August 11, 1881. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
141 
VEGETABLES. 
P. 
d. 
S. 
d. 
P. 
d. 
p. 
d. 
Artichokes. 
dozen 
2 
0 to 4 
0 
1 
0 In 1 
r> 
Asparagus. 
bnndle 
0 
0 
0 
0 
3Iustard& Cress .. punnet 
0 
2 
0 
s 
Keans. Kidney_ 
V lb. 
0 
o 
0 
6 
Onions. 
. bushel 
3 
a 
5 
0 
Keet.Red. 
dozen 
i 
0 
2 
0 
pickling .. 
0 
0 
0 
0 
Broccoli. 
bnndle 
0 
9 
i 
6 
Farsley. 
doz.bunches 
3 
0 
4 
0 
Brussels Sprouts. 
i sieve 
0 
0 
0 
0 
Parsnips .... 
1 
0 
2 
0 
< abbaye . 
dozen 
0 
6 
1 
0 
Peas . 
0 
9 
1 
0 
Carrots. 
bunch 
0 
4 
0 
6 
Potatoes .... 
3 
9 
i 
0 
Capsicums. 
US* mo 
1 
6 
2 
0 
K idnev.... 
4 
0 
4 
G 
Cauliflowers. 
dozen 
0 
0 
3 
6 
Radishes.... 
doz .bunches 
1 
6 
2 
0 
Celery . 
bundle 
1 
6 
2 
0 
Rhubarb .... 
0 
4 
0 
6 
Coleworts_doz. bunches 
2 
0 
4 
0 
Salsafy. 
. bundle 
1 
0 
0 
0 
Cncumbcrs. 
cuch 
0 
4 
0 
6 
Scorzbncra 
1 
6 
0 
0 
Endive. 
dozen 
1 
0 
2 
0 
o 
o 
o 
Fennel. 
bunch 
0 
3 
0 
0 
Shallots .... 
0 
3 
0 
0 
Garlic . 
V tb. 
0 
6 
0 
0 
Spinach .... 
3 
0 
0 
(1 
Herbs. 
bunch 
0 
2 
0 
c 
Turnips. 
0 
4 
0 
0 
Leeks. 
bunch 
0 
3 
0 
4 
Vegetable Marrows each 
0 
0 
e 
2 
POULTRY AND PIGEON CHRONICLE. 
THE ROYAL COMMISSION ON AGRICULTURE. 
The Blue Book lately issued upon this important subject con¬ 
tains a digest and appendix to Part I. Of the evidence taken 
before this Commission, together with Reports of the Assistant 
Commissioners, presented to both Houses of Parliament by com¬ 
mand of Her Majesty, and is printed by Messrs. Eyre & Spottis- 
woode, and may be obtained at the reasonable price of 10.?. Gd. 
Upon introducing this subject to the notice of landed proprietors, 
their agents, and home farmers, we repudiate and ignore any 
points or matters which are frequently made the subject of poli¬ 
tical controvers}’', and intend only to take up these Reports with 
the view of illustrating and recording all the most valuable infor¬ 
mation we can fiud connected with practical agriculture. At the 
same time we must congratulate all those having an interest in 
this Commission, not only upon the results, but also upon the fact 
of their having the opportunity of obtaining so easily and so 
cheaply a reliable work of such importance and extent affording 
; information connected with agriculture and its present depressed 
j position. 
Wc have the reports from nine Assistant Commissioners, besides 
Sub-Commissioners, each of whom have taken evidence in every 
county and district in England, Wales, Scotland, and Ireland ; at 
the same t ime we have valuable evidence taken by them in France, 
Belgium, the Netherlands, as well as excellent reports from Ame¬ 
rica, Canada, California, &c. These Reports contain evidence 
given by some of the most practical and responsible landowners 
and tenant farmers to be found in each of the districts and countries 
to which we have referred ; and in order to forward the object we 
have in view—viz., that of instructing the home farmer as well as 
the landowners generally upon the various systems of farming 
pursued all over the kingdom, as well as that of parts of the con¬ 
tinent and America, we have to consider the difficult and depressed 
: condition of agriculture in the United Kingdom, and the enormous 
| mass of information taken under the Commission which goes to 
prove tlvs. We must at the same time say that it also gives valu¬ 
able evidence relating to the practical farming of every county 
and district, which is calculated to enable persons not only to 
undcr.-tand the cau;es of this depression, but to enable them to 
successfully encounter them, so far at least as may be possible, 
barring adverse seasons. Amongst the various causesMo which 
the present, position of farming may be attributed we find that the 
question of high rents, defective tenures, and damage by game, 
See., are placed in a prominent position by the tenant farmers. We 
must, however, discard thesej ideas in speaking of the position of 
the home farmer, and also of occupiers who farm their own estates, 
and consider only the causes of depression in agriculture in its 
entirety, and free from extraneous or collateral issues. 
A succession of unfavourable seasons which have prevailed with 
more or less intensity in different districts and counties in the 
United Kingdom since the year 1874 has unquestionably been the, 
chief cause of the difficulties and losses of capital by the occupiers 
of land—assuming, however, unparalleled proportions in the year 
1879. Hence the principal reason why so many farms having been 
thrown on the proprietors’ hands, and from this cause the question 
of management of the home farm and land in hand has become of 
more consequence than at any former period. We have, however, 
to contend against charges on the land at present which are ex¬ 
tremely heavy, such as the poor rates, road rates, education rates, 
and local taxation generally, some of which charges are new to us, 
and unknown formerly. There is, again, the prospects of the corn- 
grower in this country which call for grave consideration ; for 
several influences exist and are extending which render the pro¬ 
duction of some of our former standard crops unremunerative, or 
insufficiently so. The most serious of these influences is the 
foreign supply. It is overwhelming as regards the prospects of 
our home growth for several reasons. In quantity it is more than 
equal to the necessities of this country, even with a short yield of 
our own crop ; and referring especially to Wheat, the quality of a 
considerable proportion is even superior to much of our own, but 
above all it can be produced and sold in our markets at a price 
that is ruinous to our grower?. We are prepared to admit that at 
the time free imports of corn became law, farmers were seized with 
apprehensions that had not been realised until within the past few 
years, but it is obvious that the causes which exist now were 
undeveloped then, and in the progress of time must greatly 
extend. The telegraph, in maintaining harmony between supply 
and demand, is seconded by universal steam communication both 
on sea and land. Already in every market in England the home 
farmer finds his corn brought into competition with that of foreign 
production. It is also certain that the great corn-growing dis¬ 
tricts and provinces of America and Canada, as well as some of 
the continental States, will rapidly increase in their production, 
for they are not slow in availing themselves of the best of our 
stock and implements, which matters are especially set forth in 
the information obtained through the evidence given and the 
researches made by the untiring industry and perseverance of 
the Commissioners under the Royal Commission on Agriculture. 
The home farmer as well as landowner must be aware that we 
cannot increase our acreable produce in adverse seasons, nor in¬ 
crease our area of production under agricultural depression. With 
us it is a question of price to a very great extent. Such, then, is 
the position in which we find ourselves with our standard crop— 
Wheat, and which is after all the principal rent-paying produce 
upon all the strongest and best loamy soils. By taking warning, 
however, in time we may postpone for a while the fate which, in 
the opinion of many, awaits agriculture in England, especially as 
regards the growth of Wheat. It is a common mistake to suppose 
that the business of agriculture is capable of the same develop¬ 
ments that appertain to manufactures or trade. The farmer's 
factory is the immoveable land, and although the soil is grateful 
for help and yielding to the skilful management of the cultivator 
(except in unfavourable seasons), yet Nature, which presides over 
all his works, will not be forced. High farming, as it is called, 
is not necessarily the best farming ; but the best criterion of good 
husbandry is profitable farming. We have often observed that 
farming is so unlike trade or manufacture, or capable of yielding 
to the same expedients, for we cannot shut up our shop and tide 
over a season of difficulty ; we must go on to the end as the 
owners and occupiers of our own land, whether it yields prosperity 
or adversity. We have no desire, however, to discourage the home 
farmer, because it by no means follows if the growth of corn is 
unprofitable upon the systems previously advocated that wc 
should not alter our rotation or change our crops, and grow those 
kinds of produce—whether of cereals, pulse, fruit, or vegetables 
—which will yield the most profitable return. 
Again, what reason have wc to fold our arms and be satisfied 
with what we have done previously in the way of rearing live 
stock ? The opportunity of improvement is always open to the 
home farmer, who feels few of the impediments and difficulties of 
depression by loss of capital, &c., like the occupying tenants 
under lease ; his is a position not only of great simplicity, but 
also encouraging him to adopt any of those expedients which are 
going on around him wffiich promise the best results. In the 
purchase of the best of every kind of live stock he has great 
encouragement not only to rear the most valuable of each kind of 
animal, whether of horses, cattle, sheep, or swine, but also to 
spend his time and abilities in studying how to feed and fatten 
