396 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ May 15, 1881. 
in public favour, and give quotations from the report on the 
exhibition of live stock at Wolverhampton by the Royal Agri¬ 
cultural Society of England in 1871, furnished by Mr. Jacob 
Wilson, the senior steward. He states, “In the very centre of 
their home district, and with so tempting a prize list as that 
conjointly arrange! by the Council and the Local Committee, 
the Shropshire sheep came out in strong fovee—to the unpre¬ 
cedented number of 528 animals, though this was to a consider¬ 
able extent composed of the numerous entries of ewes and lambs. 
This breed of sheep is rapidly extending its usefulness through¬ 
out the country, for to my mind there is no ‘ better rent-paying’ 
sheep in existence, and I rejoiced to see them forming the chief 
and prominent feature in the Wolverhampton show-yard.” The 
Judges’ report states that “ the all-aged rams were the most 
noticeable feature. In this class we found a large proportion of 
the animal5 of marked superiority, Mr. Evans of Shrewsbury 
and Mr. Mansell of Basehurch, Salop, both taking prizes in this 
class.” In the class for shearling ewes we find Mrs. Beach of 
Brewood, Stafford, taking the first prize and beating Lord Ches- 
ham of Latimer, Bucks; in fact, Mrs. Beach, to have obtained 
prizes in the other classes for young stock against such a com¬ 
petitor as his lordship, has obtained a very high position, and 
there can be no stronger proof of the practicability of attaining 
the uniformity in Shropshire sheep that breeders have so re¬ 
peatedly been urged to strive for than is shown by the animals 
exhibited by this lady. These important reports exhibit in the 
most satisfactory manner the advance made by this breed of 
sheep up to the date of the Wolverhampton meeting in the year 
1871. 
(To be continued.! 
WORK ON THE HOME FARM. 
Horse Labour .—Horses are now fully engaged in preparing for sowing 
seeds for the Mangold, Carrot, and Swede crops, as the Potatoes are all 
planted. We have now been laying out and spreading farmyard manure 
on the fallows, and have ploughed and drilled the Orange Globe Mangold 
seed, and at this time we are looking forward for ploughing-in green 
crops, which is a great object with some farmers where valuable crops of 
cereal and pulse crops are grown. These are the most important and 
rent-paying products, together with the sale of hay and straw, the value 
of the latter to be expended in the purchase of manures, as fodder 
and litter will not be in so much request where no sheep are kept, but 
only growing young short-horned steers. All the Mangolds and Swedes 
will be stored away and cleared off the land in good time for the plough¬ 
ing and sowing of Wheat in the month of October, still they are looking 
for a green crop to plough-in, besides the Mangolds and Swede greens, 
and therefore they should drill these crops at 30 inches between the lines 
on the flat. This will leave good space between the line3 for interculture 
and preparing the land to receive the Turnip seed, which may be sown 
broadcast just before the second horse and hand-hoeing of the Mangolds, 
and when sown broadcast they will when growing not interfere with the 
Mangold, and at this distance the young Turnip plants also will get sun 
and air sufficient to give a fair growth of foliage, which is all that is 
required. Farmers should sow a sort which throws the most foliage for 
the purpose of ploughing-in, such as the Greystone and other luxuriant- 
growing varieties. Carrots may now be sown with the best chance of 
obtaining a plant, and they will be more free from the growth of weeds 
than when sown after a fallow if drilled at once, ploughing after Rye, 
Trifolium, or other green-fodder crops, especially if the short Red Inter¬ 
mediate sort is grown. The cost of the economy connected with this system 
is that it is so much less labour to lift them than the white Belgian or 
long Red Carrots ; in many cases it is of so much consequential expense 
that many farmers object to growing Carrots of the long varieties. There 
is great economy in late sowing and of growing only the short varieties 
like James’s Intermediate, for in certain districts they sell well in the 
vegetable markets, and also they are valuable as winter food for horses 
in any work in the towns as well as country. It is not too soon now, 
especially in the northern districts and Scotland, to sow Swedes; and 
when required for pulling and storing for cattle, instead of feeding 
on the land, they may be sown now with advantage in any district, and 
also they may be drilled at 30 inches, Turnip seed being sown and grown 
in the intervals with the same advantage and for the same purpose as 
above described in the culture of Mangolds. Where the seeds of Clover 
have not yet been sown on the Lent corn the sooner it is done the 
better. 
Hand Labour .—Men are not much required at present, except in 
those cases where a fall of timber has occurred, in which case the sooner 
the timber is hewn and squared the better ; the bark and faggots if not 
not yet removed, especially on land under crops, may be with advantage 
cleared away as soon as possible. Burning compost heaps should be 
attended to immediately in order that the materials may be in a mellow 
and fit state to lay out after the hay from the pastures has been removed. 
On pastures also which may have been close fed by dairy cows or young 
stock during the summer, any such compost may be applied with benefit 
either just before or directly after harvest, for after being properly spread 
and chain-harrowed it will improve the growth of grass during the 
autumn immensely, and in early winter also with open weather and 
during seasonable rains. Weeding Wheat and other crops, especially 
Clovers, should now be done. This has always been women’s labour 
formerly, but in some districts it must now be done by old or infirm men 
or boys, greatly to the disadvantage of the former. In the chalk and 
other soils where Charlock abounds and proves almost an impossibility to 
eradicate it we recommend, where no couch grass is in connection with 
the Charlock, that it should be ploughed dow r n and the land harrowed 
immediately, in order that another successional lot of seed may vegetate, 
and that also this growth may be ploughed in just as it is coming into 
bloom. This may be done with great advantage, or as much advantage 
as Mustard is now treated, and if three or four crops can be ploughed-in 
at varying depths the land will be manured, and if this plan be carried 
out, followed between two cereal crops, such as Wheat and Lent corn, 
the land would be permanently improved, for in the death and decay of 
the Charlock a vegetable humus will be formed, and permanently benefit¬ 
ing the land. At the same time by repeated deep and deeper ploughing 
the land may be ultimately freed from this seriously damaging weed if 
persisted in for several years in succession, and also during the growth 
of corn, using the implement drawn by one horse, called Koldmoo’s weed- 
eradicator, which pulls off the heads of Charlock as it is drawn across the 
corn without injuring the cereal plants if done at the right time. In this 
way we accomplish several objects simultaneously—that of freeing the 
land from a noxious weed, and manuring the land as well as fallowing 
it, under the operations and preparations of one or several years as may 
be necessary. We know nothing so effectual and economical as this plan 
if properly carried out. 
Live Stock .—In all those districts where the horned Dorset and 
Somerset ewes are kept in the south-western counties it is now time on 
the breeding farms to select all the off-going ewes for sale in the autumn, 
to purchase some good South Down rams to run with the ewes, and if 
the ewes are retained in their wool, and not shorn until all the ewes 
prove in lamb, they will generally bring their lambs in the two best 
months for early lambs to fall—viz., October and November. On the 
sale of the ewes to be fed on the vale farms of the ^outh and home dis¬ 
tricts they will be sure to command the highest price in the autumn at 
Weyhill and other fairs where these ewes are sold. On the breeding 
farms, however, and especially on the dry healthy limestone and chalk 
soils of the south-west counties, the ewes for breeding are generally mated 
with the horned rams, but not until the month of November. At the 
same time it should be remembered that, however requisite it is to have 
good ewes, yet the careful selection of rams bred from the choicest ewes 
of the choicest flocks in the district is a matter of the highest importance ; 
in fact, it is seldom that sufficient care is used in this respect, even by 
those breeders who may have a stock of rare quality ewes, but to main¬ 
tain these the rams always have an important influence in the succession, 
and much more than they are often credited with. 
OUR LETTER BOX. 
Preparing for Hay Ricks (S.T.TF.).—In preparing a stand or steddle 
to build ricks of hay upon, it is a good plan to use some stout faggots, 
so that there may always be a free circulation of air passing through them 
at all times after the ricks are made. It is also a good method of protecting 
the bottom of the rick to make a trench about 12 inches wide and 9 inches 
deep all round to take away freely all water which drips from the eaves of 
the rick. Some method of protecting the hay which is being stacked is 
requisite, otherwise in the event of a sudden thunderstorm serious damage 
mav occur. We consider the outlay for the purchase of a large sailcloth and 
poles is money well spent, and if the poles are erected so that at short 
notice the covering cloth may be available, no hay need be damaged whilst 
the rick is building. The size and shape of the ricks is a matter of some 
importance; for although large ricks to contain 30 or 40 tons may be best 
for the day, there being less outside and waste, yet, when the season is 
uncertain, 20 tons are enough for one rick, as it is more quickly secured. 
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. 
s 
*5 
« 
1884. 
May. 
Barome¬ 
ter at 32« 
and Sea 
Level 
Hygrome¬ 
ter. 
Direction 
1 of Wind. 
1 . 
| 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 . 
4 
29.410 
50.3 
45.3 
w.s.w. 
46.8 
58.4 
40.3 
102 4 
86.5 
0.013 
5 
29.486 
52.0 
46.9 
N. 
46.9 
59.3 
33.2 
110.7 
33.9 
0.144 
Tuesday. 
r> 
29.762 
50.0 
44.6 
w. 
46.7 
60 3 
36.9 
103.7 
33.4 
0.055 
Wednesday . 
7 
30.079 
51.6 
45.7 
w. 
47.3 
56.9 
36.8 
89 6 
33.3 
0.052 
Thursday ... 
8 
30.060 
56.0 
51.1 
s.w. 
47.6 
62.2 
45.2 
95 7 
Friday. 
9 
30.217 
53.1 
50.2 
S.E. 
48.6 
06.4 
47.3 
107.4 
44.3 
Saturday ... 
10 
30.269 
61.4 
53.5 
E. 
49.7 
71-4 
43.0 
114.2 
39.2 
~ 
29.898 
53.2 
48.2 
47.7 
62 6 
41.1 
108.4 
37.6 
0.261 
REMARKS. 
4th.—Hail shower at 10.15 A.M.; generally fine after. 
5th.—Fine early, shower at 11.SO, thunderstorm at 1.45 P.M., and showers later. 
6tli.—Fine until 5.15 p.M., then showery till 8 p.M. 
7th.—Dull, with slight showers, fine at night. 
8th.—Fine throughout, but cloudy In evening. 
9th.—Fine and warm ; lunar halo at 10.80 P.M. 
10th.—Splendid day, the first on which the temperature reached 7QP. 
The early part of the week cool, hut the last two days warm, so that the average for 
the whole week is just the mean for the season.—G. J. Symons. 
