July 4, 1878. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
17 
fine drying day, and the probability of stacking the hay the same 
or following day. If the latter the hay must again be pooked for 
the night. In the water meadows or on rich alluvial soils it is 
common to cut the aftergrowth for hay, in the making of which it 
is oftentimes best not to ted the grass, but simply make it into 
grasscocks, and turn them as occasion may require. But we must 
remember that in the short days of autumn that we cannot expect 
the hay to dry quickly, therefore to keep the hay in small cocks 
and give it time is best. _It will be gradually making without 
risk, the cocks being only turned over occasionally ; the colour of 
the hay will then be preserved, We knew last autumn hay made 
in this way so late in the season that the white hoar frost\in the 
mornings was observed on the top of the pooks, yet this hay was 
eventually got to stack in fair condition for consumption of stock 
on the home farm. 
In making the stand or staddle for the ricks it is of importance 
that the size of the stand should be adapted to the quantity of hay 
to be stacked, and we allow as a general rule that for 20 tons of 
hay the stand should be 13 feet wide and 30 feet long. There is 
practically a great objection to the stand being made too large or 
too small for the quantity of hay, and to have the full advantage 
of a proper adjustment the size may be easily altered according to 
the measurement we have laid down for 20 tons ina rick. Many 
of the statements made in our article upon field hay will equally 
apply to the making ricks of pasture hay. For the improvement 
of hay our remarks relating to spice will apply with still more 
force in the case of meadow or pasture hay, for it will not only 
improve hay injured by rain as stated in reference to field hay, 
but in the case df water meadow hay partially injured through the 
excess of crop and the decay of the grass at bottom it will improve 
and give the hay a pleasant and grateful flavour, and induce the 
cattle to eat it, which, under ordinary circumstances, they would 
scarcely eat with any advantage. This matter of spicing also 
applies with benefit to the hay made from the poor and coarse 
grasses, the produce of poor and mossy pastures. For this pur- 
pose the following mixture is recommended :—Fenugreek in 
powder, 112 tbs. ; pimento, 4 Ibs. ; aniseed, 4 Ibs. ; caraway, 4 lbs. ; 
cumin, 2 lbs. The quantity touse for a ton of hay of the spice 
materials is from 2} to 3 lbs. ; the cost is 10d. per pound. 
WORK ON THE HOME FARM. 
Horse Labour.—As fast as the hay is fit for carting the horses 
will now be almost daily employed in carrying it to the rick. 
When the weather is fine it is well at such a busy period to do the 
cultivation for turnips, &c., in the mornings and carry hay in the 
afternoon, as it is always in better condition in the afternoon, 
particularly in hot still weather, the dews being often so heavy in 
the mornings. It is well also to be entirely prepared for stacking 
the hay as soon as ready by having the materials, such as faggots, 
&c., at hand for making the rick stands. Horse-hoeing will now 
be required for the mangold, early cabbages, carrots, kohl rabi, 
&e., and also the Swedish turnips where sown early. In the case 
of wet weather following immediately after the horse-hoeing, the 
couch grass and any weeds which may be likely to strike again 
should be picked up by the women. 
Hand Labour.—The mangold crop and early Swedes may now 
be set out, and it is very important that the strongest plants 
should be left in preference to leaving them at any exact distance 
apart in the rows. The very fact of the strongest plants being 
exhibited shows that they have, in preference to the weaker ones, 
got hold of the manure, and in consequence will go on to maturity 
with the greater probability of becoming the largest roots, and 
better able also to withstand any attack from enemies such as the 
brown grub, &c. The hoeing of carrots should now be persevered 
with in order to keep the land perfectly clean, and if they are set 
out in the rows let it be done with a small 4-inch hoe. We prefer 
to clean the rows and let the plants remain yet awhile ; and when 
the roots are about the size of the finger they may be hand-pulled 
for cattle, pigs, &c., as upon certain occasions we have pulled as 
much as ten to twelve tons per acre, and remoyed daily for feeding 
purposes. This not only preserves a sufficient number of plants 
to insure them against their only enemy the grub, but in the act 
of pulling it opens the soil and allows the remaining plants to 
swell with great ease. In this manner we have pulled fourteen 
tons to the acre for immediate use, and the main crop has produced 
from twenty-five to thirty tons per acre according to the season. 
As soon as any deficiency of plants is discovered in the mangold 
crop it is advisable to plant out, to fill wp vacancies, some good 
strong cabbage plants of the Champion Cattle cabbage variety, 
these being the best for the purpose, as fewer plants will be re- 
quired, the heads coming so large. Although the weather may 
be dry and the ground hard, yet they are bound to live and grow 
if they are set with the spade, as it opens the land so that the 
plants, although they may be long and strong, are introduced into 
the moist ground, so essential to their taking root, and if the 
heart of the plant is buried about an inch so much the better in 
very hot weather. 
The work of cutting the hogweed and coarse grass on the 
borders of the fields is still continued, and where cut first the 
second cutting is now ready. Our store pigs which are now 
receiving this kind of green food are doing remarkably well. In 
addition to the border grass they get a small quantity of broken 
and soaked Indian corn, with barleymeal mixed so as to form a 
pudding. Where the farm buildings are usually coated with tar 
or paint this is the best time for doing the work, and we are now. 
using coal tar from the gasworks for the purpose ; and we find 
that cheap boarding, such as that cut from fir trees or elm, will 
last a great many years when itis kept tarred at the proper season, 
it being necessary that the wood should be perfectly dry before 
either paint or tar is used. The herdsman or dairyman should 
now be alive to the advantage in summer time of taking the dairy 
cows from the shaded pastures to their stalls when the sun is in 
full power. If left to the shade of trees only they still suffer 
from the annoyance of flies, and leave their manure also where it 
does no good. When, however, the animals are driven to their 
pens from about eleven o’clock till four o'clock in the afternoon 
they will be free from flies, and if they get a bait of green fodder 
in the middle of the day so much the better. They will not only 
give more milk, but will give it down more kindly, when they 
lead a quiet life in the stalls free from the irritation of flies. The 
heifers on the home farm that may now be from eighteen months 
to two years of age should be put to the bull in July and August, 
as they will then come to calve at a favourable time of year— 
that is, about the end of April or the early part of May, with a 
prospect of plenty of grass before them. 
ROYAL COUNTIES SHOW. 
TRULY a thing of progress. But a few years since it was open 
on one day for a few hours at Basingstoke, now it takes four days. 
A small field sufficed to hold everything connected with it, now it 
covers 22 acres, and in every way reminds one of the Royal Agri- 
cultural Society of England. It moves about from town to town 
in the two counties—favoured Hants and Berks, containing the 
residences of our Sovereign. 
The spot where the Show was held this year was well chosen 
It would be difficult to find a more beautiful locality than South- 
ampton Common. Not a common in the ordinary sense of the 
word; not land with “barren” written on the face of it, and 
bearing for its crop a scanty and stunted portion of heath, but 
boasting of oaks that have been centuries attaining their present 
size,and of underwood 6 or 7 feet high, growing in patches and 
affording shelter both for man and beast. It is the sort of spot 
where from facility of concealment Prince Hal might haye chased 
Falstaff, or where in earlier days, spite of its contiguity to a con- 
siderable town, a strong body of traders ere they left the open 
would conceal money and yaluables, and perhaps calculate and 
organise means of defence before they entered the wood. We 
are happy to live in quieter days, when the glades, solitudes, and 
thickets may be put to quieter and more peaceful pursuits. It is 
said by a poet— 
“Our groves were planted to conceal at noon 
The pensive wanderer beneath their shades.” 
The very mention of shade is refreshing. If there were ever 
weather when we would run into water or under trees to find 
shelter from the sun (thermometer at 90° in the shade), it was on 
the days of this enjoyable Show. The common was a beautiful 
sight : the dusty road was deserted for the green sward, and little 
knots of well and gaily dressed people were now seen, now hidden, 
as they passed among the thickets, and, although out of sight, 
could be traced by the ringing laughter that was heard. The 
roadside inn was dressed-out, and the outer accommodation was 
such that we should almost call it the English Téniers, or wish 
that Wilkie were still among us to hand down to the future a. 
representation of one of our agricultural outings, and dispel the 
idea so common in other countries that an Englishman takes his 
pleasure sadly. We have a great respect for the roadside inns. 
They have an air of comfort not to be found in modern and more 
pretentious buildings dignified by the name of hotels. The old 
roadside inn was a home to the wayfarer who stopped there. We 
saw such an one covering much ground; when it was built land 
was not sold by the foot. A good, large, wide entrance ; a large. 
bow window on each side ; seats in front of the house; a settle 
round a patriarchal tree, and all crowded. Booths had established , 
themselves, shows made a great display, and here and there a 
brown gipsy promised all things to all people. Clever people! 
they offer that which all want, but do not at once giveall. There 
remains yet something better behind, but “she should lose her 
gift if she told it for anything but silver,” and so one of the few 
sixpences see the light to purchase the knowledge “ that she will 
on that day see a dark man, and the planets assure her that 
though hot-tempered he will make a yery good husband.” This, 
however, is outside, and our principal work lies within ; but yet 
these are accessories, and some who have seen many and foreign 
climes may dwell on such a scene as was here, and find it would 
not suffer by comparison with foreign fétes. We cannot dwell 
longer among our rural scenery and its inhabitants, but it will be 
long before we foyget it. Our first feeling after we had entered 
the Show-yard gates was one of surprise at the growing dimensions 
