14 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ January 7, 189?. 
Regarding the effort about to be made by the legislature for 
the extension of small holdings, from the sound point of view 
of benefit to agriculture, we must confess to having mingled 
feelings of curiosity and anxiety as to the line to be taken in 
such interference. A measure making it compulsory for landlords 
to let a given number of acres to all applicants would be a very 
doubtful blessing indeed, taken generally, for it is only under 
exceptional conditions that it could answer. The sub-division of 
large farms may, upon the surface, appear an easy matter, and 
we have repeatedly given expression to our convictions that the 
majority of farmers would be very much more prosperous if 
their holdings were so reduced in area as to bring them well 
within the means of the tenant. Of late years how frequently 
have we found applicants for vacant farms fail under the test of 
inquiry as to the possession of capital for such an undertaking. 
If landlords could afford to divide their large farms they would 
have done so long ago, but those whose incomes are derived 
solely from the land cannot now afford to erect the buildings 
requisite for a number of small holdings in place of the existing 
large ones. Where this can be done a payment of 5 per cent, 
upon the outlay is usually required in addition to a fair rent for 
the land. 
That tenants would be forthcoming for holdings of from 20 to 
40 acres we have no doubt, but in the interest of both landlord 
and tenant every applicant should be required to afford proof of 
the possession of at least £15 per acre of available capital. To 
undertake farming successfully there must be ample means to 
tide over a bad season or two, and also to take advantage of 
favourable opportunities for purchasing farm stock, or of a low 
market for corn and other feeding stuff. Many a pound is made 
by keen men of business at market in this way, and to say that 
a man cannot thrive in a small holding because of the low price 
of corn is mere nonsense. 
Not often is it that a man with a small farm ought to sell any 
corn, his aim in growing corn at all should be for the home con¬ 
sumption not only of his live stock but also of his family. It is 
here that true economy first tells ; with home-grown flour, fruit, 
vegetables, with butter, cheese, eggs, poultry, bacon, and pork also 
from the farm, household expenses are well kept down. Thrift 
and industry are of course implied ; without them there can be 
nothing like success ; with them, in combination with ordinary 
intelligence, it is entirely possible and by no means difficult of 
attainment. Perhaps the best incentive to exertion is the inevitable 
rent day, and it is this which makes us more hopeful of the future 
of the small tenant farmer, rather than of anything like a revival 
of the yeoman farmer, who, as a class, appear to have been entirely 
devoid of common prudence, indulging in a style of living beyond 
their means, having recourse to a mortgage to keep going awhile 
after they were practically bankrupt, till at length came a sale of 
the farm itself—often without realising enough to meet the claims 
of creditors. In this matter we are enabled to speak positively, as 
we have had to purchase several such farms as they came into the 
market, owing invariably to interest upon the mortgage not being 
forthcoming. 
To the small tenant farmer we would say. Refrain from any 
attempt to imitate the practice of the large 100-acre men. Your 
aim must be small profits and quick returns. You cannot afford 
only one turn over from your land in a year ; you must be keen 
after the “ nimble ninepence,” and so balance your affairs that 
something is always coming on for sale. Cows, poultry, pigs,, 
fruit, vegetables, green fodder must all be made to tell in turn. Do 
not cultivate crops with which big growers cram the market. Yoo 
have no chance in competition with such men. If you grow 
Potatoes let them be early, before the market is glutted, and before 
loss from disease is possible ; or, if you have a fruit plantation, let 
your trees and bushes be of sorts known to be prolific and very 
saleable. Keep no stock solely for the production of manure ^ 
rather—much rather—procure sufficient chemical manure from a 
reliable source to sustain the fertility of your land. We became 
recently acquainted with an instance in Surrey where small holders 
were actually paying lOs. per ton for farmyard manure. We told 
them plainly that it was not worth the money, and that they had 
far better combine and purchase some really good chemical 
manures. But they still retain the stupid prejudice against 
“artificials,” which is of course fostered by those having costly 
“ muck ” to sell to them, and dear do they pay for it—so dear that 
we hope our advice may yet bear fruit. 
WORK ON THE HOME FARM. 
Our stock of Carrots is running low, and Mangolds will now come 
into use regularly for tbe cows and horses. For the cows only a mode¬ 
rate quantity will be used at first, as we object to sudden changes of 
diet, and the cows are always greedy after Mangold. All possible 
eaution in feeding them is of the utmost importance now, in order to 
avoid imparting any taint to the milk and butter. Tbe best meadow 
hiy, bran, crushed Oats, with minced Carrots or Mangolds, and a little 
cattle Cabbage is a safe mixture, with pure fresh water. Avoid linseed 
cake and Turnips, and see that rack and manger are kept quite clean. 
With such a dietary, and a newly calved cow coming into milking at 
short intervals throughout winter, there should be no difficulty in keep¬ 
ing up the supply of really good butter. 
The supply for the household now required from the home farm 
consists of milk, cream, butter, eggs, chickens, geese, turkeje, pigeons, 
fresh pork, hams, bacon, and flour for the household. For the carriage 
and hunting stables there should be ample supplies of hay, straw. Oats, 
bran, and roots. Prime joints of mutton should hang for a week or two 
according to the weather, and be delivered to the kitchen with a ticket 
attached to each joint bearing the date of killing upon it. Southdown 
mutton is usually preferred, and when the joints are well managed it is 
much liked. In large establishments it is customary also to supply a 
prime carcass of beef every fortnight. When this is done a special herd 
is kept for the purpose of some such breed as Devons, Sussex, Galloways, 
Red Polls, or Herefords, all of them excellent for beef, and coming, 
early to maturity. 
A wet harvest followed by a wet winter has rendered more caution 
than usual necessary in corn threshing. So much Wheat was carted in 
a soft condition that many a rick will be unfit for threshing till spring. 
Good flour cannot be had from soft Wheat, and there are certain to be 
some complaints of bad bread if it is sent to the kitchen. Fortunate 
will be the home farmer who has a store of old corn in hand, if not it i» 
better to buy some than to run the risk of complaints, and to sell some 
later on when threshing becomes possible. 
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. 
.s 
(0 
pi 
1891. 
December. 
1892. 
January. 
'rt .-4 
ao yA 
o 
eo rt 
CO P. 
n ce m 
Hygrometer. 
Direc¬ 
tion of 
Wind. 
Temp, 
of soil 
at 
1 foot. 
Shade Tem¬ 
perature. 
Radiation 
Temperature 
Dry. 
Wet. 
Max. 
Min. 
In 
Sun 
On 
Grass. 
Inchs. 
deg. 
deg. 
deg. 
deg. 
deg. 
deg. 
deg. 
Inchs. 
Sunday .. 
27 
29.907 
37.1 
37.2 
W. 
34.2 
43.2 
36.9 
62.4 
29.9 
0.121 
Monday .. 
28 
29.864 
38.1 
38.0 
W. 
34.2 
51.5 
36.6 
61.6 
291 
0.038 
Tuesday .. 
29 
29.678 
50.8 
49.2 
S.W. 
35.3 
52.1 
38.9 
68.1 
32.8 
0.035 
Wednesday 
30 
29.725 
47.1 
46.7 
B. 
38.1 
64 8 
45.9 
64.2 
41.2 
0.375 
Thursday.. 
31 
29.510 
51.2 
51.1 
S.W. 
41.0 
52.1 
46.8 
61.8 
45.2 
0.02» 
Friday 
1 
29.860 
37.3 
36.3 
S.W. 
40.8 
43.0 
36.2 
63.8 
30.7 
— 
Saturday .. 
2 
30.261 
32.1 
31.8 
S.W. 
39.1 
42.8 
29.2 
61.8 
22.5 
29.829 
42.0 
41.6 
37.5 
48.5 
38.6 
59.1 
33.1 
0.697 
REMARKS. 
27th.—Rain in small hours. Faint sunshine throughout the day. 
28th.—Sunshine all day ; cloudy evening, a little rain at night. 
29th.—Damp early; frequent sunshine in the morning; cloudy afternoon ; drizzle in 
evening and night. 
SOth.—DuU and drizzly early; continuous rain from 10 A.M. to 6 P.M., and dull and' 
damp after. 
31st.—DuU and showery early, gleams of sun at noon, heavy shower at 1.15 p.M., and 
almost unbroken sunshine after 2 p.m. 
1st.—Bright simshine almost throughout, but cloudy for about an hour at midday. 
2nd.—Sunshine throughout. 
Early part of week warm, and mean for the week above the average. 
‘ —G. J. Symons. 
