27G 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ September 18, 1884. 
really profitable farm land. Plow to do this is altogether a question 
of ways and means, often of so seriously expensive a nature that one 
could only hope to etfect it graduall}' year by year. It may be said 
that such a case is an extreme one, not often occurring, and the 
measures requisite both for drainage and mechanical division are 
hardly applicable to ordinary clay soils. We admit it, but as such 
cases do exist it is well they should not be overlooked. 
Clay soils of a less tenacious nature really require a similar course 
of treatment to that indicated, although it may be in a modified form, 
for no drainage will effect a radical change in such soils. Ee'ention, 
expansion, and contraction are still there, causing them to be beaten 
down by rain, so that pools of water will be found upon the surface 
for some time after heavy rain has fallen. The power of clay to 
absorb water is greater than that of any other soil, but its power of 
retention is also greater, so that when its capacity of absorption is 
reached rain water must either accumulate upon the surface or run 
over and not enter it. Professor Schubler’s experiments showed that 
100 lbs. of dry sand would retain 25 lbs. of water ; the same weight 
of dry loam retained 40 lbs. ; of clay-loam 50 lbs. ; and of pure clay 
70 lbs. Drainage therefore should be immediately followed by a 
surface dressing of sand, ashes, lime, gravel, stone chippings, burnt 
clay, pebbles or shells from the coast, mortar lubbish, shattered 
bricks, or any other available substance calculated to blend readily 
with the soil and render it porous and free. We once turned a heap 
of 80,000 badly tempered bricks shattered in the burning to excellent 
account for this purpose, and may mention as an important fact that 
we have upon several occasions used one or other of the materials 
we have mentioned, simply because we have found them ready to 
our hand within reasonable distance of the field which it was desirable 
to improve. It is really astonishing how frequentlj" such local 
advantages a”e overlooked or neglected ; and we may mention as a 
case in point of hearing expressions of regret of the heavy wet con¬ 
dition of a piece of land upon a home farm near which lay a heap 
of several hundred cartloads of coal ashes, the accumulation of several 
years from the fires of the mansion. 
In soil of a free, porous, uniform texture, drainage followed by 
thorough cultivation is sutficient. The work must, however, be well 
considered and carefully arranged beforehand. Levels, slopes, 
hollows, and all unevenness of the surface calculated to affect the 
work must be pa.'^sed in surve}'', and a plan of the drains made. 
Parallel drains, useful as they are in level land, are often uncalled 
for upon land where the surface is much broken, however wet it may 
be, a main drain with a few branches often doing all that is r-equired. 
Springs may cause wetness of the laud, or there may be a mere 
accumulation of surface water only requ’ring an outle*'. A piece cf 
land sloping gently down to a stream was often so wet in winter as 
to be impassable. Upon examination we found the channel of the 
stream so deep that the water even in winter was several feet below 
the surface. The bank adjoining the wet land was of clay, a mere 
strip only a few yards in thickness, but so impervious to moisture 
that it acted as a barrier, confining the water in the soft boggy land 
behind it. A few openings cut through it soon drew off the water, 
and expensive drains were avoided. In another neglected field a 
spring was the cause of the mischief. A deep main to its source, 
with a few branches at right angles right and left of it, not only 
drained that field, but another field above it which was periodically 
wet owing to a false spring, which was really an overflow of the real 
spring in the SAvampy lower field. 
Table for Size of Tile or Maix Deaixs. 
Rate 
Acres drained (thorough drainage). 
Of 
Inclination. 
2-inch 
S-inch 
4-inoh 
6-inch 
8-inch 
10-inch 
12-inch 
Tile. 
Tile. 
Tile. 
Tile. 
Pipe. 
Pipe. 
Pipe. 
1 
foot in 20 
0.7 
18 0 
20.8 
74.4 
150.0 
270.0 
426 0 
1 
80 
5.6 
15.1 
21.8 
60 4 
128.0 
220.8 
S4C.0 
1 
40 
4.7 
12.9 
18.6 
51.0 
108 8 
189 6 
298.4 
1 
)) 
50 
4.3 
11.9 
17,0 
47.7 
98.0 
17C.4 
209 0 
1 
CO 
.3.9 
10.9 
15.0 
43.4 
90,0 
1.50.0 
240.0 
1 
» 
70 
8.0 
100 
14.5 
39 9 
83.0 
144.4 
228.1 
1 
80 
3.4 
9.3 
13.4 
37.2 
77 0 
135.0 
213.0 
1 
90 
3.2 
8.1 
12.0 
35.0 
72.5 
127 0 
200.5 
1 
5) 
100 
3.0 
8.3 
11 9 
33.1 
09.2 
120.0 
190.5 
1 
150 
2.4 
0.7 
9.5 
2<;.6 
50.0 
97.3 
154.4 
1 
2)0 
2.1 
5.7 
8.2 
22.8 
48.0 
83,9 
132.5 
1 
250 
1.9 
5.1 
7.5 
20.4 
42 4 
74.4 
117.0 
1 
SOO 
1.7 
4.0 
6.9 
18.4 
38.2 
0.5.5 
10 .0 
1 
400 
1.5 
4.1 
5.9 
16.5 
32.0 
00.3 
90-7 
1 
600 
1.3 
3.7 
5.2 
14.8 
30.1 
54 0 
81.0 
1 
COO 
1.2 
3.3 
4.7 
13.3 
28.0 
48.0 
74.0 
1 
800 
1.0 
2.9 
4.1 
11.4 
24.0 
41.9 
05 0 
1 
)> 
1000 
09 
2.0 
3.7 
10.2 
21.2 
37,2 
50.0 
1 
1500 
08 
2.1 
3.0 
8.5 
10.8 
30 8 
47.0 
1 
JJ 
2000 
0.7 
1.9 
2.8 
7.4 
15.0 
25.0 
40.8 
One disadvantage of eaP.y drainage in autumn is the difficulty in 
some instances of ascertaining the quantity of water to be dealt with 
during winter, and in cases of doubt it is better to put off the wmrk 
then because of the danger of Iliwing from the use of pipes of in¬ 
sufficient capacity. For ordinary work the computation is simple. 
Tables of rainfall show that the maximum fall in twenty-four hours 
seldom exceeds 1 inch. An inch of rain equals 3630 cubic feet per 
acre, and as 50 per cent, of this only reaches the drains in that time, 
we have only to make enough drains to convey 1815 cubic feet of 
water per acre to render drainage of the land thorough. We ’insert 
Professor Sheldon’s valuable table for the size of main pipes, and 
note his advice that the areas given in it should be doublid for 
ordinary farm drainage. 
WORK ON THE HOME FARM. 
Horse and Hand Lahour .—Several beds of couch grass upon the 
Oat stubble taken for Trifolium gave so much trouble that the sowing 
was delayed for a couple of days in order that a clean seed bed might be 
had. The horse-hoe, harrows, carts, and men with steel forks were all 
kept briskly at work till the land was ready and the seed sown. First of 
all the horse-hoe was passed twice up and down the stubbles, and as it 
was soon evident that the twutch had a strong hold of the land, the men 
w'ere set to dig out the large patches ; meanwhile harrows followed the 
horse-hoe up and down, and were also put across twice, carts following 
as closely as possible to remove the rubbish out of the way of the horse- 
hoe, which was then put twice across the land. The barrows and carts 
again followed closely, the seed was then sown, harrowed in, and our 
Trifolium bed finished once more. 
The broadshare has been steadily at work upon other foul stubbles, but 
the burning has been somewhat hindered by the heavy rainfall, which, 
however, has enabled us to do some paring left so late, because when 
tried a .month ago the work proved too heavy for such horse power as 
could then be spared for it, and steam tackle was not to be had for the 
work just then. Wheat-growing at 4^. 6(f. per bushel does not answer, and 
prices are not likely to improve while we have Wheat brought from 
America as ballast free of charge. Such a state of things brought about 
by shipping competition cannot last, and is so clearly a freak of the 
moment that home-grown Wheat had better remain unthrashed till the 
new year rather than be sold at a loss. 
Barley is the crop to which greater attention will be given if only a 
fairly remunerative price is obtained now. This, and the broader 
question. What does pay ? are keenly discussed when farmers meet just 
now. A serious diminution in the area of land under Wheat next season 
is a very possible outcome of the present depression. 
Our Rye has been sown on a stale furrow, which gave an excellent 
seed bed. The ploughing was done a few weeks ago after tares. The 
appearance of some Dock leaves induced us to pass the horse-hoe twice 
through the soil; this brought the Dock roots to the surface, and they 
were carefully picked off before the sowing. 
Hop-picking is in full swing, and'will soon be at amend in many 
gardens. Early and continuous washing with the mixture given in the 
Journal a few weeks ago is rewarded by an abundant crop of large 
bright Hops, giving an excellent sample when dried. Prices range from 
£6 to £10 105. per cwt., the higher price paying expenses and affording 
a handsome margin of profit, which the lower price will not do, for the 
outlay upon the crop this year has been exceptionally heavy. Special 
experience is required for the management of Hops, but we may usefully 
give some data. Taking a garden of thirty acres, three drying kilns will 
be required of sufficient capacity to dry 1500 bushels of Hops every 
twenty-four hours. Of this quantity 750 bushels will be picked and 
delivered at the kilns by mid-day, and the remainder some five hours 
later on. Each batch of Hops is from eleven to twelve hours upon the 
kilns, the whole being turned upon the kiln-floor at the fifth or sixth hour 
of the drying. The fires are of charcoal, and a small quantity of sulphur 
is put upon the fires twice at intervals of about two hours before the 
turning, and once afterwards. 
METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVATIONS. 
Camden Square, London. 
Lat.51° 32'40" N.; Long. 0° 8' 0" W.; Altitude, 111 feet. 
Date. 
« A.M. 
IN THE DAV. 
P 
"5 
Oa 
1884. 
September. 
o ^ cf ^ 
fl eo 4) 0) 
£ ‘*■<3 
5 ® 
Hygrome¬ 
ter. 
P . 
o 
X? P 
5 o 
o • 
[•■> o 
SB'S 
deg. 
57-6 
5i.9 
57.8 
69.7 
69 3 
59 4 
59.7 
Shade Tem¬ 
perature. 
Radiation 
Temperature. 
Dry. 
Wet. 
Max. 
Min. 
In 
sun. 
On 
gras^. 
Snnday . 7 
Monday. 8 
Tuesday. 9 
Wednesday .. 10 
Thursday .... 11 
Friday. 12 
Saturday .... 13 
Inche.s. 
29.542 
30.138 
30.212 
a0.2.')4 
30.3.52 
30 .S43 
30.2G5 
deg. 
57.8 
60,6 
64.3 
62.1 
58.8 
62.8 
66.U 
deg. 
61.7 
65.2 
61.3 
58.7 
.56.9 
59.4 
61.7 
w. 
N.E. 
N.E. 
E. 
N.E. 
N. 
N.E. 
deg. 
64.5 
62.5 
70.1 
• 70.3 
73 4 
74.2 
77.4 
deg. 
55.2 
499 
57 2 
SS.8 
51.3 
543 
54 7 
deg. 
100.8 
83.6 
94.4 
101.1 
109.3 
111.9 
115.8 
deR. 
50.9 
44.7 
52.3 
52.5 
43.0 
4i).6 
48.3 
In. 
0.047 
30.159 
61.8 
57.8 
58.6 
70.3 
54.5 
102.4 
48.3 
0.047 
REMARKS. 
7tli.—Cloudy, ■with gale in morning; remainder of day fine, bright, and pleasant. 
8th.—Dull morning, with spots of rain ; drizzling afternoon; dull evening. 
9th.—Dull cloudy day. 10th.—Fair morning ; bright afternoon, with cold easterly wind 
11th, 12th, 13th.—Fine and bright'; cool N.E. wind. --- 
A fine week, and on the whole bright, but with a good deal of chilly north-easterly 
wind. Temperature nearly 4° above that of the preceding week, and about 5° above the 
average.—G. J. Symons. 
