42 



THE AGRICULTURAL GAZETTE 



the same tunic during wee weatner as uuring ury — 

 during the first stage of the plant as during the last ; 

 but on the anomalous charac r of the li<|uid system in 

 this respect we shall not dwell. 



Lastly, silicious soils appear those best adapted for the 

 Iquid s\ em, and we believe it is on them that the 

 success of both the Flemish and Chinese practices have 

 been founded. But even on such soils it appeal's very 

 problematical whether an application of charcoal and 

 clay would not be more efficacious than so many waterings. 

 The old adage " Lay clay on sand and you buy land " 



Emounces its award in favour of the former practice, 

 e effects which clay produces when laid upon such 

 Boils is very remarkable. The field from which it may 

 have been taken may be burnt up, and also the portion of 

 the silicious field to Which it has not been applied, while J 

 that part to which it has been applied may be growing 

 luxuriantly. In the case of tenacious clay soils, the 

 application of sand is equally beneficial, producing similar 

 results ; so that, without stopping short to find fault 

 with foreign practice, we have data sufficient to establish 

 the only sound practice for the moist climate of Britain. 

 The conclusion, therefore, at] which we arrive at is, to 

 drain lands requiring it effectually, and plough deep, 

 keeping the clod-crusher going when required, so as to 

 admit of the free circulation of the atmosphere to the 

 roots of plants, and to apply solid manures suitable to 

 the different crops. To increase the absorbent powers 

 of silicious soils, by applying clay, &c., so as to effect a 

 permanent improvement, is the second practice to be 

 carried out, so as to avoid the more expensive system of 

 continual waterings, during the scorching months of 



In proceeding to the erection of these buildings, the 

 ground in the interior should be prepared with a fa 

 from the highest end through the whole extent, to facili- 

 tate the drainage, and if the surface were well puddled 

 or rammed with clay, it would be better prepared t 

 receive any kind of paring ; bricks will be necesaarv in 

 the stable, whilst in the cowhouse, passages, &c, con- 

 crete will answer the purpose. The paWge which 

 leads down the side of the long building, and the centre ' 

 of the square one, will have a main drain formed of 

 open drain tiles leading to the manure tank, with connect- 

 ing branch drains to the horse and cattle department- 

 The smaller drains in the stable may be of cast iron, 

 similar to those in cross street pavements, with 

 a small opening, an inch wide, along the upper 

 surface ; they would not then interfere with the 

 horses* hind feet. With neat 



drain, as usual, may be best. 



cows the dung may be moved in the usual 



stock, an open 

 Excepting from 



but 



in the model the cowhouse adjoins the dung yard, so 

 that the manure may be thrown into it through an 

 opening in the wall. The building is 8 feet from the 

 floor to the eaves, and 26 feet in width— a size sufficient 



to accommodate six cows in each row, with a passage 

 le ling through to all the departments. This will he 

 large enough for a moderate sized farm ; but If th 

 occupation is extensive, the long model may have 

 another corresponding range by its side, the "centre 

 # m sukious >*uu* uj applying ciay, ficc., so as to effect a being supported on posts or pillars. This ar ngement 



doubles the size of every department, and a one centre 



passage would be sufficient, three or four f i would be 



gained in the additional portion. The short model 



f . . . , . ,-* . „ * , could also be on an enlarged scale ; in fact, the dung 



of tenacious clays, by the application of sand, &c, is the yard cannot be too large, 



m<*t advantageous, to avoid their baking in the sun. In whole yard is too expensive, an open space adj< 

 all cases where sewage matter can be applied to Grass would be very convenient. Large barns are not con- 

 Iands,ontheirrigationprinciple,thepracticeisundoubted; sidered so necessary as formerly, as corn is thought to 

 but where this cannot be done, the proposition of sepa- keen better in stacks; and since the introduction of 

 rating the mammal elements from the aqueous, by means threshing machines it is more convenient. We have 

 Of charcoal, &c, recommends itself. A very valuable | proposed no special department for threshing machines 





yielded upwards of nve quarters to the acre, and a 

 margin for rent and profit of 8/. an acre. What farming 

 with the plough approaches the spade husbandry ? The> 

 only explanation] an offer, and this acew ."ulv with 



my own experience, is, that whilst the farmers' have 

 been seeking reduction <* cost in their ploughing, tbey 

 have been overlooking the i ue of deep cultivation and 

 fine comminution of the under strata into which the 

 seed has to push its roots. I have long seen the value 

 of the Kentish turn wrest plough, which breaks up the 

 bottom and sifts the crumb it makes underneath • 

 ajid after using almost every plough, I still work it 

 whenever I think the crop will be the better for two or 

 three inches of fresh soil, a pulverised bed, and a per- 

 raeable subsoil, in place of five or six inches of block 

 an a hard pan underneath, left by the cutting ploughs* 

 which will not allow the roots (to go any lower. I had 

 the pleasure of seeing Mr. Smith's crop in the spring 

 and I was much struck with it ; I spoke of it »hm 

 looking a* the crops of one of our finest agriculturists, 

 where Wheat was all drilled 14 inches apart, and with 

 only three peeks of seed on an acre. The impression 

 on him of what 1 told him I had seen, was such that he 

 immediately had an acre of his Wheat measured off, 

 and every other of the rows upon it dug in, f that on 

 this acre the Wheat stood in rows at 26 inches 



1 1 peck of aevd to the acre, 

 showed, although the Wheat 

 au appearance of 

 Still this acre was 



increase 



luxuriance 



listinguish- 



pparent in 



to stand till 



and if the covering of the 



■ 



portabl 



of the farm, the sewage matter of towns, &c., and char- 

 coal, especially for starting Turnips and other plants 

 during the scorching months of June and July, and 

 putting them beyond those dangers to which they are 

 subject. The proposition is, deserving of our support. 

 We have oftener than once recommended experiments, 

 anticipating favourable results; but until aseries of well- 

 conducted experiments decide the question, satisfactory 

 conclusions cannot be arrived at Until this is effected, 

 our most sanguine expectations belong to the regions of 

 theory only. To get a manure which would retain 

 moisture in a greater degree, and absorb it from the 

 atmosphere, than any one we now possess, for starting 

 Turnips, and similar plants, would be a most important 

 acquisition. W. B. 



THE INDUSTRIAL EXHIBITION. 

 Farm Buildings. — Among the objects in the agri- 

 cultural department, and elsewhere, were several models 

 of (arm build in o:s : those of Mr. Meehi. ammur ^h^ a 



or steam power, but these could easily be add<»d, if 

 required, and under the same succession of roofing ; 

 ventilation will be found amply provided for by the 

 doors and windows in the building, but if there is any 

 doubt about it a few air bricks in the walls or perforated 

 zinc will hav a good effect. The escape of the vitiated 

 air may be by means of louvre boards, or openings in 

 the ridge tiling. 



Home Correspondence. 



Granite. — When resident some years ago in the High- 

 lands, it occurred to me that the vast masses of granite 

 in that country could be converted into manure — that is 

 to say, that the felspar and other silicates of potash and 

 soda could be so treated as to render soluble in water 

 the potash, soda, and silex ; thus making them an avail- 

 able and valuable food for crops. The readiest way 

 that occurred to me of doing this, was to stratify the 

 granite with alternate layers of carbonate of lime 

 (limestone) and coal in a lime kiln, and burn the whole 

 together, as lime is usually burned. I expected in this 

 process that the granite, being made red-hot, would 

 easily receive any chemical impression from another 

 agent, that the carbonate of lime would be decomposed ; 

 that its liberated carbonic acid would seize on the 



apart, and only with 



The effect very soon 



of the field presented 



I believe seldom seen. 



able by its superior growth, and it becanv 



the summer there would be far too much 



harvest, and such proved the fact ; for before 1 .: f»st 



its great length of straw brought it to the ground. 



The fault was nwr luxuriance. Here the giowerhad 



to complain of his land being too rich-— a fault it doefl 



not cost money to curs ; and to what w:.s s owing, 



but to the larger amount of food oj ened to the 



roots by the turning in of the intermediate s 



The value of such instances as these lies not 



so much in them as examples to follow, as in 



throwing light on the mysteries of vegetation, and 



showing the importance of better cultivation Wo 



are here taught how land may be enriched — not by 



costly manures, but by more effective labour ; and, if 



principle of covering over a given extent of laud, and 



dividing it out among the efficient purposes of a farmery, 



is adopted. Not being able to present a plan of this potash and soda of the granite, forming soluble car- 



building to our readers, we shall just select from the bonates; that the silex would also become soluble, either 



ascription which accompanies the model passages on '* w + u ~ * * - 1 — ' :J — - L - - " 



particular portions deserving of remark. 



TIce Pigsties.— The plan adopted with them is to 

 •ecure cleanliness and warmth by having the flooring 

 formed of Memel deal laths, 1£ inch thick and about 

 4 inch apart for small pigs ; 1 inch for middling size, 

 and 1£ inch for full size, and this being raised 2 or 3 

 feet, the manure falls immediately through and is col- 

 lected on inclines below ; the liquid runs away to the 

 manure-tank, and the solid is removed to the covered 

 nianure-yard adjoining. Some prefer a small pit under- 

 neath, m which they place ashes, which, when well 

 saturated, are fit for top dressing or drilling. The food 



1L t m tW0 covereci cisterns or tubs, one on each 

 aae, between which is placed, in front, a moveable 

 plank r. sting on the frame of the cisterns, which forms 

 • platform for the purpose of a feeding road, and which, 

 wnen one end is let down, and the cistern closed, forms 



road 



-• W wi« are partially sui 



the platform or feeding road. 

 Manure "~ " 



or 

 ie yard, 



n T «*k ( underground) and Pump. — It is 



Foposed that connecting drains shall run from the , 

 SI '• Stab,€j Piggeries, &c, into the tank ; f ' 

 diQttn 6 i may *** P um P ed illto the manure cart 



^■nbuticn, or turned with the aid of a shoot, 



guua percha tubes, upon the manure heap in tl_ _ 

 •lodN Coni P° sfcs of various descriptions may be made. The 

 but £** u P on a mucn smaller scale than was intendecL 

 i as Mr. Baxter was late in his application for space 



iidM k T ,88ionew » onlv 2 feet 6 incbes in len £*h 

 j£W _ be allotted to him ; but this may be sufficient for 



p actual man to see the geueral system of arrange- 

 tor 2J/f lle aa,ne P 3aa can > of course, be carried out on 



^JWlle. Rn qo ♦« „,.:* » s i r N 1 • f 



in the form of silenic acid, or that it would combine 

 partly with the lime, and that the greatest part of the 

 granite would, when thus soluble, be an extremely valu- 

 able manure. I tried the experiment on a large scale 



that is, in a lime kiln, and the changed granite I spread 

 upon the land ; unfortunately I left the Highlands before 

 a sufficient time had elapsed for me to observe its effect 

 on the crops, and a severe illness prevented my making 

 a chemical analysis of the products of the kiln ; but, 

 this much I can say, that the burned granite melted 

 down in the rains ; indeed, in a very few days it became 

 disintegrated and pulverised by the action of air and 

 moisture ; and 1 have not the slightest doubt but that 

 it had been rendered soluble by combination with the 

 carbonic acid hi the heated kiln. Being now resident in 

 a chalky, gravelly district, where no granite exists, I 

 have had no opportunity of carrying out my experiment 

 as I should wish ; the best thing, therefore, I can do is, 

 , to give publicity to the theory and practice (as far as it 

 went) in hopes that some one having the opportunity 

 may try the effect of this new manure on various crops. 

 Should it succeed in the manner I believe it will, what 

 an inexhaustible store the farmers will have of a valuable 

 manure ! A learned professor said," I was going to turn 

 Ben Nevis into a dungheap," and truly there is no 

 romance in the expression, for chemically it is possible. 

 I should mention that the granite must be broken into 

 lumps not larger than a cricket ball, for I found all 

 above that size unaltered in the centre, whereas all of 

 smaller size melted completely away. Martyn Roberts, 



Woodbank, GerranFs Cross, Bucks, October 7. 



It is a curious fact, and not 



rightly viewed, we shall see from Mr. Smith's crops, and 

 the instance mentioned, the direction to which our atten- 

 tion should be turned for giving greater fertility to our 

 laud. Numerous instances in confirmation of these ex- 

 amples present themselves to me. 1 can but mention 

 two. A large landed proprietor, desirous of clothing 

 the open ground round his house, planted, about 30 

 years ago, numerous clumps of trees — anxious to give 

 a rapid growth to those nighest his mansion — for many 

 years had their beds turned in annually. I hese took 

 the lead, and are now double the size of the beds that 

 were not so treated, and have had to be thinned five or 

 six times ; and there can be no question, on looking at 

 the two, that the extra growth has more than doubly 

 repaid the labour upon them. The other case 

 is that of a farmer, in Hertfordshire, who, having 

 a poor side of a field that he could not make pro- 

 ductive, one winter, 20 years ago, being overseer, 

 put all the able paupers to work upon it ia 



ever 



since been the most productive of the two. These 

 are cases I can vouch to ; but who is there that does 

 not know the difference that an old garden or Hop- 

 ground ever shows ; it cannot be the manure, for the 

 difference is seen after any number of years ; it lies in 

 the greater depth given by the culture to the plants to 

 feed from. Hewitt Davis, 3, Frederick* &-place, Old Jcwry p 

 London, Oct. 13. 



Prices of Goods in 1 BIO and those in 1851. — Cottagers 

 are now fully sensible of the reduction of prices of 

 articles of food and clothing, and speak of the advan- 

 tages they derive at present by Sir Robert Peel's mea- 

 sures. That statesman said, w he hoped his name would 

 be remembered amongst the poor and humble." * Sir,'* 

 said a cottager, * had prices continued high for food, 

 t re would have been open rebellion in the country ** 

 But the rural population are surprised at the cheap * 

 clothing, as well as feel the advantages of cheap foodl 

 One of these cottagers cave me the prices of articles 

 used bv them 40 



trenching it; and this side of the field has 



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Cultivation for Corn.- 

 easily explained, that whilst improvement has 

 of late years been making in the machinery and imple- 

 Hp^^ , ^ — lv ,«„. vw , oi«u i<%ruufc no i is oi ments of the farmer, and notwithstanding that ploughing 



**l*cter t^ t^U v 10D, ancl a PP ears of a more familiar is done with half the strength, and the produce is pre- 



• •• 



er than No. 2, but the arrangement of the latter 





contai— ^r— ground 



m 



precisely 



an. Each of the buildings 



k ah thL 8 * 1 * des <*iption of one of the models will 

 ** erJS5 % neceasar >'- Of course these building 

 *tu^*f -^ mat erial suitable to the locality. The 



._ cost, of 70 years ago, 



there are many instances of land being worked with the 

 spade, and without the advantages of machinery, com- 



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price of the same is given in the last page. 



by them 40 years ago, and what they pay now. 

 Many now living are not aware of the difference of cost 

 of articles of consumption by the peasantry. They will 



interest many, no doubt : — 



1810. 

 Hat 

 Gcwn 

 Shirt 



Calico print, per yard 

 Browo Holland lining of frown 

 Packing clotii, then used lor aprons 



Articles of food : — 



A gallon of flour 

 A bushe! of flour 



Salt, per bushel 



Hacon, home cured, per lb. 



Tea (not good), per lb. 



Brown Sugar, per "* 



Butter, per lb. 



Soap, per lb. 



Starch, per lb. ... ^ .:, 



Other items might be given, but these may 

 and will speak for themselves. X F. Z. $ Hants. 



Disease in Poultry. — There have been several ia* 



quiries lately in your Paper, as to the beet antidote fop 



disease in poultry. As I have had some little experience 



in this way, a few hints may not be unacceptable. Ia 



last edition (the 8th) of j the first place it is of the greatest importance that the 



be kept perfectly clean. I litter the bottom 



£ 





 

 

 

 

 





 

 

 

 

 





 

 



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suffice, 



io wnat is tnis owing* -Tfte ~~~ ™- v— , — 



the Rev. Mr. S. Smith's work, u A Word in Season," j henhouse 



informs us that his sixth running crop of Wheat has ' with straw, occasionally sprinkling unslaked lime 



