8G 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ July 26, 1883. 
twenty or twenty-four months old, there will be a better 
opportunity for selection of stock or stud animals, because it 
it quite impossible, other than by blood and parentage, that the 
best stud animals can be selected for certainty at the early age 
of castration. We hare consulted many first-rate business men, 
both as butchers and dealers, and they have confirmed our 
estimate of difference in weight of the steer or entire animal, 
and at the same time they have alluded to the fact of consumers 
complaining that baby beef is flavoured too much like veal, 
whereas by raising and fattening the entire animal the meat 
■would be flavoured more like that of a ripe ox of full age. 
We cannot refuse to notice Mr. Agate’s beautiful cow taking 
the first prize at the Royal Counties Winchester Meeting, called 
Daisy 4th, aged four years, five months, and two days. This we 
considered one of the handsomest cows we had ever seen of any 
herd, so even in all her points, large and lengthy, with one of 
the handsomest head and horns of a style quite peculiar to the 
Sussex breed, but absent in the same requirements in the second- 
prize cow belonging to Messrs. E. & A. Stanford, although as 
a type of early beef-making animal the latter could not be 
exceeded, although her head and horn denoted anything but 
beauty. At the Royal Show at York on 16th of this month, 
however, Mr. Agate’s fii st-prize cow only took third prize, 
Mr. Hodgson’s, Laura the 5th. not noticed at Winchester, being 
placed first by the Judges at York; but there is no accounting 
for taste and judgment, although this important decision does 
not meet our approval. We note that Messrs. Stanford’s cele¬ 
brated bull “ Goldsmith ” took the first prize at the Royal 
York Meeting, thus completing his victories, having been first 
at the Royal Derby Meeting as well as at Reading last year. 
Two more first-class breeders of Sussex cattle only remain to be 
noticed—namely, Mr. T. Yickness of Slinfold, and Captain 
P. Green of Lamberhurst. Both of these breeders were suc¬ 
cessful in obtaining prizes at the meet’ng of the Royal 
Agricultural Society of England held at York, July 16th, 188?. 
WORK ON THE HOME FARM. 
Horse Labour .—Horses are still employed in carting hay, the produce 
of the late low-lying meadows ; but in various districts in the midland 
and northern counties the cutting of grass in the pastures has only 
for a short time been commenced. Some horses will be employed by 
working the mowing machine, tedding machine, and horse rake, and 
also in working the elevator at the rick’s side—a most important adjunct 
to the farm labour, as it removes the severest labour the men have 
previously had to undergo. We note that in our own ease the Trifolium 
crop has lasted out well this year for horse and cattle-feeding at the 
stables and stalls, and was only finished as a food supply through the 
effect of sowing both early and late varieties on the 18th of the present 
month. This land will now be in cultivation for about ten days, and 
will be prepared for Turnip-seeding by being raftered or half ploughed, 
and then scarified across the rafters, which will effectually comb out 
the couch left in the land by neglect of the outgoing tenant last 
Michaelmas, and in consequence it may even require a cross plough¬ 
ing before the ridging or last ploughing, seeding, aod manuring is 
done simultaneously. In cases where the land will be required for 
cropping with grain after a green crop is ploughed-in, the Turnip seed 
and manure may both be sown broadcast, for it is not desirable to 
produce large bulbs, for these are maintained and perfected by manure 
and fertility existing in and abstracted from the soil, whereas if the 
Turnips are sown broadcast either alone or in admixture with Cole 
seed (not dwarf Rape), these will plough in readily without the labour 
of grinding or chopping the bulbs, and will also have been produced 
chiefly from nitrogen supplied by air and rain, which gives a clear gain 
to the land to a greater extent than a root crop allowed to come to 
full maturity. We have now an instance of this on a farm we have 
in hand. The previous tenant having a very foul Wheat eddish fallowed 
it, and sowed Turnip and Rape seed with a light dressing of artificial 
manure. The roots were never hoed and were a poor crop. After plough¬ 
ing in this weak and light crop the land was, as fast as ploughed, 
sown with Morton’s red-strawed white Wheat in December, and where 
the Wheat came up a full plant, an extraordinary crop both in bulk 
and size of ear is now advancing towards harvest most satisfactorily; 
and in some parts where the plant is hardly thick enough, yet the 
deep green and luxuriant growth is very remarkable, considering the 
land being previously in a low condition from bad farming, proves that 
the green crop which was ploughed-in is the only cause of the fine and 
satisfactory Wheat crop, now so much admired by all those who have 
seen it. We shall, therefore, during the early part of the harvest, 
instead of putting the teamsmen to harvest work, employ the horses 
daily in ploughing and sowing Turnips as fast as the corn is cut, and 
where the land is free from couch, the Turnips and Coleseed may 
now be sown with advantage, and ploughed-in early in the spring 
ready for seeding with white Oat3 of an early variety, or otherwise 
dredge, in order that the fullest crop possible may be obtained for sale 
or feeding farm horses. If for sale the white Waterloo Oats and Barley 
mixed will prove a more valuable produce than Barley alone, especially 
when sown after green crops ploughed-in, as the crop becomes too bulky 
and injures the sample of grain for malting purposes. 
IIand Labour , where the hay crop has been stacked and thatched, 
will now consist of hoeing the root crops and singling, in which w r ork 
the women and lads can assist; preparations and anticipating the 
harvest should now prevail. Hedge-trimming and border-cutting should 
always be finished before the harvest commences, couching and burning 
on the land, as fallows for Wheat will employ the odd horse and some 
hands ; and if the weather should prove unfavourable for the burning 
couch in small heaps, it is best to cart it away to large heaps for stifle¬ 
burning ; the land will then be ready for the next ploughing without 
delay, and the ashes produced may be of considerable bulk, and valuable 
for laying out as a sufficient dressing for the Wheat crop, as far as they 
will go, at the rate of about 300 bushels per acre. All the carts, waggons, 
implements for reaping, should now be overhauled in order that may 
be equal to accomplish the heavy work of securing the grain crops 
during the harvest. If it is intended to hire steam power for work in 
cultivating the land after the grain or pulse crops are removed, it is well 
to bespeak the power required beforehand, otherwise delay, which may 
be serious, will occur and prevent the steam power being of the benefit 
required. 
Live Stoclt .—Sheep are still extremely dear, and this reminds us that 
the great Hampshire fair for the Hants and Wills down breeds of sheeps 
is being held while we are writing (July 18th), and with the present 
prospect for roots and grass, of which the greatest abundance either 
prevails or is promised by appearances, must yet tend to keep up a price 
fur sheep which can give little profit to the grazier. There is, however, 
some advantage in this state of things to the hill farmers who breed and 
sell their sheep at these fairs ; but we have a word of caution to say ter 
these farmers, for if they get a high price for their stock they must 
examine their accounts at the end of the year, and if commercial profits 
are absent they must not be deluded into the idea that sheep even on the. 
hills are a necessity, and that s’oek is the only means whereby a com¬ 
mercial benefit can be obtained. Again, this may be the case if the old 
system is retained, and to see farming matters in a true and profitable' 
light the sheep system should be compared with other projects which are 
recommended in farming ; for it is by comparison only that we can 
ascertain the true value of anything in connection with farming, and we 
close these notes with a truth, that thousands of sheep farmers have 
succumbed to the times. 
Yorkshire Farms. —We are informed that the whole of the prizes, 
value £300 (and commendations), given by the Royal Agricultural 
Society at their annual meeting last week for the best cultivated farms 
in Yorkshire, were awarded to customers of Messrs. Webb & Sons, the 
Queen’s seedsmen, Wordsley, Stourbridge. Cias3 1.—For grazing or 
dairy farms above 150 acres in extent, with at least two-thirds in per¬ 
manent grass, first prize, £75, Mr. R. E. Turnbull, Twyers Wood, Hedon, 
Hull ; second prize, £25, Mr. W. H. Davies, Holme House, Gargrave ; 
commended, Mr. H. Holden, Halton East, Skipton. Class2.—For arable 
farms above 150 acres in extent, with less than two-thirds in permanent 
grass, first prize, £75, Mr. T. H. Hutchinson, Manor House, Catterick ; 
second prize, £25, Mr. J. Watson, Wood House, Brough ; commended, 
Mr. W. Coverdale, Lund Cote, Kirby Moorside. Class 3.—For farms 
under 150 acres in extent, first prize, £75, Mr. B. Beevers, Clay Shed 
Farm, Escrick ; second prize, £25, Mr. Joseph Horner, Morton, Bingley. 
METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVATIONS. 
Camden Square, London. 
Lat. 51° 32' 40" N.; Long. 0° 8' 0" W. ; Altitude, 111 feet. 
DATE. 
9 A.M. 
IN THE DAT. 
o c3_i 
Hygrome- 
a . 
*-> . 
Shade Tem- 
Radiation 
a 
1883. 
S -*-* C/2 > 
ter. 
32 a 
perature. 
Temperature. 
S3 
July. 
.7 S3 S- 1 
c o«~ 
C/2 rH 
In 
On 
P3 Z CS 
Dry. 
Wet. 
Co 
Max. 
Min. 
snn. 
grass. 
Inches. 
deg. 
dee. 
deg. 
deg. 
deg. 
deg. 
deg. 
In. 
Snndav . 
. 15 
29.863 
5 5.2 
48.9 
w. 
6 i.n 
63.3 
45.2 
115.4 
41.5 
0.( 72' 
Monday. 
30.145 
6'.4 
53.4 
N.W. 
58 9 
63.8 
42.1 
1U5.8 
38.6 
— 
Tuesday. 
30.008 
00.2 
54.6 
s. w. 
68 7 
05.4 
53.7 
91.6 
507 
— 
Wednesday . 
. 18 
29.955 
59.0 
53.3 
w. 
58.3 
64.) 
49.0 
104.3 
45 3 
— 
Thursday ... 
. 19 
29.804 
59.7 
52 6 
N.W. 
58.7 
67.2 
46 1 
116.5 
40.6 
— 
Friday. 
29.769 
00.3 
55.8 
E. 
59.0 
04.3 
47.7 
80.6 
43.2 
0.210 
Saturday ... 
. 21 
29.603 
58 5 
53.5 
W. 
58.5 
63.5 
52.2 
107.6 
48.4 
0.265 
29.887 
59.2 
53.2 
58.9 
64 6 
48.1 
103.0 
44.0 
0.547 
REMARKS. 
15th.—Cool and showery ; thunder in afternoon. 
16th—Cool and dull. 
17th.—Windy, dull, and cool; fine in evening ; moonlight night. 
18th.—Dull greater part of the day; fine evening. 
19th.—Bright and fine morning and evening, overcast in afternoon. 
20th.—Cloudy and cool; rain in afternoon, heavy shower in evening. 
21st.—Bright early ; cold, dull, showery day. 
Cooler than any week since the middle of May, and just equal to that usual in the- 
last week of September. On July 16th, usually one of the hottest days of the year, the 
thermometer on grass went down to 3ST°, and it is probi' ie that an extra sensitive one- 
laid on a little wool upon a grass plot would have g me below freezing point.—G. J. 
Symons. 
