182 JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. [ March 3, 1881. 
it sufficiently to insure an average crop of Barley or Oats ; the 
former, however, would answer best, the land not having been 
trodden by sheep will be light and favourable for that grain. The 
loss of the Swede crop should induce the farmer to anticipate and 
provide for any deficiency which may occur ; in fact, on many farms 
if the months of April and May should prove dry and cold the situa¬ 
tion in some cases may prove a disaster in respect of the purchased 
food required to carry a breeding flock on to maturity. As the time 
for planting Potatoes is arrived the selection of the early sorts is of 
far less consequence than the later varieties, because the former are 
usually lifted and sold before the disease appears. The late sorts 
which have been proved as most likely to resist the disease are the 
Champion and Magnum Bonum, but we advise that any new variety 
which is highly recommended should be planted for experiment, and 
if found sound when taken up a considerable store for next year’s 
planting will be advisable ; and this is of consequence, because all 
new sorts which can be depended upon are costly to purchase in a 
large bulk. We still recommend that when the land intended for 
Potatoes was not manured in the autumn or winter that artificial 
manures only should be used, the guano which contains the most 
ammonia being the best hand manure which can be used, especially 
if mixed with damp ashes to prevent the manure being too much 
scattered by the wind. In this way we have found 4 cwt. of guano 
per acre cast into the furrow with the sets, equal and in some respects 
preferable to the largest quantity of either yard, box, or town manure 
which can be applied ; at the same time there is the advantage of 
being able to plant the tubers as soon as the weather is favourable, 
and thus avoiding the delay of the season, and the treading and 
tracking of the land by the laying-out and spreading of dung. 
VARIETIES. 
The Committee of the Poultry Club. — In consequence 
of Mr. Butler Smith having declined to serve upon the Committee 
of the Poultry Club there is a vacancy in that body. I shall feel 
obliged by nominations (which must be made by at least two mem¬ 
bers of the Club, with the consent of the person nominated) being 
sent to me before the 10th March.— Alex. Comyns, Hon. Sec. Poultry 
Club , 47, Chancery Lane, London, W.C. 
- Work for Women. —It may be some consolation to Madame 
Lina (Geneva), to learn that in the town of Prescot, the seat of watch 
movement-making, that several of the large manufacturers have in¬ 
troduced female labour, which answers very satisfactorily. It is 
only, however, where machinery has been introduced that it is found 
desirable to employ females. 
-Bath and West of England Society, and Southern 
Counties Association. —At the Council meeting held at the Grand 
Hotel, Bristol, on Wednesday, February 23rd, Mr. Charles Edwards, 
as Chairman of the Finance Committee, brought up the annual state¬ 
ment of accounts. Having pointed out the fact that the deficiency 
on the year’s proceedings amounted to £1154, and had been met by 
the sale of £1000 India bonds and from the balance in hand, he went 
carefully through the receipts and expenditure of the various depart¬ 
ments, and showed the profit and loss on each. The account was 
approved and ordered to be printed in the forthcoming volume of the 
Journal. Mr. Jonathan Gray, as Chairman of the Plant Committee, 
presented the annual statement, which showed a profit on the Society’s 
plant for the year of £241 6 s. 8 \d. Colonel Luttrell, on behalf of the 
deputation appointed to visit Cardiff to inspect the proposed sites for 
the Society’s exhibition in that town in 1882, reported that the site 
offered for the show yard was the Cathays Park, which had been 
generously granted for the purpose by the Marquis of Bute, and they 
had no hesitation in expressing an opinion that the meeting next year 
at Cardiff would be exceptionally successful. Letters were read by 
the Secretary from the British Bee-keepers’ Association and the West 
Kent Bee-keepers’ Association, requesting facilities for an exhibition 
of bee manipulation and appliances at the Tunbridge Wells Show, 
and it was resolved that, subject to the approval of the Allotment 
Committee, space be granted in the yard for the erection of a tent for 
the purpose, on the condition that there be no extra charge for 
admission thereto. It was further resolved that the arrangements be 
carried out under the direction of the Hon. and Rev. J. T. Boscawen, 
Steward of Horticulture. 
-A Simple Test of Water in Milk.—A German chemist 
furnishes a simple procedure for testing the amount of water in milk, 
which can be applied by anyone. All that is required is a small 
quantity of plaster of Paris, say an ounce. This is mixed with the 
milk to a stiff paste, and then allowed to stand. With milk of 1030 
specific gravity, and a temperature of G0° Fahrenheit, it will harden 
in ten hours ; if 25 per cent, of water is present, in two hou rs ; if 50 
per cent., in one and a half hour; and with 75 per cent., in thirty 
minutes. Skimmed milk which has been standing for twenty-four 
hours, and is of 1033 specific gravity, sets in four hours ; with 50 per 
cent, of water, in one hour ; and with 75 per cent., in thirty minutes. 
Heat should not be applied, for then the use of the thermometer 
would be required. 
- Proposed “Royal” Show at Reading. —The Committee 
of Inspection appointed by the Society of the Royal Agricultural 
Society visited Reading last week for the purpose of viewing the 
site offered to the Society for its proposed exhibition at Reading 
next year. The Committee, consisting of Mr. Wells (President of 
the Society). Sir Brandreth Gibbs, Mr. Charles Rendell, Mr. J. Shut- 
tleworth, Mr. Jacob Wilson, and Mr. H. M. Jenkins (Secretary), went 
over the farm of Mr. Colebrook (Mayor), and the adjoining land 
belonging to Mr. Palmer, M.P., and expressed themselves very 
pleased with the site. Having lunched at Sutherlands, by invitation 
of Mr. Martin J. Sutton, the visitors inspected Messrs. Sutton and 
Sons’ business premises, and afterwards returned to town. 
- English Cart-Horse Society. —The report of the Council 
states that the Society (at the present time numbers 522 members. 
The receipts for the present year (including the balance at the 
bankers on December 31st, 1880) are estimated at £990 12s. 3d. The 
expenditure for the present year is estimated at £740 10s. 9 d., which 
includes the cost of the second volume of the “ Stud Book,” now 
ready for distribution among the members. It numbers 168 stallions 
and about 500 mares. A considerable loss was sustained by the 
Agricultural Hall Company on the first show held last year ; so 
much so that this second show would not have been held but for a 
subscription liberally responded to by ninety members of the Society, 
amounting to £342, and which was handed by the Horse Show Com¬ 
mittee to the Agricultural Hall Company towards the prizes now 
offered, amounting to about £500, and L t° aid in carrying out the 
details of the present show without financial risk to the Society. 
The important display of horses and the large number of entries at 
this second show tend to prove that it is the firm desire of the 
members and others that these shows should continue to be held. 
- Agricultural Prospects. —Another week of dull cold 
weather, with snow and rain, has not improved the condition of the 
land, and unless we get drying winds the stronger soils will work 
badly. As it is, W'ork at the commencement of March is not by any 
means in a forward state, and the spring must of necessity be an 
unusually anxious time. Reports this week are unanimous in 
ascribing but little damage to the young Wheats from the severe 
frosts ; at the same time the damage to roots in the fields—and even 
in stacks where not properly protected—is now known to have been 
very great. Liver fluke is very prevalent, and where foot-and-mouth 
disease has occurred amongst lambing down ewes the loss of lambs 
is likely to prove serious. So far as the lambing season has hitherto 
gone reports vary, but at the best they are not very cheerful. Dry 
weather and bright sunshine are now what is needed for the land and 
for the stock upon it.—( Mark Lane Express). 
- Effects of Frost on Cabbages. —This has been most dis¬ 
astrous this year. The fact is, hardly any of the Cabbage tribe will 
bear the touch of zero ; and that, or even a lower temperature, was 
reached in many localities. It may be noted, however, that late 
Cabbages will bear far more frost than those that are earlier. The 
whitest, hardest Cabbages are always the most injured; it might, 
therefore, be desirable to sow and plant later ; or two or three sow¬ 
ings might be made, and-several successive plantings. It would 
generally be found the latest, though not the largest, would winter 
best. For general purposes there seems to be no hardier Cabbage 
than the Drumhead; but others are grown at times, and it would 
be found that leaf Cabbages winter best. Late Savoys also winter 
better than Cabbages. The Pomeranian Cabbage used to be grown 
extensively in Scotland as one of the hardiest; it is a sort of 
pyramidal Sugarloaf Cabbage, as different as well could be from the 
Drumhead ; it might be planted more than as close again. Again, 
Scotch Kale of any sorts are much hardier than Cabbages ; they are 
