requires to be applied in given quantities ; if too 

 much was laid on it would, like too large a dose of manure, 

 destroy vegetation ; and if too little, it would produce no 

 very sensible action'; this was a point of some import- 

 ance, as an experiment would fail from either of these 

 causes. He thought, judging from the result of experi- 

 ment, that about 20 lbs. of long straw should be laid 

 equally over a customary land-yard or rood of growing 

 Grass, either in a lay-field or an after Grass. Previously 

 to the next meeting, he hoped they would rake off the 

 covering, and carefully notice the effect produced in the 

 growth of the herbage, as compared to that in the other 

 parts of the field; the nature and kind of Grass should 

 also be carefully examined. Before he sat down it might 

 be well for him to say that about seven weeks since he 

 had covered half a field of Grass of three acres in this 

 manner, and that about a fortnight ago when examined, 

 the increase had been found to be at the rate of upwards 

 of 5000 lbs. per acre over the other part of the field. At 

 the same time the straw was raked off and laid in rows 

 about 12 ft. apart on the field ; 115 sheep were now put 

 into the field, with a view to eat it down as quickly as pos- 

 sible. After they had been there about a week, they were 

 succeeded by 26 bullocks to eat off the long Grass remain- 

 ing, and which the sheep had left ; the field was eaten as 

 bare as possible. The same straw was now again thrown 

 over the same portion of the field from which it had been 

 raked ; on inspection that morning he had found the 

 action going on under it as powerfully as on the former 

 occasion. He said he thought the sheep, on first raking 



tivation in the "Transactions of the Swedish Agricultural 

 Society." Mr. Solly then seconded Mr. Miles's motion, 

 which was carried unanimously. 



Sir Harry Verney rose, to propose the thanks of 

 the meeting to the Finance Committee and the Auditors 

 of Accounts, on the part of the Society, for their great 

 care of the financial interests of the Society ; and the 

 motion being seconded by Mr. Richard Milward, 

 was carried unanimously. 



Colonel Challoner returned thanks on the part 

 of the Finance Committee, for the good opinion enter- 

 tained of them and the auditors. He had the gratifica- 

 tion to state, that the accounts were in a state of perfect 

 regularity, — a circumstance of the greatest importance, 

 for unless the financial department be regulated with 

 the utmost precision, no Society could expect to prosper. 

 Mr. Knight, as one of the auditors, on the part of 

 the Society, returned thanks to the meeting on behalf of 

 himself and his colleague, Mr. Hampden Turner, who 

 on the day previously had with him audited the accounts 

 then laid on the table before the members. He had the 

 satisfaction of bearing his testimony to the extreme ac- 

 curacy of the accounts of the Society, which were kept 

 in so excellent a state that it had become a most pleasing 

 duty to audit them. 



Sir Harry Verney suggested the desirableness of 

 connecting the Society with the different local Societies 

 throughout the kingdom, in the same manner as had 

 been effected with great success by the Royal Agricul- 

 tural Improvement Society of Ireland, where that Society 

 was proving, not as in England, a boon to agriculture 

 alone, but a national blessing in promoting a good un- 

 derstanding among all parties connected more or less 

 with the cultivation of the soil within the range of its 

 progress and influence. 



The noble President would not fail to bring Sir 

 Harry Verne y's proposition before the Council on the 

 earliest occasion ; at the same time he thought that the 

 movement, in reference to any alliance, such as that 

 proposed, ought to originate with the local Societies 

 themselves towards the Royal Agricultural Society as 

 the central body, whose collected information they already 

 received, and diffused with so much practical advantage 

 throughout their respective districts. 



The Marquis of Downshire bore testimony to the 

 value of the local Societies in Ireland, and the united 

 desire now manifested by the owners and occupiers in 

 that part of the kingdom to go on cordially together 

 hand in hand in the great work of agricultural improve- 

 ment, to which they were invited and encouraged by the 

 example set them in England and Scotland. 



On the motion of Earl Spencer, seconded by Mr. 

 Hillyard, a vote of thanks was carried by acclamation 

 to the noble President. 



The Duke of Richmond expressed himself grateful 

 for the manner in which the meeting had received the 

 proposition of his noble friend, Lord Spencer. He had 

 at present done little, since he had again come into the 

 office of their president, to deserve thair thanks ; but he 

 confidently hoped that he should leave the Society in as 

 flourishing a state as they had then the gratification of 

 finding it. The Society had not only done great good , 

 already, but would do still more ; and as long as it was | 

 supported by the tenants and practical farmers of the 

 country, there could be no doubt of its continued pros- 



were of that uncovered : but after 24 hours' exposure to 

 the Bun and air, he thought they rather preferred it. He 

 had upwards of 40 acres now under the operation, and 

 in consequence of it, he had had Grass when his neigh- 

 bours had none. He would consider it a personal favour 

 if they would make some experiments on this subject be- 

 fore their next meeting. — Mr. Gurney, at the June 

 Meeting of the East Cornwall Experimental Club. 

 Value of Guano. — Dr. Ure quotes African as varying 



in composition as follows : — 



Moisture from 21 to 36 per cent. 





5 

 35 

 23 



3 



1.5 



I 



10 



50 



35 



6 



5 



2 



»» 



»» 



»» 

 »» 



Ammonia „ 



Organic matter . „ 

 Phosphate of lime „ 



Phosphate of magnesia and ammonia 

 Alkaline salts .... 

 Sand, &c 



Now, the moisture is worth nothing, so that a sample 

 giving 36 per cent, moisture, will contain but 64 solid 

 guano, and that more or less damaged. Ammonia is the 

 most valuable ingredient, and may be estimated (in com- 

 parison with other manures) at Gd. to 8d. per lb. ; so that 

 two samples, in other respects equal, one containing 10, 

 the other only 5 per cent, of ammonia — the first will be 

 worth 2s. Gd. per cwt, or 21. 10s. per ton, more than the 

 other. The ingredient next in value is the phosphate of 

 lime, including that of magnesia, which are here in a 

 much more readily soluble state than in bones ; and 

 taking bones to average half their weight of phosphate, 

 may be valued at double the price of bone-dust, that is, 

 taking hone-dust at ISs. per quarter of 3 cwt., the phos- 

 phates in guano may be valued at 12s. per cwt., or \^d. 

 per lb. But these phosphates do not decay ; and hence 

 the more the ammonia and organic matters are rotted 

 away, the richer is the remainder in phosphates. For in- 

 stance, if fresh guano contains 15 per cent, phosphates, 

 and then loses l-4th by decay, the whole 15 of phos- 

 phates remain in the 75 lbs. residue ; and 100 of such 

 residue will contain 20. So that decayed guano becomes 

 richer in phosphates as it loses ammonia ; the one going, 

 in some degree, to compensate the loss of the other. 

 The organic matters, free from ammonia and nitrogen, 

 are the other elements in the worth of guano, and are 

 the more valuable from their state of intimate composi- 

 tion with the ammonia and phosphates. In this state 

 they may be worth Is. (or more) per cwt. The alkaline 

 salts are in such small quantity, that it may be better to 

 simplify the calculation by omitting them. The value of 

 guano may then be estimated according to its contents, 

 in — 1. Ammonia ; 2. Phosphates ; 3. Organic matter. 

 For example, take two samples of African guano. No. 1 

 fair ; No. 2 inferior; containing as follows, per lOOlbs.: — 



No. l. 



No. 2 



s. d. 



8. d. 



4 

 3 

 





 4 



33 



5 



30 



28 



2 

 3 

 



6 



9 



3 



Moisture (no value) .... 20 



Ammonia, at fid 8 



Phosphates, l£rf 25 



Organic matter l* w per cwt. . 40 



• 



7 5$ 6 6 



Their proportionate values will be about as 7s. Gd. to 

 6s. Gd. : their actual prices depending, of course, on the 

 state of the market, but still bearing the same propor- 

 tions. — J. Prideaujc, in the Farmers' Journal. 



Drill. — The principle of thin drilling is admitted by 

 every farmer who hoes his Turnips, and every gardener 

 who pricks out his bed of seedling Cabbage-plants. The 

 grain crops alone seem, by some prejudiced persons, to 



are supposed to be safely allowed to carry on a vegetable 

 agrarian war in their own ranks, dui.ng the earlier pe- 

 riod of their growth, until two-thirds of them are killed 

 outright, and the rest stunted or predisposed to disease 

 by their constitutions having been impaired in this des- 

 perate struggle for existence. If a farmer were to turn 

 20 sheep into a field of Turnips capable of fattening only 

 10, with a view to get the 10 best ones fatted, to the 

 sacrifice of the remainder, some of his relations would 

 if he were rich, immediately g?t him declared insane! 

 Yet this is precisely the course thktn «ith his Wheat- 

 plants, by the man who drills above a bushel per acre.— 

 Maidstone Gazette. 



Notices to Correspondents. 



Rural Chbmistry.— By E. Solly, E*q . F.R.S., Experimental 

 Chemist to the Horticultural Society ( ,t london, Honorary 

 Member of the Royal Agricultural hoc.fety, and Lecturer on 

 Chemistry at the Royal Institution, uiay be had of all book- 

 sellers, price 4*. fid. 



Books. — Maillius. — "Johnston's Lectures on Agricultural 

 Chemistry and Geology." 



Cape of Good Hope.— Broadway.— W. are unable to asiist you. 



Churn.— Philla. — The Sussex churn is b fixed barrel churn. It 

 is made of block tin, which is not ii junous to the butter. 



Coltsfoot.— Maillew. — Your only rem dy is perseverance in 

 cutting off its flowers in spring, and it* leaves in summer. 



Decomposition of Manvre.— Subscriber.— Y<>\i will, perhaps, 

 effect the decomposition of your compost within the time 

 by turning it over once a fortnight, and shaking it all to 

 fine pieces. 



Dr. Yelloly's Forks.— H. would take it as a great favour if 

 Mr. Dixon, Witham, would give in our Paper such a descrip- 

 tion of Dr. Yelloly's forks as would enable him to have some 

 made. 



Farm-yard Litter.— Twitch.— Couch used as litter will not 

 all perish ; such a use of it would render the after applica- 

 tion of the manure dangerous. 



Fences.— X. Z.— Beech makes the best fences on the soil and 

 in the situation you describe. The plants should be 1 foot 

 apart in two rows 24 inches apart. Your question about iron 

 wire cannot be answeied, except in the adveiti-ing columns. 



Flax. — /. H. Dickson. — Your article has been received, but we 

 are unable to give it immediate insertion. 



Gas, Lime, &c. — G. B. M.— Pray excuse a postponement of 

 answers to your questions till next week. 



Guano. — O. B. — See Miscellaneous section. 



Gurneyism. — Melksham. — See Miscellaneous section of this 

 day's Paper. That paragraph contains all we know on the 

 subject. Can any of our Cornwall readers give us the details 

 of this practice ? 



Horse-beans. — Cymro. — Dibble the Berkshire Horse-bean in 

 any of the deep clay soils you may have. Its produce may be 

 from 4 to 5 quarters per acre. It is not nearly so exhaust- 

 ing a crop as other corn crops. For Bean culture, see an 

 early Number of this periodical. 



Paging of the Gardeners' Chronicle.— We have received 

 very many kind suggestions, some will be adopted at the be- 

 ginning of the year ; others cannot, for practical reasons. 



Smithfield Market.— A Subscriber.— Your letter shall be 

 inserted as soon as possible. 



Sundries.— Anon.— You may safely grind your stock of bones 

 now ; but however much your customers might have reason to 

 be satisfied with the arrangement, your own interest, we appre- 

 hend, declares against putting the bone-dust together in large 

 lots. Your sheep-folds should be changed once a day ; the 

 first day's experience will tell you how large to make the 

 folds j it of course depends altogether on the nature of the 

 crop. The "White Norfolk Turnip should be all eaten by this 

 time; you should next have hybrids till February, then 

 Swedes till April, and lastly Mangold Wurzel. 



Sulphate of Magnesia.— David.— The use of this salt is one 

 of the best means you have of getting this alkaline earth into 

 plants. We cannot say what effect it may have on Sorrel. 

 The suggestion to which you refer was not ours. 



Warne's Suggestions for Fattening Cattle.— Constant 

 Reader.— Apologies are due both to you and Mr. Sprouleior 

 our misapprehension of your meaning. The pamphlet is puD- 

 lished by Edwards and Hughes, Ave-Mana-lane. 



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



JWarfcm 



SMITHFIELD, Monday, Dec. 16.— Per stone of 8 lbs. 



Best Scots, Hereford., &c 4« 4to4s 6 , Beet Downs & Half-bred. « 2to« « 

 Best Short Horn. -4044 Best Long-wools 



Second quality Beasts - 3 4 4 

 Calves - - - - 3 8 4 6 



Ewes and second quality 3 8 8 

 Pig* ..-- a 4 



Beasts, 5713; Sheep, 30,970; CaWee, 111; PifC. 362 L 

 Today is our annual « Great Market," and -e better .uppied ha. not 



duced the belief that good Beer would have oeen ^nr™ »«- - ----- - 



consequence an expectation had been formed by those who made ext ra ■ exer_ 

 tion. to supply the anticipated deficiency, that they «*bM "■J** 1 £ ?ecord 

 remuneration for their anxiety and outlay of capital ; we ar e ■» rryto re corn 

 a serious disappointment. A more splendid collection oi cattle we do not 

 remember ever witnessing. Our tabular statement refers to the ' P»"*J f 

 tained for general average .quality. Anything approaching to ™ W 1 ^ 

 Prize Cattle would, in some instances, make rather more, as m £f"J,* J 

 fancy of the buyer to make a show; and in some instances very >«K "^ 

 were unselling, in consequence of the change of weather, ana «-«*!. \ don 

 4.4d. A very'large quantity.was bought by country butchers . .that ^^ 

 1. not so full of M eat as might be expected from the numbers exh ibited, an 

 opens a little better prospect for the future. During the early V"tot^nej- 

 very little was sold ; towards the close a little more br.skr.et ii waj. JJJ'J, » 

 but still great numbers were turned out unsold-several ot * e £f^J r q Ji% B 7 d 

 but the greater part second rate. The supply of Sheep was wyl»;^ 

 for the most part of good quality. The general . tra f«'%! e a mon!5I the Sheep 

 as with the BVasta, there were several of superior qua lit <'™ n ^ st l J c<s we 

 which made considerably more than stated in our / * b * e ' J?^" b - w 'hich 

 noticed some particularly fine Downs, weighing about 20 s tonetot 31 m. t ^ 

 realised 5/. each. Some few lots of old Downs made nearly 4i oa , ^ 



realised 5/. each. Some few lots of old Downs made neany « «- > ^ 



per 8 lbs is .he more general price. A few lots or L f °Xtdescri P tTon turned 

 Second quality were very unsaleable, and many of « ha ' d *£"E p rk- 

 out. We had a good show of Veal, but trade heavy at our quotation*. * 



Second quality were very unsal 



out. We had a good show of V- 



trade was very bad, which is usual at the break of a trost. 



Friday, Dec. 20. . ,.„.,, left0Te r 



Our supply of fresh Beasts is no. : very large to-day, but with . tho e^ tf> 



from Monday there is quite enough for the demand- There 1 1 a « thfl 



dispose of the very big Beasts, although the rather ^vourab e cb J^. 

 weather has caused a little briskness amongst the good selling quai ^ 

 Monday's quotations are fully supported for .his des ™P"°n. Jj m e d we 

 largest Oxen are losing money, even from what was bid o n M onday. a 

 fear they will not all be sold. Trade is very bad amongst he S^eP . # 

 that are not pretty good are scarcely saleable. fc « es^ make > ery the 



There has been a great glut of dead Meat »*%' M°" d fl ^7 t J', 8T T making 

 butchers very careless about buying to day The *"«««»""«» . 81 ^ uilt be a 



about the same price as Monday. ,Y eal ;J raa « " ™E *?"^ o™ price* 

 very good Calf to make 4s 4d per 8 lbs. Second quality is ™V'.' n v u on 

 aging from 3s 4d to 3s lOd. Pork-trade is still bad, at the same pne 



>J ° aday ' Beasts, 1389; Sheep, 6160; Calve., 145 ; ^^SmlthBela* 



HOPS, Friday, Dec. -20. rhrlstma- 



Thb Market continues firm, holder. ''^ tln ^TI^^SiihJ^^ 

 Isover ; there has been some rather exten.ive .ale. of bags during 



Fine Pocket, are very scarce. PattkndB k & Smith, Hop-Faotor» 





be considered capable of taking care of themselves, and I 



WOOL.-Briti8h, Friday, Dec. 20. detnaa d 



This Market continue, quite as active as we last "P""^"- lv aale , bava 



for .ome descriptions of sorted Wool, has ^SS^iS^^^r^ * 

 been effected at improved rates. Manuracturers complain t^ »* fa. , 

 good, are far from adequate to the advanced rat« rf Jheraw "? Broker . 



