Domestic Notices : — Scotland. 301 



which period it does not rain ; but the thermometer rises to 90°, and even to 

 100°. By comparing these facts with analogous ones relative to Britain, the 

 cultivator will be able to form some idea of what he is to expect from the 

 Bokhara clover in this country. We may here observe that we had nothing 

 to do with a paragraph respecting this clover, in which our name is introduced, 

 and which has appeared in several newspapers. See our letter to the Globe 

 newspaper on the subject. — Cond. 



Cannabis satha var. gigantea. — This is a variety of the common hemp, 

 which, in deep rich soil, in the neighbourhood of Vienna, attains the height of 

 20 ft. in the course of the summer. This our assistant, M. Francis Rauch, 

 states to be a fact ; but he adds that the plant is never made any use of as 

 hemp. We have distributed a few seeds of it. — Id. 



Ittnum usitatissimum var. giganteum. — This is a Siberian variety of the com- 

 mon flax, which is said to grow to a great height. A few seeds were left with 

 us by Dr. Frankel, which we have distributed. — Id. 



New Herbage Plants. — As the tendency of agricultural improvement in 

 every country seems to be to stall-feeding, or, rather, to feeding in court-yards 

 with sheds, instead of pasturing in fields, every attempt to make an addition to, 

 or an improvement on, our herbage plants ought to be encouraged. Our idea is, 

 that the time is not far distant when, in the best cultivated districts of Britain, 

 the only animals pastured in the fields will be sheep ; and that these will be 

 folded on portions of verdant surface not larger than they can crop in a day 

 or two, when they will be moved to a fresh portion. Hurdles or net-fencing 

 will be used as substitutes for permanent fences ; and then, of course, hedges 

 and walls will no longer be wanted on most farms, except for an enclosure or 

 two adjoining the farmyard. This will be a saving of the ground occupied by 

 the fences, of their first cost, and of their annual keeping ; while it will, at the 

 same time, destroy the source whence are dispersed innumerable insects and 

 seeds of weeds. In hilly countries, and in valleys, which can be more profit- 

 ably kept under perpetual grass than under the alternate system of herbage 

 plants and corn, we do not say that fences will not continue to exist ; but we 

 have no doubt whatever of their sooner or later disappearing from all countries 

 which can be subjected to the alternate husbandry; and more particularly 

 where such countries have long dry summers, as is the case in most parts of 

 the Continent. On the greater part of the Continent, indeed, there is no way 

 of procuring manure sufficient for farming to advantage, but by consuming the 

 herbage crops under cover, and saving and fermenting all the liquid matters 

 produced in the farmyard and in the offices of the house. In this view of 

 things, it will readily be conceived that we attach great importance to the im- 

 provement of old, or the introduction of new, herbage plants; and more espe- 

 cially of those tap-rooted or deep-rooting kinds which are adapted for countries 

 having long dry summers. We have great pleasure, therefore, in introducing 

 the following extract from the letter of an enlightened and scientific correspon- 

 dent : — "I have four or five species of Heracleum in cultivation, of the value 

 of which I entertain great hopes, and some new grasses ; one from Siberia, 

 Jlopecurus nigricans, seems to be valuable for its bulk and earliness, beyond 

 most (rramineas which we have hitherto had in cultivation. I think, too, that 

 among several species of jSonchus and i/ieracium, which I am now trying, there 

 are several which will be useful fodder plants on light siliceous soils ; of which, 

 at a future time, when I see more about them, I may perhaps trouble you with 

 an account." — W. P. T. Aprils. 1839. Any of our readers who have seeds 

 of new herbage plants, or of plants which they think might prove useful as 

 such, will greatly oblige us by sending a few, in order that we may forward 

 them to our esteemed correspondent, W. P. T. — Cond. 



SCOTLAND. 



Agricultural Implements sent to England. — The Messrs. Drummond, of 

 the Agricultural Museum here, have, within these few weeks, been intrusted 

 with the execution of an order for ploughmen, horsey, implements, seeds, &c, 



