JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ April 3, 1884. 
2 6 
climate. It also appears that several correspondents seem never to 
have had any serious experience of it in any season. These fortunate 
correspondents and farmers hail from Berks, Devon, Hereford, Herts, 
Hants, Kent, Leicester. Lincoln, Norfolk, and Sussex. On the other 
hand, representatives of Beds, Berks, Bucks, Cambs, Cornwall, Devon, 
Dorset, Hants, Huntingdon, Kent, Lincoln, Norfolk, Somerset, 
Sussex, and Wilts seem to have suffered seriously. In these returns 
the worst districts outside of the Fen country come from the neigh¬ 
bourhood of Hythe in Kent, Hampshire, the Downs of Wilts and 
Berks, the lowlands of Somerset, from North Devon, North Cornwall, 
and the Wolds of Lincolnshire. It would seem that next to low- 
lying lands those of great elevation and exposed situation suffer most, 
while the slightly elevated lands are the happy medium. Undoubtedly 
these facts induce the conclusion that mists and a saturated atmo¬ 
sphere are the chief conditions under which the mildew spores 
germinate most freely, and which are more common in the case of 
the vales and on the heights than in the middle zone between the 
two, and the fact of mildew being more felt in these situations seems 
to support not only the conclusions of Mr. Carruthers, but also our 
own observations and experience upon the subject. With respect to 
“ mildew years ” we hold that they cannot be defined by any lists 
of counties or districts as above stated, but that there is rarely or 
perhaps never a season wherein mildew is not injurious in some of 
the districts more than others. If, however, we were to attempt to 
decide that certain districts are more liable to suffer more particularly 
we should name the Fen districts of the eastern counties. 
In referring to the subject of the destruction of the mildew germs 
it would seem as before stated by the scientific notice of the subject 
that nothing but fire will destroy them, in which case we must en¬ 
deavour to evade them, for we cannot advise the destruction of our 
best medium straw for manure-making by fire. Yet the straw may 
be converted as usual into strong ammoniacal manure by the con¬ 
sumption of cake and roots by cattle and sheep, and having this to 
depend upon for the future purpose of the grow^is of farm crops. 
It is extremely important to consider how in conjunction with feed¬ 
ing our cattle, and the consumption of the green crops and roots of 
the farm, we can avoid the serious injury which it appears from all 
the evidence adduced by scientific men, and not disputed by practical 
farmers, and this we must endeavour to explain, together with other 
important considerations. 
(To be continued.) 
WORK ON THE HOME FARM. 
Horse Labour .—Horses are fully engaged in the work peculiar to the 
time of year. Amongst other work the meadows intended to be mown 
for hay or ensilage should now be rolled with the heavy ring roller before 
the land becomes too hard, in order that stones may be pressed into 
the soil, and the same work be done on park lands, as also the Clovers 
and field grasses if not previously rolled. There is, however, no pressing 
necessity for rolling the pastures as compared with the tillage of the 
land, which is best done in fine weather, whereas rolling the pastures 
may stand over and be done after a timely rain. Where the land is 
intended for a fallow and green manuring combined it is time to sow the 
Mustard for the first sowing, and as the most approved plan is to grow 
three crops in succession, to be ploughed in at varying depths—that is, 
deeper on each successive seeding, and in this way the fallow is made— 
that is, the couch and weeds are buried under with the Mustard crop, all 
contributing to the manuring of the land, and so preparing it for a full 
crop of Wheat. The effect of fallowing and the last crop of Mustard 
ploughed in early during the month of August or September is important 
by giving the land time to settle before sowing, because three bulky 
crops of Mustard, each of which will be in general 3 feet high, but not¬ 
withstanding the land is pressed with the ring presser as fast as ploughed 
each time and the seed sown, yet the bulk of green produce serves to 
lighten the land and make it hollow and unkind for Wheat, unless the 
last ploughing, rolling is done in good time, so that it may settle by 
the effect of rain, and get stale and mellow through successive changes 
of the atmosphere, for at least two months before the seed is sown or 
drilled, the latter being best ; for unless it is drilled wide apart, say 10 or 
12 inches, upon the best strong or loamy soils, it will be likely to run 
into an excessive bulk of straw sufficient to injure the yield. It must be 
remembered that such crops of green foliage when well buried in the soil 
is not only quite enough to enrich the land for a bulky crop of Wheat, 
but also equal to the requirements of the next succeeding crop without 
any further manure being applied, and ready at the earliest period for 
seeding with either Barley or Oats. Sheep should now be finished feed¬ 
ing with root crops, so that the land intended for Oats or drege may be 
sown, as it is now too late for Barley if a malting sample is required, 
after which the sheep on the vale farms may be sold, and those on the 
hill-breeding stock farms may be put upon the water m( adows, with a 
change on to Rye on the arable land, which crop is this year exceedingly 
forward, as we have seen the stems of Rye a few days ago 3 feet long. 
Hand Labour .—Work is now plentiful. Laying out yard manure for 
t 'e Mangold crop is now going on, also for Potatoes if rot yet done, the 
sjread ng of which will engage some men for some days. Preparations 
st o aid now be made for cutting and baiking or peeling Oak trees, for 
cn some estates large falls of timber are about to take place, and in ome 
instances we fear it is an enforced matter in consequence of a reduction 
on the rent roll through the difficulty of managing farms on hand, which 
on various estates are numerous, and which, although they may be laid 
into permanent pasture, yet this is an expensive matter, as well as the 
outlay for cattle for stocking the pastures. It is, therefore, a matter of 
the highest importance that the home farms throughout the kingdom 
should be managed by men of great experience, of energy sufficient to 
enable them to encounter the various changes which are recommended 
for the successful conduct of the farms in hand. 
Live Stock. — The management of swine is now attracting more 
attention than of late, and we have no doubt that a change is at hand 
which will lessen the number kept and bred on the farm of the smaller 
breeds, more particularly those which only make light weights with a too 
large proportion of fat, and will, as a necessary precaution, give way to 
the larger breeds to enable the farmers to obtain a larger commercial 
profit upon their transactions in swine-breeding. Upon this point, after 
a long experience, we recommend that the two breeds which should be 
kept are the Berkshires and the large white Yorkshire ; and we further 
believe that the cross-bred swine as obtained by mating the Berkshire 
sow with the Yorkshire boar is more profitable than either of these pure 
breeds if kept solely for profit on the farm by breeding and feeding for 
bacon hogs. Yet where either sort is raised as a speciality, having a 
good name and repute, and in the hands of careful and experienced 
breeders, young animals of both sexes may be sold at remunerating prices. 
It is of the utmost consequence to the approvers of either breed to be 
sure of obtaining well-bred stock. Breeding for sale of such stock or for 
crossing must always insure a free sale, and whether the demand is for 
crossing or pure breeding, yet the final object is the same—that of being 
enabled to obtain the greatest number of young in a farrow, and also the 
greatest weight for age to meet all demands, and likewise to insure the 
largest proportion of lean to the fat after good feeding, suitable for every 
branch of the trade requirements in bacon and pork. The deadlock at 
present existing in the legislation for the purpose of banishing and keep¬ 
ing out of the country the foot-and-mouth disease in cattle is much to be 
deplored, especially at this time when so much land has been laid into 
grass, and the popular opinion being strongly in favour of live stock 
production in preference to the growth of corn, although it still influences 
many farmers in pursuit of profit. It must be admitted that legislation 
has not yet given the dairy farmer and cattle grazier any security against 
diseases in the purchase or even in the breeding of cattle, and it is from 
this circumstance that thousands of young men who would invest in dairy 
farming and the breeding of cattle generally are deterred from so doing, 
and many are taking their capital abroad, where there is more security, 
and the breeding of cattle less speculative. In fact we cannot see at the 
present time any hope of the matter being arranged, which is now in 
controversy, so as to give reasonable hope of the home farmer being 
enabled to stock his pastures with a prospect of profit. 
OUR LETTER BOX. 
Kohl Rabi (17.Mr. William Bennett of Cambridge states that his 
practice “is not to drill the seed before the 1st of May. We seldom use 
more than 2 lbs. of seed per acre drilled on ridges 27 inches apart, thinning 
the plants in the rows to about 16 inches apart. After ridging the land as 
if for Swedish Turnips we lay out in the furrows 10 tons of farmyard 
dung, and spread about 5 cwt. per acre of superphosphate, rapecake, &c. 
The ridges are then reversed, which buries the manure in the centre of 
the ridges. By this method of cultivation on land worth 30s. per acre to 
rent, we usually grow from 25 to 30 tons per acre of excellent bulbs, besides 
the greens, which are first-rate food; and where a dairy is kept they are 
of no small value to the milking cows, as they give no unpleasant flavour 
to the butter.” 
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. 
1 
j Rain 
1884. 
March.' 
Barome¬ 
ter at 329 
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 .... 
30.122 
41.4 
41.2 
N.W. 
44.7 
53.6 
39.3 
93.3 
34.7 
— 
Monday .... 
. 21 
30.166 
45.7 
42.2 
N. 
44.8 
53.5 
35.3 
98.4 
30.1 
— 
Tuesday.... 
30.182 
39 8 
38.3 
N. 
44 4 
49.2 
33 9 
73.5 
28.7 
— 
Wed nesday 
. 26 
30.112 
40.4 
37.0 
N.E. 
438 
46.3 
37.4 
71.4 
33-5 
— 
Thursday .. 
. 27 
30.176 
39.4 
35.8 
N. 
43.6 
42 9 
37.6 
52.6 
36.6 
— 
Friday. 
30.118 
40.7 
37.4 
N. 
42.8 
44.6 
3 i.O 
55.6 
35.7 
— 
Saturday .. 
. 29 
30.056 
41.9 
38.9 
N. 
42.7 
48.1 
37.8 
67.9 
37.7 
30.133 
41.8 
38.7 
43.8 
48.3 
36.8 
N 
CO 
l- 
83.9 
— 
REMARKS 
23rd.—Solar halo, 8.30 to 9 A.M. ; fine all day. 
24tb.—Fine throughout, with warm sun. 
25th.—Fair, but colder, with dry parching wind. 
26th.—Dull, but fair. 
27th,—Overcast nearly all day, dry and cool. 
28th.—Another overcast dry day. 
29ih —Di-y and fair with occasional sunshine, and starlight evening. 
Barometer high, temperature much lower than in previous weeks, and very near the 
average. Air often very dry, and no rain.—G. J. SYMONS. 
