332 Watkins on Cucumber and Melon. 



as already noticed (p. 208.), are very common in Dutch clover-seed ; but 

 like those of self-heal, may be taken out by a fine sieve. — Agriculture of 

 Ampthill, &c. ; in which the excellent plough and harrow of Finlayson are 

 strongly recommended. — On Poor Laws ; the object of the writer is to 

 lessen the expenses of finding the settlements of paupers. — On Smut in 

 Grain; the author considers Smut as an infectious disease, that may be 

 communicated to the grains of healthy wheat by contact, and eradicated 

 from wheat altogether, by using quicklime, without the addition of acids, 

 to neutralise the lime, or of oils or fatty substances, to form a kind of 

 soap ; in short, wash with clean water, skim off the smut, then pour over 

 the sound grain a wash of newly burnt lime and water, similar to that used 

 for white-washing walls, and lastly dry the heap with powdered quicklime. 

 On Prize-fed Oxen ; in which the writer argues that the modern exhibi- 

 tions of fat cattle are of no advantage to agriculture. " In olden times," he 

 says, " the fattening of cattle was not so general, and the art of procuring 

 them nutritious food during winter more difficult than it now is. In those 

 times, too, it was customary to give cattle plain food, grass and hay only ; 

 consequently, beef was seldom, perhaps never, met with too rich in quality, 

 and the fattest ox was then justly deemed the best : hence the propriety 

 of first establishing fat cattle exhibitions, and awarding a premium to the 

 owner of the fattest ox. But at present, when cattle food has become more 

 diversified in character, and almost every circumstance affecting the fatten- 

 ing system has undergone a change, the ancient mode of estimating the 

 value of beef, and of awarding premiums for fattened cattle, ceases to be 

 applicable, and its continuance may be instanced as one of the many me- 

 lancholy proofs which the world affords of the force of habit, and slavish 

 adoration of the wisdom of our ancestors." 



Pernicious Customs ; viz. bridling up the heads of horses, and lacing up 

 the ankles of their drivers blamed. — Profits of planting ; Mr. Withers's 

 calculations (p. 202.) not too high, and confirmed by Menteath's Fo- 

 rester's Guide. — Answers to queries, and a Life of John Cockburn, Esq. 

 of Ormiston, conclude the first department. 



Reviews. — Henderson's Practical Grazier. Menteath's Reports on 

 Woods and Plantations. Withers's Profit and Loss View of planting One 

 Acre. 



Agricultural Intelligence — containing a great variety of matter inte- 

 resting to farmers ; but we limit our notices to what affects agriculture as a 

 science, and to what is likely to be interesting to gardeners. The Lincoln- 

 shire Agricultural Society has given a prize of ten guineas to one man, for 

 having had seventeen children (ten living), and been forty years in the ser- 

 vice of one master ; and another of five guineas, for twenty-five children 

 gotten (ten living), and a service of forty-one years. These premiums seem 

 to have been well merited by the length of service; but, as to the children, 

 there is something revolting in rewarding persons for calling twice as many 

 beings into existence as they were able to nourish and bring up. Premiums 

 for early marriages and large families may be very suitable for new coun- 

 tries like America. — Stings from nettles maybe cured by rubbing with dock 

 leaves. 



Sporting Intelligence — highly interesting in its way. 



As this number concludes the first volume, it is accompanied by a title- 

 page, and a dedication to T. W. Coke, Esq. M.P., universally acknowledged 

 " as the distinguished patron of British agriculture for more than half a 

 century." We are happy to see the Farmer's Magazine increasing in 

 interest and in circulation. 



Watkins, Thomas, many years foreman with Mr. Grange, of Hackney, and 

 now with W. Knight, Esq., Highbury Park : The Art of promoting the 



