233 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ March 19, 1891. 
Aim at obtaining a full crop of sound, heavy roots of an 
itverage iveight of, say, 15 lbs. If they should approach 20 lbs. in 
weight so much the better ; but a pound or two of difference is 
immaterial, only we do not like the roots to be much under our 
average ; nor do we care to incur an extravagant outlay to produce 
huge specimens of 30 or 40 lbs. weight. What marvellous uni¬ 
formity of size and perfection of form do some of the great seed 
firms show us in theii’ seed list illustrations ! Well, they are jus- 
itified in pushing business ; but we should think none the less of 
them for a little less puff, and for giving us farmers credit for the 
possession of a grain or two of common sense. 
To every farmer who had his Mangold land well cleaned and 
ifclirown up in ridges last autumn we say, Well done ! You are the 
men for whose benefit we are now writing, because your land is 
not only ready for the manure and early sowing, but the hoeing 
'Subsequently will consist simply in keeping under annual weeds. 
Xow about manure, for that is of vital importance in the 
culture of this root crop. Season after season have we explained 
that the chief advantage derived from the use of farmyard manure 
'is, that by the roots of the young plant becoming established in the 
moist humus, it is comparatively unaffected by drought. That is 
our only reason for using dung, and by early sowing one may very 
well avoid using it at all. In time to be of general use this season 
■comes the report of the field experiments of the Bath and W^est of 
England Agiacultural Society. These experiments were made at 
twenty-five stations in nine counties, to ascertain what manures 
answer best for IMangolds, and the results are so clear and 
important that we give the table of the manures used, the cost, the 
average produce of the plots, and other important particulars. 
’This year experiments with corn will be made to test the value of 
The residue left in the soil. 
PLOTS WITH FARMYARD MANURE. 
riot. 
Manure ami cost per acre. 
.Average pro¬ 
duce. 
Average in¬ 
crease. 
Cost per ton of 
increase. 
A 
20 loads dung, £4 10s. 
tons. 
23 
cwt. 
lU 
lbs. 
31 
tons. 
7 
cwt. 
15 
lbs. 
95 
lls. Gd. 
B 
10 load.s dung, 2 cwt. nitrate of 
soda, 4 cwt. mineral superphos¬ 
phate, £.8 ICs. Gd. 
2G 
7 
62 
10 
13 
14 
10s. 2d. 
c 
10 loads dung, 2 CM't. nitrate of 
soda, 1^3 Ss. 6d. 
25 
6 
95 
9 
12 
47 
Gs. 7d. 
D 
10 loads dung, 2 cwt. nitrate of 
soda, 4 cwt. salt, £3 8s. Od. 
26 
18 
34 
11 
3 
98 
Gs. Id. 
E 
20 loads dung, 4 cwt. superphos¬ 
phate, £5 3s. 
24 
9 
96 
8 
15 
48 
lls. 9d. 
■■a 
PLOTS WITHOUT I- 
4 cwt. nitrate of soda, £1 17s. 
ARMYARD M 
24 14 40 
.ANURE. 
8 19 
104 
4s. Id. 
H 
4 cwt. nitrate soda, 4 cwt. super- 
jihospliate, 1 cwt. salt, £2 15s... 
29 
0 
83 
13 
6 
40 
4s. 2d. 
I 
2 cwt. nitrate soda, 4 cwt. super- 
phospliate, 4 cwt. salt, £1 ISs.Gd. 
27 
0 
37 
11 
5 
101 
3s. 3d, 
K 
3 cwt. sulpliate of ammonia, 4 cwt. 
superphosphate, £2 10s. Gd. 
24 
G 
71 
8 
12 
23 
53. lOd. 
L 
4 cwt. nitrate of soda, 4 cwt. 
superphosphate, £2 10s. 
26 
11 
105 
10 
17 
57 
4s. 7d. 
T A M| Uiiniauured . 
15 
14 
48 
The produce of the unmanured plot is given as a basis for 
■calculating the increase of the other plots. 
From these results we see the decided inferiority of farmyard 
manure, which even at the price charged—4s. 6d. per load—is by 
far the most costly manure used, and if full account were taken of 
■every item that went to the manufacture of it the cost would 
mount up to a much higher sum. Plot A, with its twenty loads 
of dung, is below all the other plots in gross produce, and above 
all in cost, with the exception of plot E, to which the addition of 
4 cwt. of superphosphate to the same quantity of dung did not 
. give an adequate return. 
The lessons of greatest importance to farmers here are the 
decided superiority of nitrate of soda and the value of common 
salt for Mangolds. The best of all the mixtures was that of plot 
H. Compare it with plot I, to which the same kinds of manure 
were given, but only half the quantity of nitrate of soda, and we 
have 2 tons less weight of crops, so that it is obvious that the 
additional cost of the extra 2 cwt. of nitrate of soda for H is quite 
worth while. Yote also how marked is the superiority of nitrate 
of soda to sulphate of ammonia, as shown in K and L. Also com¬ 
pare plot G with plot H, and mark how important the addition of 
the mineral superphosphate and salt is to the nitrate of soda. The 
formula for plot H, therefore, may be very safely followed this 
season, and we advise our readers to procure the manure at once, 
have it mixed at the farm a day or two before using it, sow the 
mixture broadcast over the ridged land, and it will answer equally 
well whether the ridges are split for sowing on the ridge or harrowed 
down for sowing on the fiat. 
WORK ON THE HOME FARM. 
A high wind from the south-west and fine weather was something of 
a ciiriosity for the first week of March. It enabled us to sow most of the 
spring corn, and to roll all the Wheat, so that the ploughs could be 
put upon the land after the sheep folds for any later sowings of Oats and 
Barley. Where dung is to be used for root crops it should be got upon 
the land at once and ploughed in, or placed in the furrows and covered 
with the double-breasted plough as quickly as possible. A few acres of 
white Turnips and Rape sown in April are very useful for sheep folding 
in the dog days, and both these crops follow on winter folded land welh 
No other manure than that left by the sheep is required, and the land is 
certain to break up well for a fine deep seed bed. 
For heavy land Rape is an excellent crop for summer folding, and if 
sown early it proves exceedingly rrseful for the lambs after weaning. 
They thrive well upon it, and run none of the risk which is so unavoid¬ 
able when they are taken from the ewes to pasture only. If the land is 
poor (and pray remember Rape requires rich soil as much as any, crop) 
plough in thirty loads of ilung per acre, drill 3 cwt. mineral super¬ 
phosphate with the seed, sow 3 lbs. of Rape seed per acre in rows 
18 inches a cart, and when the plants are showing strong growth, top- 
dress with 1| cwt. nitrate of soda, harrow it in across the rows, single 
the plants 10 inches apart in the rows, and then horse hoe. Hand hoe 
as becomes necessary, and another turn of the horse hoe may also be 
necessary. But under such liberal treatment growth will be so rapid 
that the foliage will soon meet, and the crop will attain full growth 
quickly. To those wdio have hitherto just sown Rape thickly amt left it 
unthinned, and without any subsequent cultivation, we say. Try the more 
elaborate method, and you will never return to the thick plant system, 
for the bulk of crop to be had under high cultivation well repays one. 
Only pray do not forget that the lambs must not be kept altogether in 
the folds, but only 'for a few hours daily, and be taken out regularly 
irpon grass. 
For a succession to the Rape, sow in April Pomeranian White Globe 
and Tankard Turnips—say about the last week of that month, as they 
then come into use in August and September, precisely when feed is so 
frequently scarce. How valuable would such a crop have proved to 
many a man last year, when his bare pasture was practically useless, and 
lie had either to sell stock at a loss or to hire feed for them a distance 
from his farm. 
OUR LETTER BOX. 
IVIortar for Pig-eons (d.if.G).—This is necessary to keep them 
in health. In the loft or wired-in run, where they will have constant 
access to it, keep a box with the following mixture in it:—Coarse gravel, 
roughly pounded old mortar, and dry loamy earth in about equal 
quantities. They will enjoy this, and leave your wall alone perhaps. 
METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVATIONS. 
CA.MDBN SQUARE, LONDON. 
Lat. 61° 32' 40" N.; Long. 0° 8' 0" W.; Altitude, 111 feet. 
DATE. 
9 A.M. 
IN THE DAY. 
Bain 
1 
1891. 
March. 
1 Barome- 
1 ter at 32® 
1 and Sea 
i tievel. 
Hygr<-me¬ 
ter. 
Direction 
of Wind. 
Temp, of 
son at 
1 foot. 
Shade Tem¬ 
perature. 
Radiation 
Temperature. 
Dry. 
Wet. 
Max. 
Min. 
la 
sun. 
On 
grass 
Inches. 
deg 
deg. 
deg. 
deg. 
deg. 
deg. 
deg. 
In. 
Sunday. 
8 
£0.5 a 
39.4 
,38.6 
N. 
4'.3 
40.6 
38.1 
44.6 
38.2 
0.041 
Monday.. 
y 
29.8’')! 
33.2 
34.2 
N.R. 
40.2 
89.3 
33.0 
48.9 
28.9 
0.648 
Tuesday .... 
10 
29.412 
31.1 
31.0 
N.E. 
38.9 
37.1 
£8.4 
70.0 
31.9« 
O.-'O) 
Wednesday.. 
11 
29.30*^ 
3.5.0 
3i.4 
N 
£8.0 
40.4 
3).l 
94.7 
31.7» 
O.OlO 
Thursday.... 
12 
£9.736 
!0.0 
£9.9 
M. 
37.2 
44 0 
23.7 
89.1 
18.6 
_ 
Friday . 
13 
19.781 
37.7 
3i.3 
N E. 
36.9 
47.4 
.30.2 
h5.9 
28.6 
_ 
Saturday .... 
14 
19.824 
18.9 
37.8 
N. 
37.7 
4-..5 
33.6 
57.8 
34.9 
0.020 
29.634 
83.5 
34.0 
38.6 
41.0 
81.3 
7J.1 
30.4 
1.010 
* Coveied by snow. 
REMARKS. 
8 h.—Damp and stiowery all dav ; a little snow between 4 and 5 P W.; fair evenine. 
9lh.—'Jvercasi all dav ; a few flakes of snow hejaa to fa 1 about 4PM., and a bllzza-d 
commenced about n.io p.M., la.sting well into the night. Average depth of snow 
on the ground at 9 P.M., 2 inches. 
10th.—Snow, Sleet, and soft hail till 10 A.M, then fine, with once or tw'ce a g'earn of 
sun ; a few flakes of snow at 1.30 P M., and .‘now again from 5 P M. to 3 A.M. on 
nth. Average depth of snow on the around at 9 A M , 5 inches. 
nth.—An occasional Cake of snow till 8 am.; bright sun from 10 A M. to noon, then 
generally c oudy, with occasional flakes of snow. Halo at 9 A.M. 
12th.—Bright and fine throughout. 
13th.—Bright and floe ; halo at 9 A M.; spots of rain in evening. 
14th.—Overcast, with spots of rain In morning; occasional dr zzle in afternoon and 
evening. 
A cold week,rendered specially noteworthy by thebliszird on the night of the 9th, 
which has net been equalled in London since January 18th, issi.—G. J. SymonS. 
