416 JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
of sheep, represented by eighty-seven entries. The first and second- 
prize animals show beautiful form, and have well-covered frames. 
We felt it our duty to highly commend and commend no less than 
sixteen entries." 
These quotations were not only necessary to prove the advance 
of this breed, but also the direction in which the advance had taken, 
aud it will be seen that Lord Chesham is still the foremost prize¬ 
winner in the ram classes, but that to enable him to do this he has 
engrafted or sired on the old Latimer high-bred stock with sheep 
from Mr. Mansell, owner of the Dudmaston Hero. This shows in 
the most singular manner the discrimination and sound judgment of 
Lord Chesham in having improved his old breed to meet ihe new 
views entertained by the judges and practical farmers on the point 
of increased weight for age, and this is most certainly the tenant 
farmers’ view of the requisite in rent-paying sheep. In this matter, 
however, the consumer’s view is rather lost sight of, for there can be no 
question the nearer approach these sheep make to the South Down 
character that the better quality they yield as mutton, because the 
lean meat not only prevails and is better mixed or marbled, but that 
the joints are more moderate and selling in size, whereas the stock 
showing more of the long-woolled style and growth make heavier 
weights for age and prove more valuable, although coarser in flesh, as 
food for the million. 
Whilst keeping in view the interest of the home farmer and 
tenant farmer we have yet to notice a matter of the highest import¬ 
ance, and which has been the subject uppermost in the minds of 
practical rent-paying farmers for some years past—viz., the tendency 
to twin in certain breeds of sheep. Certainly it is most desirable 
not to lose sight of the per-centage of lambs reared from different 
breeds of sheep, for although it has been generally acknowledged 
that the horned Dorset and Somerset breeds produce more lambs 
than any other stock to be found in the southern and south-western 
counties of England, yet it is of equal consequence to the flock- 
masters of the midlands also to possess a breed which will yield the 
largest number of twin lambs. A correspondent of the Agricultural 
Gazette on November 12th, 1883, says Allow me to inform you 
that after thirty-five years’ experience in the breeding and manage¬ 
ment of several breeds of sheep—South, Hampshire, Oxford Downs, 
also Lincoln and Cotswold crossed with Leicester, 1 have come to 
the conclusion that the improved Shropshire is the most prolific and 
rent-paying animal for general purposes to be found in this country 
at the present time. They are adapted for both high and low, heavy 
or light soils, will do well on grass or plough, and stand more hard¬ 
ships than any other class of sheep bred in England." As an illus¬ 
tration of the per-centage of lambs obtained from Shropshires, we 
take the returns from nine different breeders that 1075 ewes pro¬ 
duced on the average nearly 122 per cent, of lambs. 
WORK ON THE HOME FARM. 
Horse Labour .—Horses are still actively engaged in preparing the 
land for the seed of root crops. This preparation on the arable farms 
connected with dairy farming may well assume a revolutionary form, for 
the points to which we referred last week—that is, the wider drilling of 
both Mangolds, Swedes, or other root crops to be removed for feeding at 
the homestead or even on pasture land, will commend itself to a host of 
practical farmers. Many will see at a glance not only the great import¬ 
ance of growing roots wider apart for facilitating the interculture, but 
also the benefit to be derived from growing a crop of common Turnips 
between the main crop of roots to be removed ; and it must also be under¬ 
stood that the Turnips, which will consist chiefly of foliage, are valuable to 
be ploughed-in, together with the leaves of the root crop removed. At the 
same time the main root crop will be produced without extra manure 
will be a full acreable tonnage, because if the same quantity of manure 
per acre is applied by the drill as usual, yet being applied to fewer drills, 
the manure will be more powerful in effect, and result in either larger 
roots or more of them, thus maintaining the full weight of the crop, and 
undiminished by the growth of Turnips between the drills. The early- 
sown roots will receive the full benefit of the start and first seeding, 
whereas the Turnips will benefit by the assistance afforded by the appli¬ 
cation between the drills of 2£ cwt. of mixed nitrate of soda and bone 
superphosphate per acre sown by haud. Upon many farms it will be 
found very convenient to make use of the hand-drill used for small seeds 
in gardens, and particularly it is useful for the drilling of Carrots, as 
follows Make the ground very fine, and sow the manure—say, 2 cwt. 
or 3 cwt. of bone superphosphate and guano, mixed together, will make a 
full dressing of 4 cwt. or 6 cwt. per acre sown broadcast, and then throw 
two furrows together formed into stetches, which will deposit the seed 
nearly in the centre of the stetches, then drill the seed on the top directly 
over the manure. In this way we have grown not only full crops of 
Carrots, but also Swedes, Turnips, and Mangolds, and in this way the 
interculture is greatly facilitated at and during any age or size of the 
young plants. 
Hand Labour .—Weeding by the women or old men must now be done 
except in corn where Charlock prevails, in which case Koldmoo’s 
weed-eradicator, drawn by a horse, will prove very effective if used at 
the right time—that is, just as the weeds are blooming. Hoeing Beans 
and Peas should now be finished as soon as possible, especially where the 
[ May 22, 1831. 
Peas are drilled close in the lines, or in case of Beans and Peas being 
drilled together in the lines. Cutting Clovers and grasses in mixture 
will now be going on, especially where Trefoil or Hop Clover and Rye 
grass is grown. But under the new system of seeding the red Clover or 
Cow Grass Clover, both of which will yield a successional growth in 
accordance with our requirements. As the coarse pasture grasses are now 
mixed with them in alternate husbandry, such as Cocksfoot, Timothy, 
and Foxtail, we recommend that the crop should be cut much earlier 
than usual, looking more than ever to the production of the most nutritious 
hay, as well as the successional growth ; for it is now easy to grow three 
crops in succession if the first is cut on or about the 1st of June. The 
object of three cuttings is very important, but especially so on those 
farms where green manuring prevails, and where young cattle or dairy 
cows are kept, the latter being fed with Clover twice a day at the time of 
milking, the former to be kept under cover and feeding for “ baby beef.” 
In this way by feeding either steers or heifers good beef can be made 
with a fair allowance of cake—say 3 lbs. per day, and a fair allowance 
also of green Clover, cut and given daily. The cattle sold from their 
boxes, having never been off the straw, at from twenty to twenty-four 
months old, and the result, both in beef and manure, we have proved to 
be a profitable system, for neither ensilage or hay is necessary, as our 
cattle in the winter months never get hay, but straw only, with roots 
and cake and bean or barleymeal. The advantage of three cuttings or 
growths is very important, for when cut young the Clover and grasses 
make the highest quality of hay or ensilage, or cut green for the summer 
feeding of cattle. The benefit in the case of green manuring is also 
extended, for the third growth will be much greater of the grasses named 
than of Clover and Rye grass, and will prove highly valuable if ploughed- 
in as a manure for the succeeding Wheat crop. This method of cutting 
the Clovers for the soiling of horses and cattle will pay well for the 
labour, for our plan has always been that one man with the odd horse or 
mule shall cut and carry to the stables, as well as cattle boxes, all the 
green fodder required ; and we repudiate and ignore the usual custom 
for the teamsmen to cut and carry the green fodder required for their 
horses daily. We then find under our plan there is no necessity for 
horse labour being hindered at haying or harvest, or at ordinary times 
when a couple of hours extra of horse labour during the summer season 
on particular occasions i3 a matter of economy and of benefit not to be 
obtained under ordinary farm management of the teams. 
Live Stock .—On the hill farms, in fact on any occupations where 
sheep stock are kept, the summer feeding is now entered upon, and 
several changes each day are advantageous, especially on those farms 
where breeding flocks are kept, for it is a good plan, where the ewes and 
lambs are fed on grass growing on the arable land, to change from 
grass to Vetches, both being hurdled off into folds for ewes and lambs. 
The lambs being trough-fed will quickly get fat, especially if a few 
Mangolds are cut by Gardner’s cutter and mixed with cake or beanmeal, 
or both, and in this way the lambs will be maintained in first-rate condition 
either for sale as wether lambs or as fat sucking lambs for the butcher. 
It is merely a difference as between cake and beanmeal for the latter, 
and a moderate allowance of beanmeal only for the former, in either 
case it being mixed with roots cut small and served in the troughs twice 
a day. All the pastures for grazing bullocks for beef in the autumn may 
now be stocked, but the best plan for such a proceeding is to purchase 
the cattle in the autumn, and winter them in the yards and sheds, so that 
they may be in health and sleek condition on being turned out this month 
to graze until fit for the butcher. It must, however, be carefully con¬ 
sidered as to whether the pastures are of sufficient power to feed the 
animals fit for the butcher from their produce alone, otherwise where 
they are at all doubtful some cake—say, 3 lbs. each daily, may be given 
in troughs, with Mangolds cut and mixed with the cake. 
METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVATIONS. 
Camden Square, London. 
Lat. 51° 32' 40” N.; Long. 0° 8' 0" W.; Altitude, 111 £eet. 
Date. 
9 A.M. 
IN THE DAY. 
a 
*5 
« 
1881. 
May. 
Barome¬ 
ter at 32s 
and Sea 
Level 
Hygrome¬ 
ter. 
Direction 
of Wind. 
| Temp, of 
; Soil at 
1 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 .... 
30.110 
70.4 
58.8 
N.E. 
51.8 
79.2 
46 3 
116.6 
41.2 
— 
Monday .... 
80,013 
64.4 
56.2 
N.E. 
53.5 
78 3 
49.0 
121.4 
43.5 
0.153 
Tuesday.... 
30.02 7 
.54.4 
51.3 
E. 
54.7 
69 0 
50.1 
97.5 
48.3 
— 
Wednesday 
. 14 
29.8 IS 
57.0 
49.9 
S.E. 
54.2 
65.5 
47.0 
111.6 
43 3 
0.010 
Thursday .. 
. 13 
30.128 
52.7 
48.3 
s.w. 
53.4 
61.0 
46.3 
93.9 
41.4 
— 
Friday. 
30.06» 
(10.0 
56.3 
s.w. 
53.4 
71.3 
51.1 
115.3 
52.4 
— 
Saturday .. 
. 17 
29.817 
59.7 
55.2 
E. 
54.0 
75.9 
61.4 
117.3 
50.4 
0.042 
30.004 
59.8 
53.7 
53.6 
715 
48.7 
119.5 
45.8 
0.235 
REMARKS. 
11th.—Extremely fine, hot, anl almost cloudless. Several white butterflies. 
12th.—Fine; distant thunder 4 P.M., thunderstorm 4.31 to 5 F.M., with 0.15 inch ol rain 
in less than half an hour; fair afterwards, hut lightning till 10 p.m. 
13th.—Fine throughout, but cooler. 
14th.—Breezy and dull in morning, shower at PA9 r.M.; fine evening. 
15th.—Dull, windy, and cooler. 
16th.—Generally dull, but hot sun at intervals. 
17th.—Very fine throughout, and cloudless in evening. 
A fine summer-like week ; temperature about 6’ above the average.—G. J. SYMONS. 
