The Winter of 1885-86. 
401 
drongLt and produced about a quarter of a crop ; a few acres of cabbage sown 
about April 20 made a very fair crop, but everything sown after June lOth 
was a failure. 
"4. English sainfoin kept the sheep till the frosty weather set in. As a 
scarcity of roots was certain to occur, economy in their use was commenced 
early ; some of the best of the swedes were pulled and stored in heaps covered 
with straw and earth, to be ready for the lambing time (January and February). 
The swedes lasted till the end of March. Oat-straw was chaffed with a little 
hay mixed, and given to the sheep. The ewes at lambing time and till 
weaning had oats and cotton-cake. 
"5. On the 17th of March I find the following note in my Diary : 'Con- 
tinuoxis frost since March 1, the ground frozen quite hard, ploughing almost 
stopped, and no sign of vegetation of any kind visible ; not much ice in the 
country, as the sun wetted it; but in London the lakes all bearing, owing to 
the fog having kept out the sun's rays.' The thaw came on March 18th. 
The first available green food for the sheep was rye. On the 10th of April 
the ewes and lambs were put on rye with mangolds scattered on the ground, 
this was for their night fold, during the day they were on the Down. The 
ewe-tegs were folded on lucerne, also with mangolds. When the rye was 
finished, the whole flock (850 ewes, 300 tegs and 800 lambs) were folded on 
self-sown winter oats, and mangolds scattered ; this lasted till May 3rd, when 
the lambs were weaned, and the ewes went to winter barley and the Down, 
and the lambs and ewe-tegs had trifolium, rye-grass, and mangolds. About 
the 10th of May the lambs went into English sainfoin, and the tegs into 
clover and rye-grass. The usual course is for the swedes to last till the 
trifolium and winter barley are ready, and for those crops to last till the tares 
are ready. Tares are a very poor crop, and are backward this year. Xo cattle 
are fattened by me in the winter. 
" 6. No experience. 
"7. The sheep have no shelter provided for them, except the wattled 
hurdles which are used to make their folds. During the lambing time a yard 
is made with thatched hurdles, and a little naif-covered pen is provided for 
each ewe for three or four days after the lamb is bom. I do not think any 
more shelter is necessary. 
" 9. Owing to the scarcity of food, caused by the partial failure of the root- 
crops, great numbers of half-fattened animals were sent to the market in the 
winter. For these a very low price was obtained. Well-fed beef and mutton 
generally commanded a fair price. 
" 10. As far as the crops go, a scarcity can be foreseen in the autumn, and 
precautions have been taken accordingly. There is almost always a surplus 
of food at some time on a farm, which surplus might be preserved by some 
means to help to tide over a time of dearth. I do not myself think, however, 
that the English farmer should alter his scheme of management to meet the 
difBculties of one extraordinary season." 
Mr. Alfred Mellor, Otterhead, Honiton, Devon: 
" 1. About 700 to 800 feet above the sea, 8 miles from Taunton and 
10 from Honiton, Parish Churchstanton, Devon, and Otterford, Somerset. 
Climate, a greater average cold than the Vale of Taunton, about fourteen days 
later, to three weeks in unfavourable seasons. The soil varies a good deal, but 
is chiefly of a loamy nature, and in some fields peat, with a loamy clay subsoil ; 
a gravel and stone subsoil over a large part is naturally drained in most fields. 
"2. The worst but one or two in the last eleven years for farmers in this 
district. 
" 4. Had about 120 tons of sown silage, and used from 60 to 70 loads of 
crushed French gorse, and bought some hay and straw. 
