426 



THE AGRICULTURAL GAZETTE 



has a prominent claim. In the interesting papers 

 alluded to, we were struck with the following passage: 

 "It is pretty well ascertained, that the two 

 most valuable ingredients of dung and similar 

 rich manures, are the phosphoric acid and nitrogen 

 which they contain ; and it is plain that the 

 quantity of the former, which plants are able to 

 take up, must depend upon the proportion of it natu- 

 rally existing in the soil, or artificially added to 

 it. In the case of ammonia, however, it must 

 be different if the quantity which plants con- 

 tain is independent of the soil altogether, and 

 depends en the proportion which they are able to 

 collect from that unlimited source, the atmosphere. 

 It is evident that if plants are able to appropriate 

 the nitrogen of the air, our views respecting the ap- 

 plication of manure must be considerably modified; 

 because the question will no longer be, how to fix 

 ammonia, and how to supply plants with a certain 

 quantity of nitrogen in a state of combination, but 

 rather how to bring plants into that state in which 

 they are best able to appropriate the nitrogen of the 

 air, Always therefore bearing in mind that it is by 

 no means impossible that plants may absorb a por- 

 tion of free nitrogen, we must say that probability is 

 much against US' 



We believe that this extract embraces most 

 important considerations in agricultural practice, 

 and that many of the fanciful distinctions which 

 are often drawn and made in regard to the fictitious 

 value and effects of different specific substances on 

 certain classes of vegetables, are in a greater mea- 

 sure due to the state in which we have placed the 

 plants, than to the fact that the food or requirements 

 of our crops are different. -And, besides, some of 

 these principles lie at the root of those questions 

 which involve and determine the agricultural ten- 

 dencies and systems of a country. For without over- 

 rating or trusting too much to primitive practices, 

 still the natural history of many of them affords a 

 safe guide by which to survey and trace the spirit of 

 modern innovation, which has brought into the field 



skill and capital, and ihus introduced new disturbing 

 elements. 



cution of our inquiry, we shall first examine into the 

 current chemistry of the subject, which lies on its 

 threshold, and for this end we intend to review some 

 of the deductions which Mr. Lawes has arrived at, 



The power which our 

 of developing their 



organs 



cultivated plants 

 and 



have 



_ _ _ , maturing their 



products, depends on certain states of soil and at- 

 mosphere. The economy with which they can work 

 up the nitrogenous materials supplied to their roots 

 depends on a vast number of circumstances, some of 

 which are within, while others are entirely beyond 

 the control of the cultivator. The same ends are 

 sometimes attained by very opposite means — thus 

 for example, we see Mr. H. Davis and others obtain 

 large results in the cultivation of the cereals, from 

 comparatively small outlay in the shape of manure, 

 by their skilful and careful management, and to us 

 the rationale of their practice 



. . . . 3 to be, that by 



placing the plants in healthy and favourable states 

 to extend their roots and leaves 



less 



expend 

 rely to 

 sources. 



a 



and 



in his excellent papers on " Agricultural Chemistry/ 

 in the 8th volume of the Royal Agricultural Society's 

 Journal, so far as they lie in our way. B. 



REPORT ON THE AGRICULTURAL SECTION 



OF THE GREAT EXHIBITION. 



[A mistake was committed in our notice of the 

 Chaff-cutters last week. The machine like a chaff-box, 

 with a bottom of endless web, and vertical saw-edged 

 knives, as well as a radial curved knife, shown by Smith 

 & Co., of Stamford, is for cutting fat. Smith's Chaff- 

 cutter, however, we have noticed as worthy of every 

 commendation — for the completeness of the cut, thte 

 variety of the lengths of chaff, and the efficiency of the 

 feeding apparatus— as, so far from a skilful feeder being 

 required in order to keep the engine going without 

 choking, the box may be fed by even a boy with a 



fork. LA.C] 



The next division is " E — Field, Fold, and Yard 



Machinery." 



Turn ip- cutters are shown of the disc, cylinder, and 

 other forms! Stanley's has a vertical disc, carrying 

 two large V-shaped knives, with smaller preceding ones 

 at ri^ht angles, in order to subdivide the slices. An 

 inventor named De Porquet exhibits a model of a 

 Turnip- cutter, which has large and small knives fixed 

 upon the exterior of a cone on a horizontal axis. The 

 knives resemble those of the original disc cutter ; the 

 hopper seems incapable of clogging, and the slices fall 

 out at the expanded side, and not inconveniently under- 

 neath. 



Burgess and Key, of Newgate- street, London, exhibit 

 a patent Turnip-cutter, which consists of a lon^ trough 

 partitioned into four, the bottom being an iron plate, 

 which carries the knives, and is vibrated to and fro end- 

 ways.. The cutters in each compartment are of different 

 sizes for cattle and sheep, and gratings allow the slices 

 to drop through ; but an alternating sliding motion of 

 this kind can hardly be so good or easy as the rotary 

 one — on much the same principle that makes the Times 

 printing-press, With its revolving type-cylinder, a better 

 machine than one in which the horizontal form is 

 rapidly reciprocated. 



C. Phillips and Co., of Bristol, show their patent 

 Improved Gardners' Turnip- cutter, in which the hopper, 

 constructed with grated sides, is made to shake, by means 

 of a small crank, a spiral spring upon the connecting 

 rod preventing any jolting or concussion from the 

 movement. 



To improve upon the best model, is to approach 

 nearest to perfection ; and therefore one of the very 

 best Turnip-cutters yet manufactured is that exhibited 

 by B. Samuelson, successor to the late Mr. Gardner of 

 Banbury, which remedies the principal defect of the 

 famous instrument invented by that maker. At the 

 Royal Agricultural Society's two last meetings at 

 Norwich and Exeter, Mr. Samuelson obtained the prize 

 for his addition to the Turnip-cutter for sheep, of a 

 knife which cuts large slices for cattle, and is brought 

 into action by merely reversing the motion of the fly- 

 wheel. In all barrel Turnip-cutters hitherto made the 

 last piece of the root was allowed to pass through unslit 

 or if cut, it was done with considerable waste and loss of 

 power. The 7 



or boiled bones are 



phosphate, we may, perhaps, "assist 





-du 



or 



am, 



conclusion arrived' it from' t^7\? e J? b * Wnt 

 Morton's «r™i™^;« ~* a. . r bv Mr. i| ^ 



very v 



Cyclopedia of Agrf^ltenf* « J! 11 ^ 



districts Mr. Blackball idea w l k Tha * in **. 



certain. That it can.howpv*- ' ^ very Va l ^ 



dissol 



"*; 



cheaper than 



bones, where power is cheap and steam • , cr ^ii 

 than we can or ought to expect from \l»*v> U «*t 

 ments by Mr. Slight, of Edinburgh it « m e *W- 

 mere process of steaming was nolL?*"^*. 

 bones into a state fit for application • ffi? 1 *° br % 

 mentary one of pounding or bruising Was n atasn Ppt 

 and Dr. Anderson came to the lam* »~f-i ^i* 88 *? * 



conclusion, ij, 



paid for crushed bones. 



advantage of the new process over that°nf 

 point of expense in the process, is bv no LT^'* 

 The steaming and after process are esL !^ c!e * 

 per ton, but may cost much more • an d T " "* 

 added 10s. for carriage, and 5s. for interest \ * ^ * 

 caoital. the exnense Will a ,^ ount to mol .^ *1 ** * 



That tVi* prfci 



sede bones and acid, is not to be expected ^m"' ^' 

 hall overlooks the fact, that if weHaJ -? 1 * 

 tents our paying for a larger quantity of bone, i^t 

 instances, experiments establish this conclusion \ £* 

 comparison with fermented bones " Tho ni Jr * tt 

 steam to facilitate ithe dissolving of the bonefe i/ 

 hovvever, a desirable improvement ; and may/pX 

 with this furnace, be found to answer. It apnea* dS 

 after steaming, the coarser fragments of crSrifcS 

 are more thoroughly dissolved than the finely J2 

 and with a reduced quantity of acid. I n this ^TS 

 extra expense of bruising bones so fine, as well M , 

 third of the acid, has been saved ; but whether the cm 

 of steaming overbalanced this saving, we are uabk 

 to st&tc. 



Among the machines of use in a farm-jard ud 

 valuable as assistants in manuring, we must not forget 

 to mention Deane, Dray, and Deane's patent Cess-pool 

 Cleanser. It is calculated to effect a saving of precious 

 fertilising liquid, and economise the mode of its appfr 

 cation to the land. I. A. C. ™ 



xm a. l,rni P- cutter recentiypatented(Jan.,1851)by 



Mr. Alexander Samuelson, has upon it the words—'' cuts 



the last piece," and this is effected in the following way • 

 the last piece of each Turnip is thrown by the centri- 

 fugal action of the barrel upon a ledge about 

 with the axis, where it is held until it is » 



knives at their next revolution. 





., they either 



manure in their giowth, or can 



greater extent upon the natural 



a j t • thus the ^ are abJe to supplement 



the deficiency of vegetable food in the soil, which 



would have been inadequate for effecting the same 



results had the ground been overcrowded with 



plants, and unassisted by acts of cultivation. No 



one will deny that there is a wide margin for 



effecting a saving, when we consider that the cereals 



are supposed to expend five parts of ammonia in 



w D L ?De T> 1Va u en - in their P roduce - W * can- 

 not believe that this M a necessary proportion. But 



on the other hand, the atmospheric elements- 

 arranged in endless variety-have specific influences 

 on vegetation, and accordingly modify results. Over 



on a level 

 cut hy the 



;<, *i, i *•*,.- * Mother improvement 



is the substitution of a patent wrought-iron frame for 



the wooden one hitherto used, which adds greatly to the 

 durability of an implement left in the field for months 

 night and day, and in all vicissitudes of weather 



Among Washers, of which there are several varieties 

 with more or less mechanism about them, there appears 

 to be none more simple and effective than Crosskill's 

 Archimedian Root-washer, and the similar machine 



Zt'li $ : erfor f: d zinc > for filing Beans. Stanley' 

 exhibits h« well-known Steaming Apparatus 32 

 gamed the Royal Agricultural Society's prize ? & I! 



£ J± l°l 2^3. ° n ™ e «** and * Pan or tub 



THE MANAGEMENT OF GRASS LAND IN THE 



NORTH OF FIFE. 

 The following paper by Mr. Haxton, of Drumnod,ii 

 the abridgment of a paper read by him at a latemeetbr 

 of the Highland and Agricultural Society of Scotland, 

 when the subject of discussion was, " The most suitable 

 proportions and quantities of Grass and Clover seeds to 

 so w for hay, soiling, and pasturage ; the substauoi 

 most profitable for top-dressing, and the proper time to 

 apply them." 



The whole district is exceedingly uneven, being ele- 

 vated into long ridges, or isolated conical hills, wiA 

 intervening valleys. The quality of the land is, come- 

 quently, very various, passing from a poor, thin soil, 

 near the top3 of the hills, to a fine alluvial deposit, at 

 their bases ; while, between these extremes, there is 

 much excellent dry, sharp land, capable of producing 

 good crops, both of corn or roots. In this part of Fife- 

 shire, Grass seeds are generally sown amongst Barley, 

 either in a five or six-course shift, but on the firmer 

 and deeper class of soils, they are not unfrequently sown 

 amongst Wheat when this crop is taken instead of 

 Barley. The larger proportions (two-thirds) of the 

 Grass sown in my neighbourhood is for pasturing cattle 

 and sheep, while the remaining one-third is cot tor toy? 

 or for soiling horses and cows, and occasionally * few 



cattle are fed in the yards on the soiling system. 

 kinds of Grasses and Clovers sown for pastni 



The 



vane- 



■) 



Common red and win* 



ghire, brought from a distance, 

 (lover are also sown along with Rye - grass, anu i»»y 

 Cow-grass has been a good deal sown. When the m* 

 is intended to remain two or more years in P astu **>*J\ 

 to a less extent, Alsike Clover has been cultivated f«J 

 successfully for the same purpose. For soiling andftfy 

 either annual or perennial Rye-grass is sown-tbeW* 

 always, of course, when the land is to remain in W» 

 a second year — and common red Clover, C° W "P*^' 

 a half and half mixture of the two. The usual <p» 

 ti ties sown for pasture are-lj to 2 bushels «tp«-| 

 nial Rye grass, 5 lbs. of white Clover, and 3 to ^ 

 red Clover, or a like quantity of Cow-grass ; ana 

 soiling, 4 to 5 pecks of Rye-grass, and from 8 to 

 of red Clover or Cow-grass per Scotch acre 



the different kinds ©TJJ 



Now, *s 



regards the quantities of 



the cor 



the 

 Do 



verge of 

 its natural 



~ " m "°««ucg ana capaf 

 ration keep pace with each other ? 



30 minutes', «d whm arS^T ' *? boi,B in g™sB and C1 ° v ^ usually sown V"*™"™^* 



wS JEW -— *r- a*.**- " *•' ■£ 



hich works the cutters 

 helncr 



and mills before mentioned, M 



its Polar or Equatorial limits. 



means of snb.stenco and -A"*^ 3 ffll Jlr^^^^^C 



Does the same 



*m enters at 



.« wvu * CC p p ace WU h each other ? Does the same ' ITfTf T C ° Pper - lne steaming-p 



amount of that essential element, ammonia ^ To • Se^o^r' f " emptying ; and the **< 

 duce a corresponding return of t?Ja Z •',?*. ° ; . et °P— no *> ™ is commonly the case it 

 latitudes ! a n«r* fJL ~u ? produce in all its when it becomes condemn L thl -?* ¥ 



ip, *..„...£ 



long been committed of sowing 

 too little Clover. 



refer to thpmin^^nf^n • "Ti . ^ * e can only "'g"-F rt>J «>ure ftteamb. 



to our narrower task of endeavor ^fij 

 ^Jt^^J^^^ U P°« whiff rest tte 



vaned 

 It will 



witn impartiality to all parUes. 



es condensed b> the water *£ llT^ 



mes in. ' 



•linburgb, shows a model of a 

 l,e £. «» digesting bones for 



Turnips and eth« 71SJHF££ *%*£"* C ^' 

 informs the public that « the process nf «L ■ u 

 supersedes the use of expensive crulh g ^^ 



inventor 



mg machinery and 



suipnunc ac.d at present ren,,ire<l ThTTZTV r , De w,e mo 

 and labour by this new metho S' *% ?° St ° f fuel * he latter - 

 ton." Now/as n^y'lmt. m iT^l** fc ^ i *W > 



too much Kye-g^ 

 reason usually ^^ 



sowing so Jarge a proportion of the for ™ er LiMv est*- 

 with the latter, is, tU Clover-the red vu^T 

 cially— is so nncertain a crop, that it is ^^ 

 adopt the precaution of having the lana ^^ 



with Rye- K ras8, in order to obviate, °f. ai p v .I t f tl» 



' ■ • stained m the ev ^ 



w .« F . 6 However read d> ^ .^ ^ 



inclined to admit the necessity of such a p ^ .^ 

 must be evident to most minds that the p htte ie 

 is productive in bo small degree of the ev b .^ ,„ 

 avoided, for as Rye-grass pushes away in k| jofS, 

 spring than Clover, so will it, whence ft ^ 



case •» 



Clover proving a failure 



pring 

 be the more ready to impede or 



cularly the 



per \ Rye-grass and red (iover sown 



fc«i^ir«4^rB55-^-;J5a.--y.i»tf », ,„»„o i„«o bv, 



and 



steamed pasture Grass, we have all, I dare 



top*? JJ 

 even »n tne 



say. 



expene 



