March 8, 1883. ] JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
of polled cattle we have, perhaps, in the words of the late 
Mr. William McCombie of Tillyfour, the best testimony; he 
says, “ We all look upon him (Hugh Watson) as the first great 
improver, and no one will question his title to that distinction, 
for there is not a herd in the country which is not indebted to 
Keillor blood.” Mr. Dixon in “ Field and Fern,” says Hugh 
Watson kept in his eye as models “‘Bracelet’ and ‘Charity,’ 
and one or two more of the pure Booths ; ” and that “ he never 
scrupled to say that his best cattle showed much of the Shorthorn 
superiority in hair and touch.” His motto would seem to have 
been, “ Put the best to the best, regardless of affinity or blood.” 
He bred from none but the choicest specimens at his command, 
and did not hesitate to follow the example of Collings, the Booths, 
T. Bates, and other celebrated Shorthorn breeders in mating 
animals closely related to each other. It is evident that he prac¬ 
tised in-and-in breeding to a considerable extent. It is also clear 
that he aimed at building up particular lines or families, and that 
to some extent he bred each of these families within itself. Pro¬ 
bably the truest description that could be given of his method of 
breeding is, that he bred from none but the best—those that came 
nearest to his ideal—and that he did not care whether these were 
closely related or not. He, no doubt, discovered that under his 
improved system of breeding, which may truly be called a system 
of “ selection,” and under it he could raise better animals than 
could at that time be found anywhere else. Now we have quoted 
largely from the essay by Mr. James Macdonald on the origin and 
early history of the polled Aberdeen and Angus cattle, as pub¬ 
lished in the Journal of the Boyal Agricultural Society of England 
in 1881. Although with our long experience in attending the 
Cattle Shows of the Royal Society, as well as the Fat Cattle 
Shows of the Smithfield Club when it was held in Baker Street 
many years ago, and reported the results of various contests 
amongst the breeders and feeders of the best Scotch polled cattle, 
and although having acted upon our opinions and estimates, 
formed as the result of our observations in our own farming 
practice, yet we could find no more useful style of laying before 
the home farmer the practice of the best breeders than the source 
frum which we have quoted. We always prefer to quote the best 
authorities, believing them to be the best guides in connection 
with our own experience, as the best and safest guide to the home 
farmer, and also for the benefit of young men studying agriculture, 
for whom we write, but at all times endeavour to give history 
credit when it is deserved. 
(To be continued.) 
WORK ON THE HOME FARM. 
Horse Labour .—We finished sowing White Suffolk Wheat the last 
day of February. This is too late generally, but the land worked 
close and heavy, which is much in favour of an average plant and 
produce with late-sown Wheat if the summer is propitious. If the 
land had been light and free-working, like Barley tilth, we would not 
have sown Wheat after the 1st of February, for when the soil is 
light and dry on the surface the Wheat-seeding is never favourable. 
When, however, it is heavy working, like the usual condition in the 
month of November, it generally answers. The disadvantage con¬ 
nected with a dry and free-working condition is that the land is not 
close enough for the roots to hold on well; besides which, it is sure 
to be more damaged by weeds during the summer, unless it is drilled 
at 10 or 12 inches apart, so that the horse hoe can be freely used to 
destroy them ; in fact, in a fallow preparation for Wheat the crop is 
never safe unless the corn is drilled, leaving room for the horse hoe. 
All sorts of seeds—such as Cabbage, Broccoli, Kohl Rabi, &c., for 
planting in summer, should now be drilled at 15 inches apart in the 
lines, on well-prepared and manured beds. The hoeing may then be 
done, also the pulling of plants, without injury to the remainder. 
We like to obtain the best and truest seed possible, instead of pur¬ 
chasing plants, for we never can be sure of the sort and purity when 
they are grown on purpose for sale ; besides which, it is a good plan 
to grow the plants on a well-prepared plot or headland in the field 
whereon they are intended to be grown. Drege is now more sown 
than ever, and it is a good plan to sow 2| bushels of White Waterloo 
Oats and 1 bushel of Barley, because they can be separated, leaving 
first-class malting Barley and fair quality of Oats. Barley is now 
seldom grown alone after roots fed off by sheep, it being almost 
impossible to secure a good malting sample. 
The Beans and Peas have nearly all been sown. The Early Dun 
or white boilers are best for early crops, and are much in request now, 
because Early Stone Turnips or Mustard may be grown after early 
Peas are carted. Spring or summer Tares are now being sown. Some 
farmers recommend mixing the seed half winter and half summer 
varieties, as they are more proofy for sheep-feeding; but where a 
heavy crop is expected, a little Rye or winter Barley is mixed with 
the Vetches to hold them off ground, which is beneficial either for 
cutting for horses or cattle or for feeding by sheep on the land. We 
are now preparing land after Potatoes for the White Victoria Oats. 
As soon as the land has been scarified and the little couch picked off, 
the land will be ridge-ploughed and sown with these earliest variety 
of Oats, the object being an early harvest and full crop. We grew 
nineteen sacks of this sort last year per acre. It is also favourable 
for the growth of early Turnips sown between the stooks as fast as 
the Oats are cut. In some cases, however, we shall seed with red 
Clover, for we have found that in favourable seasons we can obtain a 
good autumn crop for cutting up and soiling horses and cattle if the 
Oats are cut above the Clover. Still it is very rarely the case, as 
the Oats become ripe before the young Clover seeds get strong. 
Planting Potatoes should now be prepared for, having the manure 
in store ready for mixing, 4 cwt. of Peruvian guano mixed with 4 cwt. 
of kainit in our experience we find sufficient to insure a full crop and 
equal in manuring power to any amount usually applied of town or 
stable dung. The artificial manures are very inexpensive in their appli¬ 
cation, for our custom is to strew the manure along the furrows in 
which the Potato sets are planted. Much of the Wheat land being 
in such a wet state in the autumn that the yard manure, &c., could 
not be applied, it must therefore now get a liberal allowance of arti¬ 
ficials as a top-dressing about the second week of April, of 1^ cwt. 
of nitrate of soda, 2 cwt. of bone superphosphate, and 2 cwt. of Peru¬ 
vian guano per acre. This will cost from 60s. to 63s. per acre if 
genuine, and will be sufficient if the land is clean and in fair con¬ 
dition either after lea or fallow. We have advocated enough dressing 
for cereals to produce a full crop of straw, which answers well, 
because the straw alone will more than pay for the manure in most 
situations. 
Hand Labour .—Men will now be required in preparing, mixing, and 
sowing hand manures ; also preparing and cutting the Potato sets, 
hedge-cutting and tying, also making dead hedges with clean rod3 
and bushes, also cutting and clearing all the hedgerows where cut 
for hurdle wood, Ac., has been going on, also turning and preparing 
the yard and stable dung intended for the Mangold ground. 
Live Stock.— Sheep are now beginning to thrive better, for the 
weather has been sadly against them where feeding off roots in the 
open field during the past winter. Good Down mutton is still worth 
Is. per pound, and is likely to continue at high prices, the stock is so 
short in numbers. Beef has paid better than usual for feeding during 
the past winter, and is now worth from 6s. per stone of 8 tbs.; still 
the stock if not bred on the farm was bought in at a high price. The 
lambing time has proved about an average produce of lambs, but 
rather more than usual have died whilst young. Taking the lambing 
season as a whole, for the Down and cross-bred flocks it has been 
better than was anticipated, because of the rainy winter. The lambing 
of the long-woolled sheep is now going on, but it is too early to say 
what the result will be ; but we hear that many ewes after lambing 
look extremely thin, and it is expected that some of the flocks in the 
midland and western counties are suffering from flukes in the liver. 
If such is the case they will show it more further on in the spring, 
and large numbers must be lost. We find a great controversy going 
on as to treatment of sheep when they have flukes in the liver, and 
we believe that there is no cure ; but there is a preventive by judicious 
management, to which we have often alluded in these columns. 
GOAT FARMING. 
I have been much interested in the articles you recently pub¬ 
lished under this head. My object in addressing you is to offer a 
few words about the Angora cross, and to correct—if I may be 
pardoned for so doing—a slight mistake. On page 84 it is stated 
that “ those Goats should be selected having the longest hair, as in 
crossing these nick better with the Angora ram for the growth of 
mohair.” Now a similar idea once prevailed in my own mind ; 
but Mr. Evans, the breeder of mohairs at the Cape already referred 
to in your columns, informed me that the contrary was the practice 
there, and for this reason—by crossing with short-haired Goats the 
wool in the coats of the progeny preponderated over the hair, 
which was not the case when long-haired she goats were used ; 
thus the shortest-coated animals were selected. Crossing is now, 
however, very little practised at the Cape, as the pure specimens 
are much more common. 
The Duke of Wellington possesses at Stratfieldsaye herds of 
both the indigenous Cape Goats and the Cape Angoras, but keeps 
the two varieties quite apart and distinct, preferring not to cross 
them. With the clip of these Angoras, and some I sent him from 
an imported ram I had a year or so ago, His Grace had a quantity 
of material made, several yards of which he gave me. (A sample 
enclosed). 
Whilst staying at Stratfieldsaye House last year I had an 
opportunity of inspecting these herds, both of which were doing 
well and adapting themselves to the climate, but particularly the 
Angoras. I believe they are still thriving and increasing in 
number, so that there is no reason why, after all, these Goats 
should not be bred in England for their fleece, and, if necessary, 
crossed with British varieties, as suggested in your Journal, to 
combine fleece and milk. For this purpose no better selection 
could be made than “ Brown Kate,” mentioned by the writer of 
the articles. 
I am happy to add that some attention is now being paid to 
