372 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER, 
Apri) 25,1895. 
lie near to it, and to whom it ought to have been a boon most 
precious, a rare chance to have been seized with avidity. 
As a crop for cleaning land Mangold has a special value. It 
can be sown successfully either in .April or3 May, the manure is 
kept close to the plant, and by having the rows 30 inches apart, 
or even more for very foul land, if frequent and prolonged horse 
hoeing is possible. We thus obtain a useful crop of roots for 
the winter, get the land clean and ready for a corn crop, or for 
laying down to temporary pasture with a crop of winter Oats. 
If this be our aim, then a special effort must be made to get the 
Mangolds off the land early in the autumn, and also to sow as 
early as possible in April. Quick growth and early maturity 
being then of more than usual importance, there should be at 
least one dressing of nitrate of soda immediately after the 
singling of the plants. 
We mention winter Oats in connection with this root crop 
because wherever it is possible to grow Mangolds winter Oats 
ought to answer. It is quite possible winter Oats may be an 
unknown quantity in the farming economy of localities where 
our readers may wish to try them. Any mention of such Oats 
to local farmers will probably induce them to say they never 
heard of them, and do not believe they will answer. A few 
years ago this actually happened to a gentleman who, acting 
under our advice, introduced them as a novelty on his home 
farm. He was rewarded by a fine crop, which we saw, and with 
which he was much pleased, as he found both corn and straw 
had a special value. 
In storing Mangolds make and keep a firm resolution that 
the storing shall be so thorough that one may be certain the 
roots are safe from frost, however severe. Having regard to the 
value of straw and litter of all kinds a frost proof root hovel 
should be regarded as an indispensable adjunct to the home¬ 
stead. To anyone doubtful of the necessity of this we commend 
a fair calculation of the annual cost of ordinary clamping in 
litter and labour. With one or more suitable hovels it is a mere 
matter of carting, which has to be done in any case. 
Mangolds are richer in sugar, starch, and albuminous 
compounds than Swedes, but rather more care is required in 
using them, because when lifted they are pungent and relaxing. 
It is for this reason that they do not come into use much before 
Christmas. Often has this holding over till the New Year of a 
big store of Mangolds proved of immense benefit to the live 
stock, affording it a grand addition to the dietary at midwinter 
onwards till May day. Passed through a mincing machine and 
mixed with straw chaff it is then palatable, nutritious, and safe 
food. This is the East Anglian method for all stock except 
sheep. Whole roots may safely be gi'en to young or full- 
mouthed sheep, but for older sheep with broken teeth they 
should always be minced so as to avoid risk of loss from 
choking. 
WOKK ON THE HOME FARM. 
Spring chickens are backward and scarce owing to the long late 
winter, early broods having suffered severely where the ordinary rough 
and ready practice prevails. When the cold weather did go, the only 
thing to do was to set as many hens as possible ; this proved a slow 
affair, so few hens being “broody.” Incubators and foster mothers 
have consequently proved of exceptional value in the preparation of 
numbers of chicks for the milder weather. Happy is the home farmer 
having such modern appliances ; without them there must be difficulties 
about early chicks. 
See that now and onwards abundance of chickens are reared for the 
selection of pullets for autumn and winter eggs. It is entirely a 
question of numbers, successional broods, healthy birds, and eventually 
winter management. Given birds of the right age this is easy enough ; 
and, remember, the home farmer must keep up a full supply of new laid 
eggs the year round, simply because it is known to be possible. In this 
matter look to breeds. Place no reliance upon so-called everlasting 
layers for winter eggs, or they will fail jou. Dorkings. Orpingtons, 
Leghorns, Anconas, Minorcas, and Andalusians are all good layers. We 
rather cling to the first mentioned, because of its excellence for table 
poultry when crossed with the old Game. 
When to sow the first Swedes is often a debateable matter. We keep 
to the Norfolk custom of sowing early in May, because we have found 
that the risk of mildew is not of serious moment. A first sowing of white 
Turnips can also be made now, to be followed by other sowings in June 
and July. The drilling of early Cabbage, Drumheads, and Thousand- 
head Kale is also in hand for autumn and early winter use. It is good 
practice to have these green crops drilled early, singled, and well 
established before there is much risk of hot dry weather. 
Spring corn sowing should now be finished without the loss of a day^ 
or the crop will be light and so late in ripening that harvesting may be 
difficult. It is only in emergencies that very late corn sowing should 
be done at all, and then we prefer Oats as about the only safe late crop. 
SORTING POTATOES. 
A LONG bitter winter, with frosts so keen as to be almost unknown 
in these latitudes, then early spring days, with saturated fields and 
leaden skies, whose downpour only ceased for a few hours at a time, are 
circumstances which have led to great backwardness in all work 
appertaining to the farm. Now all is hurry and bustle, so much to do, 
BO little time in which to do it. Dry winds have made the land 
workable, and the work on a mixed farm is something to see to believe. 
If the work of three months is to be crowded into one, either there must 
be a large importation of outside labour or means must be found for 
facilitating operations. The most tedious work here is Potato sorting, 
and hands are few. It was therefore with great interest this week the 
trial of a Potato sorter was watched. The variety was “ Garton,” the 
destination Covent Garden ; the sample therefore must be first rate. 
Also the fact that Garton seeds are of value this year, made it desirable 
to take as much out as possible. Like all great inventions the scheme 
seems simple enough when seen. Three riddles, one above the other, 
with three separate exits. An old man and boy fill what for want of 
a better term may be called the hopper. A very old man turns a handle, 
which gently shakes the three riddles from side to side. At the 
principal output stand three women, who watch and remove any 
diseased or large ugly growths (you see the machine is but a machine, 
and cannot discriminate between quantity and quality). Another 
woman is carrying off seeds, and the third opening shoots ont smaU 
rubbish. The action is so gentle that there is no unnecessary bruising 
or rubbing, and the turn-out is a ton per hour. Of course the work 
could be much quicker, but then possibly Potatoes would escape the 
eyes of the watchers, and spoil a first-rate sample. Then, too, a 
hindrance at this time of year is the excessive growth; The riddles 
must be removed, and the mass of shoots and rootlets cleared off. 
Unmistakeably this will be of great assistance to Potato growers, and 
has only to be known to be appreciated. 
A remote village on the Trent is the home of this invention, and 
doubtless the name of that village will become a “ household word.” 
Talking of “ pies,” this Garton pie made north and south has entirely 
escaped all ill effects from frost. Possibly, some on-lookers might 
wonder at the immense heap of straw and earth which has been 
removed, and might with reason calculate the expense had been great j 
but the vexation would have been greater still had the uncovering 
revealed a mass of decayed, putrefying tubers. The Swede pies here, 
which were only treated to ordinary coverings, have had a pitiful tale 
to tell. Labour there had indeed been expended in vain, for the pied 
roots were far worse than those in the open field.— The Missus. 
METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVATIONS. 
Camden Squabe, London. 
Lat.510 32'40" N.; Long. 0° 8/ 0" W.; Altitude 111 feet. 
Date. 
9 A.M. 
In the Day. 
a 
*S 
PS 
1895. 
April. 
1 Barometer 
1 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 .. 
14 
30-317 
47-5 
41-4 
N.E. 
45-0 
66-3 
32 6 
99-6 
28-0 
— 
Monday .. 
15 
30-150 
41 3 
39-0 
N. 
44*9 
65-0 
32-3 
102-3 
27-6 
— 
Tuesday .. 
16 
29-943 
39-8 
39-1 
N.E. 
45 2 
60-1 
37-4 
lOJ-7 
37-8 
0-023 
Wednesday 
17 
29 746 
43-7 
i5-6 
N. 
46-0 
66-5 
39-6 
102-0 
40-1 
0-C28 
Thursday.. 
18 
29*631 
50-1 
43-9 
S.W. 
47-6 
61-0 
47-4 
98-6 
43-1 
0-019 
Friday 
19 
29-828 
48-6 
47-1 
w. 
47-3 
65-1 
44-1 
108-0 
40-1 
— 
Saturday .. 
20 
30-047 
58-6 
561 
S.W. 
43-1 
66-8 
46-2 
111-2 
39-3 
0-043 
29-952 
47-8 
45-3 
46-3 
61-4 
39-9 
103-2 
36-6 
0-113 
REMARKS. 
14th.—Bright sunshine with cold breeze; clear cold night. 
15th.—Generally overcast till 11 A.M., bright sunshine after. 
16th.—Overcast morning; bright sunshine from noon. 
17th.—Shower.s about 4 A.M., and overcast till 9 A.M.; sunny from 19 A.M. to 3.30 P.M., 
but hazy and close after noon. Frequent distant thunder from 3.10 to S P.M. 
with slight rain; dull evening and rain at night. 
18th.—Dull and overcast throughout the day; clear night. 
19th.—Rain between 6 and 7 A.M., and overcast till about 10 AM., alternate sunshine 
and cloud after; clear night. 
20th.—Fine and generally sunny. 
A fine mild week.—G. J. Symons. 
