322 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. . 
[ April 16. 1885. 
recently by a more powerful Association in Sussex, have not 
only done much good in those counties, but their influence 
is gradually spreading despite powerful opposition, and we 
are now told that the Norfolk Agricultural Society is about 
to make the attempt of testing the effect of different kinds 
of manures on the various soils of that county. Well done, 
Norfolk ! say we. It is high time farmers did know what it 
is they pay so dearly for, and we repeat here well has Pro¬ 
fessor Jamieson said that the farmer’s eyes would be opened 
if he would place his manure bill before a chemist and ask 
him to calculate how much he has paid for useless or hurtful 
ingredients. We also repeat that not only must we have 
the right sorts of manure in correct quantities, but it must be 
applied at the right time. Already this year have we strong 
evidence of the importance of this timely use of manure. 
The dressing given to the grass land in February was quickly 
dissolved and washed down to the roots, telling upon the 
grasses so powerfully that they are now already stronger and 
thicker in growth than that which was dressed long before 
with farmyard manure. To make the trial as fair and the 
results as clear as possible we took a few acres on each side 
of a carriage drive, dressing one side with farmyard manure 
and the other with home-mixed artificial manure. 
In a consideration of the ways and means by which we 
may “ meet the times,” and do all that is possible to over¬ 
come our difficulties, the question of manures is so important 
tha,t we have been led involuntarily into giving more space 
to it in this article than was our intention. The mention 
of farmyard manures leads the mind naturally onwards to the 
animals of the farm. Surely it is patent to every thoughtful 
farmer there is considerable room for improvement among 
such animals. Turn where we may among ordinary farms, 
and we find Irish Shorthorns in the yards, simply because 
they predominate at most of the fairs in the southern and 
midland counties ; and yet it is notorious that they grow 
slowly and ripen late, and cost so much to “ finish ” that 
anything like profit beyond the manure is out of the question. 
Take an equal number of them and of well-bred Sussex 
beasts of the same age, place them under similar conditions 
of treatment, and it will be found that the Sussex beasts 
will be ripe for the butcher many months before the Irish 
which are pressed upon us by the middlemen, who make 
handsome profits of the droves of them which they purchase 
so cheaply at Bristol and send about the country for easy¬ 
going farmers to waste their substance upon. We mention 
the Sussex breed merely as an example of the class of animal 
wanted generally. Other counties have excellent home-bred 
beasts, but there is not enough of them. Let any man of 
enterprise place enough of such beasts upon the market to 
meet the demand which undoubtedly exists for them, and 
the trade in Irish beasts would inevitably suffer so much that 
it would either die out or a better class of animals would be 
brought into it. 
Low prices resultant from foreign competition are un¬ 
avoidable, but do we not make bad worse by not being on the 
alert to take every advantage offered us in the eaily maturity 
of improved breeds ? It is of vital importance that a farmer’s 
capital should bring in quick profits, however small they may 
be. Only give us enough of the “ nimble ninepence,” and 
we can still make farming answer. That the profit upon 
cattle is to be found in the manure is a popular saying with 
which we have never felt satisfied, and when it is seen how 
great the difference is between good and inferior stock it 
follows that there must be a material difference in the result. 
This is a question of ways and means pressing strongly upon 
us, and it must not be ignored. Unfortunately the remedy 
cannot be applied at once; our aim is to create a demand 
for superior beasts, and the supply will sooner or later be 
forthcoming. We know several gentlemen who are breeding 
cattle for the butcher largely upon their own farms, and their 
tenants will certainly draw their supplies from such a source 
rather than by Irish beasts at the fairs. 
(To be continued.) 
WORK ON THE HOME FARM. 
Horse and Hand Labour. —Root-sowing, by which we mean Mangolds 
and Carrots, is fast being pushed on. We are always anxious to get iu 
the Mangold seed by the middle of April, to get a forward strong plant 
and a heavier weight per acre than is possible if we wait till May before 
sowing. It is true that April-sown Mangolds are apt to bolt to seed, but 
the per-centage is so trifling as not to affect the final result, which is 
almost invariably satisfactory. Our favourite Mangold is the Mammoth 
Long Red, and under the culture explained a fortnight ago we obtain 
excellent crops of it in a light soil, some of our best roots last year weigh¬ 
ing from 20 to 23 lbs., which in so unfavourable a season for root culture 
was very satisfactory. Intermediate Carrots are being sown after Rye. 
We like a good heap of them both for horses and cows in winter. They 
are of easy culture, and this short thick-rooted sort may be sown with 
advantage for another month, so that several sowings will he made of it 
as the land is cleared. A dressing of farmyard manure is given to the 
Rye land that is mown for the cows ; where sheep are folded no other 
manure is required. The manure is ploughed in and the land well 
worked to get a fine seed bed before the Carrot seed is drilled in. 
Much useful work has been done recently in putting fences and 
hedges in thorough repair, and in trimming or cutting down trees 
encroaching too much upon the roads. We dislike very much seeing hay 
pulled off the waegons and hanging upon the overhanging branches 
alongside gates and roads. A waggon will now be sent all round the 
boundaries of the farm to collect such trimmings and all heaps of sticks 
and stones picked off the pastures, It answers best to make this a special 
job, and to see that it is done thoroughly. Neatness is inexpensive, and 
we like to have things trim and snug upon a farm. Gates and fences, 
new and old, will now be tarred, both to preserve them and to give a 
fresh appearance to them for the summer. This is done annually and 
costs very little. There is much slovenly practice upon farms that we de¬ 
plore, and after all it is more a matter of habit than of necessity. The present 
time is a good one to look over farm implements, and to have them put in 
a state of thorough repair. Mowing and reaping machines should be 
examined carefully, for so much depends upon the soundness of these 
implements when the time comes to use them, a breakdown often leading 
to a serious loss of time when every hour is of importance. There should 
always be a couple of extra driving rods and of other parts of the 
machinery liable to much strain. 
OUR LETTER BOX. 
Nitrate of Soda for Grass ( J . P .).—In reply to your inquiry as to 
whether nitrate of soda is good for old grass on dry sandy soil for hay crop, 
our reply is that it would almost certainly stimulate the growth of the 
grasses, which in consequence of increased vigour would extract more than, 
the ordinary quantity of phosphate from the soil, and leave it poorer for 
the next crop. Bearing in mind that contingency, we should prefer mixing 
nitrate of soda with twice the quantity of bonemeal or superphosphate of 
lime ; 2 cwt. of the former and 4 cwt. of the latter would be a good dressing. 
It would have been better applied sooner, perhaps, but as you reside in the 
north take advantage of the first showery weather for sowing the mixture, 
and it will do good. 
Ensilage for Sheep (H. M .).—Ensilage has been used for feeding sheep 
in this country, and more extensively in France; and in every instance 
which has come under our notice it has been eaten with avidity by most of 
the sheep, but a few do not take kindly to it at first. It is also liable to 
render the sheep costive if used alone, but a moderate addition of a fermented 
mixture of pulped roots and chopped hay corrects this. Sheep certainly do 
well upon a diet consisting principally of ensilage, and with a little caution 
and watchfulness it may be used with advantage, especially in such a cold 
late spring as we are now having. 
Sheep {Inquirer ).—Just as we are going to press we receive your letter. 
It cannot be answered this week. Delay is caused by inserting matter for 
the editor in a business letter to the publisher. 
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. 
a 
eS 
« 
1885. 
April. 
Barome¬ 
ter at 328 
and Sea 
Level 
Hygrome¬ 
ter. 
Direction 
of Wind. 
Temp, of 
Soil at 
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 . 
5 
29.783 
42.6 
39.3 
N.E. 
42.0 
51.4 
30.3 
81.2 
24.7 
0.188. 
Monday. 
r> 
29.244 
45.7 
43.6 
S. 
42.4 
53.0 
40.4 
92.8 
35.1 
— 
Tuesday. 
7 
29.439 
42.3 
41.3 
N.E. 
423 
o46 
32.1 
90.3 
28.7 
_ 
Wednesday .. 
8 
29.563 
40.7 
38.8 
N. 
42.7 
46.5 
38.2 
49.8 
36.8 
_ 
Thursday .... 
9 
29.572 
41.9 
39.7 
N.W. 
42.2 
45.6 
38.4 
61.2 
37.2 
0.028 
Friday. 
10 
29.552 
41.3 
40.0 
\V. 
42.2 
45.2 
37.6 
568 
34.8 
0.054 
Saturday .... 
11 
29.6)4 
43.2 
41.6 
N.E. 
42.2 
51.3 
38.3 
87.2 
30.7 
— 
29.544 
42.5 
40.6 
42.3 
49.7 
36.5 
74.2 
32.6 
0.279 
REMARKS. 
5th.—Fine day, cloudy at times. 
6th.—Heavy rain early; unsettled morning, with slight showers: fine afternoon and 
evening. 
7th.—Fine, but without bright sunshine. 
8th.—Pull and damp. 
9th.—Cloudy and drizzly all day. 
10 lw - ~S a i n in early morn ing and afternoon ; dull and damp between. 
11th.—Rain early ; fair morning: cloudy afternoon. 
A cold, dull, and unsettled week, but scarcely any rain fell during the daytime. Mean 
temperature slightly below that of the preceding week, and about 3° below the average.— 
Ut Ji ol 
