138 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ Augnst 10, 1893. 
were so regarded by the tenant at whose disposal they are, 
for then no quarter would be given to barren trees, they 
would either be rendered fruitful or have to give place to 
other trees. 
But we may be told that barrenness, or in other words crop 
failure, frequently occurs from the destruction of the blossom. 
It does, and yet this might often be prevented if only due 
thought were given to the provision of shelter when the trees 
are planted. A sheltering belt of Lombardy Poplar mixed 
with Austrian Pine, with an inner line of Myrobellan Plum is a 
necessity for every orchard at all exposed to wind from the 
north-east or south-west. It is these cross winds which play 
havoc with the crop. The first in spring, when its icy breath 
destroys in a single blast the hope and promise of a year ; the 
last in autumn, when the fruit is swept from the trees on the 
wings of a furious sou’-wester. Last year we were asked why a 
certain Apple tree had never had a crop of fruit during the eight 
years of the farmer’s tenancy ; yet we were told it was full of 
blossom every year. The tree was evidently in perfect health 
and full vigour, and root-pruning was our first thought. But a 
careful survey of the surroundings showed the possibility of 
cold cutting winds from the north-east past an angle of the 
farmhouse right on the tree. Our suggestion of an attempt 
to break the force of this wind by means of a wall screen 
during blossom time was acted upon this spring, with the 
gratifying result of a capital crop of fruit now. 
Another cause of crop failure is undoubtedly attributable to 
the planting of so many sorts of Apple of a shy-fruiting habit, 
and of Pears unsuitable for the climate. “ Fifteen years ago 
did I plant that Blenheim Pippin,” said a worthy farmer to us 
when we were inspecting his orchard, “and it has never yet 
had a crop of fruit.” Well, it is a grand Apple, and worth 
waiting a while for, but there is a limit to waiting, very much 
inside fifteen years ; life is too short for that, and we should 
certainly have shortened the branches and re-grafted that barren 
tree with one or other of the bold and constant fruiters long 
ago. Too much stress cannot be placed upon the judicious 
selection of sorts, in doing this something more is required than 
the mere sight of a tree heavily laden with fruit. On the day 
before writing this article we saw three fine standard trees in 
an old orchard bearing a heavy crop of Blenheim Pippins, and 
we were told that this was tbe third consecutive heavy crop 
they had borne. Tet we dare not recommend it for small 
orchards, because it is notoriously a slow and often shy bearer, 
and there are plenty of sorts with as fine if not as handsome 
fruit which yield early and continuous crops. It is for this 
all-important reason that preference is given to such sorts 
for orchard planting as Keswick Codlin, Potts’ Seedling, 
Ecklinville Seedling, Warner’s King, Lemon Pippin, Golden 
Noble, Duchess of Oldenburg, Beauty of Kent, and Bramley’s 
Seedling. 
All worthless sorts, barren or otherwise, should be got rid 
of, and in making arrangements for replanting at leaf-fall in 
autumn a few select sorts only should be planted. If the 
intention is to sell the fruit then about six sorts would be ample, 
planting several trees of each, and planting so well that there 
may be no doubt about the future of the trees. We shall 
probably have something more to say about sorts before planning 
time. 
WORK ON THE HOME FARM. 
The cutting of winter Oats and Rye has this year been quickly 
followed by the general harvest, which has not been seriously hindered 
by wet weather, though heavy showers of rain have been frequent, as 
the fresh green herbage of pastures everywhere shows plainly enough. 
Stubble Turnips, Trifolium incarnatum, and Italian Rye Grass are being 
sown exceptionally early, and second growths of Clover are much more 
abundant than the first growth was. Thin crops of late sown Oats had 
much better be used as green forage, or for silage, than be left late upon 
the ground to ripen. We have seen some fields of both Oats and Barley 
where the ripening is so uneven, that among Oats especially there must 
be a serious loss of corn before the crop is saved. It is practically two 
crops, and if only required for home use would be turned to best 
account for silage, but we fear this is too much to hope for where 
ensilage has never been tried. 
Root crops have improved wonderfully during the last two or three 
weeks. Seed which lay dormant in the soil during the drought sprung 
into growth of marvellous activity with the first heavy shower, and 
growth has continued with such rapidity that Mangolds, Swedes, 
Carrots, and White Turnips have rushed up so quickly that plant¬ 
thinning could hardly be got over fast enough. We have seen soine 
thin crops, some half failures, but on the whole the root crop bids fair 
to be one of much greater abundance than at one time seemed possible. 
The drought has shov/n us many weak points in the water storage of 
several farms. This is an important matter which must have attention 
this autumn, both for the convenience of tenants and for the actual 
improvement of property. It is possible to accumulate enough water 
for summer requirements in most meadows by means of land-drains and 
ditches, as well as by a regular watercourse. It is simply a matter of 
soil excavation and in some instances of clay puddling for a dam. 
THE FIELD VOLE AND ITS NATURAL ENEMIES. 
The Board of Agriculture, in view of the great injury committed by 
field voles (often spoken of as mice) in Scotland, have issued extracts 
from the report of the Committee that was appointed to investigate 
the subject. Illustrations are given of the short-tailed vole (Arvicola 
agrestis) and of the long tailed field mouse (Mus sylvaticus), as well as 
of their natural enemies the short-eared owl, kestrel, sparrowhawk, 
stoat, and weasel. 
The Departmental Committee recommend that strict injunctions 
should be given by landowners that the birds mentioned should not be 
destroyed. Their presence in full numbers, though inadequate to avert 
an outbreak of voles, would undoubtedly tend to mitigate it, and as 
has been proved in the case of the short-eared owl, they have the faculty 
of multiplying abnormally in presence of an unusual supply of food. 
They are, at all events, most useful allies to man in combating attacks 
of ground vermin. 
The Committee deprecate in the strongest manner possible the use of 
the pole-trap for the capture of hawks. Besides the inhumanity of this 
device, it is indiscriminate, and harmless owls, kestrels, and buzzards 
are just as likely to be taken by it as are the more mischievous species. 
While admitting that it is hardly reasonable to expect that stoats 
should be allowed to multiply in game-coverts, or in the vicinity of 
pheasant coops, the Committee have no hesitation in recommending that 
weasels, which are persistent mouse hunters, and do little damage to 
game, should not be molested, at least in moorlands and hill pastures, 
where they can do little harm and much good. 
PAMPHLET ON DOGS.—From Messrs, Spratt & Co., Bermondsey, we 
have received a copy of a pamphlet written for them by Mr. Gordon 
Stables, M.D., R.N., entitled “ The Dog from Puppyhood to Age.” It is 
excellently illustrated, and lovers of dogs will find in it a vast amount 
of useful information. The writer is widely known as an authority on 
this and kindred subjects, and his name may safely be taken as a criterion 
of merit. The price of the publication is Id. 
METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVATIONS. 
OAiiDEN Square, London. 
Lat, 51° 32' 40" N.; Long. 0° 8' 0" W.; Altitude, 111 feet. 
Date. 
9 A.M. 
In THE Day. 
Rain. 
1893. 
July & August. 
j Barometer 
j at 32°, and 
1 Sea Level. 
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 .. 
30 
29-868 
6-2-3 
58-0 
N.W. 
62-1 
69-4 
54-8 
125-4 
54-2 
0-033 
Monday .. 
31 
29-883 
60-1 
53-7 
W. 
61-3 
69'3 
49-6 
117-0 
46-6 
— 
Tuesday .. 
1 
29-998 
59-9 
53-6 
N. 
60-8 
69-4 
47-9 
118-6 
43-8 
0-106 
Wednesday 
2 
29-855 
65-0 
58-7 
W, 
61-4 
72-2 
57-4 
119-0 
56-9 
— 
Thursday.. 
3 
29-870 
64-2 
59-2 
s.w. 
61-7 
68-1 
54-8 
95-4 
50-9 
0-103 
Friday 
4 
29-734 
64-5 
60-1 
s.w. 
61-9 
73-3 
59-9 
l-.'2-l 
59-7 
0-783 
Saturday .. 
5 
29-858 
64-1 
56-9 
w. 
60-8 
71-4 
53-2 
119-7 
50-2 
— 
29-867 
62 9 
57-2 
61-4 
70-4 
53-9 
116-7 
51-8 
1-025 
REMARKS. 
30th.—Rain in small hours; much sunshine during the day, but cloudy at times, and 
a heavy shower at 0.30 P.M. 
1st.—Breezy and sunny, with cloudy intervals and occasional spots of rain. 
1st.—Alternate cloud and sunshine, the latter greatly preponderating ; rain after 
11 P.M. 
2nd.—Rain till 4 A.M. ; cloudy at times in morning ; brilliant afternoon and evening. 
3rd.—Generally overcast and windy ; occasional gleams of sun ; rain at night. 
4th.—Rain till 3.31 A.M., then overcast till noon, followed by sunshine till 1.30 P.M.; 
thunder storms in afternoon with heavy rain 0'48 inch falling in twelve 
minutes at 3 P.M. 
Sth.—Brilliant from sunrise to 11.30 A.M., frequently cloudy after. 
An unsettled week, with a rather heavy thunderstorm on the 4th, Temperature 
slightly below the average.—G. J. Symons. 
