6 



1851.] 



THE AGIIIC 



i»l 



inoSt to, but certainly not much, and once made they 

 would last a long time. The width of the shed should 

 be about 6 feet, and the sheep would stand with their 

 heads towards the higher side, a row of troughs fixed in 

 front of them, and space enough left between the troughs 

 and wall for a man to pass along and feed them ; the 

 sheep to be tied up having liberty to stand or lie down. 

 • Suppose, then, 300 sheep in a shed of this kind, I 

 imagine they would require a length of about 650 feet, 

 including a place in the centre for the Turnip house, 

 which nuVht be large enough to contain one day's con- 

 sumption ; in commencing a piece of Turnips (which of 

 course would have to be carted to them), the shed 

 would be first set in the space that has been cleared— at, 

 say, 5 chains from the beginning ; and until the sheep had 

 eaten all the food from the ground, both before and be- 

 hind the house, and 5 chains (or any length you like) at 

 each end, the shed would not require to be moved. The 

 Turnips would be all given cleaned and cut ; and where 

 a large number are fed, a small pony or donkey would 

 be a great help in cutting them ; a boy to supply the 

 cutter and drive the pony, and a man to carry the 

 cut Turnips, would soon feed the whole. The 

 greatest difficulty would be the manure ; but I propose 

 that a thick coat of short straw should be the bedding 

 for the sheep, and about 14 inches of burnt earth put 

 under this, or if peat charcoal could be had it would be 

 better, as it would more likely retain the ammoniacal 

 gases, &c., and then by a little litter being given every 

 day, I think the whole of the droppings would be ab- 

 sorbed, the great object being to prevent any from 

 passing through to the ground, as it would make it too 

 rich. Of course the number of times the shed was 

 moved would depend upon the size of the field, and also 

 upon how far you would choose to cart your Turnips. 

 But suppose we say once a week, and imagine the sheep 

 in their fresh quarters, there would be a long line of 

 manure left behind ; this should be thrown up into 

 heaps of a convenient size, and allowed to heat until short 

 enough to cart out on the land, which I recommend to 

 be done by donkeys in small carts that can go about in 

 wet weather without injuring it. Some perhaps will say 

 that the quantity being so small could not be equally 

 distributed over the field, but with care this might be 

 done, and I do not suppose the cost would be very great. 

 Boys could do the whole, only having a good shepher 

 to keep a sharp look-out and superintend them. At the 

 time the shed was moved these carts would be handy to 

 carry the hurdles, and the sheep might be left until 

 their house was again ready for them. These same 

 donkey carts would also cart the Turnips. If the ma- 

 nure could be made sufficiently short there would be no 

 better plan than to mix it with some dry ashes, and at 

 the time the Barley or Wheat was sown, drill this in 

 with them j the well known drills of the Messrs. Garrett 

 answer for this purpose. 



The Turnips for the flock ewes and young ewe hog- 

 gets would be eaten off in the common way as, I think, 

 none could be found to answer better. My plan applies 

 only to those sheep intended for the butcher ; and if by 

 pursuing this, the animals, from being placed in a warm 

 comfortable house, should fatten quicker, and it is now 

 an unquestioned fact, that heat, to a certain extent, is 

 equivalent to food, I believe we should find ample com- 

 pensation for the extra trouble and expense involved. I 

 dojnot overlook the circumstance that some lands re- 



love, enjoyment, and freedom of home. T. H. f Wood- 

 ditton. near Newmarket. 



Home Correspondence. 



Brain Pipes. — I have read « Fossa's " letter in your 

 last Number, and really hope that it will not have the 

 injurious effect of inducing any one to put stones upon 

 the pipes in drains. When I first began to drain, many 

 years ago, I thought these necessary ; but I found out 

 by degrees that beyond, perhaps, making the land dry a 

 few months sooner, they did no good, and it was impos- 

 sible to tell when they had been used after the second 

 season, except from the inferior quality of the crop, 

 caused by poaching of the land with the carts carrying 

 the stones, of which the evil effects were not removed 

 entirely for three seasons. I quite agree with * Fossa" 

 that economy in outlay is most desirable in all cases, and 

 in none more than in draining ; but I think that the 

 true measure of economy is to accomplish a purpose 

 perfectly with the most simple means ; and I am quite 

 satisfied that, with proper arrangements, 51. per acre 

 might drain all the land in the kingdom, but certainly 

 not according to * Fossa's " plan ; for, by my calcula- 

 tions, such drains as he approves of would cost here 

 at least 10?. per acre, which, according to the very 

 useful table he has given, would create a charge of 1 3s. 

 per acre annually. I give my calculation, that " Fossa " 

 may correct me if he can do the work cheaper ; but I 

 may perhaps say, as I am anxious to hinder such a mis- 

 chievous practice as is proposed from gaining any foot- 

 ing, that I speak from a somewhat lengthened expe- 

 rience. I began draining before landlords came forward 

 to lay out their money for tenants, and before Drainage 

 Acts were dreamt of. I had to think whether what I 

 meant to do would help or hinder me to pay jpy rent — 

 a pretty stiff one— and I had to look to my balance at 

 my banker's for the funds. For many years I laid every 

 main drain and joining with my own hands, and one 

 year I nearly killed a stable of ten horses, and totally 

 destroyed the whole of my carts, in carrying out the very 

 views " Fossa " now promulgates. I mention these 

 facts, not from any wish to disparage scientific men who 

 have devoted their attention to draining, and who have 

 seen its effects under different circumstances. I always 

 learn much from such men, and find that their know- 

 ledge is only equalled by their modesty. 



Cutting and filling 90£ rods of 4-feet drains at lOd. 

 2178 pipes, say 



Quarrying, breaking, and carting 90 yards stones, 

 at is. 



• . . 



. . • 



£ s. d. 



3 15 7 

 1 15 



4 10 



5 



^10 



Agricula Redivwm. 



Agricultural Improvements. — Thorough draining is 

 allowed to be one of the first of agricultural improve- 

 ments, without which, where requisite, all other efforts 



i 



are unavailing. But there is much difference of opinion application as a motive power by which various opera- 

 as to the means 



bare fallow. The tenant and his family w ere exceed- 

 ingly industrious and careful, and the rent was very 

 low, yet he was so poor that he could hardly raise it 

 when produce sold well. With much persuasion and 

 considerable difficulty, I got him out of his old preju- 

 dices and practices, and induced him to under-drain 

 field by field, as he could manage it, the landlord 

 giving tiles. I also persuaded him to sow some 

 Grass seeds every year, to plough deeper, to drill 

 and hoe Turnips and corn, and to give up sowing twa 

 white corn crops together, and occasionally to dibble 

 Beans on wide ridges, and plough and scuffle between 

 them. And now I have great pleasure in hearing that 

 the industrious man is thriving on his farm, low as 

 prices are ; for the increase of his produce does much 

 more than make up for the decrease in price. But to 

 return to the subject of drainage. Experience has con- 

 vinced me that your correspondent is quite right in 

 preferring drains of 3 or 3J feet, at 20 feet intervals, to 

 4 feet drains, at 30 feet distance, on some tenacious soils ; 

 and ^ on such soils I strongly recommend his plan of 

 putting stones over the pipes or tiles. A field of tena- 

 cious clay was drained with tiles, laid 30 or 40 inches 

 deep, and 30 feet apart, and it did well for a f$w years, 

 but soon required draining over again. That wa* a* one by 

 cutting intervening drains, of the same or rather greater 

 depth (for stone drains require to be cut rather deeper 

 than pipe or tile-drains), and filling them with stones, 

 which made the field permanently dry. On other fields 

 of the same kind stone drains of the same depth were 

 found to answer well at 30 feet intervals, though tile- 

 drains did not. On retentive clay the safest and best 

 plan is to place a pipe at the bottom, cover it with a 

 sod Grass side downwards, and then put in small stones, 

 covering them also with a sod ; this plan makes a safe, 

 effectual, and permanent cure. I know also that there 

 is some strong land where very small pipes, laid deep 

 and at wide intervals, are perfectly efficacious ; but that 

 land, though strong, is of a more porous nature. Preju- 

 dice and ignorance often prevent the un travelled farmer 

 from seeing the practicability of such improvements as 

 are evident to a stranger ; and yet that stranger, though 

 he may suggest some valuable alterations, may in 

 some respects be more incompetent to judge than 

 the less informed local inhabitant : hence it is 

 needful that they should consult together. It is not 

 enough merely to subdue an enemy : we ought to 

 endeavour to convert him into a friend. Stagnant 

 water on or in the soil is very injurious, but that water 

 is capable of being turned to many valuable purposes ; 

 and it behoves us in these difficult times to make the 

 most of every drop of water, every particle of manure, 

 and every yard of land. It is possible that water may 

 be profitably retained in large reservoirs, and raised at 

 will by machinery, so as to become exceedingly valuable 

 in irrigation, both of Grass and tillage land, and in its 



! 



quire the stamping of the sheep to consolidate them, but 

 it is possible to do this in another way. The main diffi- 

 culty with which the plan is attended, is to devise some 

 expedient to prevent the sheep-droppings reaching the 

 ground. I do not know at what price peat charcoal 

 could be procured ; if cheap, I can think of nothing 

 better, and a little short straw, to keep the beasts com- 

 fortable. In cases where the field of Turnips is very 

 large, it would be advisable to parcel it out in divisions ; 

 by this means, the food and manure would have a. 

 shorter distance to be carted. 



Another mode for very flat districts could be used, 

 but, perhaps, this would be too expensive. I only men- 

 tion it as an instance applicable to the shed-feeding of 

 flheep. The Turnips would have a space cleared across 

 the drills in the middle of the field, as before proposed, 

 and in this space a portable railway is to be laid down ; 

 on this railway the trucks or sheds for the sheep would 

 stand ; and as soon as all the roots in front and behind, 

 and each end, are consumed, yoke the horses to the car- 

 riages, and draw the whole establishment a notch fur- 

 rier on ; thus the rails would require to be double the 

 length of the sheds, so that they can be taken up when 

 ttie houses are moved, and placed again in front. It is 

 only on very level farms where it would be possible to 

 joilow this plan, and even on these, I presume, it would 

 be found too costly. 



hJw .u here wil1 be man y objections urged against 

 coin ot these propositions I do not doubt, and shall be 



tionVT Sr ; if > howe ver, by writing these observa- 



discm R ^f Ve brou g ht this important subject to a 



HSr* m y ° Ur columns > so as in the end to arrive at 

 wsiactory conclusion upon it, my purpose will be 



in behalf of TL ^ *? l finish > to add a word or tw ° 

 SaSh!5tl^ *T farm labourers. It will be said, 



B^ * e *fP, by adopting this mode, may be 

 mZl^ y Md /P lc % ^ttened, where is the gin, alter 



•Uh eftfT 18 ' "? 1 "** before > there will' be 

 ESt£ v V aUd 8Urel * V H i9 a P leasure at this 

 K eanl^T' •"*• T 1 * is ^™% ««ee, to see 

 enZvmJ I * ° Wn bread > aml t0 know *at by thus 



gained 



rules that are generally applicable, they must occasion- 

 ally be deviated from, on account of local peculiarities. 

 Though a stranger may be well acquainted with the 

 subject generally, he is liable to make great mistakes 

 as to the drainage, management, or value of land, in 

 some places the peculiarities of which he is unacquainted 

 with : of this I have known several notable proofs. 

 These remarks are the result of a judicious letter from 

 " Fossa/' in the Agricultural Gazette of the 25th of 

 January. The writer is evidently a practical man, 

 well acquainted with his subject, and his remarks are 

 truly worthy of consideration ; for though spirited im- 

 provement is absolutely required, it must be guided by 

 judgment, without which it will only tend to discourage- 

 ment and ruin. Though my own experience is decidedly 

 in favour of making under-drains as deep as cir- 

 cumstances allow and require, I have found particular 

 cases in which very shallow ones have answered well ; 

 and certainly others in which shallow drains have soon 

 become useless. This has often been the case where 

 landlords have given tiles for their tenants to put in. 

 On looking over a farm where the landlord proposed to 

 do so, I asked the tenant what depth he would cut the 

 drains ? His answer was, a foot, or a foot and a half, 

 for as the land was strong, he thought the shallower 

 the tiles were put in the better, if they were only 

 safe from the plough and the horses. My own 

 confident opinion, founded on experience of 

 similar land in the neighbourhood, was that 

 they ought to be double that depth at least, and 

 therefore I advised that no tiles should be entrusted to 

 the deposition of the tenant. I may here observe that 

 the farm, which, if well drained, and in the hands of a 

 liberal and skilful cultivator, was capable of growing fine 

 crops of corn, Clover, and Turnips, was producing but 

 little of ^either produce or profit, in consequence of the 

 niggardly spare-penny practice of the tenant, who seemed 

 more eager of a reduction in a moderate rent, than of 

 raising the value of the farm above it. Instead of 

 employing labourers to make the most of the land, he 

 was trying to manage, or rather to mismanage it, with 

 as little labour and expense as possible. Though a fine 

 deep loamy soil, it was ploughed shallow, and fallowed 

 nearly every third year ; bringing only two light crops 

 in three years, excepting an occasional crop of Clover, 

 Beans, Potatoes, or Turnips on a small portion, and 

 that only of late years. Here, then, it is evident there 

 is much need of agricultural improvement ; and I could 

 refer to many other similar cases, I will, just mention 

 the case of a somewhat similar hut naturally poorer and 

 more unkindly farm. For many years the regular 

 routine had been two poor white corn crops, and then a 



I would give liberal assistance to the tenant in the 

 improvement of the farm and its cultivation, rather 

 than make a small abatement of rent. 0. F. 



West of Scotland Davy District. — In your Gazette 

 of the 25th ult., headed " Dairy Management," and 

 signed " A Subscriber," it is stated that the practice of 

 feeding milk cows is by giving them each about 25 lbs. 

 of boiled Turnips, and 6 lbs. of cut straw, and 3 lbs. of 

 Bean or Pea meal per day. The expression is, " this 

 constitutes their daily diet, and I got from each cow 6£lbs. 

 of butter." Now, does this mean per day 1 [No ! No !} 

 It is of importance to know this, as in the dairy country 

 here we never heard of such a produce ; it is enormous. 

 Subscriber. [We hope our correspondent alluded to 

 will state the particulars of his case more fully, speci- 

 fying particularly any circumstances which may tend to 

 place his experience beyond the ordinary average of his 



district.] 

 Poultry. — As many of your readers are like myself, 



probably, poultry fanciers, the experience of one who 

 has paid considerable attention to their habits, &c, may 

 not be uninteresting. I commenced first with the 

 common barn-door fowl ; but found that, although I 

 obtained a fair quantity of eggs, yet when I allowed 

 them to hatch, they were so long with their chickens 

 tl t the season was pretty well past before they com- 

 menced laying again, and that the chickens were very 

 long before they arrived at an edible sUe. My next 

 trial was with Poland pullets, and a Cochin China cock, 

 and two pullets of the same breed ; the expense of these 

 last was high, but I found their superiority very shortly, 

 and although I never obtained two eggs in one day, as 

 has been stated, yet the number of eggs laid by the** 

 was most extraordinary — certainly, three times as many 

 as I obtained in proportion from the Polands ; ana 

 another advantage is, that when allowed to sit, they 

 only remain with the chickens about three weeks or a 

 month before they begin to lay afresh. I was so pleased 

 with them that I have cleared my yard of all but the 

 Cochin Chinas (with the exception of one old patriarchal 

 hen, that I have had for some years, and am rather 

 attached to), and have now as handsome an assortment 

 of Cochin Chinas as I believe are anywhere to be met 

 with. One of the cock birds, which I disposed of to a 

 friend, weighed, when five months old, between seven 

 and eight pounds, and this without being cooped, just *s 

 taken from the yard, which is gravelled, and kept per- 

 fectly clean, as well as the hen-house ; the birds have 

 also a long private roadway, at one end of which there 

 is plenty of cinder ashes and a Graft plat. I b* ve a ^ K> 

 a large open shed for them when the weather is un- 

 favourable ! bv this means the hen-house is kep* pure. 



