346 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ April 28, 1881. 
distribution of the dung, even if in a long undecayed state, is of 
consequence, as less labour will be required for the chain harrows 
and roller. 
Ploughs now require attention, though steam culture should 
generally be adopted for the fallow ploughing, and also for the 
heaviest and first work done on the fallows in the spring ; as this 
not only makes all the work afterwards much lighter and easier 
for animal power, but lighter implements are only required to 
complete the spring and summer labour on the fallows intended 
for Potatoes and roots. Thirty years ago we availed ourselves 
of the light one-horse ploughs made by Howard’s firm, and by 
its use great saving was effected in the light spring working of 
the land, not only in preparing and completing the tillage for 
Lent corn, but also for Potatoes and other root crops. About 
this time many persons commenced farming upon the market 
garden system on a small scale, in various instances tilling not 
more than 5 or 6 acres, and keeping only one strong active horse; 
These small ploughs of easy draught exactly suited the work, 
especially as some of the land was of a sandy and gravelly nature. 
These one-horse ploughs are still remarkably useful in planting 
Potatoes and general cultivation upon small farms. 
Upon farms of 100 or 200 acres we have since had the advan¬ 
tage of the use of the double-furrow ploughs. All the chief im¬ 
plement makers sell them. The draught is quite within the 
power of two horses, which for farm economy should never be 
under 1G or 1(14 hands high, with strength and substance in pro¬ 
portion, and in the double-furrow plough no driver will be required. 
The lifting-out is done in turning or at the land’s end entirely by 
the horses. The ploughman has merely to release a lever handle, 
when by the onward progress of the horses the shares are lifted 
out of the ground, which greatly facilitates the turning. By 
the patent steerage we have this great advantage, that by one 
simple lever both the land and furrow wheels are locked or 
steered; the plough is therefore easily guided, even on the 
steepest hillsides. Practically these advantages are nearly all 
that we require in the absence of steam power, for when we 
have horses of such power as indicated each one will turn his 
furrow in ploughing work, and in carting work, &c., will be equal 
to a draught of 25 cwt. or upwards, and unless horses of this 
size and power are employed we cannot reap the full advantages 
to be derived from the use of improved tillage implements. It 
must not be forgotten that these double-furrow ploughs called 
new and convertible are capable of being changed in a few 
minutes into an equally efficient single plough with or without 
wheels. By this arrangement when the second plough is removed 
there are no loose parts likely to be lost. The beams are of steel 
tapered from end to end both in width and thickness, thereby 
giving lightness and rigidity. The depth of ploughing also can 
be altered without stopping by the ploughman using the lever. 
This plough is capable of another change in work, for by the 
removal of one plough a subsoiler may be fixed in front and pre¬ 
ceding the plough body; the treading the furrow by the horses 
after subsoiling is therefore avoided, as the pan of the last furrow 
is broken up just before the new furrow is turned over it. 
Triple-furrow ploughs are also made, for since the introduction 
of steam ploughs it has led the farmers, especially on light land, 
to desire that their ploughs should take a greater width, and the 
triple ploughs have been brought out to meet this requirement. 
In the draught of this plough three horses of the requisite strength 
are only required, and thus, as in the case of the other ploughs, 
each horse turns a furrow. By its use greater economy as well 
as expedition in ploughing is effected than with the double¬ 
furrow plough, into which it may at once be converted by the 
removal of the hinder body, and the depth of the work can be 
regulated by the lever as the plough proceeds, and at the ends the 
plough is lifted by the same lever clear off the ground. Combined 
subsoil and pulverising ploughs are now much in demand ; they 
are fitted with digging breasts and subsoil tines, which break or 
pulverise the soil to a depth of 6 or 9 inches below the furrow. 
The horse power required for this work cannot easily be defined 
on account of the variation of the subsoil to be operated upon- 
Market gardeners and farmers, however, find these ploughs very 
efficient implements for deep tillage; and as they are easily turned 
into an ordinary plough by changing the breast and removing 
the tines they are much approved, for practically it is quite 
out of the range of economy to be provided with a separate 
implement for the various requirements of a well-managed farm 
of the present day, especially when we find that market garden 
farming is becoming the practice in those districts where a ready 
sale and delivery can be obtained for the various crops to suit the 
requirements of the consumers of vegetable produce in the metro¬ 
polis or in large provincial towns. 
(To be continued.) 
WORK ON THE HOME FARM. 
Horse Labour .—All those who have employed steam power in the 
early cultivating of the fallows are now getting forward with the 
tillage; and the Potato planting having been finished, the Mangold 
seed should be drilled without further delay. The safest plan 
is to sow the Mangold seed as soon as possible after the first 
week in April, and all we have to fear is that in case the weather 
should continue dry the seed may not germinate ; at least, that was 
the case last year, and a large portion of the plant was deficient in 
consequence. Sometimes we have seen a crop of mixed Mangolds and 
Swedes answer well, especially where fatting cattle are fed in the 
boxes in the autumn ; the Swedes being very early become ripe and 
fit for use at an early period. They are also useful for a milk-selling 
dairy, the Swedes being a good supplement in case the autumn grass 
becomes scarce. The early-sown Barley and Oats, as well as Peas, 
are now looking very strong; the late mild weather and timely 
showers caused all seeds to germinate with great regularity this year. 
We do not advise sowing Barley after the 20th of April, but prefer to 
sow white Waterloo Oats and Barley mixed. The Rye crop is for¬ 
ward this year, and is now being cut up for cattle or being fed off on 
the land with sheep. In either case this land where clean may be 
sown with Mangold, Swedes, or hybrid Turnips for early feeding. In 
case, however, dry weather should prevail it is better to plough and 
drill the seed the same day, because when the ploughing, working, 
and drilling are done simultaneously the seed is sure to vegetate, 
especially if the surface is rolled with the ring roller. Summer 
Vetches for successional use for feeding cattle or sheep may now be 
sown with advantage, particularly upon strong soils intended for 
Wheat, as we find the ground comes in good condition after being 
cropped with Vetches and fed off by sheep eating cotton cake ; also, in 
case the land is outlying, as no dung carting will be required, because 
a dressing of Peruvian guano at seed time after the green crops have 
been fed off will insure a good crop of Wheat in ordinary seasons. 
Upon this plan also the last ploughing and seeding may be done in 
good time. Farmyard or box dung should be used nearer the home¬ 
stead in order to save carting—a matter of much importance not only 
to the labour bill but in the saving of time in laying out, &c. ; in fact, 
as a rule the outlying fields may be dressed by sheep with great 
advantage, either in the case of feeding-off green crops or early roots. 
Hand Labour .—This will still be required in connection with tillage 
operations, such as couching, carting, and heaping or burning on 
the land. As the first week in May is the best seed time for the 
cattle Carrots the seed should now be prepared by hand-rubbing with 
the harvest gloves, if it has not been already done, as this work can 
often be done on a wet day when the men or women cannot work 
out of doors. It is, however, an important method of preparing the 
seed, because where the burr has been rubbed off properly the seed 
will then pass with great regularity through the drill, quite as much 
so as Turnip or Mangold 3eed. Carrots of the White Belgian variety 
may be said to be best for a full crop for cattle-feeding; but the Red 
Intermediate are of rather higher feeding value, and they may some¬ 
times be sold in the market when vegetables are scarce, like they 
have been during the past few months. There is, however, the 
labour question to be considered, for these Red Intermediate sorts are 
short and clean grown when the land has been properly tilled and 
manured ; and although they will come large in size, yet they do not 
root deeply in the soil, and are easily taken up ; therefore the cost of 
raising the crop is reduced to a minimum. 
Live Stock .—The dairy cows are now out grazing at daytime, but 
our plan is not to let them lie out at night until the second week in 
May, for we often have night frosts up to that time, and sometimes 
later ; and when the animals lie out at first they should have the 
driest and highest pasture on the farm—at all events it should be 
situated above the fog level, for it is the moisture floating in the air 
which does the mischief when accompanied with frost. These remarks 
apply to other cattle as well as to dairy cows, for it is found that 
