JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
September 9, 1880. ] 
247 
be obtained from Germany, for in onr climate the crop is found 
to ripen unevenly, and in some late seasons does not produce 
seed of sufficient ripeness for use except to a small extent, par¬ 
ticularly as the seed always ripens irregularly. The seeds of the 
first flowers begin to ripen when the top of the plant is still 
blooming, and for that reason the plant must be cut before finish¬ 
ing its growth. On seeding the land the seed should be drilled or 
dibbled in rows at about 20 inches apart, so that the weeds may 
be killed by the horse hoe. Mr. Thos. Crisp of Butley Abbey, in 
a letter to the Council of the Royal Society, says, “ My attention 
was first directed to the growth of the Lupin by Baron Herm. von 
Nathusius of Hundisburgh in Prussia, who in 1856 was kind 
enough to give me two bags of seeds—one of the blue, the other 
of the yellow variety, which I planted upon what is here called 
poor blowing sandy land, and the productiveness of the plants 
greatly surprised me. In 1858 I drilled about 1 bushel per acre 
of seed upon 18 acres of poor land, from which I obtained fifty 
waggonloads of sheaves. The luxuriance of this crop quite 
astonished all that were acquainted with the sterility of the soil, 
and the quantity of grain before harvesting was estimated by 
various persons at from 40 to 50 bushels per acre.” Mr. Crisp 
goes on to say that “ In a letter I received from the Baron, Decem¬ 
ber 18th, 1858, he states ‘ that we have had here (in Prussia) the 
most unfortunate season I ever remember. We have lost all our 
Clover layers by excessive dryness, and the Lupins are the only 
crops which can help our sheep through the winter. It is really 
a valuable plant for some soils. I had a field of 36 acres drilled 
with blue Lupins in May after the Clover plant was lost, and 
one of my neighbours offered me 57 bushels per acre for the 
36 acres, which I refused. In my letter I omitted to state that 
the yellow Lupin is the better for hay, straw, or chaff ; but the 
blue is generally more productive of grain.’ ” Mr. Crisp closes 
his letter by statmg, “ My past success I think fully justifies me 
in commending the cultivation of these Lupins to the notice of 
occupiers of light sandy soils, to whom I believe it will hereafter 
prove of immense advantage. The Baron Herm. von Nathusius 
further states that the seeds are sown about the end of April or 
beginning of May, but not earlier, for it is found that the sharp 
night frosts are destructive to the young plant; the vegetation is 
also slow in the first weeks, but it soon becomes very rapid. If 
any rain falls the plants grow to the height of 4 feet, and a great 
quantity of beautiful flowers cover the whole field. There may be 
some conditions when the crop may be used for 1 green manur¬ 
ing ’ as it is called, but generally it is a much better plan to fold 
off the plant with sheep, which not at first, but after they have 
been accustomed to it, are very fond of the yellow Lupin in the 
green state, and thrive remarkably well upon it. After being 
sufficiently dried the blue Lupin makes most excellent hay for 
sheep. If harvested for the seed the same plan as for Beans will 
answer best if the pods are mostly ripe and the crop intended for 
thrashing. The seeds of both varieties form very superior food 
for sheep, lambs, and fattening wethers. After they had been 
accustomed to it I have often seen them refusing cake if they had 
plenty of Lupins. The straw and chaff is excellent for store 
sheep. It has been found by many persons that Lupin hay, straw, 
and corn are in some degree preventives of the rot, and even 
sometimes remedial if the disease is not far advanced, owing 
probably to the bitter taste, which is an astringent and tonic. 
We know of no other plant which, generally speaking, is so 
peculiarly adapted for sheep. The seeds have been used for horses 
and cattle, and it is found profitable to mix them with Oats or 
Beans. Some farmers begin to give Lupin meal with milk to the 
weaning calves, and they are said to do well. But swine gene¬ 
rally refuse them. The following is the result of an analysis of 
the air-dried seeds :—Water, 14 to 15 per cent. ; nitrogenous sub¬ 
stances, 33 to 36 ; fatty matter, 6 to 7 ; starch, sugar, &c., 26 to 30 ; 
woody fibre, 11 to 12 ; mineral matter, 3 to 4 percent. We learn 
from this analysis that the Lupin seeds contain a greater per¬ 
centage of nitrogenous substances than any other of our legumi¬ 
nous plants, so that their high value is fully confirmed by science. 
The cultivation of the Lupin is rather new, although many 
thousands of acres are now to be seen. There is no doubt but it is 
a real boon for the occupiers of the poorest sandy or gravelly land. 
Chalk and calcareous sand seem not to be favourable for it, nor 
wet and undrained land.” There are other sorts of Lupins, par¬ 
ticularly those from Egypt, which are cultivated in Sicily, and 
show a most luxuriant growth, but will not ripen except in a hot 
climate. 
Mr. J. W. Kimber of Tubney Warren, Abingdon, in a letter to 
Dr. Voelcker gives some useful and interesting observations relat¬ 
ing to his culture of Lupins in the adverse season of 1860, and 
states that “ My farm consists principally of a soil commonly 
called a light-blowing sand of so fine a nature that high winds 
very much disturb the surface in dry weather, which sometimes 
does injury to young plants, especially to Turnips ; I therefore in 
1860 manured a field with ten two-horse cartloads of pig manure 
per acre, and ploughed under. On the 3rd of April the Lupins 
were drilled 13 inches apart; 1^- bushel of seed per acre. In 
the first six weeks the plants made but little progress, yet by the 
1st of August they were just beginning to bloom, and had a most 
luxuriant appearance with a mass of yellow flowers, and con¬ 
tinued in this state until the time of weighing the crop, September 
24th, when two portions were weighed—one producing at the rate 
of 16 tons 2 cwts. 56 lbs. per acre, the other portion 21 tons. 12 cwts. 
16 lbs. I think the Lupin crop will prove valuable on light 
sandy soils, where there is a difficulty of growing large crops of 
the ordinary farm plants ; and I can express a favourable opinion 
of its feeding value, having had some sheep penned upon a portion 
of the crop ; they made good work, eating all but the main stems. 
I also fed four yearling heifers whilst on pasture, being supplied 
with a quantity every morning, on which food they soon improved 
greatly, the pasture not being sufficient for them.” After giving 
this information from both practical and scientific men, we can 
only say to the home farmer that in the event of his having land 
adapted for the Lupin—although he may hesitate to attempt their 
growth largely either as food for sheep or as manure for plough¬ 
ing under—there is no reason why experiments upon a small scale 
should not be made, taking into consideration fully the foregoing 
statements upon the subject. 
WORK ON THE HOME EARM. 
Horse Labour .—In the southern and eastern counties the busiest 
period of harvest work is over, and in some of the midland and northern 
districts the harvesting of grain will be sufficiently forward for work 
on the land to be proceeded with. Where it cannot be yet done by 
the horses, if the corn has been cleared the Wheat stubbles should be 
commenced upon by steam power. Every day now is of the utmost 
consequence in preparing the land by autumn culture for the Barley 
of next year, and also for the Potatoes and root crops, especially the 
Mangold for seeding next spring. As the land is more than usually 
foul with couch grass and weeds this year, it is quite impossible to 
effect all the autumn fallowing required by horse labour alone 
without trespassing upon the seed time and preparation for Wheat. 
With steam power there will be no difficulty, for upon all those 
farms where steam machinery is available and forms part of the dead 
stock on the farm the work may not only be well forwarded, but it 
will also relieve the horses of the heaviest of the work, allowing 
them to proceed with the preparation for the green crops. When we 
have a dry time very few slugs will be found to injure the Trifolium 
if sown now by harrowing, dragging, &c., at the time of sowing only, 
with plenty of seed, not less than 25 tbs. per acre. When, however, 
the seed time is longer deferred, or the weather is wet, the land 
should be ploughed and seeded immediately after the plough in order 
that the rain may not interfere with the work. On the chalk hill 
farms preparation for the Wheat-sowing is usually made early, 
therefore the dung may now be laid out on the Clover leas, and the 
land ploughed and pressed as fast as the dung can be spread. 
Hand Labour .—This will yet be required in connection with harvest 
work in the later districts. Potato digging, too, must now be done 
whilst the weather is dry ; and generally speaking the late varieties 
will shortly be ripe enough to plough out. It is a good plan to put 
them away whilst the weather is dry; but in case they show any 
disease we find it a good plan to make a temporary heap covered with 
straw adjoining the spot whereon it is proposed to secure them for 
the winter, so that at the middle of October they may be examined 
and the heap made up to remain for the winter, being properly thatched 
and earthed over before the frosts commence. Some of the best 
covering materials are long strong grass and fern cut together from 
the woods or plantations, but where it can be obtained there is nothing 
resists frost like fresh seaweeds laid on next the tubers. The cattle 
now fattening in the boxes or stalls, the former being preferable, will 
be eating the last cutting of Clover, Saintfoin, &c. As soon as these 
are used up Cabbage comes in, if they have been grown to follow in 
succession. In some cases, however, in a season like the present, 
with a good plant of Clover in the Wheat or white Oats harvested 
early and the land in high condition, we have found the. Clover grow 
up very quickly and strongly, furnishing a good cutting of green 
fodder on to November, or until cut down by frost. We find that it 
does not injure the Clover in future, it being better for the early 
spring growth than where folded off by sheep, as they often eat off 
the crown buds of the Clover plant too closely, whereas they are pre¬ 
served without injury when the crop is cut with the scythe. 
The sheep will now be feeding off early Turnips upon those farms 
where the practice is to sow Wheat afterwards, and if the loots are 
cleared away early enough it is a capital preparation for Wheat. For 
this system to answer the land should be dry and friable, so as not to 
suffer by the treading of the stock in wet weather. We have occa¬ 
sionally seen Mangolds fed off in this way by folding sheep on them 
in the months of September and October, the plan being to pull the 
Mangolds and allow the roots toffie on the land and become tough, and 
they are then better for the sheep. More care is, however, required, 
