

•JO 



1851. 



THE AGRICULTURAL GAZETTE. 



317 



£7 

 4 



4 



18 





 



j* 



for dltlUfif <*i f to 6 acre* per day) at U. 13s. 



Ca that in following it on, the speed of the drill renders 

 • t ] ie end cheaper, when performing the work in 

 !*e quantities ; as to matter of time, but then this 

 !J2ikrent counter-advantage is again lost, by the dete- 

 Srttion of the crop, the roots being smaller and 

 -jore irregular than when planted, for it stands to 



that seed placed on manure in each hole, must 

 on it and thrive better than what catches hold of 



^ mfnnre from the drill by chance. This plan 

 rs for Swedes, and might be carried out for 



T-rnips J tnat k, where there are plenty of hands. 



«|e manure used for the Mangold should be large 



-entities of nearly equal portions of good farm-yard 



ptoure and ashes (common, and peat, if procurable) ; 



if handv, scourings of drains are useful to wet the ashes 



with * the dung and ashes are mixed well together with 



forks, which is best done by a heap of each side by side 



near to where the planting is to take place, done by 



rapid turning with the forks. After it is all well mixed, 



haul out your superphosphate bags, and shoot them out 



over the whole, mix well together, and it is ready for 



use ; pint tin cups are the best for depositing it in the 



botes, which should be 27 by 14 inches apart. The 



best way is to mark out the rows with the drill previous 



to ridging up for them. A light roller finishes the work ; 



transplanting can be performed, where necessary, after 



the plants are up, and hand and afterwards horse-hoeing, 



will come into the course of management. From 2 to 



4 cwt of superphosphate of lime should be used, which 



it appears answers better than guano, particularly in a 



dry season, and more likely to be unadulterated. Indeed, 



the former seems to have superseded the latter, at all 



events for Turnips, for which bones seem a necessary 



food for it to exist. It is extraordinary to see the 



difference in some Swedes manured and unmanured 



upon our home hill ; those with bones are first-rate, as 



fine as one would desire ; those without, literally not 



Urger than marbles, both being on the same land, very 



shallow, in fact, hard on a limestone rock. To complete 



the experiment another time, some with farm -yard 



manure should be tried, so as to have three varieties — 



boned, manured, and no manure. If. E. 



T/ie Lark— It must be admitted that the song of 

 birds is among Nature's choicest gifts, and those only 

 who have listened to the "charm of earliest birds" in 

 full chorus, can form an idea of the stream of melody 

 poured forth from hundreds of happy throats when 

 they first wake up beneath the curtains of some shady 

 grove : 



The lark begins the lay 



Ris ng the nearest Heaven, 

 His tribute there to pay 



From whence his joy was given. 



Then we have the notes of the nightingale, the 



thrush, and the blackbird, alternating with those 



of the smaller warblers, relieved at intervals by the 



soft cooing of the dove. Having often enjoyed this 



varied harmony, I must say a word in favour of the 



poor lark, although a tiller of the soil. Shall I boldly 



assert that he does no harm ? No. Shall I suppress the 



fact that I have often seen him nipping off the young 



blades of Wheat ? No. What then ? What then ! Why 



he ought to be shot— says the destructive. Stop a bit ; 



if put in at a proper depth; in proper soil, he will not 



injure the part below the coronet, and in a short time 



one or more shoots will spring up again. But even if 



it were otherwise, you should reflect that this world 



" aud all that it inherit " were not made for you alone, 



and that you have no right to destroy off the face of 



the earth every one of God's creatures that does not 



immediately minister to your convenience. However, 



let your principles be fully carried out. Away with all 



i, class interests, and conscientious scruples. 



Contemplate first of all the extirpation of the whole race of 



that hard-billed villain the sparrow, who will have his 



allowance of corn both at seed time and harvest, in spite 



of gun and rattle. Then suppose the clouds to have 



fallen, in order that all the larks might be taken at one 



fell swoop, for eating it in the blade. Then pass an act 



for the abolition of rookeries, upon the plea of their 



being general feeders, and living on the plunder they 



obtain from the neighbouring fields. Next trap and 



shoot all blackbirds, thrushes, starlings, &c., for eating 



your fruit. Then set a price on the heads of chaffinch, 



greenfinch, et id genus omne, for levying contribution 



on your Turnip and Radish seed ; and when all the 



lar.; r tribes are disposed of in a satisfactory manner, 



«et innumerable steel traps for the extirpation of tomtits, 



and bring summary ejectments against jenny wrens for 



^king possession of your haystacks without permission. 



Wow reckon up the number of nuisances you have got 



™ of : sparrow, lark, rook, crow, blackbird, thrush, 



dove and ringdove, chaffinch, greenfinch, and bullfinch, 



hedge-sparrow, robin, and tomtit, are only a few of the 



most conspicuous offenders who have received orders 



to depart this life, and henceforth to keep company with 



we shade of the "last of the Mohicans" and other 



proscribed races. The idea is almost suffocating, but 



*t is done, and another year is come. « How are things 



?ow ! What do I hear you say ? Your plant of Wheat 



« v 6ry gap Py- How is that ? There *** no larks now ! " 

 N o, but there are plenty of grubs; 1 " Oh ! it's the grubs 

 now, i 3 it?" " Yes." « Well, what sort of a show of fruit 

 ^ve you got % " « Oh, I had a splendid blossom and the 

 frosts kept off nicely, but soon after the fruit was set 

 wfell off." « Indeed, how was that \ n « Why I suspect 

 that some caterpillars which I found in the fallen fruit 

 *ere the cause of its falling off." " What a pity ! " « Yes 

 lt is, I assure you, quite a blight to my expectations, after 



>» 



all the pains I had taken to extirpate those vermin. 

 " Then probably you are worse off after all than you were 

 before you got rid of those nuisances." 4 < I really think 

 so." " And you have had no whistle I* " None but my 

 own." * Then you pay rather dearly for that." 

 F. /. Ghaham, Cranford. 



The Acre, — At page 268, third column, of your number 

 for Saturday, April 26, there is a comparison between 

 the English and Irish acre, stating the former at 4840, 

 and the latter at 7840 square yards, respectively. The 

 difference is stated to be 300 square yards, instead of 

 3000 square yards ; this is evidently a typographical error, 

 but it should be corrected. It is requested to give the 

 contents of " the Cunningham and Plantation acre, the 

 Cornish, Cheshire, Scotch, and others." I know nothing 

 of any of these, except the last, which is as follows : — The 

 Scotch acre consists of 5760 square Scotch ells. The 

 Scotch ell is 37£ inches. By reducing 5760 square Scotch 

 ells to inches, and fifths of inches, and by division 

 bringing them into English measure, we have 6150± 

 square yards, as the contents of a Scotch acre in English 

 measure. By the above, the Scotch acre would appear 

 to be more than one-fourth larger than the English ; 

 that is, 4 Scotch acres are equal to 5 English acres, and 

 a little more. The little more amounts to 100 J square 

 yards in the above quantity. /. O. 



A Few Words on the Fallow System — That great bene- 

 fit has been derived from fallows, whether plain or made 

 in the intervals of growing crops, no one who has had 

 any practical experience in farming will for a moment 

 doubt, but that the profits of farming have been xery 

 much increased since naked fallows gave way to green 

 crops, is equally well known to the farmer. So very 

 palpable have been the benefits resulting from the alter- 

 nate system of cropping, that in districts where fallowing 

 used to prevail as a general rule, it is now found to be 

 laid entirely aside. It has been, and continues to be, the 

 aim of every good farmer, to have his land brought into 

 that condition, often obtained at great outlay, iu drain- 

 ing, subsoiling, and liming, which will enable him to dis- 

 pense with fallowing. But the deduction that the atmo- 

 sphere will supply to the soil the means of replenishing it 

 with matter sufficient to admit of cereals being grown in 

 succession, without manure, ought to be received with 

 great caution. Liebig's theory of supplying the mineral 

 ingredients of a crop only, having proved a complete 

 failure, neither will the most complete comminution of 

 the soil enable it to produce a full crop, if the necessary 

 quantity of food for the plant has been withheld. On 

 light lands, the yield of corn has been found to be in some 

 instances one-sixth greater, when drilled at 6 inches, than 

 when drilled at 12. /. D. B. 





in the long run always make a better liviug, and are mi. _ 

 independent, than by anything else. Many others who 

 came out with him, and since he came, have stuck to 

 their farms, and have done as well as himself. Though 

 the crops have failed so many years, few in this settle- 

 ment are in debt. Oatmeal porridge and milk twice 

 a- day, and oatmeal cakes, are the prevailing diet. Odds 

 and ends, as he called sugar, tea, &c, are obtained by 

 the sale of butter and cheese. 



u Mr.M'Leau thinks a man would do well in Northum- 

 berland, who could come over with 501. in his pocket, 

 and better with 1007. But he ought not to have too* 

 much, if he is to labour contentedly, and to prosper. He 

 had himself only 51. when he settled, besides three carts, 

 and a year's provisions. If these statements of Mr. 

 M'Lean are got by heart by the intending emigrant to- 

 the wilderness parts of North America, he will require 



little other guidance to comfort, prosperity, and content- 

 ment." 



" Lumbering," we should say, is speculating in the 

 timber trade ; going to the wilderness, and cutting it ; 

 carrying it to the river, and floating it down to the 

 shore for the merchant : it is a pursuit attended with 

 many risks as to its reward ; and with this sure 

 certainty, on the other side, that the wild reckless- 

 sort of character, which it engenders, is altogether in- 

 compatible with the patient industry of the farmer's life. 



The intelligent emigrant desires, however, to know 

 many things beside the mere possibility of earning a 

 livelihood in the locality to which he is bound. Its 

 social condition ; the nature of the laws under which he 

 will live ; the taxes which will he laid upon him ; the 

 nature and habits of society around him, are all points 

 of great interest ; and they are all fully detailed with 

 reference to New Brunswick and the Northern States of 

 North America* 



To the agricultural reader this Journal of Professor 

 Johnston will be especially interesting, independently 

 of its instructions Cor the emigrant, for the information 

 it gives on the agricultural statistics of North America : 

 and to the general reader, for the instructive comparison 

 it draws between Great Britain and some of the States, 

 especially in reference to Taxation and Public Instruction . 



METEOROLOGICAL REPORT. 



(Continued from page 301.) 



Mat. 



Date. 



I 



May 



■ 



5 



Time. I Max. 



Notes on 

 Social. 



§iotkt$ of Books 



North America, Agricultural, Economical^ and 

 By James F. W. Johnston, M.A., F.R.SS. 

 L. and E., &c. 



This is especially a book for the intending emigrant. 

 He desires to know the agricultural capabilities of the 

 localities among which his choice is wavering ; and in re- 

 ference to that large tract of land, partly under British 

 and partly under American rule, which lies immediately 

 south of the St. Lawrence, he will here find them given 

 in great detail. It is impossible for us to give, by 

 means of extracts, any idea of the way in which this 

 part of the performance is accomplished. It must suffice 

 to say, that Professor Johnston went to New Brunswick, 

 with the special view of reporting upon the agricultural 

 capabilities of that province, and that both there and 

 during his travels through the States, he had all the 

 advantages which long practice in travel, and in agricul- 

 tural criticism, must give an observer. The connection 

 of the varying geology of the districts visited — always 

 much more obvious in land which as yet owes nothing to 

 art— is traced with such minuteness as to furnish a key 

 which will be useful even in localities un visited by our 

 author. The verdict regarding the character of the soil is, 

 however, given not only from its geological and botanical 

 indications, but also from the numerous instances of 

 farm practice and experience of which he was witness. 



But an intending emigrant not only wants to know 

 the character of the climate and soil of his future home 

 —he would also benefit greatly by possessing some of 

 the experience of those who have already tried the 

 experiment on which he is about to venture ; and in no 

 particular will these volumes be more useful than in 

 the records they furnish of success and failure attending 

 different lines of conduct in the colonies. 



The following extracts show that industry there as 

 elsewhere is the sure road to success : 



" With one of these settlers, John M'Lean, I had an 

 interesting conversation ; and as his history may interest 

 some of my readers also, as an example of the way in 

 which steady industry overcomes difficulties, and secures 

 comparative prosperity in a new country, I shall state 

 the leading facts I gathered from him. He came over 

 in the year 1822. He has 250 acres in his farm, of 

 which 150 are cleared ; but he has not force to keep all 

 this land in crop. He works it with the aid of three of 



6.25 a.m. 



4.10 p.m. 



1U.30 p.m. 



Wind.— Wsatheb 



• •i 



« • • 



6 



7 a.m. 

 10.10 Ip.m. 





7 



8 



t 



10 



11 



29.G7 



• ♦ « 



20.78 



29.6.1 

 29.63 



29.71 



• * t 



7.5 a.m. 

 10.20 p.m. 



6.45 a.m. 

 10.20 p.m. 



7 

 8.5 



a.m. 

 p.m. 



29.78 

 -li.63 



• • t 



29.49 



29.72 



■ • • 



29.47 

 29.44 



• •• 



10.40 p.m. 

 6.55 a.m. 



9.55 p.m 





29.47 



■ • - 



29.55 



Brisk breeze NW. all day, 



barometer steady ; at 6 



p.m. wind veered to N., 



and barometer began to 

 rise. 



NNW.allday. Blowinghard 

 in the morning ; noon, 

 gentle. 



WSW.toSW. Gentle bretse, 

 and fine day. 



SSW. a.m. Blowing hard, 



S. p.m. Moderating at 

 sunset. 



S. a.m. Gentle breeze. 



SE. noon ; p.m. increasing. 

 Densely overcast and rain- 

 ing fast. 



• a I 



29.40 



• i > 





7.50 a.m. 



12 

 13 

 14 



* • ■ 



29.58 



r.a 



11.10 p.m. 29.68 



8.5 a.m. 

 10.40 p.m. 



6 a.m. 

 10.40 p.m. 



6 a.m. j 

 11 a.m. 



9.99 



• - - 



30.18 



• > • 



29 76 

 30.09 

 30^20 



30.21 



Very wet night, 

 j S S E . a. m. Overcast, raining 

 fast. 



Gentle breeze at south 

 ail the afternoon, and fine, 

 no rain having fallen since 

 noon. 



NW. Gentle, fine, and 

 sunny. Noon, NNE., rain- 

 ing fast. Frequent showers 

 throughout the day. 



Sunset, very heavy appear- 

 ance in SE. 



N". Moderate breeze. Dull 

 day. 



NE Brisk breeze. Fine 

 day, 



N. brisk breeze, and 

 ENE. Beautiful day. 



* This storm also would come from the westward, and pass 

 away to north-east, having its track at a consideiable distause 

 to the westward. 



f This storm came from the westward, over Spain or 

 southern France. Possibly heavy westerly gale off Lisbon. 



J Barometer falling with a souther iy wind, and rising with a 

 northerly one, i.e 9 the storm coming from the south of west, 

 and passing off to north of east ; and as it moved off to the 

 eastward, the wind drew round after it, 



Dorchester, May 15th. 2? p. B, M r 



I To be continued. ) 



Calendar of Operations. 



MAY. 



Dorset Farm, May 12. — Since last report we have been engager 

 in rolling the corn, and ploughing, and otherwise preparing 1'oc 

 the root crops. Some of the land we have roiled with Cro?:*- 

 kill's clod.crusher, and part with a heavy wooden one ; and 

 we have found the former very useful in breaking the surfaee 

 of the land after the heavy rains that we had. Although for the 

 past fortnight the weather has been cold, still the Wheat 

 looks well, as it was previously strong ; and now that we have 

 had some warm rain, succeeded by mild weather, I think we 

 may expect a fair crop. Barley, where it was sown early, looks 

 well, as it was somewhat advanced before the cold set in ; but 

 where it was late, as it has been In many places, it is rather 



his sons, two daughters, and three horses— keeps eleven i backward. The same may be said of Oats. As FJax b. 

 <v»wr Piirhr nr n\n* »n»...- „„**.i j r u xj n Deea * p ** tI y recommended as a profitable crop, we have this 



cows, eight w mne^oung cattle, and a few sheep. He year tried a BmaH piece wMch ^° aQwed abo £ 16 dajs ago . 



We are now engaged iu sowing Mangold Wurzel, which we 

 put on the baulk or ridge. One plough forms the drill ; the 

 dung is carried out, spread, and covered in, each operation 

 being performed as close to the other as possible, so that the 

 dung does not get time to dry. We sow about 20 acres of them, 

 and find them a Tery useful crop ; they have this year kept 

 quite sound, and, as we lost some of them last year, we attri- 

 bute it to cutting off the top* when they were taken up. It 

 will often haooen that, in the hurrv of taking off the tops, they 



. 



He 

 bought his land in the wild state, cleared it all "himself 

 without hired labour, and has raised eleven children. He 

 has four sons settled on farms, one of whom paid 150/. 

 for his farm ; two of them worked as carpenters till they 

 had saved money to buy their farms. Neither he nor 

 any of his children ever lumbered, nor should any of 

 them if he could help it. Not one in twenty makes any- 

 thing by lumberinjr : and bv sticking to their farms, men 



are cut too close, and then decay 



