650 



THE AGRICULTURAL GAZETTE. 



[Sept. 29, 1855. 



engaged 



in 



tors. JNo doubt trie gentlemen 

 this adjudication may feel angrily surprised at the 

 criticism which their earnest, able, and singleminded 

 services encounter — they may rest assured, how- 

 ever, Hint it is just in proportion as their services 

 court frank and full publicity that they will be 

 either valuable or valued : their value depends on 

 the public confidence reposed in them, which is 

 never so readily accorded to a merely official report, 

 however honestly it may have been prepared ; 

 and no other report, so far as we know, exists of the 



trials at Abbot's Leigh. 



We believe that the English Agricultural Society 

 will better attain its end when it shall require 

 entire and immediate publicity for all such proceed- 

 ings, whether of its council or any other of its office- 

 bearers, as under present arrangements are intended 

 for publication ultimately but only through the 

 official channel. The lectures and discussions at its 

 weekly meetings ought to be >en to public reporters 

 as well as to < icial ones — the interests of the annual 

 Journal, which it is said would be compromised 

 by this, ought to be as nothing in comparison with the 

 interests of EnglishaL culture which would be served. 

 Our remai ks cannot be taken as casting any doubt 



of the official 



attendance, deteriorati nd terest of first cost of 



the horse ; but he can afford to lay out much more 

 than this upon an engine, because of its non-expen- 

 siveness when at rest. With a machine, therefore, 

 able to do more work in a given time, and also to 

 work more hours per day than his present horse- 

 teams, the farmer would be in a great measure inde- 

 pendent of flooding rains and hardening drought, 

 yet without any greater expenditure of capital than 



he now annually incurs. 

 Inventors would confer 



an invaluable benefit 





employ 



obtaining 



upon the ability and trustworthy 

 reports of the Society : it is in the nature of things 

 that exclusiveness begets want of confidence, and 

 integrity and ability cannot hinder it. 



To return to the reapers, we only add that pro- 

 bably the safest inference to be drawn from the 

 varying decisions of the Society's judges is, that 

 the differences in the merits of these machines are not 

 so very great, and that when well managed any of 

 them will make satisfactory work under favourable 

 circumstances. 



Having previously referred to th.e qualifications 

 of a steam cultivator for light lands and friable 

 loams, we will now consider the requirements of 

 heavy clays, as indicated by the present methods of 

 culture. The soils of the London clay, plastic clay, 

 Weald clay, mil clay, Oxford clay, blue lias, the 

 clays of the oolite and coal formations, chalk marl, 

 and drift, are more or less stiff, adhesive, retentive 



. 



of moisture, and intractable when either wet or 

 dry — in the former state working up into soap or 

 mortar, sticking to and rolling before the plough ; 

 in the latter condition hardening into cracked and 

 fissured brick almost impenetrable by the plough- 

 share. Whilst two horses are sufficient for the 





tillage of 50 or 60 acres of friable soil, the same 

 force is calculated to work only 25 acres of strong 

 clay; not only because 3 or 4 horses are needed to 

 pull a plough, but because a great amount of horse- 

 power must be kept throughout the year in order to 

 accomplish the whole cultivation during the few 

 days in which the land is properly workable. The 

 mechanical treatment of heavy land — rich in the 

 mineral constituents of all crops — forms therefore 

 the great point in its management ; hence the wide 

 scope for steam power upon the clays, and the possi- 

 bility of its one day inaugurating a new agriculture 

 upon them, transforming their tantalising fertility 

 into garden-like productiveness. 



Without saying anything at present about a 

 better process than ploughing for turning the soil, 

 we observe that the mere gain in time by substi- 

 tuting steam for horse power for performing the 

 present tillage, would be of wonderful advantage to 



upon the clay farmer by producing some engine 

 capable of imitating (with improvements) the work 

 of the plough, at the same working cost ; only let 

 them remember that the point of expedition is so 

 important that the farmer can better afford to 



ttra power than to spend longer time in 

 w superiority in the style of operation. 



Upon clay land, the grubber or cultivator does 

 not divide dominion with the plough, which, be- 

 sides breaking up leas and stubbles, has to stir the 

 summer fallow, turning it at least four, or at most 

 eight times— first going very deep with immense 

 labour, afterwards more shallow. Frequent heavy 

 harrowings keep the ground moving; but always 

 carefully preserve its rough cloddy condition.^ In 

 some parts of Scotland, however, with a moister 

 climate, the roller, harrow, and cultivator make the 

 land fine at a certain period of the summer, so that 

 root-weeds may be cleared off. Of course the cul- 

 tivator, harrow* roller, and clod-crusher are used in 

 preparing a tilth for all seedings. 



The main requirement, then, is for an economical 

 substitute for the plough ; that is, a powerful 

 machine that can turn over the soil deeply and 

 thoroughly loithout poaching and kneading it. In 

 the next place, there must be a stirring implement 

 almost as strong, in order to perform the repeated 

 division and exposure of rough fallow, together with 

 ail varieties of comminuting tillage pursued upon 

 the farm ; while the latter machine should be 

 capable of working as a subsoiler, and the former as 

 a trenching tool — these being some of the greatest 

 necessities in the melioration of heavy land. 



For thus operating upon the clays, the idea of a 

 travelling steam-engine seems utterly preposterous : 

 lightness being an indispensable condition of im- 

 proved tilling machinery for such soil; while the 

 necessarily rugged and precipitous surface of a 

 fallow appears to be an impracticable road for a 

 ponderous locomotive. Unless a motive power, in- 

 comparably lighter than a steam-engine, can be 

 employed, the implements, heavy enough in them- 

 selves, should be actuated by traction from a 

 stationary engine — which may be shifted from time 

 to time upon a portable or perpetual tramway. 



From this and previous articles it will be seen 

 that we regard two forms of digging or cultivating 

 machine^ adapted to one engine, as sufficient either 

 upon clays, loams, or light lands respectively ; alike 

 upon all soils, only differing in detail according to 

 the nature of the material with which they have to 

 deal. Upon light soils, too, we are prepared to 

 continue the plough, modified to suit steam-power. 



Our conclusions are based upon the present 

 system of cultivation : whether or not a new order 

 of tillage can be introduced by new mechanical in- 

 ventions, we leave for future consideration. /. A. G. 



the clay farmer. Clay farming has continually the 

 sort of hurry and fretting anxiety of hay-making in 

 unsettled weather ; but the trouble and cost entailed 

 by adverse seasons would be little felt had we ample 

 means for ploughing and cultivating our capricious 

 and obstinate soil within the limited periods in 

 which it is in fit order. Now, steam-power yoked to 

 a plough or other implement (providing it worked 

 efficiently), would supply this means. As a steam- 

 horse never wearies, he will work many hours per day 



going " from morn to noon, from noon to dewy eve," 

 and by a system of relays for the men accompanying 

 it, might start with the first glimmer of dawn, and 

 cease only when night darkened upon the field. 

 But there is a still more important consideration ; a 

 farmer now keeps a full complement of horses through 

 the entire year for only a few weeks' effective 

 work — accomplishing then by a coup de main an 

 amount of labour which a much smaller force could 

 effect by every-day ins fiments. A steam-engine, 

 however, has the advantage of not consuming food 

 (as horses do), when resting between such spasmodic 

 efforts of tillage; so that the same annual outlay 

 of money at present required for horses would main- 

 tain a far more powerful engine than can be worked 

 at the same daily expense as the horses. In other 

 words, the farmer can not only afford to employ an 

 engine, the daily expense of which (when at work) 

 for fuel, oil, attendance, wear and tear, and interest 



ON 



FATTENING POULTRY. 



{Continued from p. 636.) 



Chapter II.— The Practn r of Fattening. 



Section I. — Selection of Breed. 



In fattening poultry for the large markets, no success 

 can be expected unless suitable varieties are selected ; 

 in fowls, as in other domesticated animals, some varieties 

 are much more readily disposed to fatten than others, 

 and one breed may be characterised by the tendency to 

 accumulate fat internally, and another externally. 



To those who have had extensive experience in the 

 different breeds, there can be no question as to the best 



longer than an animal; the plough might thus be kept variety for table purposes. The coloured Dorking 



"" " '" surpasses in this respect all other kinds ; its superiority 



consisting in the large size it attains at an early age, in 

 its short legs and compact form, in the fineness of its 

 bones, and the small quantity of offal, in the quantity of 

 flesh upon the breast, in the extreme whiteness and 

 delicacy of the meat, and the readiness with which it 

 fattens. The large Surrey fowls, which are only to be 

 distinguished from the Dorking by the absence of the 

 fifth toe, are equally valuable for table purposes. 



The white Dorking, as at present known, is not to be 

 strongly recommended, as it is evidently a distinct 

 variety from the coloured ; the size, carriage, and 

 general form of the birds being dis-similar. The only 

 drawback to the superiority of the Dorking consists in 

 the delicacy of the breed when a chicken ; this on heavy 

 clay land or in damp situations is a serious evil. Under 

 such circumstances many persons of great experience 

 recommend crossing the breed, by having a large Malay 

 or Cochin cock with Dorking hens, or a Dorking cock 

 with Cochin or Malay hens ; care being taken not to 



*~ . . . A . rear any of the cross-breed chickens for stock, but to 



of first cost, amounts to as great a sum as the food, fatten them all for the table. By this means greater 





hardihood and large size may be obtained ; but the 

 writer has never succeeded in rearing such chicken 

 with the plump breasts and short limbs of the pure 

 bred Dorking. 



Should it be deemed desirable to cross the Dorkings 

 for the purpose of producing a hardier fowl, such a 

 plan as the following seems to offer the best chance of 

 success, being based upon the fact, that in cro&s-breed- 

 ing the pullets usually resemble the mother, and the 

 cockerels the father : — Early in the year, so as to 

 obtain a brood in May, put two or three large Dorking 

 hens with a short-legged compact Cochin cock, either of 

 the common buff or of the grey variety known 

 Brahma Pootras. From the chicken select those 

 pullets possessing in the greatest degree the Dorking 

 character — viz., having fine bone, short white legs 

 and compact body, square on the limbs — and in the 

 following season mate these with a good Dorking cock. 

 The progeny thus obtained from them will be three- 

 fourths Dorking, and if care is taken in the selection, 

 will show very little trace of Cochin blood ; whilst the 

 size and constitutional hardihood of the breed would be 

 much improved by the infusion of new blood from the 

 hardiest of races. One caution, however, would be 

 requisite ; — if these birds were allowed to breed 

 amongst themselves, they would occasionally throw 

 back to the Cochin ; it would be therefore necessary to 

 mate the pullets again with a Dorking cock, and, as in 

 all cases of breeding for size and strength, great care 

 must be taken to avoid breeding closely, viz., from birds 

 related to each other. 



Cochins, although of great weight, cannot be recom- 

 mended as a profitable market fowl ; their small breasts, 

 yellow skin and fat, game-like flavour, coarseness of 

 bone, and length of limb, being much against them ; 

 and it is almost impossible to render them fat upon the 

 breast, as they have an unu-ual tendency to accumulate 

 fat internally. It should be remembered that unless a 

 fowl has naturally a full chest, it is impossible to put 

 flesh or muscle on it by fatting ; for there is this dis- 

 tinction between the flesh of quadrupeds and that of 

 birds, that in the former the flesh can be increased 

 in size by the intermixture of fat between the fibres, 

 which gives rise to the marbled appearance seen in 

 prime beef. This, however, cannot be done in the case 

 of birds, their muscles being always destitute of fat* 

 which is deposited under the skin or in the interior of 

 the body only. 



Section II.— Breeding. 



In rearing fowls for the market, the early treatment 

 of chickens is of the highest importance ; they should 

 be warmly sheltered and housed, and moreover fed 

 most liberally at very short intervals. If a chick 

 receives a check in its growth at an early age, it never 

 afterwards attains a large size, as the bony frame be- 

 comes set, and a stunted growth is the inevitable result 



With good and abundant feeding, and the advantage 

 of a free run, in favourable weather Dorkings will 

 become fit for the purpose of fattening at the age of 

 three to four months in summer, and four to five or six 

 in winter. In order to be in the highest perfection, 

 fowls must be killed before they have arrived at their 

 full development : the male birds should be taken when 

 the sickle feathers of the tail begin to show, or, as the 

 country women say, "when their tails begin to turn ; 

 and the females, whilst still pullets— viz., before uiey 

 have laid. 



Section III.— House, Coops, &c. 



The house in which poultry are fattened should be 

 free from draughts of cold air, and kepi at a mode- 

 rately warm and uniform temperature ; the roof, there- 

 fore, if of tiles, should be thickly lined with straw. 

 Quietude being so especially desirable, it b1iouW . ~V: 

 situated as not to be accessible to those fowls at liberty? 

 and it should be partially darkened, if possible. U£ 

 also important in the highest degree that it should De 

 perfectly dry, as it is scarcely necessary to add tna 

 fowl suffering from cold and inflammation is not liKeiy 

 to fatten. . » 



The fatting coops should be 2 fr^ f 6 or 8 inches mgn 

 in front, and about 2 feet deep, wiw a boarded roo 

 sloping backwards ; the back and ends should be clofl 9 

 and the bottom made of flat bars with rounded edges, 

 2 inches wide at the top, and narrower beneath, so 

 to prevent the dung sticking to the sides. These D 

 should run from end to end of the coop (not from D 



to front), and they should be 2 inches *P»^J* 

 upper sides. 



the 



i tney snouia ne ^ lucueo » F — - • * nf 

 The front of the coop should consist 

 rounded bars, 3 inches apart, and two rods connec \ e 

 together below, and sliding through holes made m ^ 

 roof, will be found more secure than a door. ^-^ 

 the front should run a ledge to support the teeo™ 

 troughs, which are best made by joining two pie c 

 wood at a right angle, and securing the ends by e 

 them into grooves in stout end pieces. 



The fatting coops should stand on legs, to rais< 

 a convenient height from the ground, so that tm 

 may be removed daily ; the most scrupulous ci 

 ness must be observed, otherwise disease will oe p 

 duced. The coops, therefore, should be "*^ e J 



them 

 dang 



1 1 rue- 

 then 



ghly 



In cold weather the front should be cove 



and 



are 



red 



introduced, in com weamer me irum wwu«« ~- - g ^ 

 up with matting, or some other warm material, at B f 

 The length of the coop must depend on the , nu yer 

 of fowls that it is required to contain ; but it is . 



advisable to place more than ten or a dozen l ^ e , kefl 

 and if strange fowls are put up, care must ^V-^ 

 that they agree well together, as otherwise the con» 

 excitement would prevent their fatting. 



