500 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ June 19, 1881. 
Fox-tail grass seeds ; 10 acres part of to be ploughed and sown with 
Greystone Turnip seed, the crop to be ploughed-in as a preparation 
for White Canadian Oats ; 20 acres part of to be ploughed directly 
after harvest, and sown with Giant Rye and ploughed-in during the 
month of March as a preparation for drege corn. The preparation 
for the Wheat crop will be as follows :—20 acres out of Clover and 
grass lea, the second crop to be ploughed-in if the yard manure is 
insufficient ; 10 acres after White Canadian Oats to be Giant Rye, 
part cut up for horses and cows and part ploughed-in, but together 
ploughed and sown wiih Mangold ; 20 acres after drege, half to 
be sown with early Peas on the lightest land, followed by Mustards, 
and half seeded with winter or spring Beans mixed with Winter 
Vetches or late Partridge Peas. Under this rotation we grow 
50 acres of Wheat, 50 acres of Lent corn, and 20 acres of pulse 
crops. As the rent-paying crops are Wheat, Barley, Oats, also 
Beans and Peas, according to the soil, it is, therefore, quite clear 
that large crops, both in acreage and acreable produce, is the chief 
point worth the attention of the farmer, especially when we consider 
that rent, tithes, and rates are comparatively fixed charges, and 
will be met most easily in the future by an increased acreage of 
sale crops. It makes all the difference between profit or loss 
whether half the land under tillage only is cropped with sale crops 
or is extended to two-thirds, for the fixed charges are the same in 
either case. Again, it is worth inquiry what real profit is contributed 
by sheep. Although they are in some cases said to pay the rent, 
let it be fairly calculated what remains as a commercial profit after 
charging interest on the large capital employed, and the heavy 
charges for labour directly and indirectly connected with sheep-farm¬ 
ing. It ought to be considered that large outlays in feeding stuffs 
are made where sheep are said to pay the rent, accompanied by a 
reduced acreage of the rent-paying crops, delays of seed time, extra 
tillage required, the losses of the flock, which cannot always be 
controlled, and, finally, the crops consumed, or, commercially speak¬ 
ing, sold to the sheep, even at a very low price, nothing is left but 
the manure on the land. After estimating this, in comparison with 
other systems of cropping, it will be found that we can obtain or 
purchase manure cheaper than the sheep can make it. In conclusion, 
it is by comparison only that just estimates of anything can be 
made. Let it be made between sheep-farming and ploughing-in 
green or root crops as manure for the production of sale crops. For 
information upon systems of farming adapted for other soils we 
refer our readers to former numbers of this Journal under various 
headings. 
WORK ON THE HOME FARM. 
Horse Labour. —The mowing machine on the arable land and the 
scythe on the majority of meadow lands will now be in full work ; and 
the horses should not be worked on the machine more than four or five 
hours, and then take a change of animals for a similar time. In this 
way eight hours of horse labour will be found sufficient, except at carting 
and stacking of the hay, when the work may be considered in reference 
to circumstances only up to sunset. There was a plan formerly adopted 
which had our entire approval when the weather proved favourable for 
both hay-carting, preparing and drilling of Swede, and early Turnip 
seeds—that was to work in connection with cultivating and drilling for 
root crops up to about an hour before mid-day, and carting and stacking 
hay afterwards ; in fact the hay is always better in condition for stacking 
in the after part of the day than in the forenoon, especially where the 
weather is settled fine ; even then, however, we frequently get heavy fogs 
or mists in the mornings which often retard and delay the condition of 
the hay up to mid-day. In stormy weather setting in when the grasses 
and Clovers are in bloom, ensilage is then the best prospect for obtaining 
the best kind of winter fodder for home consumption ; but even this 
system as far as it has proceeded is not quite satisfactory upon all points, 
irrespective of the cost and providing of pits or silos, although a great 
improvement upon ordinary hay-making in our fickle climate, especially 
in a season like that of last year, when in most districts very little hay 
was stacked in really good condition. There is, however, another view 
of the value both of field and meadow grass as compared with its winter 
use, for there is no mode whereby more advantage can be obtained from 
an acre of grass than when used in its green state, being cut for soiling 
cattle daily either for fattening cattle or feeding young store cattle—that 
is, in making both meat and manure ; for we hold that the value of grass 
for making meat is much greater, especially when used in summer than 
when used as hay in the winter months, or whether grass has been 
secured either in the stack or in the silo, for we reckon also that the 
manure made from grass-feeding is of nearly double the value of that 
made from hay. It may be said that the hay will be required for feeding 
cattle in the winter ; but we ask why ? It has been proved by a common 
practice in Hampshire and other districts that when cattle get a full 
allowance of cut roots in the boxes, mixed with 4 lbs. of cake and 1 lb. of 
Bean or Maize meal daily, that good sound Oat straw is far better than 
the best hay for the bullocks fattening as regards not only their health 
and regular feeding, but also by the benefit shown on a debtor and 
creditor account. The hay-feeding adds at least 2s. 6d. per week to 
the cost of feeding, and frequently proves a clogging and indigestible 
addition to a well-arranged and adjusted system of feeding, in which 
case the cattle often refuse their food for a day or two, and thereby lose 
flesh instead of gaining it, for Nature never stands still, but is either 
improving or receding more or less. The feeding of dairy cows at the 
stalls is a matter requiring a separate and further consideration, for no 
doubt the land will yield a heavier acreable produce when cut for 
soiling than when grazing, and the food can be the better adjusted as to a 
sufficiency for the production of a full record of milk than by the grazing 
system. This is frequently affected by the state of the weather not only 
as to state of the grass in extremes of wet or drought, but also as to the 
generally well-regulated condition of the cows as to grass-feeding at the 
troughs, but at the same time that of any artificial or supplementary 
food necessary for them to receive at the rack or manger. 
Hand Labour .—Horses will now be fully employed hoeing the 
Mangolds and other early roots, such as Swedes, Cabbages, See., and 
especially where the land is clean and the men can be depended upon to 
make fairly good work in setting out the plants ; yet it is hardly ever 
done so correctly in singling the plants as it ought to be. We therefore 
advise that women or young people should follow the hoers and single 
out the plants by hand-pulling, taking care to leave the strongest of 
them ; at the same time the hoers should be given to understand that 
they also should be the strongest plants within their reach, although they 
may happen to be a few inches wider apart than may otherwise be 
desirable. Hay-making, as well as cutting and collecting the coarsest 
grasses in the pastures, should now be carried on at intervals by making 
and carting hay, whether of Clover or Sainfoin, in fine weather, 
resorting to the work of filling the silos in damp or in weather unsuitable 
for hay-carting. It cannot, however, yet be said that many are prepared 
to secure grass in the silo for several reasons. The first is that they have 
not made any silo ; another reason that it is generally believed there is 
yet something to be learned as to the value of ensilage, and the best 
materials for making it, and the cost at which a silo may be constructed 
under varying circumstances of soil and situation. 
Live Stock .—On the hill farms where large flocks of breeding sheep 
are maintained in the summer season the home farmer should look to the 
field and roadside ponds, because where they are judiciously constructed 
so that overflows of water during a thunder storm may flow into them 
they yield a valuable supply for the stock, especially in some instances 
where farms are often miles away from the rivulet®, brooks, and springs 
of the vales. Dairy cows and young cattle should all have easy access 
to water by arrangement, or at the horse stalls, in which case it is a good 
plan to house them from ten o’clock in the morning to four in the afternoon 
in very hot and dry weather, taking care to make the stalls dark, for the 
ti es follow the sunlight ; and at the same time let the animals have a 
good bait of green fodder in their racks at milking-time night and morn¬ 
ing. This will enable them to hold on and lengthen the milking period, 
and improve the record of milk; whereas if the animals are left in park 
or pasture lands in the shade of trees during the heat of the day, they are 
so distressed by flies that they will yield but little milk, and leave their 
droppings where no benefit will be derived. In those cases where calves 
are suckled for making veal instead of making butter or selling milk it 
may be made very beneficial, for it requires but little labour and but 
little risk, and for veal there is always a ready sale. There is at the 
same time no better plan of using cake or Maize meal than for feeding 
calves whilst suckling, as they can be held on until they are very choice 
in quality and of heavy weights. The plan is at first to make meal or 
cake into balls mixed with milk, and given as such they will soon 
learn to take it from the hand, and afterwards take it as pudding from 
the troughs. Large quantities of veal can be made in this way by the 
suckling of very few cows. In outlying situations there are no daily 
deliveries of milk or butter to the nearest town—an important point in 
dairy farming ; nor is there any difficulty of obtaining calves from the 
cheese-making districts of the midland counties or western border counties, 
as they can be now easily delivered by rail at short notice. We reckon 
the Devon calves make the best quality for moderate weights, the Here- 
fords being next in quality of heavier weights, but the Shorthorn calves 
make coarser veal and more bony than the other breeds. 
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. 
.9 
*3. 
1884. 
June. 
Barome¬ 
ter at 32« 
and Sea 
Level 
Hygrome¬ 
ter. 
Direction 
of Wind. 
1 
| Temp, of 
Soil at 
I 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 . 
8 
29.791 
35.0 
52.1 
N.W. 
53.9 
61.3 
45.7 
92.2 
39.9 
0.127 
Monday. 
9 
29.873 
48.7 
46.5 
N.W. 
53.7 
59.4 
44.6 
90.4 
44.3 
0 030 
Tuesday. 
10 
30.097 
54.5 
51.0 
N. 
53.4 
67 2 
46.6 
110.3 
39.8 
— 
Wednesday .. 
11 
30.184 
62.1 
55.9 
Var. 
54.6 
67.2 
46 7 
112.6 
43.4 
— 
Thursday ... 
18 
30.317 
67.1 
60.0 
N.E. 
55.1 
77.6 
54.7 
117.3 
50.4 
— 
Friday. 
18 
30.319 
65.2 
58.0 
N.E. 
57.5 
75.7 
50.4 
117.8 
47.6 
— 
Saturday .... 
14 
80.259 
640 
58.2 
N.E. 
58.3 
72.9 
56.3 
116.8 
52.7 
— 
80.120 
59.5 
54.6 
55.2 
68 8 
49.3 
108 2 
45.4 
0.157 
REMARKS. 
8th.—Dull, with slight rain at 6 P.M., and heavier between 10.30 p.m. and midnight. 
9th. —Dull, with shower at 5 P.M. 
10th.—Fine and warmer. 
11th.—Fine bright morning, cloudy afternoon. 
12th.—Fine and warm. 
13th.—Fine. 
14th.—Fine, but hazy in evening. 
A fine week, of just the average temperature.—G. J. SYMONS. 
