51 



1851.] 



THE AGRICULTURAL GAZETTE 



ueendin conjunction with that which reaches the surface 

 soil in rain. The drains prevent the ascending water 

 -fcjug above their level, and saturating the soil above. 

 Dunn* ****** there is a constant percolation of water 

 through the soil and subsoil, until it arrives at the level 

 of tlie°drains, below which the subsoil is already saturated, 

 and cannot absorb more ; and the drains prevent satura- 

 tion above their level, except that arising from capillary 

 attraction. Deep draining is, no doubt, most effective, 

 by preventing the water rising near the surface by 

 capillary attraction, and reducing the temperature of the 

 soil: and, in land in which saturation of the subsoil 

 commences at a great depth, it is clearly the proper 

 gvstem. On very retentive land, such asj the Wealden 

 days, where saturation commences near the surface, 

 shallow draining must be adopted. Were deep drains 

 made here, they would not act until after a long period 

 —many days after rain— and much mischief, probably, 

 had been done to the surface soil on land of less stubborn 

 ti tire, drained by placing some of the drains deep, and 

 others shallow. The deep drains would be the first and 

 the last to act ; indeed, the shallow drains could not actat 

 all, except during, or after, very heavy and sudden falls 

 of rain, so that the subsoil should become saturated up 

 to their level, in consequence of the deep drains not 

 having the capacity to carry off all the water, or keep it 

 down to their level; and it would be physically impossible 

 for the shallow drains to act unless this took place. 



Drains cannot act until after the subsoil below them 

 is saturated by the rain-water, or until the water is 

 arrested In its descent, and saturation is ascending. In 

 clays drains carry off ascending, and not descending 

 water. 



All clays lose much of their moisture during the 

 summer, and generally become hard, dry, and cracked 

 —the cracks, or fissures, extending sometimes to the 

 depth of several feet. During the autumnal or winter 

 rains, the land again becomes saturated, and when this 

 hasarrived at, or risen to, the level of the drains, they 

 begin to act, and not before. This is the correct theory 

 on under-draining clays -and it explains the cause of 

 upright drains— made directly up an ascent, being more 

 effective than those laid across a hill or rising ground. 



In draining clays, and other soils, a stratum of sand, 

 or mingled sand and clay, is occasionally found at various 

 depths— this holds the water. If the drain-pipes were 

 laid in this stratum of sand and clay, a large body of 

 water would constantly stand at their level, and would 

 probably rise near the surface by capillary attraction. 

 Therefore, to drain this description of land effectually, 

 it is indispensable to place the drain-pipes a few inches 

 below this stratum, with the clay beneath. In this 

 instance, the water does fall into the drains— indeed it 

 may be termed draining diffused springs. 

 t To illustrate this theory of draining clays in a very 

 simple and intelligible manner, let us suppose a barrel 

 placed on one end, the uppermost end removed, and the 

 barrel filled with mould, and drain- pipes inserted through 

 the bung-hole across the centre of the barrel, with 

 substance placed round the outside pipe to prevent the 

 escape of water between it and the edges of the bung- 

 hole ; then pour water continuously on the mould from 

 a watering-pot with the rose on, that the whole surface 

 of the mould may receive an equal quantity. The water 

 will descend through the mould to the bottom of the 

 carrel, passing the pipes, and not entering them ; from 

 thence it will rise and saturate the mould until it reaches 

 the drain-pipes, which will then carry off the ascending 

 water, and prevent saturation above "them. 



n lien a field is to be drained, and doubts are enter- 

 tained of the proper depth to make the drains, it might 

 he advisable to make, during the dry weather in the 

 autumn, three short drains, 30 feet apart, and parallel 

 to each other, one 5 feet deep, one 4 feet, and the other 

 ^feet. The proper depth for draining that soil would 

 then be ascertained soon after the commencement of 

 wet weather, and in time to execute the drainage that 



season. 



No precise depth can be stated for making the drains 

 either in clays or land wet from springs ; capacity of 

 saturation in one, and the position of the water in the 

 other, must determine the necessary depth of drains. 

 ft 7 * C 8elhy 9 Igkthami Kent. 



some 



Peat. 



Home Correspondence. 



There is a description of peat in Ireland, 

 known by the name of" stone turf," which, if thoroughly 

 dried and reduced to powder, would probably answer 

 the purpose of fixing the ammonia of manure, without 

 charring. It would be worth the trial, as the present 

 price of prepared turf is too expensive for general use. 

 Perhaps some of your readers, who have the means of 

 testing the experiment, will do so, and report the result 

 m the Agricultural Gazette, for the benefit of agricul- 

 turists. Falcoru 



Piaguedo. — In reply to your correspondent "T. J.V 

 inquiry, I beg to state that the * Pinguedo" is not sold 

 uor manufactured by anybody now. In the years 1846 

 &ud 1847, 1 used to prepare it, and as "novelties" are 

 n ever taken particularly by farmers, I discontinued the 

 Manufacturing of it ; but knowing by experience that 

 ^ does great good to all kinds of crops, and particularly 

 Xq Wheat (which, by this artificial manure can be grown 

 )'ear after year), I thought proper not to be selfish, but 

 to give the world the benefit of my discovery, and to 

 expose its composition in the Agricultural Gazette, at 

 P^ge 716. Any one can mix the ingredients himself, and 

 **thout much trouble or expense. The salts so named 

 ^ be had at any drysaltery. I advise some of the 



^Uncial manure manufacturers, who advertise in your 



16 it will 

 ^ """ JT F *TT* m T". M1 ^ wul «ui call it by :ue name 1 

 gave it, "Hopkins' Pinguedo." J.W. Hopkins, Wocd&dd* 

 A sh ton- on- Mersey. 



Liquid Manure.— I have tried, as recommended by 

 the Gv tte, diluting liquid manure with water, in order 

 to destroy the powerful smell, v.hen using it on Gras* 

 or m the garden, without the remedy bavin- the dewed 

 effect. I have many hundred gallons of liquid manure 

 in two deep wells, which I shall be obliged to lead in 

 an adjoining brook, unless I can discover something to 

 fix the perfume. If this note should catch Profe^or 

 Way's eye, perhaps he will be kind enough t© gin me 

 his valuable advice, as to the best means of depri ng 

 the liquid manure of its disagreeable qualities, without 

 injuring its efficacy, as a fertilised charcoal or charred 

 turf will not answer, as the mixture must be pumped 

 out. Ammonia. 



Potatoes.— Your directions in the last Nu r of the 

 Agricultural Gazette, as to the best manure for Potatoee^re 

 valuable, and calculated to be of gl it use to farmers ; but 

 thereis one emission, much felt by practical fanners. This 

 is, an uncertainty as to the mode of apply ing the differs 

 compositions recommended by yon. " In particular, 

 should the compositions of guano, sulpha lee, &c. f be 

 mixed with the dung— or | ntly spread in the seed drill* 

 —or top-dressed ? The two first plain of mixing with 

 dung and scattering in the drills, 1 have tried, a I my 

 Potatoes are not quite so good as my neighbours'. ./. 



Murdoch Campbell. [« W. D. S." will perhaps be good 



enough to explain more fully.] 



THE SMITHFIELD CATTLE SHOW. V 



We shall now ask our readers to walk round with us 

 and notice some of the individual animals among the 

 large number exhibited. 



The first in Class I. is a roan short-horn steer, ex- 

 hibited by Mr. BrickweU, of Leckhampstead, near 

 Buckingham, weighing somewhere near 1 1 cwt. — a 

 square, well-formed animal, of good quality, h ;hii\ 

 deficient in the shoulder points, and drooping slightly in 

 the back. It received the 2d prize of 15/,. 



3 is likewise a roan short-horn ox, exhibited by Lord 

 Feversham, which may be described as not d p enough 

 in the flank ; his neck is too small ; he is not fat 



otherwise he is the best beast in the yard ; h< 

 is a large, well made beast, and his faults are i ry 

 slight; and his condition, were it improved, would 

 cover them. He is descended from the well known 

 herd of Mr. Bates — from his well known " Duch'— n 



enough 





family. 



4 is a very level well-formed beast, with very de >, 



good, wide, fore quarter; light offal — a Hereford ox, 



shown by Mr. Heath, of Ludham Hull, near Norwich ; 

 a perfect model of a beast, weighing at least 12 cwt. 

 He received the 1st prize of 30/. 



6 is a Hereford ox, shown by his Royal Highness 

 Prince Albert, and received the 3d prize of 51. He is 

 rkabie for the firmness and excellence of his flesh, 



and that is all that can be said in his favour, for he i 

 by no means well formed, having high hips, with droop- 

 ing rump, and thin thighs ; and we should certainly hav 

 preferred seeing the prize that he received awarded 



elsewhere. 



7 is a Devon ox, shown by Mr. Hole, of Dimeter ; 

 he has good fine fore quarters, with low loins, but well 

 covered : rather deficient in hind quarters, and ratlu 



a small beast. 



8 is a Durham ox, shown 

 in Norfolk ; the heaviest 

 weighing at least 15 cwi 

 niinal, with deep and wide 

 well formed body, and deep Sank ; good twist ; its flesh 

 mi<dit have been firmer ; but it is a better beast, in our 



by Mr. Leeds, of Lexham, 



beast wc have yet seen, 



He is a fine gay lookin 



fore quart', r*, a very round 





from 



the stock of Lord 

 Langham, of Cottes- 

 a fine head and fore 



; rump and 



quality of tiV 



HeWord L 1. 



the flank. 



. 



« K, 





m in 



aad tola 

 He might h» oeeaa 



lie is Hi. (>! I ... OT have vet 



-vest*** Medal, which be reomtrf ; » Ac be* 

 ox m the yard . Su b : . Lonneaw, arLudk^ 



2J (Her. l*. joed h^SZ^^S^ 



Plata ; qujiity good Sim in hk r^Htatak : 



>wn by Mr. May dwell, of Ashstsed, Sunt? " , "" ,,i " ' 



. -horn;, k#wnt Ur.Sta %c linden. 

 was deservedly comnwdod by the judtee IU ^^ 

 by a son of « Sir T. Fairfs ' i 

 and poeeeeeee a good deal of hie style 



quarters, but is tinner loijied. 



•23, shown by Lord I n illiam, is a %qwm ueafo) 

 beast, liead net very m Mi. 



26 (Devon), &bi » M r . I ouraere ; haa nod 

 quartern, and good <ma% <i fieab, and lijfci offal; 

 but slightly defective in liiad quarters. 



27 Hereto ), shown by Mi lieath; received tte 

 fteeoad prise in its clam. It had a geod h**d, aad good 



uality of lh ah, 1 \ t rump, tw ist, and 4* 

 is remarkably e\ enh red will 



n 'In have bet ii I littli better 

 29 is a go.*! 11 



r at Bristol, 



n the fore- 



\<V\ ^ooti MeSL h\\ 



V l» 



i 



fi 



mford ox of i* math* 

 [uar • otli wide and deep. v< try 



plata, 11 c \.i<d flo u aad. Mod flesh, 



drooping in the rump. Ii received the tfckd priag in 

 its claae. 



31, a pood frh rt-horn boat*, of large frame and fine 

 fore-quarters, good quality, it* twist and i*l asfefa 



ha been d<t>\n ; hIkjubj i ■■ 11. Hail, of \\ ill 



32 (H< tor , lkead. fore* quarters, plaiea, flank, aad 

 twiat, good and linn, mA has good ity of flash. 



liown by Mr Nibiota, of Futon, 



31 t Hereford), is a very oompact evenly e* 1 V 



of good qua: Its loin is go.M, ami ?u ftaal Itaisca 



well, but itn lit i;«\e been heavier. It is deaar^ dy 

 "highly comm- dod M • the jmlgoa, and is alio w 

 Mr. Heisley Komsey, Hants. 



3' is a good Hereford o with good head an ore- 

 uarters, and of good quality ; hind quarters slightly 



de: ctive. SI wn by L<ard Hatliorto- 



36 is averyatrai . wi 11 proportion* fu.« lookfasg 

 ■imal, of go |ualit\ if i%opt till another y< r, he 



would be a v leT«r ,, animal Shown by Mr. 



hinder, of J. Alban'*. 



. is a lm Kteatght beast, with good Hank, and hind 

 quarters of nice quality ; hliooldcrs raUn-r hi avy, and 

 plates mighl have 1 I hotter. Shown by Mr. MarjOTI* 

 ban! i Watford. 



40 (Short-horn, shown by Mr. Drory, of Long Sutton. 



Lincolnshire), la of rich colour, good head, deep ire- 



r I in 



in flesh, good 



quarter*, plates and crop good, vory d 

 body, of good quality, p< s too 3 

 dps and rump, loin not wid« u^h, flank and twia 



fair ; a very thick gooil beast, and if he had been firmer 

 in his flesh, would have had a chance of being rewarded 



Ii. and 



d 



by 



of rich roan colour, good quality, 



deficient m its Juncl quai 

 Warwick.f 9 



12 is a short-horn ox, 

 Spencer, shown by Mr. Herbert 

 brook, in Northampton. He has 

 quarters, with broad back, but narrow loin 

 flank good, but as a whole a plain beast. 



1 8 is an ox for the most part abort h orn, xhibited 

 by Messrs. Martin, of Aberdeen ; he has a nice bead, 

 good chest, fair loin and flank ; droops a little in the 

 rump ; the twist might have been better. 



14 has a good head and fore quarters ; chest and 

 crop are good ; flank and twist pretty good ; the fore 

 loin rather narrow. Shown by Mr. White, of Harlow. 



15 a short-horn, 

 having a good head, deep and well developed chest, wide 

 and well covered hip, good rump ; altogether a good 

 animal, but rather patchy. The whole class contains 

 many good animals, though it does not come up to the 

 quality shown by some of the other classes. 



Class II.— Oxen between 3 and 4 yeabs ol^ con- 

 tains 26 beasts, among which we may name a*ew. 

 17 is a short-horn ox, shown by Lord Exeter ; it has 

 a good « crop " wide chest, wide and well covered loin, 

 with good flesh ; « plates" not good, and it droops a 

 little in the back; tail set on too high ; altogether is a 

 rery useful beast, weighing probably nearly V, cwt. 

 i a ™ac*«u>a crond head and fore quarters, and is well 



flesh. Hind quarters, 



Fore loin somewhat 



f 



* J ■!■■■■ — J KJ 



1 8 possesses good head 



covered with good 



by a prize. 



Class 11. contained a large number of b 



enerally of g d quality. 



Class 111. —Oxen, above 2 a a undb* 3 tears oua/J 



42 is a pretty "little thick useful beast (short-horn), 



nly covered with firm good flesh. wn by Mr. 



Frost, of Linton. 



44 (across-bred Devon and sboi horn ox % of ary 

 nice quality, rump and hind quarters pretf ood, 

 stands vary nicely on its leg9. Shown by Lord Lei' r. 



46, shown by Mr. Griffin, of PeUrborougb, is a *wy 

 even fl Iw d aniiaaJ, with good head and re quarters, 

 rump might have been a little bailer— altogether a wy 



useful beast. 



47 Mr. Tlienias Bond showed a small Devon r, 

 having nice fore quarters and good flank, but rather 



narrow rump. 



57 (Hereford, shown by HJ5LH. Prinee Albert), 



>d the 2d prize in its claes ; a nice m\\ n 

 with y kkI fore quarters, elies v e and 

 deep, plates goody. « nly covered v >od flesh 



(tank, loin aad twist good ; rump drooping, as in the 

 other animals bred in the same neighbourhood, * sm 

 by hh Royal Highness in the oth classes. In oth 

 rcspe No. 51 is a very clever animal. 



52, a larger framed animal than 51, with good fore- 

 quarters, and better twist. than 51, but not bo firm in 

 flesh ; he stands well. Shown by Mr. Kiblett, oi 

 Filton, and received the 3d prize in its ctaas. 



54 (short-horn), a handsome animal, with geod head 

 and fore quarters, and rich colour. Si own by Mr. 



Newbath, of Skated. 



fifi (Hereford), good head and fore quartern, well filled 

 in all points with good flesh, received the 1st prize mil* 

 class. Shown by Mr. Phillips, of Wantage. 



5iJ is a cross animal between the Brahmin nd short- 

 horn breeds ; a slightly formed but good sized animal, 

 and f*t. Shown by the Earl of Derby. 



Class IV.— Oxen ixdrr 90 3mm wbicht. 



61 is a pretty little Devon ox, head and fore quarters 

 cood, w( covered with good flesh ; hind quarters might 

 have been better. Remarkable for its lightness of offal 

 The 1st prize in its class was awarded to it. Shown by 



Lord Leicester. 



62 received the 2d prize. Good head, 

 shoulder rather tare ; loin, hips, 



; full twist : firm good flesh. 



plates, and 

 flank, and 



Shown hy 



r 



and evenly __ 

 nmp, twist, and flank, very good^ 

 deficient, but a very compact beast. Shown by Mr. 



Coombe, of Taunton. ..■-.- ,0*7 \ 



20 carried off the 1st prize in this class (3<M.) 

 a well formed animal, evenly covered with nrst-rate 



He is 



«TOp 



rump good 



Mr. Maydwell, of Ashstcad, Surrey. 



67, shown by Prim* Albert, is rather 

 thick, useful beast, well covered with good flesh ; rump 



good. 



a compact* 



80 STONE WEIGHT. 





Class V.— Oxen usber . 



76 (Devon, Bhovm by Lord Leicester), received the 







