458 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER 
f June 5, 1884. 
the white Clover to the injury of the pasture; at the same time 
the long-woolled sheep are a necessity to feed in company with 
fatting oxen, for they are of a quiet habit, and will eat and lie 
down, whereas most of the .Down breeds and crosses would 
continue to roam over the pasture, making the produce dis¬ 
tasteful to the bullocks. Again, it is notorious that in much of 
the best pasture land the inferior grasses have greatly increased, 
which arises from the fact of its going to seed, it having been 
refused by the stock ; and therefore, unless the scythe or mowing 
machine is run over the pasture just after these grasses have 
come into bloom, the seed will drop and vegetate to the injury 
of the future pasture. Also in all those cases when cake or corn, 
or indeed in any case, the late Mr. T. C. Carrington always carried 
out the plan (and he tvas a great authority on the subject), of 
spreading the droppings of the cattle twice a week, or otherwise 
collect the droppings and take them to an earth or compost heap 
ready to receive them; in this way the full advantage would be 
obtained by the pasture when spread, because allowing it to re¬ 
main as usual would make the grass distasteful to cattle if 
allowed to remain without either spreading, or heaping and lay¬ 
ing out again. 
(To be continued.) 
WORK ON THE HOME FARM. 
Horse Labour is still connected with preparing the land for seeding 
and drilling for the Swedish Turnips, and also common Turnips where 
they may be required for early feeding on strong land preparatory for 
Wheat, or where they are required for ploughing-in when full of 
foliage and before bulbing, in which case another crop may be 
grown and ploughed-in the same way. The seeding for the main crop 
of Swedes should now be completed, for in all except the northern 
counties and Scotland, the best time for sowing is between the 8th 
and 14th of June. The first growth of Mustard will now be ready 
for ploughing in. This should be done at a depth of about 4 inches, 
and worked down fine, and the land sown daily as fast as ploughed, 
in order to insure moisture sufficient for vegetating the seed ; otherwise, 
if the dry weather continues it may lie about in the land, and the 
weeds become master of the situation. On some strong land, especially 
where dairy cows are kept, crops for ensilage may be seeded for. After 
Rye has been taken as a fodder crop, a crop of Maize may be grown, 
which will come off in good time for use to be placed in silo. If 3 or 
3^ bushels of Maize he drilled at 14 inches apart or sown broadcast per 
acre, with 1J cwt. of nitrate of soda, it will come very thick and strong, 
and forward enough to make good ensilage, or for ploughing-in as green 
manure. As fast as the Trifolium crop is removed for cattle or sheep 
and horses, the land may be ploughed and sown daily, or as fast as room 
for ploughing can be obtained, with Greystone Turnip. If required for 
sheep-feeding they may be allowed to bulb ; otherwise when full of 
foliage before bulbing they may be ploughed-in as green manure for 
Wheat. In any and every case where Swedes or Turnip seeds are sown 
or drilled not less than 3 cwt. of bone superphosphate per acre should be 
applied by the drill. If the weather continues dry at the seed time 
14 cwt. of nitrate of soda may be sown broadcast behind the drill and 
harrowed in ; this will retain more moisture in the land, besides 
quickening the growth of the young plants out of reach of the Turnip 
flea or beetle. 
Hand Labour .—The cutting of Clovers should not be longer delayed 
on any soil, for the quality of the hay will be the better for early cutting, 
as also the second growth, either for feeding or for hay and seeding. 
Hoeing of Mangolds and all early root crops both by horse and hand 
should be done early, to kill the weeds in their infancy. Sheep-washing 
and shearing will now be pretty general, especially on the hill farms 
where breeding flocks are kept, and the shepherd should always be the 
party employed to cast the sheep into the water and keep his eye well 
upon every animal to insure their being taken out in turn, for some good 
animals are frequently lost or injured by staying in the water too long, 
especially in those cases of neglect when water is taken internally, for 
then it is often fatal. Prepare now ft r making rick staddles for hay, and, 
unless on some small farms, this is best done to save labour in the fields 
where the crop is grown. Spars and yarn for thatching should be also 
provided beforehand. Planting Cabbages and Kohl Rabi will be going on 
now. In a dry time it is no use planting with the setting stick. We 
always plant with the spade in any weather ; the men introduce a light 
or worn spade at an angle of 45°, women following to introduce the 
plants at the back of the spade. In this way, especially if the plants are 
large, they can be buried deeply in the earth, and are sustained in the 
driest of weather, whereas if planted with a setting stick the dusty fine 
earth would run into the orifice with the roots of the plant and cause 
them to die. Under any circumstances, when very dry and hot weather 
prevails, the hearts of the plants should be placed just under the surface. 
Ploughing-in the plants is frequently done, but it cannot be well done 
in dry weather. 
Live Stock.— Calves may in most cases be reared with profit, even 
without milk, after a few days, with a prospect of advantage in those 
cases where the stock is short, and where either dairy stock or animals 
for making baby beef are required. As this is the time for the selection 
of mares for breeding either cart horses or heavy draught animals, the 
selection of good mares and using only the best entire horses is of the 
highest importance. There is a better guide in selection, by taking the 
best form on either side, together with their weight as well as age. We 
find that in America the value of draught horses is judged by their weight, 
as it is stated that weight gives not only power in work, but is one of the 
surest indications of constitution ; light, flat-sided horses are generally of 
the worst constitution and are unequal to severe work, and are more 
frequently short-lived in consequence. With regard to the fatting of 
steers in boxes in the summer time, the cutting-up and feeding with 
Clovers, and an allowance of 3 lbs. cake and 1 lb. of bean or maizemeal 
per day, excellent beef can be made, as we have proved for many years, 
also the feeding dairy cows in the same way for milk in their stalls- 
will furnish a good record, and leave most valuable manure. 
The British Goat Society. —The fifth annual meeting of this 
Society was held on Friday last at the rooms of the British Dairy 
Farmers’ Association ; Mr. W. K. Taunton presiding. Mr. H. S. Holmes- 
Pegler, Hon. Secretary, read the report, which showed the continued 
progress of the Society, the number of members being now 225. The 
funds were likewise in a flourishing condition, the balance-sheet showing 
the sum of £53 O.s. lOtf. in hand. The kid register, which was opened on 
the 1st January for the registration of the birth of goats, was working 
satisfactorily, and in order to afford a stimulus to registration it had 
been decided to offer an additional prize, to be given to the breeder of 
certain first-prize exhibits at the next Dairy Show, conditionally upon 
the birth having been duly registered. One object of the Society has not 
met with that success which was anticipated and which the Committee 
thought it deserved—namely, the introduction of goats amongst the 
cottage population, very few applications having been received from 
cottagers for goats to be paid for by instalments. The report was 
adopted, and some other formal business was transacted. The Duke of 
Wellington was re-elected President, and it was resolved to ask Mr. James 
Howard, M.P., to become a Vice-President. 
Seed Stands at Maidstone. —At the great and successful Show of 
the Bath and West of England Society, the large seed stands which are 
the first things to meet the eye of the visitor are, as usual, handsome and 
well-arranged botanical museums. That of Messrs. Sutton & Sons of 
Reading is first in order of the catalogue as it is in the show ground, with 
a handsome black and gold front, and embellished with trophies of victories 
in aU parts of the world. The structure is of a very striking character. 
Specimens of 300 kinds of Grasses and of a thousand different kinds of 
seeds would occupy the student for the whole time of the Show if he 
intended to instruct himself in the subject. Roots and forage plants, 
models of plants and vegetables, and nearly a hundred samples of 
Potatoes go to make up the rest of the staud. Messrs. Webb & Sons of 
Stourbridge come next ; and this firm, too, have an enormous museum of 
Grasses and Clovers, seeds, plants, roots, and vegetables. And not only 
this, for they also show the manure to help on growth from healthy seed. 
Messrs. James Carter & Co. of High Holborn have a really handsome and 
instructive museum. Grasses here are classified into desirable and 
undesirable sorts, and the geological formation suited for the various 
kinds pointed out. Seeds and the main features of the other stands are 
also shown .—(Morning Post.) 
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. 
<L> C3„_ 
Hygrome- 
d . 
O ** . 
Shade Tem- 
Radiation 
d 
1884. 
g wO) £ 
ter. 
£ a 
9-™ § 
perature. 
Temperature. 
d 
04 
May. 
5 Si S - 5 
££ 
-- 
In 
On 
Dry. 
Wet 
5 o 
Max. 
Min. 
sun. 
grass. 
Inches. 
dee. 
dee. 
dee. 
dee. 
dee- 
deg. 
Ir. 
Sunday . 25 
80.114 
57.1 
52.1 
E. 
59.0 
59 5 
47.4 
68.0 
46.2 
0.010 
Monday. 24 
30.232 
61.0 
54.8 
N.E. 
57.2 
69.3 
46.8 
1114 
45.1 
— 
Tuesday. 27 
80.303 
50.2 
53.1 
N.E. 
57.6 
71.3 
42.0 
110.3 
35.6 
— 
Wednesday .. 28 
30.200 
51.2 
46.7 
N.E. 
58.0 
55.7 
42 2 
72.9 
34.7 
— 
Thursday .... 29 
30.21(5 
50.4 
4<’.3 
E. 
56.4 
56.6 
46.2 
71.0 
45.4 
— 
Friday. SO 
30.067 
57.3 
51.7 
N. 
55.2 
70.6 
41.8 
115.4 
34.0 
— 
Saturday .... 31 
80.072 
55.2 
49.8 
N.E. 
56.0 
64.1 
41.4 
78.6 
36.2 
— 
30.181 
55.9 
50.6 
57.1 
63.9 
44.0 
89.7 
39.6 
0.010 
REMARKS. 
25th.—Dull, with slight shower about noon. 
26th.—Fine cloudless evening. 
27 th.—Fine. 
28th.—Cold and cloudy. 
29th.—Cold and cloudy ; clearer in evening. 
30th.—Fine and warmer. 
31st.—Dull morning. 
A very dry week, with cold easterly winds and a good deal of cloud ; mean pressure 
high; mean temperature about 3° below the average, and more than 4° below that of the 
preceding week. The rainfall of the month of May was little more than one-third of the 
average.—G. J. SYMONS. 
