120 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ February 7, 1884. 
for Barley-sowiDg and other Lent corn, also the preparation of land in 
readiness for the planting of early Potatoes. We may also anticipate the 
uses and advantage of a full crop of roots now on the land, especially 
Swedish Turnips, which may be pulled and heaped on the land if re¬ 
quired for folding o£E with sheep ; if not, they may be carted away and 
stored as food for the cattle in the boxes or for young cattle in the straw 
yards, and in certain cases for dairy cows. When these roots are allowed 
to remain in the store heap long enough to throw out little yellow buds 
they may then be given to dairy cows without imparting any unpleasant 
flavour to either milk or butter. In the case of a full crop of Swedes 
being grown, as these roots are so plentiful and the sheep not requiring 
them all, two-thirds of the crop may be spared for the dairy cows ; again, 
if on a field or fields not required at all for sheep-feeding, and the crop 
a full one, say of 20 tons per acre, two-thirds of the crop may be chopped 
and ploughed in, and one-third removed for the cattle on the farm. 
About 13 tons per acre is quite sufficient to produce a full crop of either 
Barley, Oats, or drege, according to the soil, taking Barley on the 
lightest land and Oats on the most loamy soils. In this way the season 
for sowing will not be delayed, as, though the roots were reserved for 
sheep-feeding, yet the crop of Lent corn will be superior to that sown 
after the roots as a whole having been fed off by sheep eating cake and 
hay in addition. This has been the result of every instance we have 
seen during the last eleven years. We therefore ask the home farmer, as 
Swedes may this year not all be wanted for stock, to try the plan we 
have indicated by ploughing 13 tons per adre of roots against another 
portion of the field fed off by sheep. This will give him an experience 
which may prove of great importance in the future as to buying sheep at 
high prices for the purpose of feeding and folding them on the land. 
If this plan is pursued with ordinary care, and taking the early part of 
the season for doing it, he will grow heavy crops of Lent corn without 
sheep and without losing money on the transaction, as much of this style 
of farming has done for some years past, if only the value of the food 
consumed is charged at very small cost for roots, See., and at the same 
time saving 40 per cent, of the capital employed on the farm in the out¬ 
lay for sheep, and also saving 20 per cent, in the labour of attendance 
upon them, to say nothing about losses from disease, or injury to the 
land being trodden into mud during the winter months, and seriously 
impairing the preparation for succeeding crops of Lent corn and Clover. 
Hand Labour .—As the weather when open is favourable for the 
forking-out couch and weeds in the roots or seeds, let it be done by 
women if possible, otherwise by men, for it really is the best outlay for 
labour in the dead period of the year, because the couch destroyed by 
the hand labour done for 5s., would cost 20s. if done further on by horse 
labour. Showery weather in forking-out is no impediment, but it is 
adverse to horse labour in fallowing for cleaning the land at any season 
of the year. Trenching in the meadows should now be done, also con¬ 
stant attention is required in the water meadows by the successive changes 
of flooding, which it is the business of the drowner to carry out at certain 
intervals, and unless this is judiciously done the result will not be so 
beneficial as when regulated by the ordinary rules of irrigation. 
Live Stock ,—Nearly all varieties of Down breeds of sheep will now 
1 ave lambs enough fallen, and also old enough to go upon root-feeding 
in the open field, except, perhaps, certain flocks of Shropshires, Oxfords, 
or Sussex flocks on the hills, where the earliest lambs are not sought for 
or required. The food for young lambs is very important, for it is usual 
w hen reared on the breeding farms for them to run in advance of the 
ewes and live chiefly upon the greens of the Swedes. In some cases, 
however, on every tenth drill Rape is grown, which affords foliage of 
superior quality for young lambs, and just when learning to eat it is of 
some importance. In the case of the vale farms, where early lambs are 
required, it is a good plan to have all the roots heaped and a small fold 
in advance for the young lambs to feed in, without anything except 
trough food, in which case it is well to give them Carrots or Cabbage 
passed twice through Gardner’s cutter and mixed with the best cake and 
bean meal ; also give cake and corn, either grey peas or beans crushed, 
in troughs, and the best white Dutch Clover hay in chaff. This is very 
enticing to lambs by its aroma, for when well made and without Rye 
Grass of any kind, as we have saved it in some seasons as handsome as a 
sample of well-saved Hops, and smelling nearly as sweet. 
CATCHING MOLE?. 
The author of the little book described by your correspondent in page 44 
is the true type of professional mole-catchers. They make a great secret of 
Iheir business, and if questioned they nod and wink in a manner most 
mysterious. I know how difficult it is to catch a mole if we do not under¬ 
stand the way to set about it, but when once shown the modus operandi it is 
then as easy as “shelling Peas.” I will relate briefly my experience. Soon 
after I left school my father had some marshland much infested with these 
little vermin. He set me to catch them. I procured some iron traps and 
went to work. I placed my traps between the hills and in those runs which 
were just beneath the grass, in which I occasionally caught one. My catches 
that spring did not average one a week. In June my father gave the bailiff 
of a neighbouring farm who understood “ the trick” a gratuity to teach me. 
I met him one evening by appointment. He gave me only one lesson; the 
who'e thing was changed, and before the end of that season I had cleared 
the marshes of the pests. 
I will not conclude here as a mole-catcher should, but as I learned from 
my instructor in one lesson, now invite your correspondent to mentally 
accompany me on a mole-catching expedition, and I trust when we part he 
will know enough to soon rid himself of his troublesome little neighbours. 
Here we are in a twelve-acre marsh. I have brought with me two or 
three iron traps, a common walking-stick, and an old sharp butcher’s knife. 
Observe there are molehills in the centre of the field. We will examine 
them. They are quite fresh. Here is a grip cut to drain off surface water 
running by the hills. I guess the mole has come up the grip to this spot. 
We will follow its course and keep our eyes open. Yes, here is a small 
quantity of earth thrown out to clear their run. Again another little cast in> 
the grip. It is certain, then, the moles have their run in it; therefore we will 1 
follow it to the boundary ditch. We shall now find the run in the bank a 
little above the water-line. Shall we search to the rieht or left? We 
will look round before deciding. Here about three rods to the left and 
a little distance from the bank are more hills. Then we will search 
the bank to the left. Now if Nature has given us good eyes they will 
save trouble. There, look at that bare place on the gently sloping bank. Do 
you see, about 6 inches above the water-line, the ground looks slightly 
bulged? We will try with the walking-stick. After slight pressure it has 
gone through into a hole. With the knife we cut out a piece of earth. It is 
a main run and quite fresh. Shall we set a trap there? We will look round 
again, and walk to the second lot of molehills above the bank of the ditch. 
About 5 rods further up the ditch on the other side are more hills. Most 
probably the moles which work over the other side cross the ditch and come 
to this working. (They are excellent swimmers. I once shot one crossing, 
the river Stour. My instructor informed me they continued their runs under 
ditches, &c. From my own experence I doubt that assertion.) Thence travel 
the run we have just found up the grip to the first lot of hills. We will 
therefore walk a rod or two higher up the ditch and search for the run between 
these three lots of hills. After three or four probings with the stick we 
discover the run. We cut out q. piece of earth, making an aperture suffi¬ 
ciently large to admit a trap. A fine run, 3 inches in diameter, and the 
marks of their feet as fresh as possible. We wifi aet a trap here, and are 
certain to catch all the moles frequenting the three workings. 
Here is a trap and the iron to set it. We will first pass a string through 
the hole in the little piece of iron and tie it to the trap. This is a necessary 
precaution, or there will sometimes be trouble in finding the “ settmr” after 
it has been sprung. This trap, not having been used lately, or may be a new 
one, we will stick the prongs into the soft mud a few times to give it an 
earthy smell. Hold it carefully by the handles, and before we take hold of 
the setting iron we will make our fingers muddy. We set it so that a touch 
will spring it. Place it gently in the run. Be careful never to put your 
hands into the run. (I believe the sense of smelling is very keen in moles). 
If you are careless of this, you will find the moles will work round or under 
instead of going through your trap. Cut two pieces of turf to lay over the 
trap, making it snug, leaving only the handles visible, over which, to 
prevent your trap being either stolen or disturbed, throw a handful of long 
grass. 
Before we part come with me to another working, which I have visited, 
before. The hills were rather old, and the run to them had some grass 
growing in it. I did not set a trap, but stamped the rim down by drawing 
my foot across it. Here is the place and there the mark of my foot as I left 
it. If a mole had come alon^, the footmark would have been heaved again, 
therefore it will be useless to set a trap here. 
The following extract is from the “ Sportsman’s Directory,” by John 
Mayer, gamekeeper :—“The mole is in some places, but more particularly in 
the north of England, called a wunt, and, contrary to most other vermin, 
lives chiefly underground, and does great mischief in gardens, <feo. When 
you find they come, observe the outsides for their angle or run; or, if there 
is a path in a field, it is very probable that they have a run across it, or they 
will frequently have one at a gateway. These are what are called the main 
runs, about 2 or 3 inches under the earth, and may easily be found by the 
heaving up of the earth, along which they will run ten times in a day. 
When you have discovered one of these runs you must tread in the earth 
tight, and when you come that way again see whether it is as you left it ; 
and if you perceive a mole has been along then set a trap, by which means 
several may be caught in an afternoon, these being their main roads out of 
one part of the ground to the other, for it will be of little use to set a trap in 
any other angles or runs. In spring, when they run near the surface of the 
earth, they make many different angles in search of worms, on which and 
chaffers they chiefly feed. 
“ In the spring, when you catch a she mole, rub her back part about the 
bows of the traps. Observe, when you have caught all that you perceive to 
move, you need only look round the outside of your fields, and keep some 
traps constantly going there, and they will lay hold of them as they come in 
and out. If you put some deal moles in the runs it will prevent their 
coming and keep your grounds free from these troublesome vermin.”— 
Edward Harnett', Minster. 
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. 
1884. 
U c3 
Hygrome- 
a . 
* 
Shade 
Tern- 
Radiation 
a 
ter. 
£ a 
perature. 
Temperature. 
eS 
January. 
and 
« 
2? 
d $■— 
<v n -4 
In 
On 
February. 
CQ ® a 
Dry. 
Wet. 
Oo 
Max. 
Min. 
sun. 
grass. 
Inches. 
deg. 
deg. 
deg. 
deg. 
deg. 
deg. 
deg. 
In. 
Sunday . 
27 
29.090 
35.0 
32.9 
w. 
41.3 
44.1 
34 7 
(2.3 
31.5 
— 
Monday. 
Tuesday. 
28 
29.537 
35.9 
33.9 
w. 
39.8 
44 5 
32.8 
72.8 
29.2 
0.170 
29 
29.776 
44.7 
44.7 
s.w. 
39.0 
55.6 
35.4 
72.8 
29.4 
#.014 
Wednesday .. 
SO 
29.845 
52.5 
51.5 
s.w. 
42.1 
55.5 
43.7 
62 6 
43.3 
0.222 
Thursday .... 
31 
29.802 
49.6 
48 9 
s. 
4,8.3 
51.2 
44 2 
52.4 
41.5 
0.238 
Friday. 
1 
29.473 
45.9 
43.8 
s.w. 
44 5 
51.7 
44.8 
71.8 
41.9 
#.301 
Saturday .... 
2 
29.788 
39.3 
88.4 
N. 
44.0 
48.8 
38.2 
64.2 
39.2 
29.624 
43.4 
42.0 
*1 
49 9 
39.1 
65.6 
366 
0.915 
REMARKS. 
27 th.—Windy during night; slight snow shower at 10.30 A M., then fair ; lightning at 
10.30 p.M. 
28th.—Pine throughout; clear sunset, but little special colour. 
29th.—Foggy in morning, then became very warm and fine. 
30th.—Yery close, with rain and wind. 
31st.—Heavy rain in night, and raining nearly all day. 
1st.—Fine morning ; wet and wild in afternoon; fine evening. 
2nd.—Overcast early, but nearly cloudless after il A M. 
Rather a wild and wet week. Temperature still above the average. During the wholv 
of January the air never fell to freezing point—a very unusual fact.—G. J. SYMONS. 
