522 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ December IS, 1885. 
endeavours to breed them, and mate them so as to produce not only 
animals of a certain type and style, but also to obtain the size we 
require for agricultural purposes. These objects have not only been 
attempted, but attained on the European Continent and in America. 
The power and breeding of these animals arises not only by selection 
as to size and various points, but by pedigree ; and, like the breeders of 
various animals in the present day, such as cattle and horses, the 
Arabs and Persians know the pedigrees of their asses, of which they 
have several distinct races. In fact, among all the south-western 
districts of Asia as much attention is paid to this animal as we give 
to the horse ; for in Arabia it is stated that the ass is used much more 
for riding than for carrying heavy burdens, wealthy people prize 
them on account of their easy pace. The animals of the finest breed, 
which is reared in certain eastern countries, stand about thirteen hands 
high, and are pure white, having a pace very nearly equal to that of 
an average horse. It is known that these animals are often sent to 
Egypt and Constantinople, and sold at from £40 to £80. 
We have now to look to what can be done in England, taking for 
illustration the Poiton mule. Of the industry displayed by breeders 
in the province of Poiton an account was given from Mr. C. L. 
Sutherland’s review of the farming in France, in the Live Stock 
Journal of July 29th, 1881. We will, however, make a few remarks 
relating to the effect of food and climate, not only on the well-doing 
and capability of the animals, but also as to its effect on growth and 
the ultimate size and power of the animals. The fact is, however, 
established that want of care in raising the young and poor food has 
more to do with diminution in their size than the results of climate ; 
for in the north of India, where the donkey is used by the lowest 
castes, and consequently is much neglected, it does not sometimes 
attain a height much greater than that of a large Newfoundland dog. 
In Kentucky, where great attention has been paid to it for the purpose 
of mule-rearing, some breeders have been able to bring their animals 
to an average height of from fifteen to sixteen hands. These seem to 
be extreme views of the case, and some parties may consider them 
more or less exaggerated ; but as this is taken from one of the best 
authorities upon the subject, it should act as an incentive in our 
endeavours to rear and train the best style and type of mules for 
agricultural purposes. There can be no question but that the farmers 
of the present as well as of the future may be able to produce animals 
capable of undertaking, in pairs, all the tillage required on the light 
and friable soils of the different parts of the kingdom. They may 
be made to supersede the horses now in use in part at any rate upon 
many small farms, and may also at the same time be made a profitable 
stock for breeding and rearing on certain farms both for use and for 
sale. We hope to make this opinion more plain to our readers when 
further on we take up this part of our subject, giving our plans of 
proceeding and compare them with those of the most successful 
breeders on the Continent, and more particularly of the American 
breeders. For of the latter we find that they have succeeded in 
rearing exceptionally large mules with an acceleration of speed and 
power for draught as well as pace in proportion to their size ; and as 
we shall require not only strength, speed, and good shape to recom¬ 
mend them, but also increased height, we must do as the Americans 
have done, for our climate is as good for breeding this race of animals 
as theirs is. We must not only obtain animals having all the 
qualifications necessary, but also use great attention afterwards in 
selecting such of their descendants as we intend to breed from. 
(To be continued.) 
WORK ON THE HOME FARM. 
Ilorse Labour .—During the last week of November and the first few 
days of December the seeding for Wheat has been continued, with the 
land in favourable condition, and various strong soils on which it was 
feared that the land could not be sown until the next spring some 
progress has been made by sowing the Wheat in fair condition, and 
certainly in better condition than large areas were put in last year. 
On dry friable land, however, after roots fed off by sheep, and also 
where the roots were ploughed under, the land has been daily ploughed 
and sown simultaneously, and certainly with a fair promise of obtaining 
a full plant should an average winter occur as regards weather. In 
most cases where the Wheat-sowing has been finished the horses will be 
employed in the delivery of corn sold, also in those cases where hay and 
straw have been sold the delivery of these articles has been going on. 
On many farms that are occupied under existing leases the tenants are 
not allowed to sell either hay or straw unless the value of what has 
been sold has been laid out iu the purchase of town dung or oilcake for 
feeding stock, or otherwise in artificial manures. Much land has, how¬ 
ever, been recently let giving the tenants full liberty of sale of any 
produce adapted to the soil, the only conditions being to keep the land 
clean and free from couch and other obnoxious weeds. Many of the 
landed proprietors have submitted to conditions enforced upon them by 
the tenants, or resort to the only alternative of occupying the land them¬ 
selves, and to this there are many objections ; but under fashionable 
farming so much capital is required for the purchase of stock and the 
difficulty of finding men (except at a high wage) to conduct the business 
of the home farm; and although there are numerous parties who have 
failed in farming during the recent adverse seasons, such men if they 
undertake the system of home-farm management frequently do not 
succeed from causes too numerous to mention. Many, too, of the most' 
enterprising of this class have emigrated, and thus reducing the number 
of eligible men to whom can be entrusted the entire management of a 
home farm, especially those of large acreages. One word to the land¬ 
lord may, however, not be amiss, for the writer would say, Do not let 
the land if a good man can be found to manage an untenanted farm, 
for we have noticed that it is often very difficult between two evils to 
choose the least; but a bad and designing tenant, and we speak from 
some experience on the point, is certainly more injurious to a landed 
estate than a bad or untrustworthy farm manager, who may be changed 
at short notice if engaged under such conditions as give security. 
Hand Labour .— Some men will be employed by filling carts with 
earth adapted for the flooring of cattle pens of every kind, as well as 
stables for horses, the earth to be removed when laid in pens where 
animals are tethered; but in all cases where box accommodation ia 
afforded either for cattle or horses the earth may remain as an absorbent 
of urine, and prove valuable as a manure on the farm. The earth adapted 
for this work may be found on many roadsides or boundaries of fields, 
and may be stored by placing it in an elongated heap like store heaps 
for roots, and kept dry in the same way, being thatched with the roughest 
of straw or border trimmings, so that it may be dry when required for 
use, and it will then be absorbent enough to answer every purpose to 
which we have referred. Meadows should now be trenched, and no 
cattle allowed in them until the land is firm for feeding or laid up for 
a hay crop. Draining may now be done; but in the enclosed districts 
we advocate the grubbing-up and removing of fences and draining the 
ditches. This will prevent the endless labour required to keep them 
decent fences, and maintain clear outfalls for heavy rains. 
Live Stock .—The Down flocks will now he ready to commence 
lambing, at least the Dorset Downs, and some Hampshires where they 
had been mated with the ram early and fed with liberality ; and it will 
now be advisable to look out a sheltered spot to serve and be used for 
a lambing fold. In some cases, however, the shepherd lives near to a 
shed and foldyard, and it is a good thing when it happens to he avail¬ 
able, because the shepherd, if he understands and attends to his business 
is, in the midst of the lambing season, obliged to look to his ewes day 
and night; and in the management of flocks of considerable size there 
should be an under shepherd to assist both day and night, and take his 
turn on the watch for those animals requiring the shepherd’s assistance. 
It is well also that as shepherds are valuable men and require tuition for 
their duties, that there should be younger men in training, for the work 
is not only long hours and actual work required of them, but a know¬ 
ledge which can only be gained by actual practice under the guidance 
of a superior and experienced shepherd. The home farmer, too, has- 
also a duty to perform, not only to take care that the shepherds under¬ 
stand their business, but insist upon its being done under his directions 
during the lambing season. Now, the foldyard and lambing pens should 
be situated on a dry spot, if possible in a sloping position facing the 
south, and the floor of the yard should be covered about 9 inches thick 
with dry loamy earth. This will afford good lying, and require also less 
Uttering with straw; and the manure arising will be more valuable for 
removing after the lambing is over. 
The Smithfield Club Show. —We are informed that Messrs. 
James Carter & Co. of High Holborn, Sutton & Sons, Reading, and Webb* 
and Sons, Stourbridge, have splendid stands of roots and cereals at th 
Show. We have not the slightest doubt of their excellence. The ro 
and seed stands exhibited by such firms as these are, we believe, un 
equalled in any country ; but as the Secretary has again omitted to send 
us tickets, we are unable to give any exhibits such notice as they are 
entitled to. We learn that the Prince of Wales visited Messrs. Suttons” 
and Carters’ stands for the purpose of examining the ensilage from the 
silo of Lord Walsingham, and the fine roots grown on Her Majesty’s farms- 
at Windsor and elsewhere. 
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. 
1888. 
Barome¬ 
ter at 324 
and Sea 
Level 
Hygrome¬ 
ter. 
a . 
O'd 
53 fl 
O-rH 
1 temp, of 
Soil at 
1 foot. 
Shade Tem¬ 
perature. 
Radiation 
Temperature. 
Rain 
December. 
Dry. 
Wet. 
Sis 
So 
Max. 
Min. 
In 
sun. 
On 
grass. 
Sunday . 
2 
Inches. 
30.338 
deg. 
43.1 
deg. 
41.2 
w. 
deg. 
43.1 
deg. 
45.3 
deg. 
36.0 
deg. 
43.6 
deg. 
32.8 
In. 
0.01C 
Monday. 
Tuesday. 
3 
29.959 
43.3 
41.8 
w. 
42.7 
63.0 
37.8 
52.9 
22.5 
0.032 
4 
29.712 
38.4 
34.6 
N.W. 
43.3 
42.3 
86.4 
61 8 
30.9 
— 
Wednesday .. 
5 
30.142 
35.3 
33.7 
N. 
412 
40.8 
33.2 
61.5 
28.3 
— 
Thursday .... 
6 
30.071 
33.8 
32.1 
N. 
39.8 
37.8 
30.6 
70.1 
26 6 
9.012 
Friday. 
7 
30.562 
34.7 
33.9 
N.E. 
38.8 
36.4 
28.3 
61.3 
23.8 
— 
Saturday .... 
8 
30.516 
33.7 
33.0 
W. 
38.2 
36.8 
31.3 
40.1 
23.7 
~ 
30.183 
37.4 
35.8 
41.0 
41.8 
33.3 
56.6 
28.4 
0.05Y 
REMARKS. 
2nd.—Fine at first, afterwards overcast with slight rain. 
3rd.—Dull, damp, and windy. . [sunset. 
4th.—Much wind during the night; bright cold day with high wind ; fine sunrise ana 
5th.—Calm, bright, and clear ; beautiful sunset, 
flth.—Snow from 8 am. till 9 p m. ; bright cold day, sharp Wind. 
7th.—Snow still on ground ; fine and cold. 
8th.—Overcast and thick. , 
A fine week, rather cold with slight snow. Very fine sunrises and sunsets. G. J. 
Symons. 
