386 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND C0T2AGE GARDENER. 
[ October 23, 1884. 
for the other cereal, and leave the ground much cleaner and at a 
considerably earlier period, only one here and there will take a 
common-sense view of things by endeavouring to grow something 
else instead of Wheat.’’ 
Proof of the truth of the foregoing observations awaits one at 
every turn. Wheat-sowing, so far as we have seen, is being done as 
extensively and quite as expensively as heretofore, and yet the outcry 
about the low price of Wheat and the certain loss which its culture 
has entailed upon the growers this year grows in intensity; yet custom 
and habit have such a hold upon the ordinar}’’ farmer that the manure 
caits have been busy as usual, and Wheat-sowing goes on day by day 
just as if that or nothing must be done. A fortnight ago we drew 
attention to the importance and value of other winter corn crops, and 
the matter is so important that we return to it now in view of induc¬ 
ing our readers to give that attention to the matter which it deserves. 
Of all winter corn crops winter grey Oats is one of the most sure 
and profitable. We have recently sown as much land as we could 
spare with them, and have applied the autumn dressing of artificial 
manure recommended by Professor Jamieson, which is termed a half 
dressing to be repeated in spring. No hesitation was felt in applying 
the artificial manure now, because rve knew that it would be taken up 
by the Oats as the roots spread in the soil, rendering the growth 
sturdy and vigorous. In spring the plant may be fed ofE with the 
etfect of a second growth shorter in the straw than ii would otherwise 
have been, but with a more abundant yield of corn, somewhat later 
in ripening. Unchecked by feeding, and with favourable weather, it 
is ready to cut by the end of June, or at the latest by the middle of 
July, and is followed by a root crop. On thin land it answers where 
spring Oats frequently fail or are hair smothered by Charlock. It 
also answers well on gravelly soils, and for heavy soil very retentive 
of water it is a particularly safe crop if sown early before the wea¬ 
ther becomes broken in autumn, all the risks of a wet spring being 
then avoided. Eighty bushels per acre may be considered a good 
crop of winter Oats. That it is a paying crop there can be no doubt. 
Old winter Oats are much in demand in hunting and training stables, 
and good samples command specially high prices. A fair comparison 
of the risks and advantages resulting from the culture of spring and 
winter Oats may be useful. Spring Oats simply afford a supply of 
grain and straw for winter use. In a wet spring the sowing is some¬ 
times retarded so much that the crop is light and unsatisfactory, and 
in a wet harvest there is much difficulty in sowing the crop Winter 
Oats, on the contrary, may be sown after Wheat soon after harvest, or 
after an autumn fallow—certainly always upon a clean seed bed. 
The crop affords us the highly important option of grazing or folding 
if necessary in early spring, and for that alone is one of our most 
valuable green crops. It ripens quite a fortnight before the general 
harvest time, just when the haymaking is usually over, and there is 
leisure to secure the crop in the best condition. 
As farmers are driven by the pressure of hard times to give closer 
attention to paying or non-pa} ing crops, the culture of winter Oats 
will certainly grow in favour along with that of Barley and winter 
Beans. To an intelligent thoughtful man this must be patent enough 
even in theory, and the best of all tests—practical experience—will 
prove it to be one of the things that must receive attention. Home 
farmers are accused, and not without reason, of farming extravagantly, 
but it must not be forgotten that many a home farm has hitherto— 
nay, still is the owner’s hobby. Model farm buildings, pedigree cattle, 
the latest novelties in implements and machinery, the best team of 
horses in the neighbourhood—all tend to a balance on the wrong side. 
In point of fact no balance sheet has been thought about in many 
instances. As, however, farm after farm becomes vacant, and has 
to be added to the home farm for a time, if not permanent!}', hobbies 
have to be set aside, and well will it be for the home farmer if he can 
turn, as he must do, from easy-going abundance to the rigid profit-and- 
loss test of sound practical farming. A crop that pays then becomes 
of the first moment, and among such winter corn must still hold a 
prominent position. But all wasteful cultural practices must cease. 
The best way in the fullest broadest sense of the term of the pre- 
paration of the seed bed, the application of manure, the sowing, cul¬ 
ture, and uses of the crops must be ascertained and followed as closely 
as possible. Hard work hurts nobody. The master’s eye to guide 
and hand to lead makes the work to go on briskly and well as nothing 
else can do. We recently saw a man holding upwards of 200 acres 
of land driving a pig home himself which he had purchased at an 
auction sale. That man evidently did not mean to be beaten by hard 
times. Few men -will be beaten if they will think hard, work hard, 
and be content to fare hard “ till the clouds roll by.” 
WORK ON THE HOME FARM. 
Live Frosty nights, cold windy days with rain, sleet, and a 
snow show'er or two give ample warning that the time has come again for 
housing cattle snugly at night. For some weeks the yards have been 
littered and the gates set open for the cattle to enter at will, and we prefer 
to make the change frcm open pastures and green food to close yards and 
much dry food as gradual as possible. Calves now require special care. 
Snug lodges facing south or south-west with a small yard in front of each 
are the best places for them. The lodges should have a wide door with a 
strong hook to fasten it back to the side of the lodge when open to avoid 
risk of injury to the calves when it is open ; for if a stranger enters a yard 
the timid cattle rush about and run great risk of being hurt against any 
post, door, or crib left out for them to run against. The doors are left open 
till the weather becomes stormy and cold, when the calves are always shut 
in the lodges at night. Calves of six months and upwards are put into 
these yards in batches of six ; they are let run out upon the pasture upon 
all fine days, and are given about a pound each of crushed oats and Waterloo 
round cake with a little bran, which tends materially to keep them in 
condition and prevent scour and gripes. They should now be kept alto¬ 
gether off low damp pastures, or there will be much risk of the loose worm 
being taken up, which may lead to much suffering and loss. Warm well- 
drained yards careful!}' kept comfortable with plenty of fresh dry litter go 
far to keeping the animals healthy. The best hay should be saved for 
these. This winter there will be no trouble about hay, as it is all good, 
highly flavoured, and of the bright gr> en colour which always denotes 
cheap well-made hay. Too much care cannot be taken about calves’ food, 
and they well repay all care now and onwards throughout winter. 
Horse and Hand Laboiir .—With the change to colder weather the 
roots have stopped growing, and the Mangolds are fast being pulled and 
the tops twisted off in readiness for clamping. The clamps are made on 
the side of the field, have a hard road outside parallel with the hedge, so 
that carts may draw up and be loaded over the hedge without entering the 
field. As the roots are pulled they are put in small heaps with enough 
leaves thrown over to keep off frost and left to dry for a few days; they 
are then carted to the clamp, care being taken not to bruise them. A few 
single stacks of 2-inch drain pipes from the bottom to the fop of the middle 
of the clamp serve to prevent harm to the roots from any heating. Such 
pipe stacks are easily made by thrusting a small straight pole into the 
ground and dropping the pipes down upon it one above another. Make 
the clamp in the form of a ridge to be extended indefinitely, and cover with 
enough earth to keep out frost. 
WHEAT FOR ANIMALS. 
As Wheat is so cheap I propose to use it for my pigs and cows. 
Will you please inform me if it would be safe to give it without gradu¬ 
ally accustomijig the animals to it, as a full equivalent for meal and bran 
for pigs, and instead of cake and bran for cows, and the equivalent 
required in each case? Also please state whether it should be given whole 
or crushed.—I. E. 
[Crushed and well-steeped Wheat proves a valuable food for pigs, 
forcing and bringing them to early maturity. It has an equally satis¬ 
factory effect upon sheep if boiled and mixed with short sweet chaff. 
For cows and horses use sprouted Wheat mixed with chaff alone, or with 
an addition of maize, bean meal, and pulped roots. To induce the Wheat 
to sprout quickly water it well with a watering pot, and when well 
soaked throw it into heaps 2 or 3 feet thick, and cover with bags to- 
induce heating and to keep in the heat. It will be ready for use in a few 
days. Careful experiments have shown that the ratio of nitrogenoirs and 
non-nitrogenous constituents in food for animals should be nearly 1 to 5, 
Hence the value of Wheat for this purpose, for in it we have very nearly 
this proportion between the nutrient albuminoids and the non-nitro¬ 
genous carbo-hydrates and fats. Do not give cows a full quantity of 
Wheat at fir.-t, but begin with a small quantity, increasing it weekly. 
When so changing cattle food it is more than ever important that they 
should have free access to rock salt. Horses fed upon Wheat require a 
little common nitre, or sprits of sweet nitre, in their water twice a week. 
It is worth while remembering that a ton of Wheat at its present price is 
about equivalent in value to a ton of cake, and as the residual manure- 
from the cake is of much greater value than that from the Wheat, would 
it not be well to sell some Wheat and purchase cake with the money ?} 
METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVATIONS. 
Camden Square, London. 
Lat.51°32'40''N.; Long. 0° 8'0" W.; Altitude, 111 feet. 
DATE. 
y A.M. 
IN THE DAY. 
B 
"S 
1884. 
October. 
Barome¬ 
ter at 32“ 
and Sea 
Level 
Hygrome¬ 
ter. 
Direction 
of Wind. 
1 Temp, of 
1 Soil at 
1 1 foot. 
Shade Tem¬ 
perature. 
Radiation 
Temperature. 
Dry. 
Wet. 
Max. 
Min. 
In 
snn. 
On 
grass. 
Inches. 
deg. 
deg. 
deg. 
deg. 
deg. 
deg. 
dee. 
In. 
Sunday . 
29.778 
46.8 
43.4 
N. 
48.8 
62.5 
38.8 
88.7 
33.8 
0.0.55 
Monday . 
18 
30.079 
42.4 
38.8 
IV. 
48.2 
51.1 
85.8 
88.2 
30.9 
0.052 
Tuesday. 
14 
30J 92 
40.7 
4G.1 
N.E. 
47.7 
57.1 
37.1 
84.8 
32.1 
_ 
Wednesday . 
IS 
3(1.303 
47-9 
46.1 
N.W. 
48.7 
57.5 
43.8 
79.6 
39.3 
_ 
Thursday ... 
16 
30.334 
67.8 
54.6 
S. 
50.2 
63.9 
52 3 
95 6 
46.4 
_ 
Friday. 
17 
30.363 
55.7 
53.9 
N.E. 
51.8 
59.8 
51.9 
72.7 
47.3 
— 
Saturday ... 
18 
3U.395 
56.4 
53 2 
N.W. 
52.3 
613 
50.4 
87.4 
43.1 
— 
30.192 
50.5 
48.0 
49.7 
57.6 
44.3 
85.3 
39.0 
0.107 
REMARKS. 
12th.—Fine morning; showery in afternoon, then fine. 
13th.—Bright day and fine bright night. 
14th. —Wet early ; fair day with a little sun. 
15th.—Fine and pleasant. 
16th.—Fine, warm, and generaliy bright. 
17 th.—Fair, but rather dull. 
18;h.—Pair thr;mghoiit with some sun. 
A fine week with high baremeter an-.J average temjieriture,—G. J, SrJiONS. 
