Vj A Zilil X U . 



[ tJAIN. 



It has 



which we may be connected, I wouU venture to_s U g - , .ore — ** * rni.ch «« -^^ 



gest tetany a4 one department which might be made seemed to me that when chatt in consiae 



not only useful, but also interest!,,,, to those engaged in titles has beer ' fe^» .^.J^ *^ ^ 

 _ i _? ?A ' if-. i i- =i. u«- i.^« ^ M A nA ,i oitnnaf unrut hav. and considerable waste nas aiisei 



Hitherto it has been confined almost 



rural pursuits 



exclusively to professional gardeners. But why should 

 it not be rendered useful and also pleasant to those 

 engaged in farming ? I think it may be more attractive 

 to them ; for they are brought more in contact with the 

 spontaneous productions of Nature than any other class. 

 And when wo consider how the different orders of 

 plants prove the nature, climate, and capabilities of soil, 

 is it not very evident that botany would be useful to 

 the farmer ? I am quite aware that there are few prac- 

 tical farmers that will think the finer theories of that 

 science of any use to them, and perhaps they are right ; 

 but I much question if, once they had obtained a slight 

 knowledge of its outlines, they would rest contented 

 to let that little remain inactive. But it is more par- 

 ticularly to the rising generation that this delightful in 1850 

 science might be made available. Suppose that, Jan 

 in taking a walk across the fields, we were to take 

 a little notice of the wild plants, we would find that one 

 sort prevails in one place, which was not to be found at 

 another. Then we might be led to ask why that was ? 

 We find in one field a certain weed prevailing, which 

 vre do not find in another ; and these will indicate the 

 •Strength, coldness, or deepness of soils ; and also the 



it so well as 

 arisen from their 



knocking it out of their manger. Again, in the case of 

 cows, as they reproduce all their food to chew again, 

 would not the advantage insisted on by your corre- 

 spondent be lost 1 D. W. 



Rain in 1850.— More than once during the past year, 

 I noticed some statements in your Paper, relative to 

 the quantity of rain that had fallen, up to that particular 

 time. On referring to my own observations, I found a 

 great difference to exist between what had fallen here 

 and at Chiswick (I presume), and as many of your 

 readers now take an interest in facts relating to our 

 climate, I have ventured to send you a digest of our 

 observations, taken at an elevation of about 400 feet 

 above high water mark. Quantity of rain in each month 



nature of the subsoil to a great extent. 



And this might 



be a guide to many respecting; land that they are other- 

 wise unacquainted with. At times a farmer may have 

 im children with htm when in the fields, and it would be 

 of little interest to them to try to instruct them in the 

 dry details of field operations ; but he might instil into 

 the tender mind a pleasure in the wild wayside plants, 

 and thus turning the mind to a love of the beautiful 

 "works of Nature more immediately connected with that 

 calling which he is destined to follow, instead of leaving 

 tho young mind vacant, to be filled up with the many 

 evil weeds which may and will take root, unless care is 

 taken to sow the good seed of useful and pleasing in- 

 struction. The spare time of old and young might thus 

 be very pleasantly employed during the summer. And 

 *wch an occupation would newer lose its attractions. 

 And in our journey through life, which is said to be 

 beset with thorns and briars, we should find a good 

 many flowers mingled, to cheer our path. But then there 

 is a season of the year when what may be called 

 practical botany cannot be studied, and when the 

 youthful mind may be led to imbibe evil and careless 

 principles. And how is it to be got over? Those 

 Htig dreary winter nights that many spend drinking a 

 pint or smoking a pipe, to pass the time away, until at 

 last they fall asleep in a state of stupor ; while the 

 young are apt to run into company who, like themselves, 

 have nothing to do, and, of course, will soon acquire 

 habits of doing worse than nothing. But to prevent 

 this state of languor and dulness there is a science 

 equally interesting and useful with the former, and 

 now generally admitted to be indispensable to the 

 farmer, that may be turned to ; that is chemistry. 

 And were this science not so directly useful to the 

 farmer as it is, would it not be extremely pleasant on 

 its own account, as explaining the laws which govern 

 the many peculiarities of nature that we see around us. 

 I*ow many small but interesting experiments may be 

 perform. -d by one who is not very well acquainted with 

 tho higher departments of that science ! And if the 

 smallest beginning were made it would give a stimulus 

 to further exertion. And with the numerous aids that 

 may be cheaply obtained by books, a greater degree 

 of knowledge may be obtained than the uninitiated 

 could ever dream of. And then how different would 

 be our feelings in our daily walk, in viewing the 

 various objects around us ! Everything would then 

 possess a beauty, order, and simplicity which would 

 elevate our ideas, and excite our pleasures in every 

 step we take. And the admiration of nature's order 

 tod beauty would lead our minds to love and fear 



l^dto.f thiDgs ■" W f earfully md wonder - 



« SS/^S^f 1 * 0ha ff'^ers.~l quite agree with 

 * Baddow (Basildon ?) Park,- as to the advantages de- 

 rived from the plan. I have been in the habit of using 

 one for 14 years, having bought it when I onlv kept one 

 nag, a delicate feeder ; it is astonishing the difference it 

 usea in their condition, several instances of which I 



I have a hunter 



Jan. 

 Feb. 

 March 

 April 



May 



June 



July 



in inches. 





>» 



« • * • • • 



1-49 



Aug. 



••• • •• 



028 



Sept. 



999 «•• 



1-77 



Oct. 



• • ft •» » 



441 



Nov. 



• •• • • • 



333 



Dec. 



• • • ••• 



08 





• • • ■ . ■ 



513 





• •• 



* • • 



i « ft 



• • • 



• • • 



tie 



• • • 



• ■ * 



■ • • 



1-36 



1-59 

 1-79 



3-03 



2 82 



28-30 



The usual average is between 25 and 26 inches. 



The highest barometer, Dec. 23 

 The lowest, April 4 



• • • 



t • • 



• • • 



Shows a variation between extremes 



■ ■I 



30-216 



28 56 



1-656 



The highest thermometer, June 25 

 The lowest. Jan* 15 



••• 



■ . t 



• » * 



• • • 



• - • 



- « • 



• • # 



87° 

 15° 



Difference between extremes 



• • • 



• •• 



72* 



might give you, but one will suffice. 



belonging to a friend of mine, which has been eoine the land, they can hope to obtain remuneration. 



his two days a week with hounds, sometimes thr 



The thermometer : an external, placed on a lawn, 4 feet 

 from ground, with a canvas roof over, and quite free 

 from radiation, or direct action of sun's rays. John 

 Wilson, Royal Agricultural College, Cirencester. 



Linseed as Food for Cattle.— In answer to your cor- 

 respondent, " B. S.," I beg to inform him that I discon- 

 tinued the use of fire in the preparation of cattle food 

 about two years since. Prior to my doing so, I dis- 

 covered that a gelatine, formed by soaking Linseed- 

 meal 24 or more hours in cold water, was more econo- 

 mical and efficacious than that obtained by boiling. I 

 cannot now enter into particulars, but they are fully 

 described in my pamphlet entitled " Flax versus Cotton," 

 a copy of which I had the pleasure of sending to your 

 office in London. It is still to be had of Ridgway, and 

 I beg to add that the system which I so successfully 

 practised at Trimingham, upon less than 100 acres, is 

 being introduced here upon more than 1000. John 

 Warnes, BohvuJc-haU, Marsham, Nw*wich. 



MechVs Farming. — Every one interested in agricul- 

 ture must have read with pleasure Mr. Mechi's state- 

 ment, giving an account of the expenses incurred on 

 Tiptree farm, and the anticipated profits in the year 

 1851. It is more than probable that a fair return will 

 be received on the capital laid out on the land, taking 

 the average of a certain number of years. The only 

 fear is that the buildings attached to the farm will 

 swallow up everything in the shape of cash figuring on 

 the credit side ; at the same time it is to be hoped they 

 will not be so ; and even should such be the case, it is 

 some consolation to think the circumstance will neither 

 affect Mr. Mechi's comfort, nor disprove his statement, 

 that draining, and the employment of more labour on 

 the land, are essential to enable the English farmer to 

 compete with free trade. However, the contrary 

 system appears to be followed in too many instances ; 

 men, as produce cheapens in the market, relaxing their 

 efforts in the cultivation of the soil ; a mistake which 

 many will, in the long run, bitterly rue. Although 

 agriculture cannot at once rival horticulture, yet there 

 is no reason why it should not make some approach to 

 it ; in fact, it only requires capital to give the farmer a 

 fair chance in the race with the gardener. It is really 

 surprising to see anything grow on stiff undrained land, 

 ploughed 4 inches deep, scarcely enough to cover the 

 weeds, much less kill them. It must be admitted that 

 land in the United Kingdom is not cultivated to its full 

 extent ; even much of what has been under the farmer's 

 care for years, does not produce its fair quota of food 

 for man and beast. It is worse than folly to ridicule 

 high farming, or rather confound it with extravagance. 

 However annoyed tenants may be at the lowness of 

 prices, they may rest assured it is only by increased 

 exertion on their parts, and employing more labour on 



Farm- 



may add that this saving was in addition to findh^ 

 clothes for herself and four daughters ; no small sim? 

 though not so much as lady farmers require now-a-davfl' 

 I would recommend turkeys first, having had the rno*- 

 profit from them myself, and they make a large quantity 

 of better guano than you can buy of most dealers in 

 that article, if, instead of putting a quantity of straw 

 into the place they roost in, you use burnt earth or 

 coal ashes, sprinkling a small quantity over the floor 

 every day ; you will accumulate such a quantity as 

 will astonish any one, who has not tried this plan, and 

 it answers equally well for pigs and sheep, and they 

 do better than on nasty rotten straw ; they require a 

 little dry straw in the inner place where they sleep. 

 Turkeys are more tender when quite young than other 

 poultry, and require much attention for the first six 

 weeks or two months ; afterwards they do very well 

 any way, and, I believe that turkey at 9d. per pound 

 (about the average price in London), will pay better 

 than either mutton or beef at ±\d. ; and after they are 

 two or three months old, they will eat everything that 

 a bullock or sheep will, with the exception of hay and 

 chaff, but they eat much Grass, and will do well on 

 Turnips, Carrots, or Mangold steamed and mashed up 

 with Barley-meal or Rice. It is not necessary to 

 give the detail of the management (as there are many 

 excellent books on the subject), but I will state what 

 has been my general experience as to their weight. 

 I have always endeavoured to have them hatched 

 about the middle of April, as they do not get to the 

 weight if later, and sell most of the hens the beginning 

 of November. They generally average 8 or 9 lbs., 

 and fetch six or seven shillings. The cocks are kept 

 till Christmas, and weigh from 16 to 20 lbs. and are 

 worth from 12 to 16 shillings. E. X. 9 near Braintree, 

 Essex* 



&ebfeU)& 



De- 



Agricultural Physiology, Animal and Vegetable, 

 signed for the use of Practical Agriculturists. By 

 T. Lindley Kemp, M.D. Blackwood and Sons, 



Edinburgh and London. 



It has latterly become too much the fashion to consider 

 only those books useful to the farmer which shall impart 

 economical methods, or directly profitable truths relating 

 to his business. Dr. Kemp's work may not be able to 

 do either the one or the other : but that it will be useful 



ing is, like most trades, not so lucrative as it was some 

 years ago, but still worth something to an industrious 

 sensible man, who has not accustomed himself to a 

 luxurious mode of living, spending the whole of his in- 

 come, when he ought to have preserved a trifle for a 

 " rainy day." Falcon. 



A few words on Rearing Poultry.— This is a point of 

 farming treated with much contempt by most farmers, 

 particularly large ones ; but I hope to put it in a better 

 light, after relating a story, well known to me for a 

 fact : — A man, who held something over 300 acres, 

 was, on the approach of rent day, much behind, and, 



of swallowing many Oats whole, which do more harm like most men under those circumstances, felt particu- 



than good ; were they bruised, no nourishment would * 



be lost. Look at the Oats, spilt from the nose-bags, 



about London, you will find them almost all bruised. 



The only disadvantage I am aware of is, the horses 



miss them when fed away from their own stable. 



Cottager, Jan. 2. Economy in these matters is of 



positively fattens on his work : whereas, the last two 

 seasons, he has looked tucked up, though with less 

 *?„ j a _ nd <I ulte as good (unbruised) corn. A horse 

 will do better on two bushels of bruised, than the same 

 quantity of whole corn ; consequently there is a saving 

 of at least a bushel a week each horse, minus the ex- 

 pense of crushing, which is trifling. They should be 

 smooth steel rollers, and no flutes in them, as for Beans, 

 which I also have cracked by another machine ; chaff, 

 too (chopped hay with a little straw), I always give 

 with both the above. Greedy feeders are in the habit 



larly miserable for some days. His wife restored his 

 good humour by putting into his hand 200Z. in notes, 



saying, at the same time, "you have always found fault 



with my poultry, saying, that they eat so i»uch corn, \ of flesh" "and vegetebles^blfo^re 

 and you never could see any benefit, beyond having a 

 fowl for dinner now and then, and a goose at Michael- 



f^.V T V ^T>; ., ? ay 5 ^ k y . 0Ur c °™spondent, of mass, a turkey at Christmas, &c. (those are no trifles 

 "Baddow Park," if he advises that all the hay be cut to those who have to purchase everything). Now you 



into chafF before bemg given to the animals j I allude j see that the despised poultry are your best friends." I 



to those for whom it is designed, we have not the 

 smallest doubt. We have read the book with a great 

 deal of interest, and so we doubt not will it be read by 

 many. It teaches general truths, which, if not of imme- 

 diate £ s. d. applicability, will surely influence our 

 practice ultimately ; and already, as the Appendix to 

 the work proves, have many of them been brought to 

 bear in agricultural practice. In a work which describes 

 in the course of 220 small octavo pages, the chemical 

 and vital laws of nature ; the classification of plants and 

 animals ; the conditions necessary to the continuance of 

 life ; the circulation of fluids through living objects; 

 the process of nutrition; the food of plants and of 

 animals; the respiration of plants and animals; the 

 nature and operation of the nervous system ; the 

 reproduction of plants and animals ; the species and 

 varieties of cultivated plants and domesticated animals ; 

 and that arrest of all activity, which we call death— in 

 a work which has such a table of contents for so small 

 an amount of contents, and where every subject must 

 therefore be very tersely and shortly given, it i3 

 difficult to select any passage which is able to give the 

 reader a general view of the performance. Perhaps 

 the following may suffice: — 



On a Difference between Plants and Animals.— 

 " Vegetables perform two very important functions. 

 As we shall afterwards see, a quantity of carbonic 

 acid gas is constantly issuing from man and all animals 

 into the atmosphere. Now, this gas is very poisonous ; 

 and if it were not removed from the air, all the 

 higher animals would very speedily perish. .^Vege- 

 tables have the power of taking this carbonic acid gas 

 from the atmosphere, and of converting the carbon of it 

 into part of their own structure. Then, while animals 

 and plants are composed of the same elements, we shall 

 afterwards find a great difference to exist between them 

 as to the source of their elements or their food. Vege- 

 tables can take the elements of which they stand in need, 

 when these elements are subject to chemical laws, that 

 is, from the inorganic world. Thus guano (or farm-yard 

 manure) contains nitrogen, phosphorus, soda, lime, &c; 

 and properly prepared soil contains all the element 

 whose combinations form the different structures of 

 plants. Now, when these substances are brought to the 

 roots of plants (which are analogous to the mouths of 

 animals), these roots can take them in, and can then 

 combine them so as to form the stem, leaves, flowers, 

 &c. But it is quite different with animals : they cannot 

 digest inorganic matter — i. e., they cannot convert in- 

 organic matter into their own structures. If the che- 

 mical elements df which an animal is composed be put 

 into its mouth in an inorganic state, they may be swal- 

 lowed, but they are never turned into its texture, but 

 either poison it or are excreted. The food of animals 

 must consist of the elements of which they are composed 

 in an organic state ; i. e. 9 in a state of subjection to th e 

 laws of life, and not of chemistry — or, in other word* 



they have putrifie* 

 The important function which vegetables serve in con- 

 verting the inorganic matter placed upon the surface o 



the earth into a Atafp ivVn^h ^n oawa fnr the food 



the earth into a state which can serve for the 

 animals, will now be evident." 



On the\Nourishing Fluid of Plants and Animalsr^W 



