394 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ May 10, 1883. 
might also try an ounce or more of the petroleum to the gallon. Violent and 
continual agitation are requisite for incorporating the petroleum with water. 
We shall be glad if you will try the experiment suggested and let us know the 
result; also we should like you to try hellebore tea at the strength of 2 ozs. of 
white hellebore powder to a gallon of water. First mix the powder with hot 
water to the consistency of cream, then add cold water of the quantity required. 
Mr. Witherspoon has recorded that “ In soil saturated with hellebore (made as 
above directed) no insect can live, and yet plants are not injured.” If you find 
this mixture will kill the grubs you have sent to us and not injure the crops, 
you will do a public service by communicating your experience; even if the 
remedies suggested fail, we shall be glad to hear from you. 
Names of Plants (T. A'., Eltham). —1, Asperula odorata ; 2, Omphalodes 
verna; 3, Muscari botryoides. (J. B., Barnet ).—Ribes aureum. 
Stewarton Hives (Hampshire Inquirer). — You will see by a letter in 
another column that the hives referred to by Mr. Pettigrew are not yet in the 
market. Mr. Pettigrew got a carpenter to put bars into his hives and supers. 
No doubt the hives will in due time be advertised, and until they are we must 
conclude there is none for sale. Other inquirers will please also accept this 
reply. Mr. Pettigrew says “ there is the prospect of an immense demand 
for Stewartons if any fair dealer will come to the front with them and 
advertise.” 
Straw Lids (II. A .).—The straw lids are flat, rest on the bars and edge of 
the hives, and form part of it. Mr. Pettigrew had bis rims and supers made 
to order at Altriucham, and the rims were sent to his straw-liive maker, Mr. 
Robert McMillan, Kilmarnock, who sewed the straw to the rims. We are 
unable to answer your question about bees ; perhaps Messrs. Neighbour & Sons, 
149, Regent Street, London, W., might give you some information. 
COVENT GARDEN MARKET.—MAT 9th. 
A GOOD business doing during the past week, with supplies better and prices 
generally easier. 
FRUIT. 
8. 
d. 
s. d. 
s. 
d. 
9. 
d 
Apples. 
2 
0to7 0 
Grapes . 
4 
0 to 8 
0 
per barrel 20 
0 
40 0 
Lemons. 
10 
0 
20 
0 
Apricots. 
0 
0 
0 0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
Cherries. 
0 
0 
0 0 
.... 100 
0 
0 
10 
0 
0 
12 0 
... _ dozen IK 
0 
21 
0 
Currants, Black. 
. 4 sieve 
0 
0 
0 0 
Pears,kitchen .. dozen 
1 
0 
2 
0 
„ Red... 
. 1 sieve 
0 
0 
0 0 
dessert .... 
1 
0 
2 
0 
Figs. 
. dozen 
0 
0 
0 0 
Pine Apples, 
English ft. 
1 
G 
2 
0 
Filberts. 
ft. 
0 
0 
0 0 
Raspberries . 
. ft. 
0 
0 
0 
0 
Cobs. 
. 100 ft. 
0 
0 
0 0 
Strawberries 
ft- 
3 
0 
8 
0 
Gooseberries ... 
. t sieve 
0 
0 
0 0 
VEGETABLES. 
8 
d. 
s. d. 
9. 
d. 
9. 
d 
Artichokes. 
2 
0 to 4 0 
Mushroom s 
1 
Otol 
6 
Asparagus, English bundle 
o 
0 
6 0 
Mustard* Cress .. punnet 
0 
2 
0 
3 
Asparagus,French bundle 
2 
0 
10 0 
Onions. 
2 
6 
3 
6 
Beans, Kidney.. 
.. 100 
2 
0 
0 0 
Parsley. 
doz.bunches 
8 
0 
4 
0 
1 
0 
2 0 
1 
0 
2 
0 
Broccoli. 
0 
9 
1 6 
Peas .’.. 
3 
6 
0 
0 
Cabbage . 
0 
6 
1 0 
Potatoes, New .... ft. 
0 
4 
0 10 
100 
1 
6 
2 0 
6 
0 
10 
0 
Carrots . 
0 
4 
0 0 
Kidney.... 
6 
0 
10 
0 
Cauliflowers .... 
2 
0 
3 0 
Radishes.... 
doz. bunches 
1 
0 
0 
0 
Celery. 
1 
6 
2 0 
Rhubarb .... 
0 
4 
0 
0 
Coleworts_doz. bunches 
2 
0 
4 0 
Salsafy. 
. bundle 
I 
0 
0 
0 
Cucumbers. 
0 
4 
0 8 
Scorzonera 
1 
« 
0 
0 
1 
0 
2 0 
Seakale 
1 
0 
o 
0 
Fennel. 
0 
3 
0 0 
Shallots .... 
. ft. 
0 
3 
0 
0 
Herbs . 
0 
2 
0 0 
Spinach .... 
5 
0 
6 
0 
0 
3 
0 4 
Tomatoes .. 
. ft. 
i 
6 
2 
0 
Lettuces . 
1 
3 
2 0 
Turnips .... 
. hunch 
0 
2 
0 
3 
K HOME FARM 
m 
POULTRY AND PIGEON CHRONICLE. 
PLOUGHING-IN OR FEEDING GREEN CROPS. 
(Continued from page 374.) 
It is now our intention to illustrate this subject, not only by its 
application in rotations of cropping the various soils, but also to 
make comparisons with the systems of stocking with sheep, which 
find favour with the majority of farmers, especially in the hill 
districts of various counties upon the chalk and limestone forma¬ 
tions. These hill farms are essentially the home of the breeding 
flocks of various kinds of sheep, and particularly of Down breeds 
and their crosses. We will therefore select farms of considerable 
size situated on the chalk or limestone, which we think will fairly 
represent the soils and proportions of soils which are various on 
the surface. These include a large portion of certain counties, 
including Wiltshire, Hampshire, Dorsetshire, and Gloucestershire, 
although other hill districts resemble those we have named and 
reach across the kingdom from Devonshire to Norfolk. 
As a representative farm we will select one which fairly 
illustrates the breeding stock farms of many counties, and we 
take the statements for our use and authority of two agriculturists 
of high repute and great experience, whose essays on the hill 
farming are especially adapted for quotation—Mr. E. P. Squarey 
on the hill farming of Hampshire and Wiltshire, and Mr. J. Darby 
on farming of the chalk soils of Dorset. Both these essays ap¬ 
peared in the Journal of the Bath and West of England Society 
for the Encouragement of Agriculture in the year 1861. We should, 
however, have preferred more recently written essays, but through¬ 
out the whole of our agricultural literature we find nothing so 
suitable. In the essay of Mr. Squarey we find the following ob¬ 
servations as a preface to his statement of a Wiltshire farm under 
a stock system :—“In no department of the farm management of 
Wiltshire and Hants is there greater need of inquiry than in that 
which relates to the cost of producing the portion of sheep stock 
which comes in annually for sale, so that the profit, if any, after 
deducting all costs, may be debited to the corn crops. The 
question is beset with difficulties, but I will endeavour to deal 
with it as generally as possible.” We cannot do more than give 
the totals of his calculations and the result of the management of 
a farm of 800 acres, whereon a breeding flock of about 750 ewes 
would probably be kept with the lambs until August or September) 
and about 280 tegs. “ Taking a farm of 800 acres we will suppose 
it to contain of arable land 550 acres ; down or strong land arable, 
200 acres ; water meadow, 30 acres ; pasture, 20 acres. Total, 
800 acres. To get rid of the question of cows, horses, &c., and 
thus relieve the account, it is proposed to set them against the 
produce of 20 acres of pasture and 10 acres of water meadow 
which they may be supposed to consume ; it is further assumed 
that the Vetches or Trifolium consumed by the horses are grown 
specially for them.” 
We now come to the total results of sheep stock, their returns 
and costs of food, which are set forth in a thoroughly practical 
form, embodying, no doubt, Mr. Squarey’s long experience as a 
land agent and hill farmer at Odstock, near Salisbury, and for 
the detail of which we refer the home farmer to the Journal, as 
above stated, for 1S61—“The produce of 750 ewes, under the 
statistics given, amount to the sum of £1125 15s. The charges 
against the sheep, including rent, rates, taxes, and cost of cultiva¬ 
tion for green and root crops, hay, Sainfoin, and pasturage, amount 
to the sum of £123G 15s. To balance loss £111. No charge iH 
made for hurdles and cost of superintendence, &c.” It appears 
from Mr. Squarey’s statement, in which he says “ That the culti¬ 
vation of root crops, the growth of hay, and the consumption 
of the portion of water meadows indicated involves a cost of 
£1236 15s., whereas the value of the produce amounts to £1125 J5s* 
only. This is another expression of the often discussed difficulty 
of profitably consuming root and other green crops by cattle, 
sheep, or pigs. The broad experience of the agricultural world 
confirms the general results which are here arrived at—viz., that 
only under exceptional circumstances can the green and restora¬ 
tive crops, which prepare the way for the profitable growth of 
corn, be consumed without loss on the particular transaction. In 
the foregoing calculation the value of the manure resulting from 
the consumption of the crops has been altogether omitted, Prac¬ 
tically this item more than compensates for the deficiency of £111, 
were it otherwise the system would come to an end,” 
Mr. Squarey further gives the system of cropping usually 
