Nov. 24, 1855.] 



THE AGRICTLTURAL 



GAZETTE. 



781 



ploughmen for this as we have always had, and prizes 

 inay be given to the best hands as now. Any other im- 

 plement can be put to work by the same machinery, 

 only that all will have to go back empty as we at present 

 arrange. 0. S. 



Steam Culture.— In your paper of Sept. 15 I read a 

 letter from Charles Burcham, London, on a new plan of 

 cultivating land hy steam in a circle, which he sets forth 

 to be superior and quicker than those tried at Carlisle. 

 Since then I have looked every week in vain tor a con- 

 tradiction of his statements, so have come to the con- 

 clusion that they are too plainly absurd to require re- 

 futing- However, 6eeing in the Agricultural Gazette of 

 November 3 another long communication irom him, in 

 which he enters more into detail, I think it high time 

 some one took up the Bide of common sense. In the 

 first place — In English farming economy of land is of 

 the first importance, but I find by this scheme, that 

 between every 3 circles of 84 feet radius, there will be 

 7.16^perches, find in a 20-acre field (that is to say 20 

 acres of ploughed land) there would be 57 such pieces 

 inclosed between the circles, or 2 acres, 2 roods, 8.12 

 perches, and of course much more on the outsides of the 

 circles and some in the centres, so that I do not think it 

 too much to say that to have 20 acres of cultivated land 

 you would require 24 acres. This loss he attempted to 

 get over by saying that plants require intervals between 

 them to thrive properly, but I do not think the plants in 

 the centre of the circle would derive any benefit from a 

 space 80 feet removed from them ; intervals in crops, to 

 be of any use, should be equally distributed between each 

 plant. This loss and waste of ground I consider quite 

 sufficient to kill the scheme ; still, if there were no loss at 

 all, there are other considerations of a mechanical nature 

 which would be quite as fatal. For instance, H C. B." seems 

 to think that his plough or rows of ploughs will take no 

 more power to move them round the circle in two and a 

 half minutes than what r ie ordinary steam-engine would 

 furnish, and that the universal mechanical law, as you 

 gain speed you lose power, does not apply to this case. 

 If }'ou wish to increase the speed and duty of a machine, 

 you must also increase the power in the same raiio as 

 the speed. * C. B." intends ploughing at the rate of 

 12 acres per hour. If the best steam plough could turn 

 over the soil at the rate of 1 acre per hour, we should 

 require evidently 12 times the speed and power to do 

 12 in the same time. If the steam plough at an acre 

 an hour required six horses, * C. B." would require 

 6 x 12 = 72 horse power. I hope soon to see another 

 communication from u C. B." stating the probable 

 weight and cost, its portability, and capability of turn- 

 ing from roads through gateways. I think it advisable 

 to make all farmers' implements capable of being adapted 

 to several different operations, but if a farmer had all th 

 different ploughs, harrows, drills, rollers, cultivators, &c, 

 required for the 84 feet machine, they would take con- 

 siderable shed room. « C. B." attacks reaping-machines 

 as unphilosophical ; but if they are (as they should be) 

 adapted to mowing, they form one of the most useful 

 implements of the farming— performing the latter 

 operation in a superior manner to the scythe, and 

 relieving man of very laborious exertion. I hope 

 "C. B." will explain how the point d'appui is to 

 be removed to a new base of operations at the end 

 of the two and a half minutes, and how many 

 minutes that will require ; how he intends to get 



the difficulty of his engine turning a sharp 



fields, and the material itself is heavy and costly to 

 move. Any information will be thauki'ully received by 

 A Stone Warden. 



Produce of a Potato.— In the month of March last I 

 planted one Orkney Red Potato cut into plants or set?, 

 I think about 10 plants, upon my farm at Goodmayes, 

 near Ilford, Essex. The Potato weighed 1 lb., and in 

 the month of October 1 dug up 84 lbs. of sound Pota- 

 toes, the produce from the Potato weighieg 1 lb. 1 will 

 feel obl^ed if you would tell me whether you have 

 known as large a produce from the tame weight of seed. 

 Alex.lod. 



Chertsey. 



Farmers 



over 



engine 



Clubs. 



At the annual meeting of this Society 

 the other day, Mr. Locke King, M. P., said : He could 

 not help thinking that they ought not to rely on the 

 present high prices. The war might last for a time, but 

 he hoped it would be brought to a speedy, honourable, 



and satisfactory conclusion. And when that time came, 

 they might rest assured that there would be a reaction, 

 and they must be prepared to meet that change by im- 

 provements in the cultivation of the land. They must 

 rely upon their own exertions for those improvements, 

 and this was the proper time to do so. They must 

 endeavour to remove those laws and abolish those cus- 

 toms which interfered to prevent the flow of capital into 



the cultivation of the soil. He felt that wh« n the doors 

 were somewhat forcibly opened for the admission of 

 foreign produce it was only fair that the principle of 

 free trade should be applied also to the raw material 

 the land itself — and that all those technicalities and 

 difficulties which interfered with the transfer of land 

 from a willing owner to a willing purchase! should be 

 entirely removed. He found from statistics that there 

 were in Great Britain and Ireland no fewer than 

 15.000,000 acres of waste land capable of improvement 

 and cultivation, but which were not cultivated at all. 

 In England there were said to be about 4,000,000 acres 

 of waste land capable of cultivation ; in Scotland, where 

 the land was locked up under a close system of entail 

 more severe than in England, there were no less than 

 6.000,000 acres capable of cultivation ; and in Ireland 

 5,000,000 acres which still remained without cultivation. 

 Lord Stanley had said that if any man retained land in his 

 own hands which he had not the power to improve, and 

 did not sell, he was a wrong doer to the community. If 

 that remark was applicable to an individual, how much 

 more so was it applicable to a legislature which allowed 

 a number of laws to exist which compelled a man to 

 keep in his own hands that which it was utterly impos- 

 sible for him to improve. 



Calendar of Operations. 



NOVKMBER. 

 "West Sussex, Nov. 20.— We have had rather a catching season 

 for Wheat sowing, and the work lias got rather behind, there i 

 still a good deal to sow, and some has heen put in with the land 

 not in a very fit state for it; but as the weather, though damp, 

 has been mild, we hope that it will come up well. The first 

 sowings that are up look too forward, and what has been put in 



FIRST PRIZE REAPING MACHINE. 



NOTICE, 



[MESSRS. BURGESS and KKY beg raptct'ulU 



■ to Inform the public, and particularly the noblfinen ami 



entler n i « nrdt-rs they were Aiffri to decline f 



sssson on account of the nmmi factors not belnf fnllv arranged, 



that the Royal Agricultssjul Nciatj't First ft'rfse of W. wis 



awarded la them for Ja'CormlcV* Reaper, with their pass** 



screw platform, at the trial at Ltlgti Court, near Bristol, upon 



the 19th of August last. Among tf»* competing machines wore 



Bell's, by Cros»k ill: Forbuah's. exhibited br Mr. Palmw; and 



Uiih y's, v i tilting platform, by Wm. Uray & * TL«» 



reports of farmers who have worked the machines taring this 



present harvest, show thht ths average quantity of > »eai* 



Barley, and Oats which the? cut was fross 1 J to I act* per hour. 



Two horses work the machine with ease, and the only attendant 



required is a man or a y to drive, Further pa cuiars and 



prioss sent frss on application ess A Rtv, 103, Newgate 



Street fr snd 52, Little Britain, 1 on. 



PAXTON WORKS, SHtrFlELD. 



SAYNOR and ( OKK, Manufacturer* of the cele- 

 brated I hibltJon Trias I'l:; SING, M;i>DiN and 

 (ilSAKTING KMVi S \ \i: and I'M MN' SCl>SOKn\ Ac 



Tluse articles are Warranted taud any kind I * k, and to 

 earn tin k« m Brigs of a razor without requiring to be sharpened 

 SO frequently as Is usually necessary to obtain that sharp edge 

 so requisite for t!i« j t and u*e of the practical gardener. 1 be 



Math > warranted to wear through to the *ck. They 



are used by nil the eminent gardeners tn Knglaud, Ireland, and 



Brottanri, and can he put chased of any nuraerytnan orseedsias 

 In the three ki ms. Those who may i ha ed tbsm are 



respectfully solicited to give them a trial. The Ureal Exhibit! 



Prise lied si of ltol, and the Prir<< Model of the !!• cultural 



c'wty of M snche* , at their Show of 1851. wan swan I i 

 Savmmi k Coosa for their superiority of material and work 

 m unship. I Ntabh shed 1788. 



rpo BE SOLD, a FoUK-HOIOl. IOWKR PORT* 



i AIILEKTKAM J !\i. -Apply to William Daav <& Co ., 

 Swan Lane, Upper Tliam i el, London, 



pHAFF CUTTING MACHINES from -jl«.— A 



^-^ eomplete Illustrate < analogue, all sizes and .ui proved 



description, will be forwarded on application to William Dbay 

 & Co., Rwan Lane, I > . r Thames Htreet, London. 



KUS1.V. MILLS for OATS, m A NS~M ALT r 



& — lllu*trat< ('atajogiie will be forwarded on application 



to William Dray & ('•».. -wan Lane, Upper Thames Str> 



ECONOMY OF FERMENTATION. — — ~ 



BUSHE'S PATENT ROOT GIlATKIl. manufac- 

 tured ew FOWLER ay* PRY, Temple QeJ» f Bristol, « ntirel* 



supersedes the necessity of < king Turnips, Mangold, and oilier 

 Hoots; it effects a saving of 30 to 4() per cent, of the Roots, besides 



that of fuel. L r. 10s. rrinted testimonials and din ctlons 

 may be obtained gral by applying to Fowls* & Fry, Uristol. 

 Licem 1 Makers of Cosne's Patent Chaff Cutters and < eral 

 Agricultural Im; ment Makers and Dealers. TheB -ratei 

 may also be seen in the Agricultural Department of the Crystal 

 Palace, Sydenham. _^ 



IRON FENCE, HURDLES. ETC. 



1" R. PEILL, 17, New Park Street,." uUiwsrk (late 



'' • Stkpiir.vsm.v ii I' RILL), solicits an in^T lion of his pattern* 



of WROUGHT-IKON FENCE, which he is now p ared to 



Supply upon verv advantageous terms to purchasers. Leewy 



scrfption of Ornamental Csstlags * nJ Metal Works, Prices, 



, at the Manufai as a re. 



11URDLKS for SHEEP, 6 feet long, 3 feet out of 



ground, 5 hars 



• •• 





*9 • 





• *• 



HURDLES for CATTLK, C feet long, 3 feet out 



of ground. 5 bar 



TO FLORISTS 



■ ■ 



curve of 84 feet radius, and whether the 

 will go on rails or not. The object of an inventor in 

 producing a machine should be to make the mechanism 

 as self-acting and simple as possible. Machinery tends 

 to elevate man, by changing him from the mere machine 

 to the controller of its movements ; therefore, the more 

 self-acting machinery is, the more does it accomplish 

 this noble end, and the more simple it is, the easier is it 

 to control and more durable. But u C. B." has gone a 

 step backward in taking the man off his legs and mount- 

 ing him on a long gallery. Why not make it self-acting ? 

 It is my opinion that this circular principle is wrong, 

 and that * : C. B." had better employ his inventive 

 talents on the rectangular principle of cultivation by 

 steam. Y. F. W. 



Ploughing in Line : The North Staffordshire Agricul- 

 tural 

 of . 



ty explai 

 li** prizes tm ploughing, the ploughs being drawn by 

 three horses in line. When lately in Staffordshire I 

 heard some lamentations over the decay of this society, 

 when a gentleman who is a large landed proprietor and 

 great agricultural improver stated that the reason no 

 doubt was that the society patronised bad agricultural 

 management, and gave what has been stated above as 

 an instance. It would be interesting to know on what 

 grounds the society justifies a practice which puts three 

 horses, a man, and a boy to do the work of two horses 

 and one man ; and if they cannot justify the practice I, 

 ia common with others, wu d be glad to know why they 

 e ncourage it by giving prizes for it. Investigator. 



Stone Breaking.— In this district gravel is scarce, and 

 °ur parish roads are made with broken flints picked off 

 t!) e land, the breaking of 'which with a hammer is 

 tedious and expensive. Perhaps some of your corre- ! 

 spondents will kindly communicate a more speedy 

 Method. Stones put on a brick or lime-kiln, after he.it- 

 to 8 will break much easier, and possibly render the 

 fubstance less serviceable, but this would be immaterial 

 if the application of heat by some moveable contrivance 

 <JQuld be brought to the stone-heaps, as kilns may be I 

 '** -off and the collection of heaps be in far separated j 



the Wheat that can be sown, will be, and though it is often said 

 that this is not proper farming, yet we have found it answer 

 as well as we could expect, and by sowing Clover on it in the 

 spring, we have got a good plant, so that it will come in for 

 Wheat every other year, that is, Wheat, Man-old— Whe.t, 

 lover. This refers to heavy land unlit for Turnips, and which 

 cannot he fed off once in six years. We put a heavy dr ing of 

 dung for the Mangold, then leave the tops to be ploughed in. and 

 with the Wheat use 1£ to 8 cwt. of guano, which does well, 

 and we cannot conceive a more profitable way to turn a stiff 

 clav to good account. We have now land lying up In H Igea or 

 haiilks, after being we'l worked, that will r ulre no furthe 

 preparation for Mangold but to split the ridges with th 

 double plough, put in the dung, and cover it befor 

 sowing. We shall split the ridges as early in the spring as the 

 weather will admit of, ao that a fresh surface may be exposed n 

 long as possible before Mating. Our market is not yet over- 

 supplied with Wheat, but will RO doubt be better as soon aa 

 sowing is done. We do not hear very good accounts of the 

 yield : I fear it is below what we expected ; there 1 t very large 

 proportion of tail corn occasioned by irs prematur ripening. 

 The price for average samples is about 22/. per load. The 

 supply of Barley is fair, but really good is scarce; the price of 

 malting is from 45s. to 47*. per quarter; of grinding, from 3S<. 

 to 42s. Oats are very inferior at 28s. to 30s. Our market 



4*. 94. each . 



5*. 3<*.aach . 

 AND OTHERS. 



J JONES, Iron Merchant, lias nlwavs a great 

 • variety of CYLINDRICAL and SADDLE BOILERS in 

 stock, also I'i i Furnace P. are, 8upplv ( sterns, Double Doom 



and Frames, Furnace Grate*, £ 't Doors, Hot-water Pipe* 

 i:ib Te< - phons, Throttle Valves. p Cocks, Flang* and 



Socket Elbows, V ; also Trough Pi pfl*.— Drawing* and Price* 



aates gi i for the work fixed complete, on> 

 Iron Bridge Wharf, 6. Bankelde, London, 

 r<>n W ^e. 



IRON BUILDINC AND ROOFING WORKS. 

 Gas Strk? asi» Bpt.kflet Street, BiRMriroHA*. 



JOHN HBNDEliSON PORTER, Engineer and 

 CoNTUArTOB. Pa'entee of a new system of constructing 

 (cheaply ami tzpedtti -ilv. by ordinary labourers F ULble 

 Buildings and SI —fori 1 of ordinary planks or boards— 



peculiarly Itable : r Farm purposes. A Model Shed baarea ly 

 been erected in tl. • iral D««partmi»nt of the Crystal 



Palace at Sydenham. Corrugated and Galvanised Iron Hoof* 

 and Roofing .Plan , F* v > , < ters, K*in-water P s, Tanks 

 Fences, &c.— Tj*>ni i Ofl " I'i urt, L ime 8' t 



rpHELOAR^ CXJCOA-NUT FIBRE MAM V AC 



TUREfi constat o( WATTING, DOOR MATS, MAT 



TRES .HASSOCKS. r.RT; SUES, Ac. and an- injnilsbed 

 by superiority and excellence of workmanship, combined with 

 moderate charg . ( Logues, containing prices and \ ry 

 particular, free by ] f T.Tbkloak, Cocoa-nut Fibre Manu- 

 facturer, 42, Lndfcate Hill. London. 



>Rl*GI DOMU/'—Patroui^ 1 by her Majesty the 



Queen, the D'-.ke of Northumberland for Syon House, his- 

 ('.race the Duke nf Devonshire for Chiswick Gardens, Professor 

 Lindley for the Horticultural Society, -ir Joseph Pax ton for the- 

 Crystal Palace, R I Z logical Sor y. late Mrs. Lawrence, of 

 Ealing Park, and — Collier, Esq., of Oxford. 



PBOT2-: Tl FROM MORNING FROST. 

 u FRIGl DOMO, a Canvas made of patent prepared Hair 





good, though not so large as we expected. Th« late sown Turnips 

 are a poor crop. We are rather puzzled to know bow to get our 

 beasts fatted in the most economi I way— hay is out of the 

 question; we do not think that it ever paid, but now that the 

 price is so high the matter seems settled— straw ch iff and cut 

 Turnips, with Barley-weal and Linseed mixed, seems to be the 

 right thing. G. S. . 



Notices to Correspondents. 



Italian- Rye-grass : F G. It is too late to sow Italian Rye- 

 grass in Fifeshire now. You had better sow in early spring or 

 put the crop off for another vear — sowing next autumn. 

 Alsike Clover is to be sown just like the red or the Dutch 

 Clover. Trifoltum incarnatum will do on any undisturbed 

 clean corn stubbie, with a moist surface capable ot being 

 moved a quarter of an inch deep or less by a heavy bu>h 

 harrow. 



keep: T B J. You should purchase full grewii sheep, as two 

 shear cross-bred Down and Leicester*, or Down and Cotswolds. 

 If put on the Grass in August, and having a few Peas or some 

 Barley or some cake after the middle of October, they will De 



fat before December. 



Tobacco Juice : JS G. asks our correspondent 



from the Forfarshire Glens to describe in detail the mode of 



using tobacco juice for washing sheep. How is it prepared and 



«V As usual, manv communications have been received too late 

 and others are detained till the necessary inquiries can he made. 

 We must also beg the indulgence of those correspondents the 

 insertion of whose contributions is still delayed 



and Flowers from the scorching rays of the snn. from wind,. 

 from attacks of in-ects and from m°rnirig fixwts. To &e had in 



" S.*' who writes 



Surrey -^and of all Nurserymen and Seedsmen throughout the 

 kingdo m. "I t 3 ich c V-. eager than mats aa a rovi ing.^ ( 



WATER OOF PATHS. 



BARN AND CATTLE SHED FLOORS. 



^HOSK who wouM enjoy tlieir Gardens during the 



_. winter months sHoald conatroct their walks of PORTLAND 

 CEMENT CONCKKTi:. which are formed thnsr-Screen the- 

 travel of wl h the path is at present made from the loam whicfr 

 Is mixed with it, and to every part of clean gravel add one of nharp 

 river sand. To fire parts of Mich equal mixture add one of Port- 

 land Cement, and incorporate the whole well in the dry Mate before- 

 applying the water. It may then be laid on 2 inches thick. Any 

 labourer can mix and spread it. No tool is required beyond the 

 spade and in 48 hours it becomes as hard as a rock. V egetation 

 cannot grow through or upon it, and it resists the action of the 

 severest frost. It is necessary, as waterdoes not soak through it, 

 to give a fall from the middle of the path towards the «*»*•• 



The same preparation makes first-rate paving for HAR>b 

 CATTLE-SHEDS, FARM-YARDS, ana all other sitaatiotts 

 where a clean, hard bottom i* a desideratum. Msy be laid m 



winter equally well as in summer. _, . _ 



Manufacturers of the Cement, J. B. White & Brothess, 



ft? trunk Street Westminster. 



