854 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ October 14, 1888. 
MICHAELMAS PLANS. 
Another year’s work ended, another year’s work begun, 
for Michaelmas is here once more, and with it comes the end 
and beginning of the farmer’s year. Results and prospects 
are carefully considered, plans made for the future, the crops 
for another year being decided upon, and the cultivation of 
the entire farm passed under critical review to see what has 
been right, what wrong in the past, and what improvement 
in practice is possible in the future. Well indeed will it be 
if we are able now to see why failure or success has crowned 
or marred our efforts, why this crop was inferior, that crop 
abundant. If all farmers could do this we should not hear 
of so many applications for a reduction of rent just now. On 
the day of writing this article a tenant farmer came to our 
market stand to complain of short crops and to demand a 
further reduction of rent upon that conceeded to him last 
Michaelmas. Thirty-two bushels of Oats per acre, and 
about 28 bushels of Wheat, was all that the land would yield 
under his system of culture. We were bound in reply to 
point to land brought from an almost barren condition to 
yield this year eighty bushels of Oats per acre, to Wheat 
and Barley crops equally satisfactory. But it was all in vain, 
and we have pretty well come to the conclusion that land 
would be dear to such a tenant at any price. No thought 
had he of improvement in his own practice ; if the land would 
not jield profitable crops under the system of culture handed 
down to him by his forefathers, why the landlord must 
reduce the rent again and yet again. In common fairness to 
the landlord we were bound to inquire if the tenant was 
prepared to adopt a more economical method of culture 
which we had found to answer upon a farm we have in hand 
within a mile of his. We also suggested chemical manures 
instead of farmyard manure, offering to afford him proof of 
the superiority of the chemicals, to show him howto procure, 
mix, and use them. No ! he could not or would not acknow¬ 
ledge that he was wrong. It will, therefore, be our duty to 
see that the landlord shall not suffer for his obstinate 
stupidity. It is precisely such men who “ go under ” now and 
make way for better farmers. We must effect all possible 
improvement in the land, and such improvements receive 
due attention always, but they have a specially prominent 
position in our Michaelmas plans. 
Wheat, Barley, Winter and Spring Oats, Winter Beans* 
Peas, White Turnips, Swedes, Kohl Rabi, Mangolds* 
Potatoes, Carrots, Rye, Winter Tares, and permanent 
pasture all claim attention in our Michaelmas plans- 
Farmers generally condemn Wheat as an unprofitable crop* 
yet there are still sharp shrewd men who contrive to make it 
answer. One of them had a sample of White Wheat at 
market a day or two ago which he sold at 34s. a quarter for 
the grain, and for the straw he obtained 45s. a ton. Now 
he had five quarters per acre of this Wheat exclusive of tail 
corn, and between two and three tons of straw. The grain, 
therefore, realised £8 10s., and the straw upwards of £4 10s., 
or a total of £13 per acre. Assuredly that man will not give 
up Wheat-growing, yet why should he make it answer while 
his neighbour fails to obtain 4 quarters an acre, and has 
a thin meagre growth of straw ? The reason is this: the 
successful man has his land in a high state of cultivation— 
dry, clean, and fertile; he takes care to sow pure carefully 
selected seed, and to use pure chemical manures, so that the 
soil is kept well stored with nutriment. He avoids altogether 
the costly manufacture of farmyard manure for his corn land, 
and his profitable Wheat culture is comparatively inexpensive 
in comparison with that of the unsuccessful man who clings 
to the muck heap and manure cart, and will have nothing to 
do with artificial manure. 
To Barley, Oats, and other crops the remarks about 
Wheat apply with equal force. Repeatedly have we shown 
that no crop affords so clear an indication of the condition of 
the laud as Oats, and we can assure our readers that it 
answers to apply manure to the land both for Oats and 
Barley just as much as it does for Wheat. We still say let 
the proportion of each crop be well balanced, and do not 
lightly discard any crop that has answered, or which can be 
made to answer under high culture. By high culture we do 
not mean an extravagant experimental process, but the best 
culture possible, having due regard to the combination of 
economy with efficiency. If only we have learnt how to do 
this, and are on the alert to turn every opportunity of 
improvement to best account as it occurs, we may still work 
on hopefully, patiently, and have no fear but that success 
will crown our efforts. But there must be no carelessness, 
no easy-going haphazard practice; every stroke must tell, and 
we must be deeply impressed with a sense of the dignity and 
importance of our calling. This is not a time to be above 
our work, and we may rest assured that the man who by dint 
of downright earnest effort battles successfully with the 
difficulties which now beset the farmer’s work, will command 
the involuntary respect of all whose respect is worth having. 
WORK ON THE HOME FARM. 
The collection and storage of root crops now goes briskly on. We 
have begun with the Mangolds, and have reason to be fully satisfied with 
the crop, f r although the recent drought checked the growth it improved 
the quality of the roots, and it may be taken for granted that they con¬ 
tain more saccharine matter than usual. Nor can we complain of the 
quantity of the crop, for it is unusually abundant, and the supply is so 
bountiful that the question arises, How shall we turn the whole of it to 
best account ? At one of our ofE farms we have already taken action by 
the purchase of some bullocks. We have done this both for the winter 
consumption of roots, and also the consumption of several stacks of 
Barley straw. There is the food ; we have no market for it at hand, and 
therefore there is a special reason for having forty or fifty beasts in the 
yards next winter. We shall not have to spend a single shilling on food 
for them, and it will be optional next spring to sell or keep them over 
for fattening. We mention this as an instance of adapting ourselves to 
circumstances as they arise, and of the wisdom of avoiding fixed rules 
in practice. Our old sheep are fast improving in condition, but we shall 
not press them upon the market, for it is precisely when they fill ont and 
begin to fatten quickly that it answers best to feed well, and to keep 
them till they are in really “ blooming condition.” 
The ploughs have been at work daily since our last note was 
written, and we have not only got most of our land ready for winter com 
but some of it is sown. This was done in mixed soils, but on the heavy 
land farms we had to wait for rain to soften the hard clods before the 
drills could be used. Full advantage has been taken to get as much land 
as possible clean, ploughing, harrowing, and couch-burning going on 
daily without hindrance of any kind. Late second crops of Clover have 
been saved well, but there are general complaints about barrenness in 
much of the seed Clover. In some instances Clover intended for seed has 
been made into stover—somewhat hard and coarse in texture, it is true, 
but it will answer well if cut into chaff and mixed with other food for 
horses. Young layers are so strong and forward in growth that they 
afford food now for grazing, but care must be taken not to have them 
eaten off too closely. 
METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVATIONS. 
Camden square, London. 
Lat. 81° 32' 40" N.; Long. 0° 8-0" W.; Altitude, 111 feet. 
date. 
9 A.M. 
IN THE DAY. 
v aJ _ 
HygTome- 
a . 
Shade Tem- 
Radiation 
a 
1886. 
ter. 
3 a 
o 
perature. 
Temperature 
£ 
October. 
DO** 
ain—. 
In 
On 
Dry. 
Wet. 
Go 
c-, 
Max. 
Min. 
sun. 
gras* 
Inches. 
deg. 
deg. 
deg. 
dfiflr. 
detr 
det? 
deg 
In. 
Sunday . 
3 
30.052 
53 3 
51.9 
E. 
55.9 
66.9 
45.2 
87.6 
37.5 
— 
Monday. 
4 
29 9 *3 
62.1 
60.9 
E. 
56.3 
78.8 
54.1 
1122 
47.0 
— 
Tuesday. 
5 
29.825 
61.6 
60.3 
S.E. 
57.2 
77.0 
54.9 
103 4 
47.3 
0*068 
Wednesday .. 
6 
29.813 
56.3 
55.4 
S.E. 
57.8 
63 8 
55.1 
95.7 
54.3 
0*193 
Thursday .... 
7 
29.835 
57.1 
56.3 
E. 
57.2 
61.4 
51.7 
70.8 
44.6 
0*153 
Friday. 
8 
29.929 
55.2 
54.6 
E. 
56 8 
59.3 
53.3 
66.4 
48.2 
— 
Saturday .... 
9 
29.877 
52.9 
52.7 
S.E. 
56.3 
62.8 
51.2 
83 7 
44.5 
0-259 
29.899 
56.9 
56.0 
56.8 
67.1 
52.2 
88.5 
46.2 
0*673 
REMARKS. 
3rd.—A fine bright day. 
41 b.—A very bright warm day. 
5th.—Another delightful summer-like day. 
nth.—A wet morning ; tine afternoon and evening. 
7th.—Wet and dismal throughout. 
8th.—A very dull foggy day, brightening slightly in early afternoon. 
9th.—Fog, clearing towards noon ; fine afternoon and early evening; very wet at night. 
The early part of the week was most delightful; the closing part very autumnal. 
Temperature 7° above the average, and somewhat above that of the preccdinglwecK. 
—G. J. SIMONS. 
