JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
39G 
[ May 10, 1883. 
needed. But these cost money, and it is always best to be sure that 
the spending of money is absolutely necessary before parting with 
it. In this case we do not think it is. Wherever animals are kept 
there is urine. Often this is allowed to run to waste. It generally 
is in the district where we reside at present. But the urine on an 
ordinary farm contains enough potash for the hay crop, and to this 
it maybe applied more economically than any other. Five tons 
of urine supply from 400 to 600 lbs. of potash, and this is an ample 
application to an acre ; indeed, more than one crop of either Beans 
or Clover needs. If soil is “not suited” for growing leguminous 
plants let farmers try what effect such an application has. On 
light soils we have known it treble the mixed hay crop, producing a 
rich growth of fine Clover in place of a poor, yellow, half worthless 
one. 
But urine contains something besides potash salts. One ton of 
pure mixed farmyard urine contains about 50 lbs. of urea, which 
may be reckoned equivalent to an equal amount of ammonia. Five 
tons of this will consequently afford 250 lbs. of nitrogen equal to 
ammonia, or half a ton of sulphate of ammonia. This is far too 
much for an acre of either hay or corn, and is, indeed, when applied 
pure, which it seldom is, destructive in its richness. Applied mixed 
with not less than six times its bulk of pure water, five tons of 
pure urine is harmless even in dry weather, and is quite sufficient 
for four acres of hay or pasture land. In this case the potash 
applied is less than the Clover crop needs ; but this is of little conse¬ 
quence on ordinary soil, for generally enough is present, and that 
applied may be regarded as extra. But in order that the nitrogen 
may be fully utilised Rye Grass should be sown mixed with the 
Clover. The grass will utilise the nitrogen, the Clover will take up 
the potash, and a heavier crop will result than could have been had 
from either separately. 
The great reason for applying the liquid manure of the farm to 
hay and pasture land is because when applied to land not under 
crops a portion is apt to pass away in the drains. When grass is 
growing the roots intercept the manure and use it. Moreover, the 
drainage from grassland is less than from that which is bare, because 
more is evaporated. When the crop grows strong the drainage is 
nil unless in very wet seasons. 
Then urine is most plentiful in winter just when bare land is so 
soft that carting on it is impossible. Bat there is not the same 
trouble on hay or pasture land. There is not enough for both com 
and grass lands, so it is better to give it to the grass, and apply the 
artificial manure otherwise. 
When strong-growing Potatoes are grown, and only partly 
manured with farmyard manure on many farms, there will be a 
surplus over after manuring the green crops. This may be very 
profitably employed on hay or pasture land. This was so forcibly 
illustrated in the Journal lately, that nothing more may be said on 
it here, except that pasture land properly manured wdl keep double 
the number of animals that the same pasture treated in the ordinary 
way would. A 50-acre farm may thus be made to produce as much 
as many a one twice the size, while the rent, taxes, labour even, 
remains only the half. 
When artificial manures are partly used for green crops and for 
corn ordinary manure is generally plentiful enough to allow of its 
use in the waj r indicated, especially in the case of the liquid. When 
hay is plentifully produced there is generally plenty of manure, for 
there is plenty of cattle; and rich pastures when broken up pro¬ 
duce the heaviest of crops without artificial aid. 
When manure of the ordinary sort is for any reason scarce, and 
yet the advantage of full hay crops and rich pastures desired, 
artificial may take the place of ordinary manure with certain pro¬ 
spect of success following their application. Some lands require no 
potash to be applied—they contain an inexhaustible supply of it. 
On such Clover will flourish as well, though not a particle be given, 
as well as if liberally dressed. Buying potash for such is “dropping 
money over a bridge.” By dressing part of each field and leaving 
part undressed the farmer will speedily find from the state of the 
Clover or Bean crop whether it is wanted or not. 
On land wholly deficient in potash, as in the case of some sandy 
soils and more especially boggy lands, and even in some cases on 
chalk and clay, potash is so deficient as to he not worth taking into 
account. In such cases an application of the chloride at the rate of 
2 cwt. per acre will be amply sufficient for a Clover crop. When it 
is evident that the soil can of itself afford some then 1 cwt. may 
prove sufficient, and in any case if one half of the crop is Clover 
and the other half grass; but in this case it will be well to give 
from 2 to 3 cwt. of superphosphate and about 2 cwt. of sulphate of 
ammonia, or more of nitrate of soda. These quantities, we must 
again repeat, are for very poor soils, from which it is desired to 
take as good crops as possible. The same remarks apply to pasture, 
but in the case of very old or permanent pastures bone dust will be 
found one of the best for application. In such, especially on light 
sandy, chalky, or peaty soils, a good-enough turf will form in time, 
but it will be composed of grasses that thrive even in the absence 
of phosphoric acid. All such grasses, withont exception, are very 
poor as forage plants. Innutritious, indigestible, even the hardiest 
of cattle fail to convert them into meat or milk, simply because they 
do not contain the materials in quantities sufficient to form a surplus 
after providing for the animal’s own wants. But when phosphates 
are naturally present or artificially applied grasses of quite another 
character grow, and when nitrogen is added grow luxuriantly. It 
is nearly time that farmers learnt that it is not the seeds we sow, 
but the nature of the plant food present, naturally or otherwise 
matters not, that determines the character of pastures, and that 
milk and meat depend on the manure applied more than everything 
else, for the botany of pasture fields depends on the nature of the 
plant food. In another paper we hope to deal with some other 
farm crops and their wants in the matter of food.—A. H. 
(To be continued.) 
Committee of Agriculture. —The Gazette recently con¬ 
tained the following announcement:—“ It is ordered by Her 
Majesty in Council that the following named members of Her 
Majesty’s Most Honourable Privy Council be, and they are hereby 
appointed, a Committee of Council for the consideration of all 
matters relating to Agriculture—namely, The Lord President, 
Earl of Rosebery, Earl Spencer, Earl of Kimberley, Lord Car¬ 
rington, the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, and Mr. Sbaw- 
Lefevre. And it is further ordered, that all matters relating to 
Agriculture be, and they are hereby referred to the said Committee 
to consider the same and report thereon to Her Majesty in Council 
in like manner as if each subject had been referred to the said 
Committee by a special order of Her Majesty in Council. It is 
further ordered, that during Her Majesty’s pleasure the Chancellor 
of the Duchy of Lancaster shall preside over the said Committee 
in the absence of the Lord President.” 
International Forestry Exhibition. —The Highland and 
Agricultural Society of Scotland has voted £100 towards an 
international forestry exhibition to be held in Edinburgh next 
year. Referring to the notice that the subject of British forestry is 
to be brought before Parliament, the Society has passed a resolu¬ 
tion to the effect that it would hail with pleasure the organisation 
of a system of forest education in Great Britain as a matter of 
the greatest importance for the instruction of forest officers, as 
they deem it a question of vast importance to this country as 
well as her various colonies. 
OUR LETTER BOX. 
The Trumpeter (F. Jones ).—We can only give a very brief description 
A full account will shortly appear in the pages of “Pooi.tky.” The chief 
points are—1, The peculiar voice, an oft-repeated coo, from which the Pigeon 
takes its name; 2, the “ rose,” a large circular topknot of feathers spreading out 
from the centre of the head ; 3, the “ crest,” a ridge of feathers extending 
round the back of the head, not lying close as in the case of the Jacobin, but 
standing upright; and 4, the foot feathers, which should be as heavy as possible. 
The colours are black, white, black-mottled, and splashed. 
METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVATIONS. 
Camden Square, London. 
Lat. 51° 32' 40’' N.; Long. 0° 8' 0" W.; Altitude, 111 feet. 
date. 
9 A.M. 
IN THE DAT. 
.5 
oi 
« 
1883. 
April 
and 
May. 
Barome¬ 
ter at 328 
and Sea 
Level 
Hygrome¬ 
ter. 
Direction 
of Wind. 
| Temp.oi 
Soil at 
I foot. 
Shade Tem¬ 
perature. 
Radiation 
Temperature. 
Dry. 
Wet. 
Max. 
Min. 
In 
sun. 
On 
grass. 
Inches. 
deg. 
deg. 
deg. 
deg. 
deg. 
deg. 
deg. 
In. 
Sun. 2«J 
29.476 
52.0 
49.5 
N.W. 
48 2 
(51.2 
47.6 
97.2 
47.2 
0.032 
Mon. 30 
29.707 
52.4 
46.5 
IV. 
43.8 
04.3 
41.4 
1110 
36.7 
- • 
Tues. 1 
29.753 
50.4 
47.7 
N.E. 
4 U> 
63.7 
44.0 
109.8 
42.0 
— 
Wed. 2 
29.913 
44.4 
40.0 
N. 
43 6 
60.0 
41.8 
91.4 
40.3 
— 
Thurs. 3 
29.843 
47.2 
42.3 
N. 
4-2 
54.3 
38.1 
102.4 
37.3 
0.0(8 
Friday 4 
29.8(52 
42.7 
39.5 
N. 
47.2 
52.4 
31.0 
98.8 
30 8 
0.077 
Satur. 5 
29.855 
42.2 
39.0 
N.E. 
46.3 
58.6 
31.3 
104.1 
26.3 
— 
29.773 
47.3 
43.5 
48.3 
59.2 
39.3 
102.6 
37.2 
0.157 
REMARKS. 
29th.—Rain at first; fine greater part of the day ; heavy clouds between 4 and 
5 P.M., shower 6.30 P.M. 
30th.—Very fine, with bright sunshine. 
May 1st.—Fine and bright; cold N.E. wind. 
2nd.—Dull and cold. 
3rd.—Cold, fine during morning; afterwards cloudy and showery. 
4th.—Fine bright morning ; sharp shower of hail at 3.37 P.M.; cold day. 
5th.—Fine, bright, and cold. 
The early part of the week warm, the latter part very cold, with frost on 
two mornings.—G. J. SYMONS. 
