684 
[ December 28, 1893. 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
poverty of soil ; secondarily from drougflit. We say this plainly, 
with a distinct comprehension of the general opinion that 
drought, and drought only, was the cause of crop failure in 
hay, corn, and roots. Bat close observation on our long 
journeys, the inspection of imany farms in different parts of 
the country, and the results of our own practice has shown 
that the effect of the drought was very much in proportion to 
the condition of the land. Of corn crops. Wheat sown early on 
good sound land was entirely satisfactory in ear, the only effect 
of the drought being visible in a certain dwarfing of straw 
growth. Late-sown Wheat on poor land was, on the contrary, 
a decidedly inferior crop. Where the land was clean and 
ridged in autumn the sowing of spring coi'n was, as usual, done 
early, and done well. The fine seed bed gave a full even plant, 
the manure drilled in with the seed gave vigorous growth, 
which had such a good and early start that Oats were a mag¬ 
nificent crop, decidedly superior to the best of the Barleys. 
Compare this, as we have done repeatedly, with spring corn 
sown on poor land, ploughed late in spring under great diffi¬ 
culties, in so rough a seed bed that the plant was most uneven, 
some coming up so long before the other that, as harvest time 
drew on, there were patches of ripe and green corn all over the 
fields. Worse than this, much of it found so little sustenance 
in the poverty stricken soil that it dwindled and died. Many 
a corn field have we seen the miserable growth of which— 
unworthy to be termed a crop—ought never to have b6en left 
to ripen, but should have been folded off with sheep in its 
green state. 
Root crops were affected very much in the same way. With 
the drought setting in so early in March, it was evident that 
special treatment was an imperative necessity if we would have 
a useful crop There was the land ridged the proper width in 
autumn for Mangolds and early Swedes, so it was left till the 
end of March ; then the farmyard manure was carted directly 
from the heap to the furrows, where a double amount of it was 
used to make certain that the plant should have plenty of 
moisture, the ridges being split, and the seed sown at once, 
only as much dung being carted daily as was required for that 
day’s sowing. By this method the seed (sown deeper than 
usual) had sufficient soil moisture to induce speedy germina¬ 
tion, the plant became quickly established in the mass of rich 
moist humus, and passed through the drought with comparative 
impunity. Where, on the other hand, the ploughing was done 
late, only a mere scattering of manure being placed in the 
furrows and no special effort made to meet the emergency, 
there was a lamentable failure of plant and a proportionate 
shortness of crop. 
Poor pasture was practically bare all the summer. Live 
stock suffered accordingly, and lean cattle were forced on the 
market in such large numbers that prices were ruinously 
low. On such land the hay crop is never a full one. This 
year it was less than usual by five-sixths. For example a 
grazier who last year made 60 tons of hay, this year had only 
10 tons from the same area. Of course he and his neighbours 
are loud in complaints ; would that they could be made to see 
the folly of their negligence of the Und for which they pay 
rent and get such miserable crops from. With land in good 
heart, with fertility well sustained, and the annual dressing 
of pure chemical manure applied in February, there was growth 
early and strong, a good crop of hay, and it was only during 
the weeks of extreme heat that the herbage ran short, to 
come again with full vigour when the rain did come. 
Never was there a summer in which the quick action of 
that king of nitrogenous manures, nitrate of soda, was so useful. 
A supply of it was kept in readiness, and advantage was taken 
of the first steady downpour of rain to give a dre-sing of 
about li cwt. to the acre on pasture becoming bare. The 
effect was almost magical, so quickly and strongly did growth 
follow. Gi’een Maize, too, must have notice for its splendid 
growth and high value. Mention of it is a reminder of ths 
outspoken opinion of dairy farmers of land all in pasture, that 
mixed farming is safe farming; that their difficulties would 
have been much less if they could have had some green crops 
and roots. 
Earnestly do we hope that these and other lessons of the 
year may lead to better practice, that their teaching may be 
applied, that they may carry conviction into the mind of 
every farmer, and lead to improvements which are so possible 
and so much to be desired. Under judicious change we believe 
entirely in the possibility o': a prosperous future for agri¬ 
culture in this country, but it is a matter that must be 
considered with an open mind ; prejudice and the blind 
following of custom must yield to the dictates of good sense. 
When we hear of conferences for the discussion of help from 
within, of thorough cultivation of the land, of a general 
improvement in breeding and feeding live stock, of a common 
standard of excellence for all land worthy of cultivation, of 
sustained fertility of soil, of a thorough knowledge of the 
comparative value and right use of manures, of the disposal 
of farm produce in the most profitable manner, and of a 
system of cropping and farm management adapted to require¬ 
ments of the times, then, indeed, shall we believe that farmers 
“ Rise to higher things 
On stepping stones of their dead selves.” 
WORK ON THE HOME FARM. 
On those estates where the horses of the home farm are used for the 
clearance of timber or underwood advantage should be taken of all open 
weather now for the carting, every effort being made to get through with 
such work before spring. The carting of gravel for repairing farm 
roads or carriage drives must also have attention, and if the gravel pit 
is upon the estate see that there is a sound and easy road out of it. We 
have had such roads of an easy gradient, but we have one now up which 
no horse can draw a full load, and which, when the estate came under 
our control, had deep wheel tracks, showing that no care had been 
taken to keep it in repair or to improve it. The carters either went off 
with half a load or horses had to undergo much brutality. A sound 
road and a horse in trace harness at the pit set matters right. 
Draining is now being got on with on land where many patches of 
Rushes clearly indicated the presence of superfluous water. This pasture 
has also much Carnation Grass and other poor herbage, and we must 
have the draining finished in good time for a dressing of chemical 
manure in February. A renovating mixture of strong growing grasses 
will be sown, the superfluous soil from the drain spread over the pasture, 
and the whole well rolled and bush-harrowed in due course. Pasture 
generally is wonderfully firm to the foot for this season of the year, and 
sheep folds are in full use upon as much of it as possible. We like a 
large flock; it enables us to keep down manure bills, sheep folding 
being used everywhere that it can be managed. Herein lies the special 
value of sheep, which gives them an advantage over all other stock, and 
renders them indispensable to the farmer. Avoid folding pregnant ewes 
on arable land ; never forget the heavy losses which have followed care¬ 
lessness in this matter, both from the strain made upon them in walking 
about in the sea of mud to which the soil in such folds is often reduced 
at this season of the year, but also from the chilling effects of the 
consumption of large numbers of frosty Turnips. 
METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVATIONS. 
Oamden Square, London. 
Lat.51°32'40'' K.: Loa?. 0°8'0" W.: Altitude. Ill feet 
Date. 
9 A.M. 
In the Day. 
1893. 
December. 
55'^-3 
-S « 
« c8 > 
Hygrometer. 
Direc¬ 
tion of 
Temp, 
of soil 
at 
1 foot. 
Shade Tem¬ 
perature. 
Radiation 
Temperature 
i 
eS 
PS 
M « C« 
CO ^ aj 
CO dm 
Dry. 
Wet. 
Wind. 
Max. 
Min. 
In 
Sun. 
On 
Grass. 
Sunday .. 
17 
Inchs. 
30-378 
deg. 
365 
deg. 
36-4 
Calm 
deg. 
42-0 
deg. 
42-6 
deg. 
33-3 
deg. 
51-0 
deg. 
29-4 
Inchs. 
Monday .. 
18 
30108 
40-5 
39-4 
S.E. 
41-1 
46-4 
33-3 
49-3 
29-9 
— 
Tuesday .. 
19 
29-553 
45-7 
43-9 
S.B. 
41-5 
48-9 
41-2 
57-7 
35-3 
0-216 
Wednesday 
20 
28-065 
42-7 
41-4 
S, 
41-9 
50-0 
39-9 
56-9 
34-9 
0-252 
Thursday.. 
21 
29-490 
36-1 
34-3 
s w. 
41-3 
43-2 
34-3 
60-1 
29-6 
— 
Friday 
22 
29-856 
41-9 
40.0 
s.w. 
39-9 
511 
33-0 
50-3 
27-6 
0160 
Saturday ., 
23 
30-164 
38-3 
38-1 
s.w. 
40-1 
46-7 
35-2 
60-4 
30-3 
— 
29 788 
40 3 
39-1 
41-1 
47-0 
35-7 
55-1 
31-0 
0-628 
KEMARKS. 
17th.—Fine and sunny till about 3 P.M., cloudy after. 
18th.—Fair early, dull and misty from 9 A.M. to noon; fair afternoon, bright evening. 
19th.—Overcast early, occasional sunshine from 10 A.M. to noon; continuous rain from 
1.45 P.M. to 6 P.M., and showers later; high wind in afternoon. 
20th.—Rain from 7 to 9 A.M., and showers after; bright sun from 1 to 2 ®.M., then 
overcast again, and heavy rain from 3 P .M. to 6 P.M. ; S.B. gale and squall, and 
very low barometer in afternoon ; lunar halo at night. 
21st.—Bright throughout, and brilliant night. 
22nd.—Fair early, almost continuous from 9 A.M., with steady rain from 6 to 7 P.M.i 
fine night. 
23rd.—Fair early, bright day, but damp: cloudless but misty at night. 
A damp week, with average temperature. Barometer very low, 28’565 inches at 
5 P.M on 2 ith.—G. J. Sl'MONS. / A 
