408 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ October 80, 1884, 
BOOT CHOPS. 
Now that the root crops are fast being gathered from the land, 
and results impress themselves clearly upon the mind, it is well to take 
note of success or failure in what has proved one of the most un¬ 
favourable seasons for root culture generally that we have ever known. 
In doing this extreme views ought certainly to be avoided—a failure 
in so exceptional a season should not materially influence future 
measures, unless, indeed, it excites to more earnest eftorts to combat 
and overcome causes of failure with which it is possible to contend. 
For ourselves we have no instance of downright failure to record. 
It is true that Swedes are somewhat thin upon the land and under¬ 
sized, but other crops are perfectly satisfactory, and late-sown Turnips 
have thriven so well under the kindly influence of genial autumn 
weather as to more than make up for the Swede deficiency. We 
attribute our success in some measure to early sowing, and to the use 
of half-dressings of farmyard manure and half of artificial manure 
specially selected for the purpose, obtained separately from the 
manure merchants and mixed at the farm. The manure used con¬ 
sisted of a mixture per acre of three quarters cwt. nitrate of potash, 
half cwt. nitrate of soda, 2^ cwt. steamed bone flour, 24 cwt. ground 
coprolite, and #0 to 30 tons farmyard manure. For Potatoes, Turnips, 
Parsnips, and Carrots the farmyard manure was spread and ploughed 
in, the artificial manure being sown and harrowed into the surface 
after the seed was sown, with the exception of the Potatoes, to which 
it was applied along the furrows before the doublr-breasted plough, 
so that the first growth from the seed tubers derived immediate benefit 
from it. The larger quantity of farmyard manure was applied to 
some exceptionally poor land with satisfactory results, the crop thriv¬ 
ing and yielding well dest«te the drought. The large per-centage of 
water in farmyard manure is undoubtedly highly beneficial in a time 
of severe drought, and it should not lightly be dispensed with in root 
culture. 
Who can place root crops in the order of merit? If ws venture 
to assign the first place to Potatoes, how many of our readers will 
agree with us ? and yet we do so place them for all farmers having 
suitable facilities for the timely and prompt disposal of the crop the 
moment it is ready for market. Why is it that the farmers of Corn¬ 
wall, the Channel Islands, and the Scilly^ Isles devote so much land 
to the culture of Potatoes ? Simply because the early maturity of 
the crop enables them to obtain a ready market and high price for it. 
For farmers generally second early Potatoes answer well under high 
culture, coming oft: the land in good time for a crop of Turnips or a 
green crop to follow. Such Potatoes generally ripen before the 
showery weather comes, which so frequently spoils the best of the late 
tubers. In any of the home counties dealers will buy the crop in the 
fields, taking all risk of loss and the expense of lifting the crop oft 
the growers’ hands. Such a plan is, however, by no means commend¬ 
able, for surely the grower ought to be able to lift the crop more 
cheaply than a dealer, and it is the man who looks sharply after such 
trifles that succeeds in these hard times. Decide now how much land 
is to be planted with Potatoes next season, select the seed at once, 
and lay it out thinly in a light airy lodge or cellar where it is safe 
from frost, so that there is no exhaustion of the tubers by premature 
sprouting and a subsequent weakly growth. 
Mangolds are certainly our most valuable root crop this year for 
feeding purposes. We have not ascertained closely the weight grown 
per acre, but the crop is a heavy one—remarkably so for the year, 
some of the roots weighing from 20 to upwards of 22 lbs. each. The 
sort is Sutton’s Mammoth Long Red, and the weight of single roots 
grown in our thin soil compares not unfavourably with the thiriv-six- 
pounders of deep rich soils in a good root season. Pulped and mixed 
Avith chaff, after a due amount of fermentation. Mangolds will be 
used as soon as the cattle are housed for the winter onwards to the 
spring. Dairy cows derive much benefit from this root, but it is our 
practice to begin feeding them with Carrots, which do much to im¬ 
prove the quality of the milk, and the cows thrive upon and are very 
fond of them. Red Intermediate Carrot answers best in our thin 
soil ; the crop is heavy, the short thick Carrots telling well in bulk, 
and the crisp, sweet, juicy roots are all that could be desired in quality. 
No home farm should be without its winter supply of this somewhat 
neglected but highly valuable crop. 
WORK ON THE HOME FARM. 
Horse and Hand Labour. —Early-sown corn has come up strongly 
and well. Corn-sowing still goes briskly on, and with such favourable 
weather good seed beds are the rule and not the exception. Well will it 
be to press on the work so that the plants may be fairly strong and 
established in the soil before severe frost occurs. The dry firm condition 
of the soil renders the carting of roots much lighter than usual, and the 
roots go to the clamps fairly dry and clean. When roots are required for 
late folding upon the field in which they were grown, it is a saving of 
labour both in clamping and folding if the roots are put into small clamps 
in parallel rows across the fields, so that the labour of carting to the folds 
may be lessened or altogether avoided—an important matter when the 
land is wet and heavy in winter. Perhaps the easiest and best way of 
doing this for Swedes is to strike a deep furrow between every third or 
fourth row, according to the size of the roots, to take the roots on each 
side of the furrow, put them closely together in it, and then run the 
plough along both sides closely so as to turn soil upon the roots, a man 
following with a spade or Canterburj' hoe to close any opening along the 
top of the ridge. Our first piece of meadow land is ready for inanure, 
and carting is being done as fast as possible. The plump firm condition of 
the land has rendered this possible ; it is not always so in October, the 
rainfall being usually heavy in this month. Carting upon cur hill farm 
is so heavy a business that we are reducing it as much as possible, and 
using more artificial manure every year. The possibility and advantage 
of the substitution of artifieial for farmyard manure was first of all forced 
upon us ow'ing to our having a meadow atop of a steep hill nearly 
200 feet above the cattle yards. A dressing of half-inch bones, followed 
by annual dressings of artificial manure, has brought this meadow into 
prime condition both for the production of hay and feeding purposes, 
and we have now no better land upon any part of the home farm. 
Live Stock. —Grass continues so abundant that most of the cows and 
young stock have required nothing else, and are in high lusty condition. 
So mild an October is a great boon, making, as it does, such a material 
difference in the consumption of dry food and roots. Many farmers are 
already folding lambs upon Turnips ; we have not done so, for acorns 
have been so abundant and the grass so sound and wholesome that very 
little scouring is perceptible among the lambs, and the sheep have much 
improved in condition. We have begun killing pigs of about GO lbs. 
weight, and termed porkers. Such pork is tender and delicious, and is 
much liked at this season of the year. Bacon pigs are forward in size 
and condition, and killing and curing will be begun earlier than usual, 
of which we are glad, for the consumption of corn is exceptionally heavy 
in the last quarter of the year with pigs to fatten, as well as turkeys, 
geese, and other poultry. 
Erratum,— In the article on Winter Oats last week, page 38G, 
“sowing the crop” should be “saving the crop.” Also in the Live 
S‘.o k note “hoose worm” is misprinted “ loose worm.” 
FATTENING GEESE. 
Will you plea=e tell me wh'ch is the best way to fatten geese? I 
have eighteen that I want fat by Christmas. I have a large meadow, and am 
giving the geese Indian corn at present. Must I shut them up ? —Home 
Farm. 
[A small enclosure of grasi with a pool of water where the geese can 
have exercise without wandering away answers much better than confine¬ 
ment in a close pen. Feed regularly three times daily with ground Oats 
and Potatoes cooked and mixed with the Oats, using enough water to work 
it into a soft paste, and feed once with Maize. Baileymeal is sometimes 
used in preference to the oats, but we regard the oatmeal as most 
nutritious, and always use it with excellent results. A little experience 
will soon show you how much food is required each time, and it is best to 
have all the food given eaten at once each time of feeding, and not to have 
a quantity left to become sour and unwholesome.] 
METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVATIONS. 
Camdex Square, London. 
Lat.51° 32'40’' N.; Long. 0° 8' 0" W.; Altitude, 111 feet. 
DATE. 
y A.M. 
IN THE DAY. 
a 
a 
£4 
1884. 
October. 
Barome¬ 
ter at 32‘< 
and Sea 
Level 
Hygrome¬ 
ter, 
Direction 
of AVind. 
1 
1 Temp, of 
1 Soil at 
1 1 foot. 
Shade Tem¬ 
perature. 
Radiation 
Temperature. 
Dry. 
Wet. 
Max. 
Min. 
In 
sun. 
On 
gras.s. 
Inches. 
dev. 
deer. 
dee. 
dee. 
deg. 
dee. 
dee. 
In, 
Sunday . 
. 19 
3'».350 
53 2 
.51.0 
W. 
.52.5 
62.0 
46.2 
92.7 
40.5 
— 
Monday. 
20 
30.36 
40 3 
46.1 
AV. 
52.2 
54.8 
40.2 
64.9 
33.4 
— 
Tuesday. 
*?.] 
30.38.5 
48.4 
43 9 
s.w. 
51.8 
53.0 
46.4 
59.8 
45.6 
— 
Wednesday . 
22 
30.247 
49 9 
47.0 
E. 
50.9 
67.6 
42.1 
75.8 
33.0 
— 
Thursday ... 
23 
3(».0()6 
42.0 
42.0 
N. 
49.8 
54.t 
39 3 
CC6 
30.1 
— 
Friday. 
94 
20 936 
45.1 
44.4 
N. 
49.4 
54.5 
39.9 
78.7 
34.6 
— 
Saturday ... 
25 
80.124 
3.5.9 
35.9 
S.AV. 
43.3 
52 2 
33.8 
ei.4 
26.7 
0.079 
30.202 
46.3 
44.3 
50.7 
00-5 
41.1 
71.4 
318 
0.107 
REMARKS. 
loth. —Fine bright morning, fair afternoon and evening. 
SOth.—Fair and pleaeaut, but no sun. 
21st.—Dull; slight fog. 
22nd.—Duli early ; fine bright day. 
28rd.—Dense fog early and dull aU day, except for a short time at noon. 
24th.—Fine and bright. 
25th.—Fog early; a little sun about midday; fair after, but barometer falling fast. The 
rain entered to this date fell between 8 and 9 a.m. on 26th. 
A lainless week, following five rainless days in the previous one, is a very remarkable 
phenomenon for almost, if not quite, the wettest period of the year. The barometer 
keeps high and the temperature near the average.—G. J. Symons. 
