

18 



35 



^v * or 3 feet drain does not answer every purpose, 

 arresting the wa r from below before it can approach 

 (fee surface so as to star the soil, and carrying (iff the 

 water trom above after it has duly performed its bene- 

 ficial duties on and below that surface, at which depth 

 it will run from the tile as well filtered as the purest 

 rock water. And now a word on another subject. 

 Will one or more of your many intelligent readers 

 enlighten the public in the following case. Timber has 

 been, from time immemorial, nursed and fostered on 

 an estate ; periodical falls have taken place, but at this 

 time the quantity of young healthy growing timber is 

 verv considerable in the hedgerows. To thin it would 

 be doing little, as the lateral branches would soon close 

 ap the space. For its own sake this is necessary, But 

 it is in reality timber versm land. In some places the 

 land is goed> in others bad. Should it be cleared away 

 where the land is good, and more mercifully dealt with 

 where the same is bad ? The timber is Elm, and the ex- 

 penses of cutting down, cording, and faggoting would be 

 little more than covered by the sale of the wood. It is 

 now more advantageous to buy deal than to fell and 

 convert one's own Elm timber. I desire to have the 

 opinion of some among your readers on the question, 

 what is the best thing to do — to act on a sweeping 

 system, or to so far admit the possibility of a future 

 revolution in prices as to consult the interests of 

 children by only moderately warring on the obnoxious 

 timber. An Enquirer. 



The Turnip Caterpillar. — Although a severe sufferer 

 from the late caterpillar, over an extent of 60 acres of 

 Turnips, a great part of which were totally consumed, 

 I look forward to another season of a similar calamity 

 with comparative indifference, being perfectly satisfied, 

 from the experience of the last two months, that by 

 proper attention this new evil may be greatly over- 

 come, and which, in my own case, will be followed out 

 thus. Sow Swedish, as usual, in the end of May and 

 beginning of June, assuming the moth to appear at the 

 same time (middle of June) as it did this— by the end 

 of the month the eggs are matured, after which a few 

 days will determine whether the crop is to be destroyed ; 

 if so, pull every green blade, and carry off the field, say 

 by the 6th or 8th of July, allow the ground to remain 

 ■o for four or five days, which, with three op four days 

 more, before the second sowing makes its appearance, 

 will be sufficient to deprive the caterpillar of life, and 

 allow the second sowing to go forward. Should the 



THE AGRICULTURAL GAZETTE 



555 



and adopts as deep drainage as is consistent with the 

 nature of the soil to be dealt with, Mr. Wilkins will 

 pardon my putting to him one or two cases upon which 

 practical men will be glad of information. Will he 

 oblige us by stating the depth and di ice he has found 

 answer best on the yellow clay of the coal formation in 

 the county of Cumberland, where the fall of rain is 

 about four times as much as it is in Essex. Again let 

 him take him the millstone grit of the Northumberland 

 Hills, or the Oxford clay of Huntingdonshire; will his 

 minimum rule of depth and .distance" apply there in the 

 same way as he would apply it to the marl v loams of 

 the red sandstone or lias formation of Lincolnshire, or 

 the Weald of Kent ? I think he will agree with me on 

 reflection that some consideration is due to climate, and 

 that a district subject to a rain-fall of 40 inches must 

 be dealt with somewhat differently to one subject only 

 to 20 inches fall. J. Bailey Denton. Gravely, Sk nam, 

 Herts, Aug. 9. ^^ p 



Mr. Garrett's Reaping Machine. 



Corn Reaping Machine at work, at thei 



\\r l r»*. 7 — ~— r farm, near the 



Works at Leiston, and are perfectly satisfied with 





moth appear, the first sowing of Purple-top and other 

 varieties will be purposely kept back, and the ground 

 occasionally disturbed until the first week of July, the 

 ^-depositing season being then over ; but, for the 

 perfect success of this plan, the thorough cleaning of the 

 pound is necessary, as even a few wild Mustard plants 

 is sufficient to keep as many insects alive as will con- 

 sume a second and third sowing in succession. The 

 only loss that can be sustained is the substitution of 

 Purple-top Yellow for that of Swedish ; but of course 

 this system can only be carried out in a climate like the 

 south of Ireland, where Turnip sowing can be earned 

 on with perfect success up to the 20th of July. I may 

 give you a curious instance of their powers of loco- 

 motion— a field, partly planted with Mangold, and 

 partly sown with Purple-top in the end of June, had no 

 sooner made their appearance than the drill next the 

 Mangold was eaten down ; another and another followed 

 m succession, with the nicest regularity, for a period of 

 i U days, when they had crossed over a distance of no 

 less than 114 yards, when their havoc all at once ceased. 

 „ m >' remark, the Mangold had a few blanks filled 

 pp with Turnip, which first disappeared, and to which 

 in this case must be traced the damage that ensued ; 

 " tfte J 08 *""* of the parent moth is so unerring, as 



Shn* h de P° slt her e ggs but upon those plants which 

 snau be the support of her future offspring, as the 

 Mangold remained untouched. The Potato fields, I 

 regret to say present the appearance of October, being 

 the o n i aC > T he result of a severe attack of blight about 

 lint H y ' the tuber » however, yet remains safe, 



uot as the growth is now over, I fear, under the most 



60 n cu l cum stances, a return of more than 50 or 



W;Fi er *? nt ^ ?, an ave rage crop cannot be looked for. 

 2 tlle fa,lure of the Turnip crop this is a most 

 that ," atter ' for h is a fact, though a melancholy one, 

 nrJn a , ge P TO P° rti on of the population now exists 

 tw°u T n " er escuIe nt for three montlis out of the 



rv ^ Bruce ' Cu *tk Martyr, County Cork. 



weea Caterpillar, Flies, and Slugs on Turnips, to 



Turn- T c ?° time to dred ge fresh, slaked lime over 

 anX P f ' n 7 ste , d with green caterpillars, flies, or slugs ; 

 thin 11 da ?- break > wl iile the dew is upon them, it will 

 win c * Cre H } he P ,ants - About tn ree bushels to the acre 

 dn] v , ?\ ? f Fain come on > R m ay be repeated. If 

 /applied it will prove effectual in extirpating the 



iwfe .m- doubIy re P av the cost, as it is also a 



' ' millser of the soil. Hardy and Son, Maldon, 



I am very glad to find Mr. Donald 



j^f^ Drainage. 



has 1\ t ? l^stion of deep draining in the shape he 

 enter , ? pe Mr - Wi] kins, and those who are led to 



th» j po ? l le discussion, will confine their remarks to 



pon the discussion, will confine their 



J^Ct dr» K* i_ Jt *° given i\uy aibeiiiiuii iu nit? siiu- 



WSml ^ ^J vant »8 e of increasing the staple and 

 \*<\H* , ot ^ h t0 the greatest serviceable depth bv 



greatest 



depth by 



i 1* . - v* own 



tonroinv de , ep drainin g> but I find many sensible and 

 oLd.l , P ers ons doubt the wisdom of an indis- 



deen 111 ^ 1 t W ' l j mrbid€HB g a «y drainage less ban 4 feet 



* as I acknowledge myself to be one who advises 



. „ —A report hnvin 



inadvertently been circulated by one or two of the 



London journals, and thence through the provincial 

 press, that at the trial of corn reaping machines, at Mr. 

 Mechi's farm, at Tiptree, on the 24th of July, the one of 

 our make was tried, and proved a failure ; whereas it 

 was never even taken into a corn field at Tiptree on that 

 day ; we trust you will permit us, through the medium 

 of your columns, to give the result of our experience 

 with the machine in question during the last few days. 

 We have been using the reaping m dune on our own 

 farm every day during the past week, and have much 

 pleasure in declaring our full satisfaction at the result, 

 which, as a first attempt, has proved not only most 

 successful, but far beyond our expectations ; indeed it 

 performs its work so perfectly, cutting the corn with 

 such ease and regularity, and leaving the stubble so 

 even and regular, and so far superior to manual labour, 

 that it is altogether impossible to form an adequate idea 

 of its capabilities without seeing it in operation. We 

 have worked it on lands ploughed on the flat as well as 

 in stetches, both length-ways and across the furrows, and 

 in every case the result has been equally satisfactory. 

 As such an important revolution in harvesting operations 

 is likely to be brought about by the^ introduction of this 

 machine, and considerable interest appears to have been 

 manifested as to the result of these trials, we beg to say 

 that a machine similar in construction to the one now 

 exhibited by us at the Crystal Palace (with some further 

 improvements which practice has suggested), will be at 

 work a portion of every day on our farm, near the works 

 at Leiston, cutting the different crops, until Monday 

 the 25th inst., and that it will afford us great pleasure to 

 show it to any agriculturist who will favour us with a 

 visit, and may be desirous of seeing it in operation. 

 Richard Garrett and Son, Leiston Works, near Saxmund- 

 haan, Suffolk, August 14. 



Reaping Corn by Metchinery. — The implement re- 

 ferred to is of American invention. The plan of it was 

 first suggested to the manufacturers by the Hon. 

 Thomas Tollemache, M.P. for Cheshire, who had seen 

 one at work in America, and from whose accurate de- 

 scription they were enabled to proceed with the con- 

 struction of one for trial. Prior, however, to its com- 

 pletion, a machine was procured from America, through 

 Mr. Tollemache's instrumentality, which served still 

 further to enable the makers to render the one they 

 were constructing, efficient and complete. It was 

 entered for exhibition in the Crystal Palace, in April 

 last, since which time a great deal of attention has 

 been bestowed upon it, with a view to have it ready for 

 trial during the present harvest, and R. Garrett and Son 

 have now no hesitation in affirming that, as a new imple- 

 ment, it has far exceeded their expectations, and is every- 

 thing that could be desired. Tt will cut Wheat, Barley, 

 Oats, or Beans with great facility, and in a manner far 

 superior to that done by hand ; the corn being cut more 

 regularly, and the stubble left more even and perfect. 

 Tw'o horses, a man, and lad, will do about an acre per 

 hour, but with a change of horses and long days, a much 

 larger space might be gone over if necessity required. 

 The Wheat is delivered in heaps of a proper size for a 

 sheaf, and laid even, so as to be as easily tied up as it 

 could be from the sickle. It is most easy of manage- 

 ment, and almost impossible to put it out of repair, the 

 shape of the knives being such as to keep them always 

 in good cutting condition, and to work for a whole season 

 without even requiring to be sharpened. It has been 

 tested on lands ploughed fiat, as well as on stetches or 

 ridges, both lengthways and across the furrows, and in 

 every case the result has been perfectly satisfactory. 

 The construction of the machine is very simple^ The 

 corn is cut by a series of triangular knives, placed on a 

 horizontal sliding bar, intersecting or working between 

 a like series of iron tines, which are fixed to a wooden 

 platform, provided to receive the corn as it falls. Motion 

 is communicated to the knives by means of a crank 

 shaft, worked by the revolution of the travelling wheel 

 of the machine. ' As the implement proceeds in its work, 

 the corn is received and cut between the knives and 

 tines, and falls on the stage, from which it is raked off 

 at intervals by the man in attendance for tliat purpose. 

 R. Garrett and Son have been very desirous that the 

 machine should be publicly tested during the pr ent 

 harvest, and for this purpose have liad it at work daily 

 n their farm adjoining the Works, at Leislon, cutting 

 the different crops. The following is a copy of the 

 certificate signed by those gentlemen who have witnessed 

 its performance up to the date of t a circular : " Leiston 

 Work near Saxmundham, Suffolk, AugOrt 2»rd, 1851 

 We. the undersigned, have seen Messrs. Garretts* 



£tonetie& 



ROYAL AGRICULTURAL >CIBTY OF EXOLATO. 



AW eekly Council was held at the Soci< 's House, 

 in Hanover-square, on Wednesday, the 30th of July. 

 I resent : Col. Challoner, trustee, in the chair ; Baron 

 Mrrtens,Hon.and Rev. Richard Carleton,Mr. BmimuuI 

 Marker, Mr. Hodgson Barrow, M.P., Mr. T. Bishop, 

 Dr. Calvert, Mr. Dunne, jun.. Mr. Dyer, Mr. Gadesden, 

 Mr. Fisher Hobbs, Mr. Law Hodges, M.P., Mr. Hurd, 

 Mr. hinder, Mr. Rowlandson, Professor Siroonds, Mr. 

 T. E. Thomas, Professor Way, and Mr. J. L. Wright. 



AMERICAN rnO*PiIATE OF LIME. 



The Duke of Rich: 



forwarded to the Council a 

 specimen of American phosphate of lime received from 

 Mr. Johnson, along with the following letter : — 



f4 . . . " No. Hi, Bun -street, St, James's, July 9, 1811. 

 l Have tbe honour to present to your Grace, for the Rofal 

 »« ty, a sample of phosphate of lime received \ me by a 

 late steamer trom the United States. This specimen is from 

 a deposit on the banks of Lake Champlain, in the town of 

 Crown Point, Essex county, New York. The vein of pure 

 phosphate is from 2 to 8 f. !e ; and a shaft has bem sunk 



between 25 and 30 feet, and the vein cont an pure, and is a 

 true vein having; its regular walls. It has been ur vered 

 for several hundred feet, 1 understand ; and there fs an abun- 

 dant supply for all time to come. It has been analysed in 

 the United States; and contain*, I am info med, from 80 to 

 90 p'r cent, of phosphate of lime. I* i« found in a trap-dyke 

 forma'ion, which contains a portion of iron and alumina. It 

 has been applied to crops in tbe United States, an 1 baa 

 proved beneficial, and marked by excellent effects. An appli- 

 cation was made upon Wheat last autumn. It was prepared 

 with 20 lbs. of sulphuric acid, with an equal quantity of 

 wa'er, and 100 lbs. of the phosphate of lime. The Wheat 

 upon which it was applied preset! ted a manifest improvement 

 oyer the other portions of the field. It had a darker green, 

 with a strong growth of leavea and mu^h more vigour; and 

 continues still to manifest the same improvement. I trust it 

 will be analysed by the excellent chemist of your Socl^r, Pro- 

 fessor Way, and the result communicated to theSocietv ; and 

 should it be found valuable, as I better it to be, I shall take 

 fTreat pleasure, in behalf of Messrs. Emery and Ffammond, 

 the proprietors of thn mine, in introducing it into thi? country, 

 at a price which will brinjf it within tbe reach of all the 

 agriculturists of Great Britain. 



M (Signed) B. P. Jonwsow, 

 " Secretary New York Stale Agricultural Society." 



The Council received this communication with their 

 hest thanks, and referred the specimen to the chemical 

 investigation of Professor Way, the Consulting Chemist 

 of the Society, who has made the following report on 



the subject : — « August 20th. 1861. 



J " The specimen transmitted to me for examination was a mass 

 of perhaps 10 or 12 lbs. weigl . and of tolerably uniform 

 character throughout. When broken it exhibited an uneven 

 fracture of a dull #reen hue, interspersed with lines of a 

 chocolate colour. Layers «f quartz inters* cted it in various 

 dire c ions, and the outlines, or cases ot a bells, were in 

 pUces tolerably numerous. The specific gravity of the 

 mineral is 3*02. For the aba s, several pounds oi the 

 mineral, taken from all parte <<f the specimen, were broken 

 up and reduced to powder, so that a fair average result 

 might be obtained. The composition in 100 parts was found 

 to be as folJows :— Fer-centage composition 



when dried. 



Bituminous matter, and combined water, 



expelled at a red heat ... ... 



Ma-'ter insoluble in acids, consisting 



ebiefiy of sand 16'79 





Silica, soluble in acids 



• • • 





■ass 



... '65 





Phosphoric acid — mean of four i 



ieter- 



Bone-esrth 



sanations, 2D-5G, 30*33, 



29 



•r>, 



and 



Phosphate. 



31-23 



... 





04 • 



... 30-20 



- 6*27 



Lime ... ,.„ ... 



mm 9 





•••• 



... 4010 





Peroxide of iron 



• #• 





• •• 



... 647 





Magnesia 



• t • 





-.♦ 



l-tii 





Chloride of sodium ... 



• . | 





- « • 



... -08 





Soda ... ..» 



044 





• ** 



... -30 





Potash ... .,. 



rib 







... '25 





Sulphuric acid 



*•• 





•sat 



^ trace 





Fluorine 



• •+ 





a#sj 



*~ 2 41 





Loss «. ■»• 



9 t • 





- « • 



... 108 







lotoe 



As the coprolites of the crag formation contain, on an averse, 



phosphoric acid equal to aboui SG per cent, of boue+sarth 

 ph phata, and as the objectionable admixture of carbonate 

 of lime with tbem, which reduces the effective strength of 

 sulphuric acid with which they are treated for manure, is 

 abeat counterbalanced by the equally objectionable existence 

 of fluoride of calcium in tbe New York mineral, 1 should 

 estimate the commercial \alue of the latter, as compared 

 with our own mineral sources of phosphate of lime, in t!m 

 relation of their relative proportions of phosphate of urns, 

 which, practicallv speaainjr, are very nearly the same. 



M ( Signed ) J. Thomas Wat." 



TURNIP FLY AND INJECT. 



The following communications were received on this 

 suhject:— 1. From Sir Charles Lemon, Bart., M.P., 

 the following extract from a letter addressed to him 

 by Mr. Booth : — " Carclew, 20th July, 1851. 



" The crops oi Mangold Wurzel and Turnips wanted rain much. 

 Instead of the latter bein« carried off as u<ual by the Turnip 

 fiea-beetle, a new enemy to the farmer has come into the 

 field, in the shape of a tinyrash-colouxed moth, not unlike the 

 common clothes-moth, but smaller. Tbe rows of Turnips 

 swarm with them, and the underside of the leaves are covered 

 with their grubs, which commit sad bavoe. In some instances 

 they have cleared the ground as effectually as the black 

 caterpillar did some 15 years ago." 



2. From Mr. Fuller, M.P., two letters, from winch 

 the following extracts are taken : — 



1 London, 24 tb July, 1851. 

 "I have just heard from Anglesea that iar*re yellow grabs, 

 about a quarter of an inch long, are destroying every Swede 



Turnip in that island." # „ , ,„„„ 



F »2Stb July, 1851. 



" I have received from my bailiff at Rose Hill, in Sussex, the 

 following account of the grubs attacking our crop in that 

 county, and Which seems to be different from the yellow 

 grubs in Anglesea :— * I haee enclosed a few of the insects we 

 have been lagued with on tbe Swedes and Drumhead Cab- 

 bages. You will ftnd maggots, caterpillars, and 1 call the 

 small ones lice : they h; done the most mischief, as they 

 get into the heart of the Turnip and Cabbage, and will very 

 soon hill them, if not prevented. When I ssw them first in 

 our Cabbages, I noticed the Cabbage got yellow and I ex- 

 amined them, and found the heart full of the small and soma 



