THE AGRICULTURAL GAZETTE 



fastened to the handle by two joints, by one of which its 

 point nuy be set at any distance from the handle, and 

 C IL- ^L««t ••««, iiiatAnM ulinve the around, the blade 



upward for hay and corn. Each joint consists o 

 small round plates of metal pressed tightly tngetn 

 one joint by a screw, and in the other by an iron * 

 This double-action scythe has been patented, 

 chines for mowing and reaping by horse power have 



are 27 teeth in the rake, covering a space of 7 feet. It 

 is adapted for hay, corn, stubble, or Couch raking ; and 

 also as a light scarifier for Grass lands, for clearing off 



&c, before top-dressing. Scarcely an ear of 



seedTYes ! butlmuch do^ifi^jrrr===5^ 

 to be grown : for the best methods' aU^^^SB 

 produce a proportion of seed wWi, J. r nt V 



Ma- 



moss, 

 corn or 



never fully established themselves in this country ; tl 

 may answer where the crops are light and upstandi 

 but a piece of mechanism without discretion in a ffou 

 of laid, weather-beaten, and thorough-grown Wheat, is 



— -Z5 .- - ainmU* harrel-oreran for universal 



; and 



up 



afi uaehfli- as a single barrel-organ 

 pialmody. However, many crops do stand r 

 our English machinists, unwilling to be outdone by 

 Americans and Australians, have from time to time 

 devised engines for reaping them. There are several 

 in tho Exhibition, both models and working machines. 

 One exhibited we believe by T. Fairless of Conbridge, 

 near Hexham, Northumberland, consists of a square 

 wooden framework upon four small wheels; carrying 

 a vertical -pindle in front, to which is attached a 

 revolving horizontal frame with two large knives 

 near the ground. As the carriage is pushed 

 forward, these knives are carried round by means of 

 wheel-work, and are followed by two rakes which turn 

 up at a certain point of the revolution so as to leave the 

 cut hay or corn in heaps. Garrett's reaping machine is 

 evidently on a much better principle. The horses do 

 not push but draw it along, walking close beside the 

 standing crop. On the right side of the machine is a 

 broad flat iron platform or receiver very near the 

 ground ; and the cutting part of the machine is fixed 

 upon the front edge of this. The cutter consists of a 

 number of triangular knives fixed upon a bar, so as to 

 present a vwy coarse saw edge to the Grass or corn ; 

 and these sharp points are slided rapidly to and fro 

 sideways through slits in a number of iron fingers or 

 square prongs, * ne motion being derived by a crank rod 

 and wheel work from one of the carriage wheels. A 

 hrge breast, shaped like a mould-board, is fixed upon the 

 platform, so as to turn the cut corn and leave it in a 

 Swathe in the track of the machine carriage. 



As the resistance to the advance of the machine is all 

 on the right-hand side of the line of draught, it might 

 be expected that the whole carriage would swerve in 

 that direction ; but the inventor has prevented this by 

 Working the cutter from the near or left-hand wheel. 

 The machine has not been tried in the corn field, but 

 mows Lucerne well ; and it is expected, with two 

 horses, to cut any reasonably standing crop of white 

 corn. Tfie implement makers have succeeded much 

 better in applying horse-power to hay making than hay 

 cutting. Barrett, Exall, and Andrews' haymaking 

 machine comprises most of the recent improvements. 

 The bars holding the teeth are arranged upon two 

 wheels on one main shaft, but having socket axles each 

 turned by one of the carriage wheels. The main axle 

 can be raised or lowered by wheels and spindles for the 

 purpose, which is an excellent provision for different 



*^j » 



a bent of hay can be picked up after it ; it is 

 easily cleared of its load while at work, without stopping 

 the horses ; is worked by one horse and a driver, and 

 will not cost 1*. a year for repairs. I. A. 0. 



SELECTION— THE TRUE SOURCE OF 



IMPROVEMENT. 



By carefully following this principle, all our breeds 

 of live stock have been brought to that degree of 

 excellence which is the pride of the English farmer, the 

 admiration of the British nation, and the envy of every 

 other — horses, cattle, sheep, and pigs, sought after with 

 insatiable avidity. Expense, don't name it ; it is a favour 

 to part with such animals. The defendants of a noble 

 ancestry, and a copy of the family register, form a 

 treasure of inestimable value to the fortunate possessor 

 of them in another land ; but, notwithstanding that 

 England is supplying other countries with those breeds 

 which I believe are destined to work a universal change 

 in the live stock of the whole world, it is undeniable that 

 she herself would be both richer and happier, if the best 

 of each were to be found on every farm which divides 

 her soil, and if a tittle of that intelligent care and 

 assiduity which have been bestowed, in order to bring 

 our choicest live stock to their present state, had been 

 imitated by others. In reference to the vegetable kingdom, 

 their labours would have long since been rewarded by 

 the production of plants perfect in every respect 



ne** 



nJJ 



* 



in 



early maturity, in quantity and quality of produce, the 

 whole of the nutriment appropriated being converted 

 into the most nutritious edible food, which that race is 

 capable of producing, and none of it expended in useless 



waste ; in hardiness and keeping habits, and for 

 producing the most of the best animal produce, from 

 these immaculate specimens of vegetable art The 

 attainment of this is alone wanted to place the English 

 in the richest and happiest state which it is possible for 

 any nation to acquire from the soil to which she owes her 

 existence. 



The present year, 1851, brings forth the Great 

 Exhibition, the World's Fair, to which everybody is going, 

 and where everything is expected to be seen, and the 

 Royal Agricultural Society holds it annual show of live 

 stock, in the Home Park, Windsor, to add to the 

 attractions, and to exhibit to the scrutiny of the world, 

 a show of animals, which no other land can congregate 

 together— each from the muzzle to the tail a paragon of 

 excellence. 



But our agricultural vegetable productions — what of 

 them I which of them can be said to approach perfection ? 

 None ; not even a distant gleam of a worthy attempt 

 being made to bring them to it, nor do we yet know 

 which race is the best suited to the production of our 

 object, in any one department of our business. Which 

 root or bulb shall we choose, or would not something of 

 the Cabbage tribe answer better ? 



Can it be that the Swede, for instance, is incapable 



shortens back the Vine, and adjusts S ***** 

 bunches, but he thins out and ligj^u? 11 ** «f 

 quantity of Grapes (seeds) to each bunch «S* * 

 agricultural seeds are grown after the 4n^S? 

 our fields must ever be dotted with tokens <tf J^k 



Perhaps the Royal Agricultural s5£ £?* 

 day see the importance of the subject and be u? 

 send forth an essay on the <> Growth of th* ^^T 111 

 Root Crops,- and cuts to shew the proi^S^ 1 * 

 remove from the top of the stem, and howtni^ 

 side branches, so that every seed produced mav h • 

 rous and healthy, requiring only to be placed UV* 

 able circumstances, to shoot forth and hasten on to l!2l 

 maturity ; and if we are to place any reliance utxm 

 agricultural literature, the best of what good thw 

 have were raised by accident. ^ ** 



What is wanted is the Kohl-Rabi bulb, having an .l. 

 York Cabbage for its top, the attainment ofwhU ^ 

 to be had, or expected, from the efforts of a few r > ml^ 

 but by enlisting the careful attention and lon^conSf* 

 assiduity of the many ; and I hope that lhavethown*2 

 cause for every person to do his best— that it mi 

 done, is doubtless ; and although the lucky finder 

 alone have his name borne by it, and planted over Eq7 

 land's surface, still the individual exertions of each £i 

 tries are not the less commendable. 



In conformity with the precept instilled into me that 

 * an acre or two of this, that, and the other kind 

 be useful, for fear one sort misses," I have t^JJ, 

 through the whole mazy mass of our priced lists and cat* 

 logues, and have tried suudry Swedes, yellows, whit*, 

 purples, and reds, with a whole medley of tops and boU 

 toms, flats and rounds, and all sorts of hybrids, heraldri 

 in with certificates which must have been well paid for 

 and the cost laid on the a selling price." and have arm J 



that it is of such a meagre habit as to 



kinds of surface and different states of the hay. The tines of improvement , 



are held either shut close or radiated open by springs, refuse to adapt itself to that degree of plethora which is 



one to each wooden bar on which they are set. Smith " r - 



and Co., of Stamford, Lincolnshire, exhibit their patent 

 hay-making machine, which is perhaps the most superior 

 of its class. This is also in two parts, with socket axles, 

 and lias two motions to be put in train for going either 

 backward or forward. The teeth are held either in or 





out of work by springs ; and the whole can be lowered 

 or raised in or out of work by a crank and screw. One 

 man can work it by himself, and has never occasion to 

 leave the side of the horse, as he can instantaneously, 

 and wuh the greatest ease, raise it from or lower 

 it to its work, and quite as quickly and easily throw 

 it m or out of gear, or reverse the action ; thus efiectin* 

 a great saving of time and labour, and lessening the 

 Liability of the workman to accident. It is calculated 

 that the substitution of wrought for cast iron in this 

 implement besides increasing its strength and durability, 

 decreases the weight on the horse's baek by four stones, 



and lightens the draught. It obtained the prize at the 

 J!«*eter meeting. 



a£^*J*2S!** ul * m WG remarked one in which the 



are 



near this «,d I ™ J ! u VT y ge ; anothel * »ar very 



over S «!, rarath *, he tines ' actin * " a ful <™ 

 ojer which their hinge ends are depressed and their 



point ends elevated. This action is Effected by simply 

 pulling down the end of a lever, which is held u^ when 



» eiiiM. I i,ere are many horse-rakes shown by different 

 &W "ttle varying in the form of tine and 

 leverage for lifting. Howard's prize rake performed 



JLTSS *££!*!* * E ~*er, «&* clean 



in 



hand ' & g T*> and bein S one of the best 



rake, *l„ c h has gamed several prizes, is very 

 simply worked ; each tooth depends Lparateh- from 



Xnrs rV ^ the -noie ::fwiu if d r; 



them TlfJ J t u ^¥ fr a bar P*"^ beneath 



Perfect.^ IfZlT h7 Wh,Ch this bar is lif ted,°seems the 

 perfection of such a movement ; all the hand does is to 



pull down the end of a lever, and instead of tildm. 

 municatmg motion to the bar by joints and levers Td 

 ejecting rods, it does so by making one curve duress 

 another, these being so formed as to give the ^3 



pear of the stubble or hay to be left behind. There 





so much needed. If this be so, then I beg to take by the 

 hand a sadly neglected root— a' root which in quality as 

 far surpasses the Swede, as the latter does those spongy 

 pigmies which are even to this very day are allowed 

 to encumber too much of England's soil— Kohl Rabi, 

 its only fault being that when grown side by side with 

 the former, it has not as yet with me produced quite so 

 heavy a crop, but the quality of its produce makes it 

 equally valuable per acre ; and it is troublesome to top, 

 but, it is still in an uncivilised state, leaves anywhere, 

 everywhere, and nowhere ; some roots crack, and form 

 unsightly clefts, some run to seed-stems, and nearly all 

 have a slight tendency to do so. 



Cultivation and refinement will remedy the first, the 

 second will sometimes happen ; our best Apples will do 

 so, and those which do are the best of them ; but it would 

 he better to grow our crop without this drawback, and 

 I look to the same source to effect it. Remove with a 

 small knife, the first appearance of a seed-stem, and the 

 root will generally grow on unimpaired, but this is only 

 quackery, it is attending to symptoms instead of rectifying 

 the health ; the cause is, seed raised in a faulty manner. 

 I have seen a field of many acres taken in August, worked, 

 and sown with Swedes, which arrived at the size of 

 Bantam's eggs, and the following year was reaped, 

 threshed, and carried to the seed-room. A crop of seed 

 irom such worthless, vagrant parents, to be distributed as 

 being of a highly improved breed, and stromdy 

 recommended ; hut in reality, seed raised under the most 

 unfavourable circumstances, sown out of season, allowed 

 to ramble in filth, uncared for, surrounded and frequently 

 overpowered by its most baneful enemies, weeds. Seed 

 which has been associated with such company, never 

 can produce plants capable of taking advantage, and 

 turning to the best account, those expensive appliances 

 which have emptied the farmer's purse, in the hope of 



SSStX reward of his exertions to £* 



It excites one's risibility to see the meagre subterfuges 

 often resorted to, m order to explain the cause of a di*- 

 graceful crop of Roots- the ny,-tho ny,-made all those 

 blanks 5 wireworms cut the plants down ;-we had bad 

 weather! In nine cases out of ten, the plants, from de- 

 bilitatcd seed, were unable to appropriate ewn the most 

 favourable circumstances, and the deviation of a breath 

 ot wind in an advene direction caused death ; here opens 

 upon us a whole multitude of voices, « Grow your own 



and the cost laid on the " selling price, » u <. ii»» c arr 

 at the conclusion that I, like others, seemed to have no 

 other object in view than studying a due admixture of 

 colours, to improve the landscape. Experience ha 

 taught me that it is far preferable to have a selection of 

 the best, and by good cultivation to obtain the greatest 

 quantity of the best quality of those plants, which, fot 

 dairy purposes, are Cabbages, Carrots, and Kohl-Ral 

 T., April 25. 



-^ - j . i m 



Home Correspondence. 



The Application of Manures— Concentration or Dis- 

 tribution. — I have never been able to reconcile with 

 certain well established facts in the growth and nutrition 

 of plants, the very general practice of concentrate 

 manures immediately under the seeds of our root crop* 

 This practice appears to be extending, for I percete 

 our implement makers are exerting their ingenuity to 

 contrive implements for dropping the manure ; and tk 

 it has been observed repeatedly, in print, that drilling 

 the manure is wasteful ; as if that deposited between 

 plant and plant was useless. I nevertheless adopted u» 

 practice, because, as a general rule, I think it the safer 

 course to adopt any practice that has been in fa?our 

 with the best agriculturists, rather than follow out 

 theoretical views, however apparently well founded. 

 1 laving, however, recently attended a lecture of Professor 

 Way's, delivered at a meeting of the members of the 

 Royal Agricultural Society, at which he entered on m 

 subject, incidentally, in his discourse on the preparation 

 of superphosphate of lime ; and his observations having 

 been in exact accordance with the views 1 had P*™™V 

 entertained, I am induced to recommend my brotner 

 farmers who adopt the principle of concentratioD^ 

 re consider this matter. I have a strong ^P^fT 

 the current is running in the wrong direction, an™ 

 -_ ^i- x J?._i,j ^ anohintr the means ol »» 



th 



most minute division and extreme distribution, 

 facts to which I have referred, and winch, to ^ 

 least of them, demand careful consideration, ar. 

 roots absorb their nourishment only at tnen i 

 points ; that these extend in all directions ; an * 



increase 

 imand 



their ramifications beneath the surface, and c i 

 continual supply of food. I am aware it "^J^ 



is conas tcft * 



if this be supplied ready at hand. But is tii « i -- ^ 

 with their mode of feeding, and the «m dltt if? u " ., known 



re the* 



hattbi* 



reneyo! 



conversion is very gradually eneuicu B ^^ At jtisre^f 



their nutrition is practically effected I It 1S ivetMP 

 they cannot feed on solids, and that ttiey x * ^ ^ 

 nourishment only in a liquid or gaseous 6> aw ^ 



the atmosphere or water, and consequently tu rf ^ 



accomplished in proportion to the minute a ^ 



manure subjected to those influences. 'j> l ^^i 



the first delicate roots are emitted, 1S ^° , the rich«* 



which they require a concentrated . su PP^ rs of assim 



ucreaa 



food : but 



lation 



grow 



they require a larger supply in all ^ j eco mposi* ioB ' 

 Entertaining these" views, I was m ^f^!^Agric^ 



, leased 



offered by the Key 



some time ago, a prize otierea vj --- ., t ' or as » &? 

 tural Society for the best manure aisw think ^ 



in the right direction; and I ™ w 2\\l empi^^ 



on** 1 : 





lUlV--^ , * m, 



equal distribution of manures, than for ^ be „ e fitof 



readers may ha^eu.^ «» 



tration. I hope your 



a r.port of Mr. Way's very ju< 



this subject, as they are entitled to coi 



deration 











