201 



THE AGRICULTURAL GAZETTE, 



avert this evil, would it be too much for me to expect 

 from Mr. Kidd, or any other of your excellent corre- 

 spondents, such instructions as will enable me, by 

 reasonable means, to defeat the deadly efforts of these 

 desperate larks, to render our plagues in this respect 

 worse by far than those produced by the Potato disease. 

 A Sliilmalier, March 20th. 



Steam Engines.— I have derived much advantage by 

 the use of a cast-iron pan occupying the ash-pit, ana 

 filled with water. The falling embers and intense heat 

 under the ash pit converts the water into steam, which 

 cools the under surface of the furnace bars, and pre- 

 vents their forming the coal into slag or clinkers. It 

 also prevents the warping and burning of the bars, and 

 economises fuel and labour, besides facilitating the 

 rapid generation of steam. When the coals fuse or run 

 together, they form a solid mass over the vacancies be- 

 tween the bars, adhere to them, and stop the draught. 

 It is then impossible to keep up the steam. Some idea 

 of the coolness thus gained may be formed by the fact 

 that from 100 to 200 gallons are thus evaporated daily, 

 a* pipe being always at hand to supply water when 

 required. The abstraction of caloric thus permits a 

 much denser volume of air in the ash-pit, and with it 

 of course a much larger supply of oxygen to keep up 



In fact, without this arrangement, we can- 

 It does away with 





combustion. 



not do the proper amount of work, 

 much of the stoking or stirring, the reflection of the 

 furnace in the water showing the brilliant and unob- 

 structed state of the fire between the bars. The ad- 

 mission of cold air at the back of the furnace, and the 

 facility of iron doors to clean out the flue boiler, gives 

 ns an ample supply of steam, without smoke, and with a 

 considerable diminution in the consumption of coal. A 

 6 horse steam engine, working up to 8 horse-power, 

 with 90 revolutions per minute, requires a quick and 

 ample generation of steam. We thresh and dress four 



Quarters of mowed, long-strawed Wheat per hour. 

 . /. Me> i, March 18.' 

 On the propriety of laying Land down to permanent 

 Pasture. — As an Englishman I feel it my duty in these 

 free trade times, to make a few comments on a practice 

 which is now, I cannot help considering, so very neces- 

 sary ; namely, the laying down of arable land to pasture, 

 with the view 'of meeting, the measures of our present 

 legislators. It is generally admitted * fc that land in this 

 country cannot be cultivated to advantage in the raising 

 of corn fur the prices now obtained ; the question then 

 naturally arises, what other resource have the agri- 

 culturists to enable them to pay the usual outgoings of 

 rent, &c. 1 I humbly make answer, the laying of their 

 land down to permanent pasture ; and I do recommend 

 the system, because, in the first place, the soil will be 

 materially improved by the change, as every experienced 

 man knows ; and in the second, the price of wool and 

 meat, being so much higher in proportion than corn, 

 that the latter may be purchased and applied to ad- 

 vantage in the feeding of sheep on the new made 

 pastures ; which will not only promote both the increase 

 of wool and carcase, but the improvement of the pasture 

 likewise, and together, return a fair remunerating in- 

 terest upon the capital embarked, which, under present 

 circumstances, as before observed, it is impossible to 

 obtain from the land when growing corn. Moreover, 

 should, at any future period, the price of corn become 

 -sufficiently encouraging as to induce the application of 

 the plough, the land, from the change, the rest, and the 

 enrichment consequent on high feeding, will yield a two- 

 fold produce over the crops it bore at the time when 

 laid down. If what I have advanced be correct, surely 

 it is the interest of the occupiers of land, whether 

 tenant or landlord, to adopt the suggestions here set 

 forth, and devote at once a portion of each farm to 

 pasture, increasing the quantity yearly, as circumstances 

 may dictate ; that the change from corn to pasture 

 may occasion the least possible inconvenience and 

 outlay. Henry Roger Smitke, Eastling 9 March 20. 



Flax. — I was not quite correctly reported in part of 

 my address to'tfie Royal Agricultural Society on Flax cul- 

 ture, and as it may mislead I shall be obliged to you to 

 insert the following : 1 was reported to have stated, 

 u Flax would grow on a turnpike road." I was showing 

 that it was not an exhausting crop, and less dependent 

 upon soil than any other, but more dependent upon 

 moist atmosphere ; and in corroboration, I stated that I 

 could grow Flax on a turnpike road, with an inch of 

 soil, if I might water it every day. May I also take 

 this opportunity of again begging people at this time of 

 sowing, t) be sure to procure clean seed, as they value 

 the profit of their crop. I find most of the foreign 

 and much of the Irish seed to have from 20 to 25 per 

 cent, of refuse weeds and dirt ; this must be got rid of, on 

 account of the after expense injwe&ling, and the quality 

 of the crop will be greatly {injured. T. Bcale Browne, 

 Hampen, A ndoversford. 



Flax Cotton.— In some; of f jour late" Numbers there 

 has been a good deal of [discussion relative to Flax-cot- 

 ton, and the process for its preparation by M. Claussen. 

 As was to be expected, opinions on the subject are much 



loop end to insert a hook with a scale, or, preferably, a 

 small tin box to hold various small weights— to add or 

 put in, very gradually and cautiously, small shot, until 

 the portion of thread under trial gave way— to weigh 

 very accurately the hook, the tin box, and small shot- 

 to note down the weight J this to be done with the six 

 separate portions of Flax-yarn of No. 16, and by divid- 

 ing the weight by six you have the average weight 

 required to break each portion of thread. The same 

 process to be gone through with Cotton-thread, No. 1 o, 

 and the same process with thread, No. 16, of Flax- 

 cotton. Six portions of each kind of thread will give a 

 safer average than one or two portions, and strict atten- 

 tion should be paid that the three kinds of thread be as 

 nearly alike as possible. It occurs to me that the above 

 Baconian mode of proceeding would give results that 

 miMit be more depended on than the discussions hitherto 

 carried on. /. G. [The strength of the article is not 

 the only point to be determined— the strength relatively 

 to the price at which it might be sold would, however, 

 be likely to guide opinion on the subject] 



Kohl Rabi.—l transplanted in a piece of ground of 

 considerable size in my garden, the latter end of last 

 May, plants of the purple kind, without manure or 

 dressing of any sort. Frequent hoeing and watering m 

 very dry weather comprised all the attention they 

 received, and they grew amazingly— I may say luxu- 



some measuring: 18 inches in circumference. I 



And what else can the farmer expecTwh^T ^ L 

 are done by tender, at the lowest offer** ^ 

 chemists of reputation have lent their na ' *** 



ficates of analyses, executed probably bvTh*- 10 ****- 

 I have now before me a certificate under a Sff* 

 and distinguished name, the falsity of which i* *** 

 from mere inspection of the material so that t^**** 

 appear to have signed it, without even lookin ?* 

 sample. This is a heartless deception to the iff ^ 

 farmer ; and not much Tess criminal than the Sf 



l itself. The great ouestinn rti™ :~ * : •Al- 



teration 



«* 



great question then is to wk ! 



the farmer trust ? If he gets a sample from J? U 

 analysed before buying, how can he be sure of u/!* 



riantly- 



had the large lower leaves cut off (not pulled) from 

 time to time for the cows, like as is the case with Man- 

 gold Wurzel ; and I took particular notice of one im- 

 portant fact, which was, that the Kohl Rabi were much 

 better able to withstand drought than the Mangold 

 Wurzel growing by their side. The ground dark peaty 

 earth, which is the most absorbent of heat. ^ Your 

 correspondent will find still more information in 

 " Farming Essays " of Mr. Hewitt Davis, on the culture 



of this plant. E. T. 



Produce of Cms.— I am very sorry my letter re- 

 specting thetreatment of my cows should have been so 

 ambiguously expressed as to have led to misapprehension 

 respecting them. I meant to say that the produce of 

 them, in butter, was 6| lbs. each, or thereabouts, per 

 week ; and I attribute so large a produce at this time 

 of the year to giving them a boiled mess, such as I 

 described, with Pea-meal twice a day. My cows are 

 of the Ayrshire breed, and small, and averaging only 

 in quantity under 10 quarts of milk daily from each — 

 the butter, as I stated before, has no taste of Turnips. 



A Subscriber. 



G. Ensor need not be afraid 



The latter 



the same parcel \ It was suggested years a»o /t t3 

 by others as well as by me) that he should alwL ul 

 warranted genuine and to certificate of analyses w5 

 safe in his own possession, mix it altogether or at 1*! 

 a portion from the centre of each bag ; and from ^2 

 draw an attested averege sample. Bottle corL !!j 

 seal it down at once, and let it be kept by one of 4. 

 witnesses, under lock. And at the same time aft! 

 sample, to examine himself, by the simple means &» 

 recommended by Drs. Way and Anderson. If (2 

 simple method detects adulteration, which is most lib*! 

 with the admixtures commonly used, he can immediate? 

 demand redress from the seller. " D " ,L 1S} • ^^ 





divided. 



The statement in your columns by Mr. Beale 



Browne against the utility of Flax-cotton, seemed to me 

 almost conclusive, but as no probable improvement 

 ought to be checked or intercepted without full evidence 

 and due consideration, I would suggest the following- 

 experiment as a test of the advantages thought likely to 

 result from M. Claussen's process ; viz., to take half-a- 

 dozen yards of average Flax- thread of No. 16— to divide 

 nto six portions of one yard each— to tie a tight knot at 

 he extremity of the cut ends of each portion— to put 

 he knotted end over a peg or pin, and in the opposite or 



Sheep upon Wheat-plant. 

 of putting his sheep upon the young Wheats, 

 part of this month, February, has been a most favour- 

 able time ; besides the early sown Wheat crops look 

 proud, and the sooner the sheep are turned in upon 

 them the better. The sheep may remain till the field 

 looks bare, and in two or three weeks' time, may be 

 again turned in ; the advantage to the crop is very great. 

 The plants will tiller out strong and luxuriant. In farm- 

 ing, we must not be nervous, and alarmed at what may 

 appear rough treatment. I have harrowed Oats and 

 Barley, making some lift up their eyes, and vow the 

 crop would be ruined! No such thing. Fear not. 



X Y. Z., Hants. 



Advantage of Warmth to Sheep. — One would naturally 

 suppose that, if kept dry, sheep would be always warm 

 enough with their woolly coats ; experience has con- 

 vinced me of the contrary. I have two sheds — one 

 slated and not boarded, the other slated and boarded 

 under the slates. The latter is some feet lower, and 

 closely confined by walling, having only an open window 

 at one end, and an open door at the other. This shed 

 also contains, besides sheep, a good many pigs, all on 

 open boarded floors. We have all been forcibly struck 

 by the superior progression of the animals in this close, 

 warm shed. So warm, in fact, that on approaching the 

 door or window, the warm blast oppresses you with its 

 fulsome heat, and visitors naturally say this must be too 

 hot and unwholesome. Animals are, however, always 

 healthy here. We have occasionally removed sheep 

 from the other shed, and they more rapidly progressed 

 in the close warm one. I speak of Down sheep during 

 the winter months. The comparison is worth making. 

 So healthful are the open boarded floors, that with 500 

 head of animals — bullocks, sheep, pigs, calves, dogs, and 

 rabbits, not a casualty has occurred for two months. I 

 have a great aversion to slated roofs, if unprotected in- 

 ternally by boards, felt, or thatch. They are terrible 

 conductors of heat, from the animals in winter, to them 

 in summer. I find sheep, calves, and bullocks do ex- 

 tremely well on Beans soaked 48 hours in cold water, 

 until perfectly soft ; they will absorb an immense quan- 

 tity of water. This saves waste and expense of grind- 



We give, in addition, oilcake, straw chaff, and 

 some roots. Beans at 22s. 6c/. per quarter must make 

 cheap beef and cheap manure. My horses have no hay, 

 but 1 5 lbs. of Bean-meal, and ample supply of cut straw 

 chaff, and 2 oz. of salt, daily. The chaff* is moistened 

 from a watering-pot, and the meal adheres to it. Cost 

 of each horse 9d. per day, or certainly under 10c/. 

 J. J. Mechiy Tiptree-hall, Feb. 26th. 



Adulteration of Manures. — This is probably becoming 

 an extensive and thriving traffic ; the necessities of the 

 farmer, borne down by unequal competition, being taken 

 advantage of by rogues, to enrich themselves out of his 



But if genuine or 

 adulterated as to elude this simple method, he may 

 it as genuine ; and if it fails upon his crops, then hm 

 the reserved attested sample analysed, by a compete* 

 and authorised chemist ; and if found inconsistent vtt 

 the warrant, sue the dealer for damages. Of course fe 

 must buy from a man who has the means of paving tin 

 damages awarded. But now that this adulteration hi 

 become a regular business, I think it would be the 

 interest of landowners to put it down by prompt paajfc 

 ment and exposure ; buying on purpose, under warnat 

 from all suspected dealers ; drawing an average sample 

 as above, and having it authoritatively analysed i*. 

 mediately ; then prosecuting for fraud, and publi&inf 

 the case in the newspapers. This is just the season for 

 drawing out of the market the whole tribe of adulterators 

 and chemical traitors, and delivering their tenantfarmen 

 fcom the brood of harpies now thriving upon their 

 decline. /. Prideaux. '\ 



Rats. — In reference to the observation stating that 

 Mr. Hudson's rats are fed upon Barley, instead of 

 Wheat ; rats are said to have been kept out of ricks by 

 laying Garlic at the bottom. I suppose they should be 

 raised from the floor, and the Garlic laid in a stratum of 



not allowed to flavour the grain. /. P. 



The above is a subject to 



straw- 



Feeding of Milch Cows. 

 which my attention has been much turned, and oo 

 which I have read all that I could beg, borrow, or bu\ 

 but have not yet fallen in with anything very satisfac- 

 tory upon it. I want a Manual clearly arranged, by 

 which a plain man, incapable of philosophising or expe- 

 rimenting, may be able to know the best and most pro- 

 fitable method of feeding his cows both as to quantity 

 and as to quality. Youatt and Johnson have given a 

 good deal of valuable information, but their books aw 

 above the reach and above the understanding of the 



What I think would 



class who most need information, 

 be really useful is a Cowkeeper's Calendar, stating the 

 kind of food, the quantity per day, and the mode of 

 preparation (if anv) for each month in the year, lie 

 first point would, of course, admit of variations wok* 

 might be arranged in the order of their respect 

 merits. Such a work by Mr. W. C. Johnson, or sow 

 skilful and experienced person, if cheap and luaa, 

 would, I believe, find a ready sale, and be ot men* 

 lable service to a large class of industrious men in w 

 neighbourhood of large towns, who, with little or m 

 land, are endeavouring to make an honest Jiveiiww J 

 the sale of milk. I submit this matter to your *Jj 

 in the hope that some more competent comspoDfloi* 

 your most useful Paper may take it up. E. B. 



Statistics of Cheap Price*.— It has been s«gWJ 

 much valuable information on the subject ot *£"" . 

 statistics could be obtained, if competent pe^ 

 many or all the farming districts were to com* ^ 

 trustworthy facts, showing how many i ^. ^ 

 changed occupiers since the year 184b ' a f mpftt0 nthe 

 been the effect of the low prices of corn ana me ft ^ 

 working of the farms by those new ^'^ 

 quite certain that vast improvements na\ci* 



the science and 

 date, and also that 



the*** 



practice of agriculture since 



at much remains to be impro^ J - 



a wise and proper adjustment of covenants ^ melB . 



effected between landlords and tenants, 



ing. 



to B* 



poverty. And there is something like a conspiracy 

 against him ; the chemist, who should be his protector, 

 joining, ; not always unconsciously, in the deception ; 

 the certificates of analyses being, as is too well known, 

 often very different from the material sold under them. 



time, it would be highly desirable to ascerUm 

 petent and judicious farmers, who have » ^ 

 since the abrogation of the Corn-laws, have >^ ^ 

 otherwise in their attempts to obtain remu ^ 



The present state of Iruh Agru '(^ 1 «h » 

 my observations on the Royal Dublin boc 1 ^^ 

 refer to their annual « Root Show held m ^ 

 where specimens of the different green crop ^^ 

 for competition. As the prizes are ev ^ 



favour of the largest roots, it is eviae , ^ £ 



resorted to in their cultivation-unusua ^ ^ ^ j 

 voted— manure unsparingly applied, b tf ^ 



monster roots produced are in aw l - ^^sfr 

 Cards are appended to each sample 01 > me *r# 

 mated produce per «sre, ^?fS farmer whogj 



The poor visiting 



its forced samples. The poor v --;* nip ] e WJ1 



to learn, is quite bewildered both at ; the sa F ^ 



e _and cannot help sajj ■ ^ 

 very fine f wishing attne ^ ^ 

 : p/oduces these .^1^ p^, 



specified produce 

 " It is all very- 



for the soil that pr v - . 



exhibition cannot fail to interest the 



Site of 



