January 4 , 1883. ] JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 19 
been conducted without any interruption, so that all the Lent 
corn, Barley, and Oats, as well as Beans and Peas, were sown 
early, with as fine a tilth as could be desired. All the field 
grasses, Clover, and Sainfoin were strong and of luxuriant growth 
as well as regular in plant. The pastures likewise carried a most 
promising appearance, the only exception being a rather irregular 
growth in the water meadows owing to a short supply of flood 
water in the previous winter. This altogether beautiful prospect 
induced us to think that although Dame Nature had in previous 
years got into our debt we may expect to be paid in the course of 
the seasons. The flocks of sheep both on the hill and vale farms 
were generally healthy, and the ewe flocks had produced a large 
number of iambs of nearly all varieties. Cattle, too, were reported 
free from disease in nearly every district. 
This prospect of early abundance had the effect of raising high 
hopes in the farmers’ breast, that we had entered upon a cycle of 
seasons which would requite them for their many losses by flood 
and field. It was, however, not destined for the present year to 
prove one of the cycle, for on the 29th of April a terrible storm 
prevailed throughout the kingdom with more or less severity, and 
it was followed by cold easterly winds, which arrested in their 
growth all kinds of vegetation, and destroying at one blow all 
our anticipations in which we had indulged of an early and 
abundant harvest. Nevertheless, although the character of the 
weather during the summer proved cold and stormy and un¬ 
favourable for cereal crops, yet the hay crops were bulky in 
quantity ; the Bean and Pea crops, too, were good in the midland 
and western counties, and the season may also be called one 
particularly favourable for the grazing of cattle. Still, though 
the hay crops were good all round, yet the difficulty of securing it 
in good condition was very discouraging. It was, however, a 
season well suited to test the experiments of securing hay in bad 
weather by the use of the exhaustion of heat from the ricks after 
being built with the various kinds of fans devised for the purpose, 
and it is unfortunate that many failures have occurred by the hay 
ricks thus treated proving in most cases of little value. It is, 
however, with regard to both hay and corn, especially in the 
northern counties and Scotland, that we yet trust the system may 
ultimately be made available. We cannot but consider the state¬ 
ments made by Messrs. Neilson & Knowles, the originators of 
the system, are truthful, and as it proved successful with them 
for a series of years there is yet hope that farmers may eventually 
master the details. The Royal Agricultural Society made a sad 
blunder in the experiments carried out at the Reading meeting, 
and is likely to discourage many persons; we have, however, 
strong hope that eventually it may be brought into use so as to 
enable the farmers to combat the climate. Mr. Gibbs’ steam hay- 
drier will be sure to answer the purpose of drying both sorts of 
hay, either of meadow or field growth, but it is better for the 
former than the latter, as we fear much leaf of the field hay will 
be lost in the process ; this, together with the cost of the machinery, 
being £350, will serve to exclude its use in many instances. 
We must now refer to the root crops of the kingdom. Mangold 
and Potatoes are both under the average by reason of the low 
temperature which prevailed ; but Swedes, Turnips, Cabbage, 
and Carrots are fine crops, and the late crops of grass most 
abundant; this tended to raise the value of sheep, together with 
diminished numbers, to a price higher than we can ever recollect 
in any previous year. The same may be said with cattle, which 
have made high prices. Serious floods have occurred in various 
counties which have proved disastrous in grazing districts. 
To conclude our retrospect we give a general statement of the 
results of the harvest. We estimate the Wheat crop as an average 
one of the last seven years, but under the average of twenty years, 
with a large acreage grown owing to the favourable seed time, 
and the grain of good quality where well harvested. Barley like 
Wheat is about an average of the last seven years, but of poor 
quality and badly harvested. Oats are one of the finest crops 
ever grown in England, having been, however, somewhat injured 
by the difficult harvest. We cannot omit the notice of full crops 
of straw generally, which is important both for fodder and sale, 
especially the latter, as it has lately made a higher value than it 
has ever done before. 
MAXIMUM WEIGHT FOR AGE OF CATTLE AND 
SHEEP. 
(Continued from page 603, last vol.) 
As space could not be found last week for the conclusion of 
our remarks we now give the weight for age of sheep and lambs, 
some of which were exhibited at Bingley Hall Show and some at 
the Islington Hall Show. The heaviest pen of three Lincoln wether 
sheep alive, weight of 9 cwt. 0 qrs. 22 lbs., is recorded. The pen 
of Coltswold wethers, shown by Mr. Thomas of Cardiff, weigh e< ^ 
8 cwt. 4 Ib3. The Leicesters, formerly called the premier breed 
England, are at present held by few, especially of the pure Dishley 
stock descended in a direct line. The weight of the heaviest pen 
of wethers was only 6 cwt. 3 qrs. 14 lbs. The South Downs, 
although maintaining their admirable position for quality, are in 
weight much less than some others ; but we cannot refrain from 
giving them a place here, as the wethers shown by the Duke of 
Richmond weighed 6 cwt. 9 lbs., and at weight for age nearly 
approached the Leicesters, and we notice them, readily admitting 
nothing in the mutton classes can exceed them for quality. We 
will now refer to the Oxford Downs (the pen of wethers weighed 
8 cwt. 8 lbs.) shown by Mr. Brassey. The Shropshire class exhi¬ 
bited a pen of wethers, the best weighing only 7 cwt. 1 qr. 6 lbs., 
as shown by Mr. Loder. We must now refer to what is fre¬ 
quently called the coming sheep—viz., the Hants and Wilts Down 
sheep. But although splendid and heavy weight for age as they 
show, exceeding all others for early maturity, yet they can never 
displace the long-woolled breeds in their native strongholds (the 
grazing pastures of the midland and northern counties), for this 
simple reason—that they cannot be trusted to graze in company 
with bullocks as the long-wools do because of their roaming habits, 
for they will not eat and lie down side by side with horned cattle 
as the long-wools will always do. The heaviest pen of wethers 
was shown by Mr. Morrison, who, it seems, cannot yet be beaten 
in wether sheep, weighed 8 cwt. 2 qrs. 24 lbs. As in the cattle 
classes we made especial mention of the weights for age of the 
youngest animals, so we must give special attention to the weights 
of lambs in the sheep classes. At Bingley Hall Show the pen of 
three Hampshire Down lambs, exhibited by Mr. Morrison of Tis- 
bury, Wilts, weighed at about ten months old 7 cwt. 3 qrs. 1 lb., 
live weight. At the Islington Hall Show a pen of three lambs 
of the same breed, exhibited by Mr. Wm. Parsons of West Stratton, 
Hants, at the same age weighed 6 cwt., live weights. Either of 
these pens of lambs exceed in weight any lambs of the long-woolled 
breeds and all others, and this is very important for practical men 
to consider; but at the same time it must be remembered that 
these lambs were probably housed and fed under cover during 
their whole lives, and were also selected from large flocks, and as 
the per-centage of exceptional animals may be reckoned at 3 per 
cent, every lamb shown was an exceptional animal, for even 
amongst the three exceptionals there will always be one better 
than the others. It is, therefore, not too much to say that several 
breeders of Hants Downs may have done likewise, especially Mr. 
George Judd of Barton Stacey, Hants, who took the prize for the 
best hundred lambs at Winchester Show Fair in October last, 
which lambs averaged over 13 stone at about eight months old, 
all fed in the open field. We mention this to show the home 
farmer the actual difference between open field feeding with a 
whole flock and house feeding with a few select exceptional 
animals. The result of this selection and house-feeding must at 
any rate meet with the approval of the butchers and consumers, 
especially at Christmas time. Such results as we have named 
cannot be realised by any of the long-woolled breeds, weight, age, 
and quality considered. 
CHALLENGE CUPS. 
There can be no question about the fact that the Birmingham 
challenge cup has given a great impetus to the Game fancy. In 
what other breed do we hear of £50 and £100 being given for a 
bird P Now and then, it is true, some famous Dark Brahma fetches 
an equally long price, but then it is a bird which is sure to win, and 
to win hack a considerable part of its purchase money, and with 
this object it is bought. Game fanciers, however, have of late given 
these sums for specimens of high pedigree with a view solely to 
breeding. Making allowances for the fact that they have long been 
peculiarly scientific and careful breeders, and that consequently it is 
to them of supreme importance to have stock birds as near perfection 
as possible, still the desire to win the great prize encourages this 
care, and the chance of winning it attracts new admirers to the 
breed. Is it desirable that any breed should have this special 
encouragement ? We have seen plausible reasons against the offer¬ 
ing of such cups. Some years ago cups of considerable value were 
subscribed for and given at the Crystal Palace for Dark Brahma 
cockerels and pullets. These were objected to, and not without 
reason as it seemed to us, because in the first place they were only 
the result of a transient furore of the year, and there was little 
