312 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
April 19, 1894 
In our last two articles on fodder crops we certainly had in 
mind a full supply of food for live stock in winter, or rather in 
autumn, winter, and spring; and now to gather up the threads 
of our subject before the season is too far advanced attention 
is called to certain other crops, all of them nutritious, easy of 
culture, and bulky of crop if only the land in which they are 
sown is then in good heart. Strange, passing strange, is it that 
we have again and yet again to insist upon the necessity of high 
and sustained fertility of soil if it is to yield full crops ; not in 
a fitful way, but crop by crop, season by season, year by year. 
Really, it would appear as necessary to insist upon persistent 
effort as upon sustained fertility of soil, judging from the 
miserable apology for the use of manure which the practice of 
so many farmers offers. 
Mention was made last week in the Agricultural Gazette of a 
stack of 95 tons of silage at Underley held in reserve in case it 
is wanted for ewes and lambs. This was made from after-grass, 
and the correspondent dwells upon the unreasoning prejudice 
of farmers in that neighbourhood who suffered so much after¬ 
grass to waste last autumn instead of using it for ensi'age. 
Had they done so, using the silage for their own stock, and 
Belling its equivalent in hay, they would have taken advantage 
of the highest prices we have had for many years, and have 
shown true business aptitude. 
Bat we do not depend upon such autumnal growth alone for 
silage; it is much too valuable an addition to our provision of 
cattle food for winter to be left to a chance supply or surplus 
growth of herbage By all means turn all such after-grass to 
account, also have a stack or two of silage made earlier in 
the season from any available fodder. Italian Rye Grass, Clover 
seeds, Tares, Lucerne, or mixed crops sown specially for ensilage. 
Anything calculated to give a vigorous growth, such as a mix¬ 
ture of Tares, Beans, Pe^s, Oats, and Wheat—any or all of 
them sown on rich land, to be mown, carted, and stacked when 
fully grown, while quite green, and with stem and leaf at its 
best as nutritious fodder. A better mixture than this is that of 
Messrs. Sutton & Sons, which includes Cocksfoot, Timothy, Tall 
Fescue, Perennial Rye Grass, Hungarian Forage Grass, Lucerne, 
Alsike, and Giant Cow Clover, of which they say all these are 
strong-growing plants, capable of producing great bulks for the 
scythe during the first few years after sowing, and they make 
silage of the finest quality. Hungarian Forage Grass (Bromus 
inermis), is of such recent introduction that it is not yet well 
known. Here is its character. It is a perennial, one of the 
earliest spring Grasses, growing with remarkable rapidity, 
yielding an immense amount of succulent herbage, more 
nutritions than Italian Rj^e Grass. It is also recommended for 
sowing alone now, 28 lbs. of seed per acre. 
Green Maize must not be forgotten though the seed is not 
sown till June, when it may follow Cabbage, Kale, Tares, Rye, 
or Sainfoin. All of these are exhaustive crops, so too is Maize, 
tillage and manuring must therefore be thorough for the-Maize. 
We like cleaning the last crop of Sainfoin with the sheep flock 
in folds, which does much for the exhausted land, and by 
drilling in addition, a full dressing of chemical manure with the 
Maize, the plant is well nourished, and growth vigorous. This 
plan is preferable to a heavy dressing of farmyard manure for 
many reasons, one of which is timely sowing. The Sainfoin 
being only cleared just before the Maize must be sown, time is 
precious and we cannot afford to wait for carting and spreading 
manure before ploughing. This is looking ahead, but we are 
bound to do so, bound also to do our utmost to have plenty 
of such a splendid summer forage crop, and which at a pinch 
may likewise be turned to account for winter use. 
Root crops also claim attention now. Carrots, Mangold, and 
Kohl Rabi coming first, and being followed immediately by a 
first crop of Swedes. The full advantage of autumn tillage for 
these crops is now realised. In the full tide of spring work 
every hour is of importance. With the land friable and open the 
work goes on with the greatest expedition, a good seed bed is a 
certainty, carting of manure is done quickly, the seed goes in 
well, and crops have a good start which often makes all the 
difference between success and failure. If there is any fear of 
serious attacks of mildew upon Swedes sown so early, then sow 
more Kohl Rabi which answers best if sown in April, and defer 
Swede sowing till May. 
WORK ON THE HOME FARM. 
Since the Lent corn sowing was finished, with the exception of some 
late sown Oats, fodder crops have been in hand, and now the root crops 
are being sown. First came Carrots, the Red Intermediate being our 
favourite sort. We had no difficulty about a deep fine seed bed ; the 
seed was well hand-rubbed with dry sand, a little Rye seed being mixed 
with it, and it was drilled at the rate of 8 lbs. per acre. We use Rye 
seed with it to have the rows defined clearly as quickly as possible, 
because annual weeds coming up with the Carrots so often smother 
them, that without the Rye the rows cannot be seen ; with it the hoes 
can be at work early and safely. Then when singling the Carrots, the 
Rye is pulled up, weeds cleared off, and the Carrot plants left clear. 
Next come Mangolds, for which also the land was twice ploughed in 
autumn. It was ridged at the second ploughing (24 inches from ridge 
to ridge), so as to be ready for the manure in spring. Especial care is 
taken to place enough farmyard manure in the furrows to afford plenty 
of moisture to the young plant during the earlier stages of growth. We 
have so frequently seen a mere scattering of manure along the furrows as 
to be convinced of the necessity for calling attention to the importance 
of using enough. Upon the manure and sides of the furrow is sown by 
hand the chemical manure. Here is a safe prescription : Per acre, 
1^ cwt. nitrate of soda, J cwt. muriate of potash, 2 cwt. steamed bone 
flour, 1 cwt, superphosphate, 1 cwt. common salt. Having scattered 
this over the ridges, they are split and so closed over the manures, the 
seed—10 lbs. per acre—is at once drilled, germination follows quickly, 
hoeing and singling done with care and promptitude. Large sensa¬ 
tional roots are not cared for, rather do we prefer roots of medium 
size as giving the most useful and profitable crop. It will be seen 
that we mention no specific weight or measure for farmyard manure, 
the amount used may range from 14 up to 30 tons or cartloads per acre. 
We have always found a free hand with manure profitable for root 
crops, and our advice is to do likewise, to sow early, to leave the roots 
thick on the land, to keep down weeds, and to be content with roots of 
medium size. 
METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVATIONS. 
OAMDEN SQUABB, liONDON. 
Lat.Sl® 32'40" N.; hong. 0° 8/ 0" W.; Altitude, 111 feet. 
Date. 
9 A.M. 
In the Day, 
A 
& 
1894. 
April. 
1 Barometer 
1 at32‘',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. 
Inohs. 
Sunday .. 
8 
29-921 
65-8 
50-8 
Calm. 
48-0 
73-3 
44-6 
102-1 
38-1 
— 
Monday .. 
9 
30-013 
57-8 
52-2 
S.W. 
48-2 
68-1 
46-2 
114-7 
37-6 
— 
Tuesday .. 
10 
30-093 
55 9 
50-5 
N.E. 
49-0 
72-9 
40*0 
116 6 
31-9 
Wednesday 
11 
29-919 
57-3 
53-0 
E. 
49-9 
70-7 
44-3 
101-9 
36-2 
— 
Thursday .. 
12 
29-789 
54-3 
60-0 
W. 
50-2 
63-3 
50-1 
105-2 
42-7 
Friday .. 
13 
29-812 
51-2 
48-1 
N.W. 
50-2 
62-9 
42-0 
107-9 
37-2 
— 
Saturday .. 
14 
29-744 
5S-7 
48-2 
S.B. 
50’3 
55-2 
425 
67-4 
34-0 
0-110 
29-899 
55-2 
50-1 
49-4 
66-6 
44-2 
102-3 
36-8 
0110 
REMARKS. 
8th.—Hazy, sultry, and frequently threatening, but no rain. 
9th —Sunny and breezy. 
10th.—Sunny and pleasant, but occasionally overcast in afternoon. 
11th.—Uriglit sunny morning, overcast from noon, frequent thunder from 0'57 P.M. to 
1.45 p.if., with spots of rain at 1.15, and half a dozen flashes of lightning 
between i.?0 and 1.30 P.M., bright sun again from 2.30 P.u. 
12th.—Overcast till noon, and at times later, but gleams of sun at 10 A.M., and much 
sun in afternoon. 
13th.—Generally cloudy till 11 A.M., bright sunshine after, brilliant night. 
14th.—Overcast day with frequent spots of rain, shower at 6 P.M., and heavy rain 
from 9 P.M. to 10 P.ll. 
A very warm week, warmer than that usual in the middle of May.—G. J. SYMONS. 
