56 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ January 17, 1884. 
The top of the churn is so arranged that any dust or dirt accumulated 
during transit does not fall into the milk when the lid is hurriedly 
taken off or washed by rain. The arrangement of the lid is such 
that any milk displaced during transit is thrown back into the churn, 
instead of washing up the sides of the lid and ventilator. The 
fastening can either be used with or without a lock. The bottom of 
the churn is stamped by machinery and driven into position, rendering 
it nearly impossible for the rim or hoop to be knocked off. The 
fastenings are out of the way and cannot be injured when churns are 
placed on each other ; neither are there any projections to knock 
off: when the can is tilted to drain. The handle is rivetted to an 
independent plate and soldered on the can. 
Messrs. Barnard, Lake & Co., of Rayne Foundry, Ipswich, have 
added further improvements to the patent thatch-making machine 
invented by Mr. Gooday for stitching straw, for covering corn and 
haystacks, root heaps, sheep folds. This is really of consequence 
in use, now it is customary to make hay and corn ricks in the field, 
which are often seriously damaged by rain before the professional 
thatcher can do the work of drawing and laying on the thatch in the 
usual way. Stackcloths can be dispensed with. The saving by using 
machine-made thatch is that it saves straw, time of yealming, and 
fetching of water, considerations of importance m the hill districts. 
It is quite proof against rain after a dry time, being made so firm in a 
dry state that it never becomes loose. Can be made and stored away 
in winter in readiness for the busy periods of haying and harvest. 
An improvement is noted this year, the string or yarn used for binding 
being not only cheaper but stronger. Comparisons, however, may be 
made by the home farmer between this thatching as against corru¬ 
gated iron, which is now often used, being made in plates, is easily 
put on and will last for years. 
Mr. Wm. Wade, of Hunslet Lane, Leeds, manufactures a barrel 
churn, of which the important advantages are that it produces butter 
in a remarkably short time, it has a discharge valve and a catch to 
hold the churn firm while the cream is being poured into it and also 
while the butter is taken out. It is equally adapted for churning 
milk as well as cream ; the axles being fixed at the sides give the 
churn an end-over-end motion. The advantages of which are, not 
having any beaters or dashers in the inside it is very easy to keep 
clean ; the butter can be taken out without being touched by the 
hand ; the opening into the churn is at the end, on which is secured 
the loose lid, which is easy to fix or take off, and being made air-tight 
there is no waste of cream ; it produces the butter in the globular 
form. We must close our subject for the present by the notice of 
Fairbanks’ platform weighing machine, which has lately undergone 
various improvements, and has wrought a revolution in almost every 
department of business where the measurement of quantities is required 
relating to heavy bodies of every kind connected with the commerce 
of the country, and are specially useful in farm practice, for not only 
can live cattle be weighed, but also every item great or small being 
the produce of the land. This machine is sold by Messrs. E. & T. 
Fairbanks & Co , of Upper Thames Street, London. 
WORK ON THE HOME FARM. 
Horse Labour .—In all those cases where from necessity the seed 
tin: e or Wheat has been delayed, it may now be done with a fair prospect, 
for if the seed can be buried and the land worked off into proper shape 
and form on the surface, for the heavier the land is the better in 
January or February, simply on account of the same opportunity as to 
condition and state of the land is afforded to the young Wheat plant as 
in the autumn seed time, and which delights in a close moist state of the 
land. But when in January and February the soil happens to be dry, 
should the land work off ever so fine it is not kind for Wheat, and would 
favour a large growth of weeds of whatever kind may be indigenous to 
the soil. We therefore recommend when the ground is not in a promising 
state for the production of Wheat as above stated, that it should he 
held over and prepared for Lent corn, taking Oats or drege on the 
strong land, and Barley on the light, dry, and friable soils. The weather 
has not been favourable for threshing corn ricks, but every opportunity 
should be taken, as this work, involving some horse labour, we designate 
as part of the winter work for horses on the farm. If the corn is not 
sold it may be stored in the granary, but it must be an unknown verse in 
the chapter of accidents which will make any important rise in the price 
of corn. At present we are carting and laying-out chalk, and we obtaia 
this article in as fine state as possible, otherwise much hand labour is 
required to reduce large lumps into a benefic : al and workable state. 
We having grubbed-up hedges and drained the ditches on part of our 
farm, it is convenient to lay out the chalk upon the land thus gained 
as it is cast from the waggons and carts. Some horses are now engaged 
in work connected with orchard-planting, especially of the best sorts of 
Apples, Filberts, Cobnuts, Plums, Damson bushes, also bush fruit gene¬ 
rally, such as Gooseberry and Black Currant. Carting and laying-out 
farmyard dung on to the Clovers wherever the land will bear the carts 
should be done, and also carting earth as composts for pasture and park 
lands. At the same time earth should be stored and kept dry until it is 
required for the bottoms and floors of cart-horse stables, also all cattle 
pens, as well as pig pens, for it is notorious that the loss by drainage 
from farmyards is tremendous. Where open and under ordinary 
management we never used and converted annually less than 150 cart¬ 
loads of earth every year, after having been thoroughly saturated with 
urine from all the (tables and pens on the farm. 
Hand Labour .—In the Hop-growing districts much care and thought 
should now be used in providing Hop-poles, and these may be obtained 
from various places on the estate if attention be given to it, as a 
necessary item for growth in connection with Hop gardens, now where 
there are wide rows between the fields. Hop-poles can he obtained by- 
reserving the wood until the stems are of sufficient strength and length. 
Maple, Ash, and Oak are adapted for this purpose. In the woodlands 
also it is the same, except that where these underwoods are absent the 
land may well be made out by the planting of Sweet Chestnut plants, 
which will come to hand very quickly and answer a good purpose. 
Hedging, ditching, and banking will still be going on where required, 
also the planting of Thorns for fencing should be done. Men will be 
spreading dung on tbe Clovers, chalk on the fallows, also assisting in 
the work of orchard-planting. It is quite an undecided point with many 
as to what should be grown in young orchards. It is even a question 
with some as to whether grasses should be laid down or crops like 
Potatoes, &c., grown, also Mangolds and Cabbage. This will, of course, 
depend upon the soil. When the soil is poor it should be trenched 
before planting, and where the land is rich and deep it may not be 
trenched, hut only carefully planted, and when the land is seeded down 
in this way too luxuriant growth of the trees is avoided, and the bearing 
wood only is encouraged. 
Lice Stock .—The lambing folds for both Down and long-woolled ewes 
will have been made or are making. In the districts where Hampshire 
Downs are kept as a breeding flock lambing is now going on, and those 
districts where the long-woolled breeds are reared lambing will soon 
commence. When either ewes or lambs fail in health it should be care¬ 
fully observed by the shepherd which requires treatment and extra 
attention. It may, however, be both ewe and lamb, for in some cases 
when ewes have an overflow of milk the lamb cannot take it all; hence 
an accumulation of milk, which coagulates in the udder and injures the 
young lambs. It is imperative that the milk should be drawn away daily 
until the lambs can keep pace with the supply of milk. When neglected 
it is a fruitful source of injury, frequently applying to both ewe and 
lamb. When young lambs prove unhealthy two complaints particularly 
prevail—namely, the “white scour” and “rheumatic affections.” The 
first is frequently beyond control, but we find the best remedy is ten 
drops of tincture of opium and a little prepared chalk in a half wineglass 
of warm water. This is for a lamb at any age under one month, and 
should be given every three or four hours until cured. The rheumatic 
complaint affects the use of one or more legs, and the animal becomes 
crippled and cannot follow its dam. This disease, unlike the first-named, 
has no remedy. The lamb should be destroyed and replaced by another, 
taking care to first draw away any accumulation of milk from the udder, 
as coagulated milk is the most fruitful source of disease amongst young 
lambs. 
OUR LETTER BOX. 
Alderney Cow [Inquirer ).—We should not choose North Wales for any of 
the Channel Island cattle, but the Guernseys are the most hardy and the best 
suited for a cold hill district; still in vales and sheltered positions Alderney 
and Jersey cattle may do with careful management. From the second week 
in May until the 1st of October they may feed on grass in the pastures night 
and day, but afterwards they should lie in their pens at night and 
receive a full allowance of good hay, bran and Potatoes, Cabbages, Carrots, 
or Mangolds, with what grass they can obtain in the daytime. This food 
will enable the cows to yield plenty of milk and cream for butter. If they 
calve in the early autumn it is, however, best not to have them in full milk 
during the winter. They will then, if dry, only require hay and any grass 
they can pick up on the pastures. For management all the year through we 
advise you to obtain from the office of this Journal the number dated 
May 19th, 1.-81, containing full particulars of management of the Channel 
Island cows all the year through. 
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. 
0 
"5 
03 
1881. 
January. 
Barome¬ 
ter at 32« 
and Sea 
Level 
Hygrome¬ 
ter. 
0 . 
O-tJ 
♦3 A 
g? 
So 
Qj-h o 
a I° 
11 p—4 
PH 
Shade Tem¬ 
perature. 
Radiation 
Temperature. 
Dry. 
Wet. 
Max. 
Min. 
In 
sun. 
On 
grass. 
Sunday . 6 
Monday. 7 
Tuesday. 8 
Wednesday .. 9 
Thursday .... 10 
Friday. 11 
Saturday .... 12 
Inches. 
29.839 
29.97.3 
30.207 
30.298 
30.423 
30.035 
30.409 
deg. 
18 6 
43.1 
39.7 
41.8 
<4.5 
44.3 
37.6 
43.3 
deg. 
47.0 
42.0 
37.8 
43.8 
43.8 
43.1 
35.6 
w. 
N. W. 
W. 
w. 
w. 
w. 
N.W. 
deg. 
410 
43.8 
42.6 
42.5 
43.2 
42 7 
41.2 
deg. 
51.8 
17.2 
47.4 
51.8 
51.5 
49.0 
43.8 
48.9 
deg. 
44 3 
41.4 
35.4 
39.0 
43.4 
41.3 
35.0 
deg. 
58.4 
66.0 
49 4 
53.7 
68.4 
71.1 
63.4 
deR. 
38.8 
37.5 
30.2 
38.0 
88.5 
34 8 
29.7 
35.4 
In. 
0.007 
0.108. 
0.035 
30.169 
41.9 
42.9 
40.0 
61 5 
0.210 
REMARKS. 
Cth.—Fine and dry, with sunshine at intervals. 
7th.—Beautiful sunrise; bright clear morning; overcast afternoon; sharp shower 
5.25 l’.M. ; rain in evening. 
8th.—Fair at first, afterwards wet and dreary ; moonlight night. 
9th.—Fine pleasant day, but not very bright. 
10th.—F.ne, with bright sunshine ; lunar halo all the evening ; bright moonlight night. 
11th.—Fine generally ; heavy shower at 1.30 P.M. ; bright moonlight night. 
12th.—Fine bright day, and colder ; beautiful sunrise and sunset. 
A much brighter week; temperature, especially at night, much above the average.— 
G. J. Symons. 
