JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
October 12, 1882. ] 
355 
cannot be horse-hoed and hand-hoed between the drills, the crop will 
be injured past recovery, the effect of hoeing being not only to 
destroy the weeds, but also to break up the close cold surface of the 
land to give renewed life and growth to the Wheat plants, without 
which the application of nitrate of soda will only make the weeds 
grow and stifle the Wheat plants. If the seed time should be delayed 
let it be upon the Clover lea ground, as the first fortnight in the 
month of November on warm soils is quite soon enough. Lifting 
the Potato crop should now be completed, and where there is a 
considerable acreage to take up it is greatly facilitated by the 
lifting frame attached to the ordinary plough with the turn furrow 
detached. 
Hand Labour .—Let the hedge-trimming be now completed, as well 
as cutting the coarse grasses on banks or borders of the dykes, and 
also in the newly planted Fir plantations, because these materials 
are useful for covering Mangolds and Potatoes in the store heaps ; 
and in the absence of seaweed, which is best of all coverings for 
root heaps, it saves straw, which is now a more important produce 
than at any former period. Hence the advantage of carefully ricking 
the straw cavings and chaff at the time of threshing the grain, for 
it should be as carefully thatched and preserved whether for sale or 
for feeding on the farm as if it was the best of hay. As soon as the 
odd horses and carts have completed the removal of couch, stubbles, 
and rubbish from the autumn fallows, the work of taking up the 
Mangold crop may proceed at once, in fact, without horse labour at 
first, if the land should be soft and not able to bear the treading and 
tracking of the horses and carts. In fact, it is only necessary to 
employ the men and women, as we approve the heaping and stacking 
in the field by clearing a space of about 10 yards each way in 
forming each heap, and we neither sow Wheat after Mangolds or re¬ 
commend it to the home farmer, because we prefer to sow Lent corn 
in the spring. It is, therefore, at present a question of hand labour 
only; the horses are not required for the purpose during the busy 
seed time, and the heaping of roots in the field may be quickly done. 
In the future, whether the roots are required to be fed on the 
land either in whole or in part, they are well placed, and may be 
removed if required to the cattle yards, or any part of the farm when 
convenient and in suitable weather. If allowed to remain in the 
field beyond a certain time the heaps may be covered with straw or 
seaweed and a little earth ; in this way they never heat or decay as 
is sometimes the case with large store heaps. The greens and tops of 
the Mangolds may be carted away for feeding store cattle, breeding 
sows, (fee., in the yards. 
Live Stock .—The young calves and yearling heifers intended for 
the dairy in the future should now be removed into high and dry 
pasture for their night lair, letting them feed in the daytime in the 
good aftermath of the low-lying meadows ; but at night they may be 
given with advantage 2 tbs. each of cotton cake, this will tend to 
keep them healthy until the time for hay-feeding with roots arrives. 
The cattle which were grazing during the summer have now been sold, 
we will suppose, and those not yet ripe for slaughter should be put 
into the boxes and well fed in readiness for Christmas. On those 
farms where the bullocks are purchased for winter feeding and fat¬ 
tening we do not like to buy poor low-conditioned stock, preferring 
to attend the various cattle markets and select the best-conditioned 
animals, but especially those just beneath the butcher’s quality, for 
at this time many animals half fat are offered and refused for killing. 
Let the home farmer buy these and feed them in the boxes liberally, 
buy them as low as possible in price, but buy them, for they will pay 
more than by any other plan—at least this is the result of our ex¬ 
perience. The daily cows now the grass generally is become stale 
in their summer quarter should have the run and aftermath of fresh 
pastures or parkland, or otherwise have a supply of Cabbages or 
other roots to eat with cotton cake meal in their troughs at milking 
time, night and morning ; in this way they will continue to furnish a 
supply of milk until the latest period. Those cows which have been 
grazed and sold fat this autumn may now be replaced by the pur¬ 
chase of a corresponding number of first-class cows just ready to 
calve or with calf at foot. The sheep stock, whether of ewes, tegs, 
or wethers, are more healthy and in finer condition at this time than 
we have known them for many years. Those intended for root¬ 
feeding should whilst in grass have a few cut roots mixed with cake 
or bean meal in troughs daily; they then do not find any ill effects 
from being removed suddenly from grass-feeding entirely to root¬ 
feeding entirely. This is especially important for the health of the 
sheep. 
Oakshott’s Champion Whe\t. —We are requested to state that 
this Wheat was not selected from Morton’s White, as suggested on 
page 332, but is the produce of one ear (variety not named) selected 
by Mr. E. G. Oakshott in Essex. 
Agricultural Lecturer. —Courses of lectures on the “ Prin¬ 
ciples of Agriculture ” will be delivered during the autumn, winter, 
and spring months by Mr. Bernard Dyer, F.C.S., F.I.C., in connection 
with the City of London College (Monday evening, 7 to 8); and also 
in connection with the East London Union for Advanced Education 
at Stepney (Monday evenings, 9 to 10). Particulars may be obtained 
from the Secretaries of those Institutions, at 00, Leadenhall Street, 
and at “ The Schools,” Dempsey Street, Jubilee Street, E., respectively. 
The classes at Stepney are open to ladies as well as to gentlemen. 
POULTRY NOTES AT THE DAIRY SHOW. 
The Exhibition at the Agricultural Hall is always regarded with 
considerable interest, as being the first occasion when the quantity 
and quality of the chickens of the year can be estimated with any 
certainty. This year it was some weeks later than in 1881, and the 
birds are consequently more matured. There was an increase of 
about a hundred in the poultry entries, but a slight decrease in the 
number of Pigeons. The classification, as usual, commenced with 
Dorkings. These had 125 pens in six classes, and were, on the whole, 
of good quality. The first for Coloured cockerels went to a very 
large raw-looking bird of Mr. Parlett’s, too long in leg for our taste. 
We much preferred the Earl of Winterton’s second-prize cockerel, 
a squarely built short-legged one of true Dorking type. The winner 
was not without admirers, as, though entered at £10, his owner had to 
bid up to £22 for him at the auction to prevent a sale. Of the rest 
we much liked Mr. Butler Smith’s and Mr. Cresswell’s birds. The 
former was v.h.c., the latter quite unnoticed. In the pullet class Mr. 
Cranston stood first and second with good birds rightly placed not¬ 
withstanding some slight duskiness in foot. Third (H. R. Peel) 
pressed the winners pretty closely. Mr. Cranston was again to 
the front with Silver-Grey cockerels ; indeed, most of the prizes for 
this variety went to the north. The Dorking medal went to the 
winner here, which we thought a mistake, as, although of good size 
and silvery, he was splashed on breast and seemed a trifle round- 
backed. Of the actual winners we thought Mr. Annand’s first-prize 
Silver pullet most worthy of the distinction, though the second-prize 
Coloured cockerel would have been our choice for the medal. The 
prizes in the variety class went to Whites of no special merit. 
Cochins had eighty-eight entries in six classes. Buffs were good. 
The winning cockerel (Mitchell) also took the medal. He was the 
most finished of the lot, but wanted more size and carried rather too 
much tail. Second and third (Proctor), though a trifle light in breast 
and showing a few false feathers on foot, were fine all-round Cochins 
of the right sort: v.h.c. (Lady Gwydyr) very shapely. In pullets 
Mr. Proctor again stood second and third with birds of the true 
type, round and fluffy. First, though of even colour and good in 
profile, wanted width to make a Cochin. The Partridge cockerels 
were hardly ready. The winner (Brett) was large and promising, 
though showing a white feather or two in tail. Second (Mrs. Turner) 
in better bloom, but smaller. Third (Nicholls) will take time to 
develope. We could not agree with the awards in the Partridge 
pullet class. First (Southern), though nicely marked and of good 
colour, had a very ugly tail. Second (J. Wood), in a small degree, 
aud third (Mrs. Goodall) to a much greater extent, showed white 
edges to the plumage. This we regard as a very great defect. Mr. 
Wood’s highly commended pullet easily topped the class for size and 
shape combined with fair marking ; while Mr. Nettlefold’s unnoticed 
bird, though young and unformed, showed good promise as to other 
points, and was splendidly marked. The variety class was entirely 
composed of Whites, which call for no special comment. 
Brahmas had 127 entries in five classes. Dark cockerels were not 
of exceptional quality. Sir Henry Thompson’s birds were first and 
third, and the Brahma medal also went to the winner here. His best 
points are his head and comb ; his worst, length of leg and want of 
shank feather. For the rest he is of average merit. Third, very like 
first, though better on shank, but tailless at present. Second (Breeze), 
good in most points, but very loose in wings. The pullets were better 
as a lot than the cockerels. There were thirty of them, and no less 
than nineteen were mentioned. Sir Henry Thompson again headed 
the list here with a well-shaped beautifully marked bird, whose only 
faults were brown, and plenty of it, on shoulders, and want of middle 
toe feather. Second (Mitchell), of pure light grey ground and fine 
shape, but wants distinctness of marking. Third (Maddison), large, 
shapely, and well-feathered, with a very well-marked breast, but 
showing a mixture of two colours on body : v.h.c. (Comyns), pure 
colour, but wants just a little more marking. Light cockerels were 
only an average lot. The winner (Breeze) was good in most points, 
but seemed rather overshown. Second (Sir H. Thompson), also a good 
one, though not up in tail and a trifle long in leg. Third (G. H. 
Wood) we liked as well as any in the class but for his black hocks. 
The pullets were much better than the cockerels, and showed a dis¬ 
tinct advance in purity of white. The winner (Birch) was best in 
size, shape, and feather, though hardly distinct enough in hackle 
marking. Second (Mitchell) was the best of the class in hackle. 
Third (While), another good pullet, though showing rather much 
black on back : 311 (Nettlefold) a really beautiful pullet, but without 
a tail. 
The Langshans still seem in want of a settled standard. First in 
cockerels (Harris) was large, long in leg and back. Second (Rippon) 
was small, short in leg, and had a short cochiny back ; while third 
(Orme) was wanting in the one point common to first and second— 
lustre. Spanish cockerels were a better lot than we have seen for 
some seasons. The winner (Le Sueur) had a face and lobe of beautiful 
quality, and but for a fold in the lobe at the ear would be hard to 
beat. Third (Brown) was our choice of the class. His face is some- 
