398 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
{ November 21, 1878, 
for the ordinary work of the farm; when made in proper form 
—cast-up, rounding, and being highest in the middle or horse 
track—the cart ruts only require to be picked in and the outsides 
cast into the middle once a year, which serves to keep the roads 
in shape and the water tables clean and free, and at the same 
time keeping the borders of fields neat and well defined at trifling 
cost by manual labour only. The only additional expense in- 
curred by the removal of inside fences is the cost of hurdles or 
hurdle gates, amounting to only a few pounds on a hundred acres. 
WORK ON THE HOME FARM. 
Horse Labour.—The wheat season is now so nearly concluded 
that the land must be managed in a different way from that which 
has been sown previously. The principal part of the land not 
sown is that which has grown a crop of turnips and has lately 
been in the process of feeding-off by sheep. There may be, how- 
ever, some land not yet sown which has produced a crop of man- 
golds, or the seed time may have been delayed on land after clover. 
Under any of these circumstances it is well to plough and sow as 
we go; for if the land is ploughed beforehand it is never safe to 
obtain a favourable seed bed, as our climate after we get into the 
month of November is usually frost or rain, and sometimes both 
within twenty-four hours. We have found from our own expe- 
rience best not to trust the weather but to put on horses enough 
to make two sets, one to plough the land and another to work the 
Jand after the drill or the seedsman. In this way, although we 
have often frosts, yet not sufficient to stop the plough, and the 
work proceeds continuously through the day, so that in the event 
of rain setting in at any time all the land shall have been seeded 
which has been ploughed, and thus securing a seed time under 
the difficulties with which the manager of a home farm has often 
to contend in connection with the season for wheat. A few weeks 
ago we were engaged seeding land for permanent pasture: it 
seems rather late for such work, but we have on former occasions 
had capital pasture when seeded late. The land, however, was 
well prepared by a good clean fallow, and laid into form with 
plenty of water trenches in the case of cold flat land. One advan- 
tage In late sowing is that you have hardly any weeds to contend 
with. It is said that the frosts will kill the young clover plants 
whilst in their first or seed leaf. We have never found this the 
case when suckling and permanent white clover is sown amongst 
the cocksfoot, perennial, and other grasses, as they germinate 
quickly and with a strong leaf, which overlaps and shelters the 
clover plants in their infancy ; indeed we have had no instance 
of failure in obtaining a good plant and growth by late sowing— 
viz., any time from the Ist of September to the 1st of October. 
Hand Labour will still have some connection with wheat-sowing 
where not finished. The pitting of Swedish turnips, too, will still 
be going on where they have been early sown and become ripe, 
or where rabbits and hares are kept in considerable numbers, 
because the roots are apt to rot in the land unless they were late 
sown, and will now and at all mild intervals during the winter be 
in the full vigour of growth. These only will stand severe frost. 
All others should be pitted or stored in some way in order to 
maintain their full feeding value. The men will also be engaged 
in enclosed districts in hedging, ditching, &c., and in the hill 
countries where wattled hedges are made this is the time for doing 
the work. The odd horse or horses will now be in attendance to 
the requirements of the cattle andsheep. The former will require 
hurdles drawn and moved from field to field, also hay for fodder- 
ing them unless the hayricks are made in the fields where the 
roots are grown, in which case the shepherd cuts out the hay fresh 
as he wants it and carries it to the racks. This, however, applies 
more to stock flocks, as fatting sheep often have hay supplied to 
them as chaff. The supply of roots for cattle, too, is of some 
consequence at this time ; and when a change of food takes place, 
whether it be from turnips to Swedes or Swedes to mangolds, the 
roots before any decided change is made should be mixed, so that 
the animals may become somewhat accustomed to the alteration 
of food and not suffer from leaving one kind of roots for another 
suddenly, as they are very apt to scour and lose condition through 
a sudden change of root food. For the milch cows cabbages will 
still be available if grown to an extent capable of supplying 
them until Chnstmas, which in ordinary seasons should be done. 
The horned ewes will by this time have nearly all dropped their 
Jambs, which will require the shepherd’s utmost care and attention. 
The wether lambs should be castrated at about a month old; the 
strongest animals may be done at three weeks old. Women will 
now be required to prepare and clean roots for the cutter both for 
cattle in the boxes and in the field before the sheep, taking care 
that sufficient for a fortnight’s consumption be ready beforehand, 
otherwise when hard frost or snow overtakes the work it may 
seriously interrupt the system of feeding. Women also may now 
be employed in forking out the roots and small bunches of couch 
grass if found either in the rye, vetches, trifolium, or the clover; 
for we have found from our own experience, that jn loamy and 
sandy soils in particular, that this mode of attacking the grass is 
not only the cheapest but the surest, and we may almost say the 
only way to keep it under, so that the seed time of the various 
crops may not be delayed or damage occur to the growth of cereals 
as well as pulse crops. At about this time the fatting cattle 
should receive an additional supply of artificial food, and those 
animals intended for Christmas markets may now have the fullest 
allowance they will require ; we never, however, exceed 4 ibs. of 
cake and 2 tbs. of meal per day for each bullock. 
THE CRYSTAL PALACE POULTRY SHOW. 
(Continued from paae 379.) 
Cochins.—The first Black cock capital in shape and very glossy ; 
his condition good too, indeed he looked as bright as a cockerel 
in head ; second, very sheeny but not large, and deficient in shank 
feathering ; third, not quite through the moult, a good bird with 
splendid leg-feathering. Hens were good. First, a grand bird all 
round ; second, beautifulin shape and glossy, but too big in comb ; 
third, good in form but not large. The first cockerel we think. 
held the same place at Oxford; his form is very good, but he is 
decidedly small; second, tall with ugly earlobes ; third we liked 
for his green gloss. We could hardly agree with the pullet 
awards. First had a high bad comb; second was small and 
rather Langshan-like in shape ; third much better, though a little 
deficient in leg feather. One shown by Mr. Storer was particu- 
larly good. 
Cuckoos are certainly a new feature ; we had no idea that any- 
one possessed s0 large a stud of this variety as Mr. Cuff must have 
to show eight pens. First were areally remarkable pair ; second, 
too long in tail: third, rather light. Mr. Cuff showed one bird 
so short on the legs that we think he must have had a “dumpy’ 
ancestor. 
Spanish.—The cockerel class was the only large one for this 
variety. The first cock, good in quality of face, with a stout 
comb ; second, a fresh-looking bird with smaller but very smooth 
face; third, not so good incomb. In hens, the first was in fine 
condition, but not very smooth in face ; second, very good in the 
latter point. First and second cockerels well placed, both bright- 
looking birds with good combs and faces ; third, very long in face. 
Pullets were rather good than numerous; the three winners all 
capital birds. We missed the name of Mr. E. Jones of Bristol 
in these classes. 
Game numbered 269 as against 206 last year. The increase was 
chiefly in the Black Red cockerels and pullets, which each had 
thirty-two entries. Several birds were spoilt by fighting with 
their neighbours. Mr. Billett would be doing a good service to. 
the Game fancy if he would extend the close wiring by one or two 
wires further. Black Red cocks (fourteen), first (Pope) was a 
good bred bird witha fine head, but wanting in bloom; second 
(Lyon), rather coarse. Mr. Matthew’s very highly commended 
bird, 1157, was a fine bird of good colour and style, and long in 
head, but rather broad in the tail. 1160 (Voisin) was, if we are 
not mistaken, the cup bird at Birmingham in 1876; he looked 
wonderfully well considering his age, and might have been higher 
in the list but for the loss of his tail. 1161 (Maynard), highly 
commended, we thought one of the best in the class. In cockerels 
the cup went to the bird which was second at Oxford, and claimed. 
there by Mr. Field; he is a pretty bird, but will hardly make 
such a good old one as Mr. Matthew’s second (1184), which but 
for a rather dark eye must have been first. 1169 (Pope), third, 
good colour, but rather too much feather for a cockerel. We 
liked Mr. Lyon’s fourth-prize bird, 1165, more than any of his 
other cockerels which we have seen this year. 1166 (Pope) was, 
we think, fourth at the Dairy Show; he is a neat bird, but has aw 
inclination toa light eye. 1176 (Carrington) looked like the first 
Dairy Show bird; he has good points, but wants bloom. 1191 
(Voisin), undubbed, is a bird full of promise. In Black Red hens 
Mr. Garnett was first witha bird bred by Mr. Pope ; she was cheap 
at the catalogue price. Second and third both went to Mr. Pope 
for birds full of the quality for which he is so well known; the 
second-prize bird was also interesting, as being the mother of the 
£100 cock; the third-prize bird was one of those damaged by 
fighting with their neighbours. In Black Red pullets Mr. Pope 
took the cup for the best Game hen in the Show with a bird fault- 
less but for a darkish eye and a white deaf ear; second (Dr. 
Etheridge) was a neat bird, but also had a dark eye; third went 
to Mr. Halsall for a bird which bore a strong resemblance to the 
Dairy Show winner, and fourth to Mr. Matthew for a pullet 
which looked like sister to the second. 1210 (Pope), unnoticed, 
we should bave liked to have seen second; 1208, highly com- 
mended (Lyon), was pretty, but rather red in the wing. 1219, 
very highly commended (Lampriere) was very good, as also were 
1226 (Green) highly commended, and 1233 highly commended 
(Maynard). In Brown Red cocks Mr. Martin took the cup with 
a fine bird, full of quality ; second went to Mr. Fenwick, and third 
to Mr. Matthew. In Brown Red cockerels there were no less 
than six empty pens, so that there were only nine birds to judge. 
We preferred second and third (Martin), to the cup bird (Taylor) ; 
fourth (Matthew), good colour, but full in feather. Brown Red 
hens were still fewer in number, as there were only eight hens, 
but the first (Matthew) we thought might have had the cup for 
best Game hen in the Show ; she was a splendid bird in faultless 
