March 24,1881. ] JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 243 
land has been pared and burned on the surface, although 
previously covered with Heath and Gorse, cultivated for a few 
years under improved modes of manuring and cropping, and 
eventually laid into grass. In those cases where the soil and climate 
were found suitable land was converted into pasture of suffi¬ 
cient letting value to amply provide interest for outlay. This is 
one of the means open to us at the present time, for in many cases 
we have heathlands adjoining parkland or other good pasture 
where it would pay for reclamation in an exceptional way, or for 
certain objects, not always being easily estimated by money. We 
cannot here dwell upon this subject to describe practically the 
work necessary to produce a useful pasture from waste land, 
because we have done so previously under the heading of “ Laying 
Down Land to Permanent Pasture ” in this Journal. Although 
we have just stated that our past experience of the value of 
reclaimed land cannot safely guide us in the future as regards 
the growth of corn, yet we still hold the opinion that turf land is 
likely to hold its own in value for the purpose of grazing sheep 
and cattle, more especially upon pastures of moderate value for 
dairy purposes. To enable us, however, to reap the full advantage 
of reclaiming land for any purpose we must always reckon upon 
steam power as our best ally in reducing the land into a state fit 
either for cultivation or preparation for permanent pasture. 
We must now refer to specialities in produce, if we may be 
allowed to thus designate market garden produce, in either fruit 
or vegetables, the growth of Hops, Ac., as in most cases where the 
land and climate are suitable very large returns are frequently 
realised. We will refer to Strawberries as a striking illustration 
of what may be done upon land hitherto considered comparatively 
worthless. To show that our own observations are not confined 
to a particular district we will refer to the cultivation of Straw¬ 
berries grown for the London and other markets in Kent, Surrey, 
and Hertfordshire, and their contiguity to the metropolis is of the 
utmost importance, owing to the perishable nature of this fruit. 
When in good condition this fruit has a ready sale in the London 
market; for although it is often glutted with Strawberries from 
France at the commencement of the season, they, however, gene¬ 
rally arrive in bad condition, and are sold chiefly by costers. It 
is quite common for growers in some of the above-named districts 
to have 30, 40, or 50 acres under Strawberries, and some of the 
largest holders of land have as many as 100 acres, and the quanti¬ 
ties sent to market every morning is enormous ; it is, in fact, on 
record that one grower alone sends 70 tons of this fruit to market 
in the course of the season. Good samples, if carefully picked and 
packed in boxes each containing about four dozen punnets (.con¬ 
taining 1 lb. each), will realise from Is. to 2s. per pound accord¬ 
ing to the supply ; but for fruit of the second size and quality 
much lower prices have to be taken. The produce is sometimes 
sold to middlemen, who pick and take the fruit away, running all 
risks. The price paid is about £20 per acre. Other growers 
supply the jam makers at the prices of from £20 to £30 per ton ; 
these are of the poorest quality, and are sent to the manufacturers in 
casks to contain from 70 lbs. to 1 cwt. each. We have evidence 
that other counties and districts grow Strawberries extensively ; 
the county of Somerset is one instance. Then we have an illus¬ 
tration how far north they can be grown in the fact of waste 
lands being appropriated for their growth at the foot of the 
Grampian Hills in Scotland. The latter district supplies the 
Edinburgh and Glasgow markets to some extent. 
Hampshire has within the past seven or eight years become one 
of the most important Strawberry-growing counties, especially as 
regards the quality of early fruit. Having during last autumn 
visited one of the principal Strawberry-growing districts, we were 
very much interested in seeing a district in South Hants, which 
we recollect formerly was common or waste land, supporting only 
a few poor cows and small forest ponies, and being covered in 
many parts with Heather, Ling, and Gorse, and the manorial 
rights of sporting partly exercised over it. Fifty years ago, when 
we first knew this land, it was not considered worth cultivation, 
being in most instances a poor clay and gravel, in some cases 
mixed, any soil which had ever been upon it having for genera¬ 
tions been pared off and carried away for fuel by the cottagers. 
This waste land, consisting of about 1200 acres, was enclosed in 
the year 1862 and allotted by the Enclosure Commissioners to 
upwards of two hundred different persons having common rights. 
One owner lets land to twenty-one cultivators who grow Straw¬ 
berries almost entirely, and in conversation with some of the 
growers we were informed that the produce had varied in value 
from £80 to £100 per acre, the latter sum being made by some of 
the best cultivators in the best seasons, last year especially having 
been one of great produce and of fine quality of fruit. From this 
district some of the finest fruit produced in the kingdom is ob¬ 
tained, and grown upon land never believed to be worth cultiva¬ 
tion, and much of it is now comparatively worthless for any other 
produce, although during the height of the season 25 tons are 
delivered at a local railway station daily, much of it going to 
London, Manchester, and towns in the locality, like Southampton 
and Portsmouth, 
(To be continued.) 
WORK ON THE HOME FARM. 
Horse Labour .—At the beginning of the month this work was 
greatly in arrears, but lately the weather has proved very favourable 
for the seed time and the preparation of the land for the root crops. 
The seeding of Barley although not very early has been suitable, the 
land being neither too wet nor too dry since the middle of the month. 
The home farmer will not only require all the animal power of the 
farm, but the assistance of steam power also ; and in order to bring 
up arrears of field work it is desirable not to trust too much to the 
weather in our fickle climate. The only way in which we can make 
sure of a good season for the preparation of the land for Lent corn, 
and also for the Mangolds and Potatoes, is to take advantage of fine 
weather, and make use of sufficient cultivating power to bring the 
land into good tilth at the earliest date. The greatest mistake made 
in adjusting the working power is to argue that in case the weather 
should be fine the horses alone will do the needful work all in good 
time. We, however, ask the home farmer not to expect that the 
weather will continue uninterruptedly fine, and arrange the working 
power accordingly. We have often known a fine seed time during 
March, but in April the rains have frequently prevented labour of 
consequence being done during the greater portion of the month. 
When such is the case nothing can compensate for the loss of labour 
during April, therefore these matters should be anticipated and pro¬ 
vided for. This is now the best time for drilling the Mangold seed, 
and we recommend the stetches to be made about 2 feet apart, the 
dung being buried in the stetch, so that the land may be horse-hoed 
at the earliest period, and before those crops cultivated on the fiat 
will bear the horse hoe. The home farmer must remember the best 
and sometimes the only way to destroy weeds is in their infancy, for 
in adverse weather if not destroyed whilst in the first leaves they 
are sure to grow again and cause extra expense. There are soils, 
however, such as sharp gravel which are best cultivated on the flat, 
the dung being ploughed under early, and then drill the seed at 
2 feet intervals with artificial manures, as full crops cannot be grown 
without heavy dressings of manure. Besides, if we apply more 
manure than the Mangold crop requires the land is in a better state 
for a successional crop, and ready for seeding immediately the roots 
are cleared off. We seldom obtained a full crop of Wheat after the 
Mangolds, but have succeeded well with Barley when the Mangold 
leaves had been ploughed under, and Barley drilled without spring 
ploughing ; in this way the best Barley may be grown. We do not 
advise the sowing of Carrots until the first or second week in 
May, but the seed may be prepared ; our plan is to rub the burr or 
husk off with the harvest gloves by hand, the seed will then drill as 
freely as Mangold or Swede seed. We disapprove altogether the 
practice of mixing the Carrot seed with ashes or manure, by drilling 
the seed and manure together at the same time. We have always 
found the most regular plant can be obtained only by drilling the 
seed alone after being properly prepared. 
Hand Labour .—Men are now employed in connection with the seed 
time. After the seeding of Beans and Peas there will be water¬ 
furrowing to be done, because upon many soils where Beans and 
Peas are usually cultivated the land is frequently flat and retentive 
of water. The women can be employed in Potato-cutting in readi¬ 
ness for planting; they will then be required in planting, for they 
can do quite as much as men at such light work, for it only requires 
activity. Guano and artificial manures as well as ashes should be 
prepared for use both for application to Potatoes as well as to Man¬ 
golds at seed time. 
The Live Stock .—Damp close weather, which was for a long time 
unfavourable, has been lately followed by pleasant weather, and the 
stock of all kinds have improved in consequence where plenty of 
food has been provided for them. We at present know of cases 
where little or no food the produce of the farm is remaining, owing 
