282 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ April 2, 1885. 
matters of detail of the highest moment—aye, every one of 
them, for knowing as we do how much success depends upon 
doing little things well, we certainly cannot regard one of 
them as trifles in the ordinary sense of the term. Eepeatedly 
have we called especial attention to matters of detail at the 
time when the work of which they form part could be done to 
most advantage, having due regard to results, and the recent 
inspection of several farms upon a large estate has only 
served to strengthen our conviction of the importance of 
close attention to little things, and of the existence of much 
slovenly practice in all branches of farming. 
“ I like a four-course shift,” said a worthy old farmer to 
us during our inspection, and, as our lively French neigh¬ 
bours say, he had every reason, for he is facing hard times 
right manfully, and making a fairly successful struggle 
through a period of depression to which many another has 
succumbed. But we uphold no unreasonable clinging to 
custom or rotation of cropping; rather would we yield to 
expediency and do our best to crop the farm, so as to insure 
a full supply of crops that are to be regarded as indispensable. 
No sympathy have we with those who fly to extremes, as so 
many farmers are undoubtedly doing just now; there must 
be balance, proportion, or, as Emerson termed it, measure 
in our plans. The home farmer, fortunately, is bound to 
have enough Wheat, Barley, Oats, roots, and fodder for the 
supply of flour for the household, and food for the animals 
of the farm as well as for the carriage and saddle horses of 
his employer. If to such crops he can add Peas and Beans 
it is most desirable he should do so, for both crops are still 
to he grown at a profit, and both afford a valuable supply of 
food for fattening purposes. It must not be forgotten, how¬ 
ever, that the home farmer has now frequently to take other 
farms in hand, and in his laudable efforts to “ make things 
pay ” he must remember first of all to insure a full supply 
of food for all the animals of the farm, and then to sow crops 
for which he has reasonable hopes of a sale. “ What food 
do your horses have ?” said we to the bailiff of a large farm 
upon which twelve horses were employed. Maize was the 
first article of food enumerated, and we came to a full stop 
at once. “How is that with an arable farm of between 
three and four hundred acres, you are buying food for the 
horses ?” was the very natural inquiry. “ Maize is very 
cheap ” was the evasive answer, and upon pursuing our 
inquiries it came out that not only was he without Oats, but 
he had come to no definite decision about sowing any. Now 
this man was specially mentioned to us as being a good 
farmer, and certainly as a tiller of the soil, and so far as 
sowing his crops in good time entitles a man to that some¬ 
what vague designation, he is ; but he has not yet become a 
master of detail, and without it no man can farm profitably. 
In our report to the owner of this farm we felt bound to 
state that not only must he continue to buy corn for the 
horses this year, but also next year, unless immediate action 
was taken upon our report and an ample area of land sown 
with Oats. It is obvious that the only sound practical 
reason for using imported Maize to home-grown Oats would 
be found in a clear profit upon selling Oats at a much higher 
rate than Maize could be purchased for, there would then be 
a margin of profit, and the transaction would be both 
justifiable and praiseworthy. 
"We were forcibly reminded of the importance of prompt 
energetic action and timely culture upon another and still 
arger farm, where, with the exception of Winter Beans, 
which were a good strong plant, the whole of the crops were 
in a backward condition, affordingunmistakeable evidence that 
the bailiff was, and had been for some considerable time, 
two or three weeks behindhand with his work; yet he had 
steam tackle in full work upon the land during the fine 
weather of last summer and autumn, and also enough horses 
for the other work of the farm. He, too, was not a master 
of detail, and was clearly unable to arrange his work in due 
order. Unfortunately, he was also slovenly and careless as 
well, as was seen in stacks of straw made from corn recently 
thrashed left unfinished and unthatched to be soaked by the 
first heavy downpour of rain, and much of it to be blown 
about the yards by high March winds; Wheat stacks with 
the thatch half blown off, and several Barley stacks posi¬ 
tively honeycombed by rats. Now we are assailed on all 
sides with outspoken complaints of hard times, agricultural 
depression, high rents, and, it must be owned, not without 
reason ; but we could not advise a helping hand to be given 
to anyone guilty of such palpable negligence, and in this 
instance positive dishonesty, for we hold that no lighter 
term can be applied to the man who thus suffers his master’s 
property to be destroyed. One word more about fallows, 
which we regret finding not by any means so entirely a thing 
of the past as we hoped was the case. Again we say, Clean 
your fallows at once, and sow with White Mustard, using 
20 lbs, of seed per acre, and when the Mustard is in full 
flower plough it in, and thus store the land with fertility. 
WORK ON THE HOME FARM. 
Ilorse and Hand Labour .—Never was there a more favourable time 
for sowing spring corn, and it was done in a fine tilth speedily and well. 
Potato-planting followed, winter corn and grass meadows are rolled, and 
we are now busily at work upon the land for Mangolds and Carrots, 
both which crops we hope to have sown within a week from the present 
time. Carrots are sown in good light land in drills upon the flat about 
8 lbs. of seed per acre. For Mangolds we plough the land in autumn, and 
now sow upon it three-quarter cwt. nitrate of potash, half cwt. nitrate of 
soda, 2^ cwt. steamed bone flour, and 2| cwt. ground coprolite. It is then 
stirred with the broad horse hoe, furrows made with the double-breasted 
plough : and farmyard manure, long ago carted to a heap close by for 
this special purpose, is put along the furrows at the rate of about 10 tons 
per acre. The manure is then covered by the double-breasted plough, 
the seeds sown upon the ridges, over which a light roller is passed. In 
ordinary seasons early sowings yield the heaviest roots, and germination of 
the seed is speedy and certain. We have now an excellent supply or 
Mangolds, which will prove of the greatest service among the cattle for 
another month. Sow now, too, Drumhead Cabbage, Lucerne, and Kohl 
Rabi. 
Cattle and Sheep .—Now that the calving is almost over, and most of 
the cows are in full milk, we can profitably keep late or weakly calves 
longer with the cows than was possible earlier in the season. This course 
is especially advisable for the home farmer who now has a considerable 
surplus of milk and butter, for it enables the calves t) grow faster and 
stronger than any other food can do. Look closely after delicate and 
weakly yearlings, keep them apart from stronger animals, and give them 
a generous diet, and do not turn them out upon the pastures till they are 
in good healthy condition. It certainly pays to keep them late in the 
yards, but if the yards open upon a little paddock they may run out with 
advantage for a few hours daily. In breeding flocks having the taint of 
foot rot, that troublesome disease will now be found spreading among the 
lambs. Do not trifle with it, but pen the entire flock in a yard; an or¬ 
dinary fold will not answer, for when the sheep become frightened they 
will jump over the hurdles. Handle every one of them, and dress all bad 
cases with Gell’s foot-rot ointment, first wiping the feet clean and washing 
them if necessary, and cut off any broken pieces of hoof. Pass them on as 
they are dressed into another enclosure littered with clean straw, and 
with feeding troughs all ready for a few hours, and then turn them upon 
grass that is free from the taint. Turnip-folding may be continued, as 
the land is fresh and untainted. 
METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVATIONS. 
Camden Square, London. 
Lat. 51° 32'40" N.; Long. 0° 8' 0" W.; Altitude, 111 feet 
DATE. 
9 A.M. 
IN THE DAY. 
Rain 
1885. 
March. 
Barome¬ 
ter at 32« 
and Sea 
Level 
Hygrome¬ 
ter. 
Direction 
of Wind. 
1 
| Temp, of 
1 Soil at 
I 1 foot. 
Shade Tem¬ 
perature. 
Radiation 
Temperature. 
Dry. 
Wet. 
Max. 
Min. 
In 
sun. 
On 
grass. 
Inches. 
deg. 
deg. 
deg. 
deg. 
deg. 
deg. 
deg. 
In. 
Sunday . 
qo 
29.827 
33.9 
33.7 
N. 
41.0 
45.5 
32.4 
844 
32.0 
0.022 
Monday. 
23 
30.34.5 
37.1 
33.9 
N. 
39 4 
43.6 
30.2 
75.9 
25.2 
— 
Tuesday. 
24 
30.297 
36.1 
32.9 
S.E. 
39.0 
40.8 
2S.4 
55.1 
22.4 
— 
Wednesday .. 
25 
30.310 
37.0 
32.6 
S.E. 
384 
42.3 
31.4 
51.1 
26.6 
— 
Thursday ... 
26 
30.162 
42.0 
39.4 
S. 
38.2 
49 7 
35.9 
77.(1 
3L.0 
0.102 
Friday. 
27 
29.894 
45.2 
41.3 
N.W. 
39.7 
51 G 
38.9 
95 3 
33.0 
— 
Saturday .... 
28 
30.375 
40.8 
36.7 
N.E. 
40.2 
51-8 
33.4 
91.2 
27.6 
— 
80.173 
33.9 
35.8 
39.4 
46.5 
32.9 
75.8 
2S.3 
0.124 
REMARKS. 
22nd.—Rain began about 1 A.M., became heavy until 5 A.M, when it changed to 
snow, which fell heavily and ceased about 10 A.M., when it was 2J inches deep 
Fine afterwards. 
23rd.—Fine bright cold morning, ice on tank, snow nearly all gone; cloudy day. 
24th.—Dull and slight fog all day, very dark late in afternoon. 
25th.—Foggy but little cloud. 
26th.—Fine and pleasant, rain in evening and at night. 
27th.—Fine and bright, with cloudless evening, 
28th.—Fine early, with slight fog after 3 P.M. 
Generally dry and colder, with frost nearly every night. -G. J. STMOXS. 
