JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
528 
[ June 21, 1883. 
13 inches square at the top, the height of two of the cages 
varying from 9 feet 6 inches to 12 feet 6 inches, the latter being 
that of Mr. Coultas. Mr. Phillips placed his fan a little in front 
of the line of stacks, and, consistently with his theory that all 
angles should be avoided, laid his flues in two curved lines, 
which started from the stack centres, and touched each other 
just in rear of the fan. These flues were tubes of galvanised iron, 
8 inches in diameter, and made in 3-feet lengths, with a tapered 
edge at one end of each section. Messrs. Lister & Co. put their 
fan between the two stacks, and ran a continuous flue of sheet 
iron, 9 inches in diameter, in a straight line from the centre of 
one stack to that of another. Midway between the stacks a right- 
angled junction with the fan was made. At least two of the 
abrupt turns might have been easily avoided, and if the other 
angles had been rounded off it is reasonable to suppose that the 
fan might have proved more effective. The shafts in these two 
stacks were made by circular cages 7 feet high, 30 inches in 
diameter at the base, and 18 inches at the top.” 
The result of the operations of the fans are voluminous and 
cannot here be given, although they were taken daily, except 
Sundays, from the 11th of August until the 11th of September, 
and were almost constantly at work during the daytime. The 
power of the fans to reduce the heat of the stacks is evidenced by 
the difference between the morning and evening observations on 
days when at work had been done, and also by the sudden rise 
which sometimes occurred after a day when the fans had been 
idle. The maximum temperature of the stacks during the trials, 
as found in the stacks of each competitor, was in Mr. Coultas’ 
stack, on August 14th, 119°; Phillips’ stack, August 24th, 131°; 
Lister & Co.’s, August 4th, 145°. It will thus be seen that four 
out of the six stacks developed their greatest heat within three 
or five days after the stacking; while in the two stacks which 
heated most, the hottest time was thirteen days after the com 
was put into stack. It was also noted that those ricks which had 
most weeds in the sheaves showed the highest temperature. 
“On the 11th of September the Judges, having inspected the 
stacks, came to the conclusion that it was useless to carry on the 
experiment any further. Though the fans had been at work for 
a month there was evidently a good deal of latent heat. Orders 
were therefore given for the thrashing of the corn. In Mr. 
Coultas’ stacks the upper portion of the corn was bright and un¬ 
injured, though few of the sheaves were dry inside ; the lower 
portion was compressed, and the corn was discoloured. The 
insides of many of the sheaves were almost rotten, and some of 
the grains had germinated. The second stack was less injured, 
but the fan seemed to have had no effect at all on the lower part 
of it, many of the sheaves being still very wet. Phillips’ stacks 
were in the upper parts like those of Coultas’. The lower part 
of the second stack, particularly on the eastern side at 5 feet 
above the ground, was pressed as close as millboard, and the grain 
was heated brown. All the corn in these stacks had a most dis¬ 
agreeable fusty smell. Messrs. Lister k Co.’s stack A had in it 
some corn which was about on a par with the better part of the 
other stacks. Stack B was in a frightful state, many of the 
sheaves were completely rotten, and all the south-eastern quarter 
was reeking like a heap of heated farmyard manure.” 
Near the end of the report we meet with the following re¬ 
markable statement :—“ The trials of the fans upon corn must be 
considered as having been a complete and disastrous failure.” 
Now, after having given the observation of the Judges, stating 
how the competitors conducted their trials of fans upon the corn 
in stack, and the great disappointment to many of the result, 
we feel it incumbent on us in another issue of the Journal to practi¬ 
cally consider the matter in order that business men may not be 
discouraged. 
(To be continued.) 
WORK ON THE HOME FARM. 
Hone Labour .—This is still connected with the tillage for Turnips, 
also at intervals the carting of Clover, Sainfoin, and hay to the stack. 
Unless the weather is very drying, with a harsh east wind, the hay is 
scarcely ever in first-rate condition for carting early in the day 
like corn, because the night dews, when the weather is still and 
quiet, if it is ever so hot, are often heavy, in which case we prefer to 
effect some tillage operations, or otherwise some work preparatory to 
the carting of hay, and thus deferring the hay-stacking until about 
ten o’clock. If, on the other hand, the strong east winds, such as we 
experienced in the last days of May, prevail, the carting may be com¬ 
menced early in the morning without let or hindrance, for in such a 
case the hay makes night and day, but especially when the surface of 
the land is dry and hot. Since the haying began we have not, up to 
the time of writing, experienced any threatening weather sufficient 
to induce the advocates of using the exhaust fans to prepare them 
for the haystacks, still we find that many persons have decided on 
using these machines if the weather should prove fickle and uncertain. 
The ridge-ploughing and sowing of Turnip seed will now be pro¬ 
ceeded with as fast as the land can be made ready. The Grey Stone 
Turnip is our favourite variety, but especially the improved sort, 
which is red in colour, and by some farmers called the Red Mammoth. 
Both these varieties are not only very quick of growth, but also of 
excellent quality, and very much hardier than the White Rounds or 
Green Globe varieties. After Trifolium we have land to come in for 
Turnips, and as fast as it is cleared we half plough, then scarify 
across the rafters. This opens the land, and is favourable to the 
combing out couch, of which we have some quantity to deal with 
through the neglect of a late tenant. Early crimson Trifolium is 
now nearly gone, but we have a capital succession in the second 
early pink-blossomed variety just fit for cutting, which we expect, 
together with the later white sort, will continue in good feeding 
condition until about the 10th of July. 
Mangold and Swede-hoeing, also Potato-hilling, will engage an odd 
horse or two now for some time when the weather is dry. Where the 
growth is not luxuriant we sow 1 cwt. per acre of nitrate of soda by 
hand between the rows of plants ; but this application is not advisable 
for Swedes or Turnips, as it forces the plants too much by throwing 
up long stems and rendering the roots more likely to decay in the 
autumn. To supplement horse labour on farms where steam-culti¬ 
vating machinery is not used it is difficult to hire steam power, 
as so many farmers require the tackle simultaneously. We therefore 
recommend, as a great economy, the use of oxen, and now is the time 
to purchase them for six months’ working on the land. We advise 
the selection of animals at four years old and broken in to farm 
work, and in good fleshy condition. They will each take the 
place of an ordinary farm horse for cultivation, such as ploughing, 
harrowing, and scarifying, and from this time they may continue to 
work on the summer tillage whilst the horses are busy at hay-carting 
or harvest-carting. We prefer the Hereford and Sussex oxen for this 
purpose, and being powerful animals with a quick step, they are 
enabled to supplement the horse power of the farm by working two 
to a plough ; but they must be kept in good and improving condition 
during their work. To effect this they must be fed and kept up the 
same as horses, at least at the same cost, both as regards food. After 
taking part in the cultivation of the farm until the fallows are all 
ploughed for the winter, they will be found in improved condition, 
and worth at least 20s. each more than they cost, and may then be 
placed in the boxes or stalls for fattening. At the end of twenty-one 
weeks they will be in good condition for the butcher, and also come 
to market at the time of year when beef sells at a good price. The 
result of six months’ work on the land will compare well with horse 
labour, for the bullocks will have gained in value £1 per head, 
whereas the horses during the same period will have depreciated in 
value £2 each. 
Hand Labour .—After the hedge-trimming is finished, Turnip and 
Mangold hoeing and singling will be going on, with hay-stacking 
during intervals of dry weather. On the later fallows, which may be 
required for late Turnips or be held on for seeding with Wheat, 
couching and burning will be going on oftentimes, but we prefer to 
cart the couch away to heaps instead of burning. We have for many 
years acted upon a rule, never to burn anything which will rot, unless 
we may be in actual want of ashes for drilling with manures. Also 
in case of land having run to waste and neglected by a tenant, we 
like to burn all the couch and weeds and a considerable quantity of 
earth attached, which saves some of the labour of tillage. When 
burned in large heaps upon the principle of stifle-burning—that is, 
charring as much as possible, we often obtain an amount of ashes 
sufficient to manure the land. This plan answers well in outlying 
fields, as it saves cartage of yard manure; and we have found, too, 
that the charred earth and weeds make a lasting manure for future 
crops, especially for roots. 
METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVATIONS. 
Camden square, London. 
Lat. 51° 32' 40" N.; Long. 0° 8' 0" W.; Altitude, 111 feet. 
DATE. 
9 A.M. 
IN THE DAY. 
Rain 
1883. 
June 
Barome¬ 
ter at 328 
and Sea 
Level 
Hygrome¬ 
ter. 
Direction 
of Wind. 
| Temp, of 
Soil at 
1 1 foot. 
Shade Tem¬ 
perature. 
Radiation 
Temperature. 
Dry. 
Wet. 
Max. 
Min. 
In 
sun. 
On 
grass. 
Inches. 
deg. 
deg. 
deg. 
deg. 
deg. 
deg. 
deg. 
In. 
Sun. 10 
29.950 
64.6 
57.2 
N. 
58.2 
73.6 
49.7 
113.2 
43.9 
— 
Mon. 11 
3M34 
54.6 
52.6 
N.E. 
5S.8 
61.2 
49.5 
81.0 
47.8 
— 
Tues. 12 
30.226 
61.4 
55.5 
N.W. 
57.4 
75.8 
41.4 
125.3 
86.8 
— 
Wed. 13 
30.412 
67.9 
60.2 
N. 
59.7 
78.2 
54.1 
121.7 
48.2 
— 
Thurs. 14 
30.293 
65.3 
60.4 
N. 
61.1 
78.3 
56.3 
120.5 
49.5 
— 
Friday 15 
29.927 
60.6 
55.3 
N. 
62.4 
64.3 
55.1 
85.3 
50.3 
0.114 
Satur. 16 
29.829 
52.8 
48.9 
N.W. 
59.9 
64.3 
44.2 
109.8 
44.8 
0.053 
30.124 
61.0 
55.7 
59.6 
70.8 
50.0 
108.1 
45.9 
0.167 
REMARKS. 
10th.—Tine, warm, and calm. 
11th.—Cloudy and cool, finer in evening. 
12th.—Fine and bright. 
13th.—Fine and warm, close and stormy-looking at intervals. 
14th.—Fine and bright. 
15th.—Cool, cloudy, rain in morning and at night. 
16th.—Morning bright and fine, afterwards showery. 
Temperature very variable, but on the whole near the average cooler and 
cloudy- at the end of the week.—G. J. Symons. 
