496 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER 
[ Korember tT, 1884, 
WORK ON THE HOME FARM. 
Hand Labour .—Our seed com for autumn sowing was purchased from 
a reliable source, and so early threshing while we were still very busy was 
avoided, and we have now been able to proceed with the threshing at our 
leisure. So far we have ample reason for satisfaction with results, the 
crop of straw being much above the average, and the grain both in 
quality and quantity being excellent. Red Square-head "VNlieat was 
grown, and notwithstanding the fact of the greater part of the crop being 
beaten down quite flat before the grain was fully developed, we have a 
yield of 5^ quarters per acre, and the weight per bushel is 65 lbs. Black 
Oats give 6 quarters per acre, and the weight per bushel is 41 lbs. These 
satisfactory results are in a considerable degree attributable to the use of 
the artificial manures recommended by Professor Jamieson, to which we 
have repeatedly called attention. The quantity used per acre was half 
cwt. nitrate of potash, IJ cwt. nitrate of soda, half cwt. steamed bone 
flour, half cwt. superphosphate, half cwt. coprolite. We strongly advise 
our readers to adopt our practice of obtaining each kind of manure sepa¬ 
rately from a respectable firm, and to have them mixed at the farm under 
the quantity required for each field is entered in the manure book, 
and due care is taken that there is no mistake made when it is used. 
Workmen are so apt to blunder in such matters that we invariably see the 
bags distributed upon the land in readiness for sowing, and so insure exact¬ 
ness. We strongly recommend these manures, because the knowledge of 
their value has been obtained at a considerable outlay and by a long 
course of careful experiments ; because they impart to the soil the requi¬ 
site fertility for the production of an abundant grain crop; because they 
millions of plants per acre are necessary, and the quantities in the table 
appended represent 25,063,238 germinating seeds .— 
Quantity 
per Acre. 
In lbs. 
Variety. 
\ 
Number of 
Germinating 
Seeds. 
4 
Meadow Foxtail (Alopccnrus prateneis) 
1,961,076 
8 
Cocksfoot (Dactylis glomerate) .. .. .. 
8,634,553 
8 
Timothy (Phleum pratense) . 
8,585,973 
6 
Meadow Fesoue (Festuca pratensis) . 
1,571,112 
CD 
2 
Tall Fescue (Festuca elutior) . 
501,600 
Crested Dogstail (Cynosurus eristatus). 
2,000,016 
\ 
1 
Rough Meadow Grass (Poa trivialis). 
2,256,922 
f ^ 
1 
Wood Meadow Grass (Poa nemoralis) .. .. 
1,627,948 
2 
Hard Fescue (Festuca duriusoula) . 
1,102,284 
CD 
2 
Sheep’s Fescue (Festuca ovina). 
1,102,234 
05 
Florin (Agrostis stolonifera) . 
2,105,632 
2 
Cowgrass (Trifolium pretense perenne). 
600,000 
li 
While Dutch Clover (Trifolium repens) .. .. 
984,769 
H 
Alsike (Trifolium hybridum) . 
1,030,176 
o| 
Yarrow (Achillea millefolium), ex, scarce .. .. 
1,050,000 
38 lbs. 
35,063,238 
OUR LETTER BOX. . 
Dairy Management and Food for Cows (0. Coombe ).—In reply to 
your questions, “ What is the best book or guide for the management of 
a dairy? the best food for the cows? to give the largest quantity of 
Fig. 84.— Field Fencisg. 
are as pure and free from adulteration as it is possible to obtain manure; 
and because they cost very much less than the special mixtures with 
which the market is flooded. This is a matter worthy the attention of 
all farmers, and we shall again and yet again call attention to it. The 
time for easy-going men is past, and among all the remedial measures for 
hard times, none certainly are more praiseworthy than those which 
embody true economy with sound practice and brisk energetic action. 
THE GRASSES OF THE FARM. 
Messrs. F. & A. Dickson & Sons have sent us their clearly printed, 
illustrated, concise, and useful manual on the important subject indicated, 
in which the various Grasses and their uses are briefly yet adequately 
described. From page 20 we cite the following sensible remarks on 
seeds :—“ Poor seeds cannot be cheap. Dirty seeds are dear if they cost 
but a penny a pound. Land is impartial—it gives life to all that is put 
into it. It has no power to reject the bad and encourage the good. If 
weeds are sown with Clovers weeds will form part of the crop. It is a 
careful supervision, both for economy and certainty. When the manures 
are mixed, the mixture is put into bags—a hundredweight in each bag— 
grievous mistake to think that money is saved by buying what are fre¬ 
quently but delusively called ‘ cheap seeds.’ ” And further, as inquiries 
have reached us of late relative to seeds for permanent pastures, we give 
the formula of the firm in question as based on the tables of Mr. Faunce 
De Laune, but much cheaper. Mr. De Laune contends that twenty-five 
milk, &c. ? ” we can only refer yon to the information given in this 
Journal on the 11th, 18th, and 25th of April, 1878, under the heading, 
“ Management of a Butter-making Dairy.” 
METBOROLOaiCAL OBSERVATIONS. 
CxMDBN Square, London. 
Lat.Sl“ S1'40'' N.; Long. 0° 8' 0" W.; Altitude, 111 feet. 
DATE. 
9 A.M. 
IN THB Day. 
1884. 
0^ 
Hygrome¬ 
ter. 
0 • 
O-d 
72 0 
Temp, of 
Soil at 
1 foot. 
Shade Tem¬ 
perature. 
Radiation 
Temperature. 
0 
4 
Dt 
November. 
Dry. 
Wet. 
5o 
Max. 
Min. 
In 
8un. 
On 
grws. 
Sunday . 
16 
Inches. 
S0.S52 
deg. 
38.7 
deg. 
36.9 
N. 
deg. 
44.0 
deg. 
41.4 
deir- 
32.0 
deg. 
42.1 
deg. 
n.l 
la. 
Monday . 
17 
30.298 
38.4 
36.1 
N. 
43.4 
444 
33.8 
63.1 
26.7 
_ 
Tuesday. 
18 
30.324 
40.4 
38.7 
N.W. 
42.8 
45.3 
34.3 
64.6 
27.9 
0.044 
Wednesday .. 
19 
30.482 
38.8 
37.6 
N. 
42.6 
45.6 
3.5 9 
70.0 
81.7 
0.010 
Thursday .... 
20 
30.213 
38.2 
36.6 
W. 
42.4 
45.6 
35 7 
56.3 
31.0 
0.05S 
Friday. 
21 
29.777 
40.6 
39.0 
N. 
42.2 
44.4 
34.2 
48.0 
28.3 
_ 
Saturday .... 
22 
30.152 
36.4 
35.3 
N. 
41.4 
42 8 
S2.2 
64.3 
15.7 
— 
30.228 
38.8 
37.2 
42.7 
44 2 
34.0 
58.4 
282 
0.109 
REMARKS. 
16tli.—Fair throughout,but no sun. 17th.—Fair,; spots’of rain in evening. 
18th.—Fine morning ; cloudy afternoon, slight rain 3 to 6 p.M. 
19th.—Fine bright day, with slight rain at night. 
20th.—Fine morning; drizzle afterwards, 
21st.—Generally dull, and rather windy. 22nd.—Fair throughout, with some bright sun. 
Another fine week, with a mere sprinkle 'of rain. Temperature rather lower.—G. J. 
Symons. 
