354 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
May 3, 1894. 
mixed farming, and we desire now to add to onr list of sncli 
nseful crops others which if sown now come into use during 
that critical time in August and September when pastures 
are so often brown and bare that our flocks and herds are 
pinched by hunger and fall off in condition. It is precisely 
then that a well wrought out scheme of cropping tells, and 
we can bring our reserve forces into use with such marked 
effect. Farm for a crisis always, say we ; superabundance 
need cause no waste. It is just because we have late Swedes, 
Rye, Sainfoin, and Tares for the flock in the spring and early 
summer that we are able to reserve so much permanent 
pasture for hay. So, too, in the autumn; a full supply of Green 
Maize, Sorghum, Mustard, Rape, and white Turnips renders us 
practically independent of ordinary grazing land for horses, 
cows, store cattle, and sheep. Quite delightful is it to watch 
the eagerness with which such wholesome food is consumed. 
Depend upon it a change of diet occasionally is good for 
all animals ; even more important is enough food, and nothing 
like short commons at any time. Undoubtedly it is sound 
practice always to have such crops—always to use them in 
season, and if rich pastures and kindly seasons induce a vigorous 
growth of pasture herbage run the mowing machine over it and 
make an extra stack of silage. That is really wholesome 
nourishing food, which late herbage left to become so much 
half-dead fog assuredly is not. The fog is cleared off by half- 
starved cattle exposed to cold and wet out on the open pasture— 
bad management and waste; the silage by thrifty beasts in 
snug yards—good management and economy. 
Many a time have we been glad to set sheepfolds going on 
White Mustard in July and August. Sown during May it is a 
safe crop, and a heavy one in rich soil. Occasionally we have 
ploughed in a field of it, but we altogether prefer to fold it off, 
the sheep droppings combined with the urine imparting much 
more fertility to the land than such a green crop would. When 
land is badly infested by Charlock (wild Mustard) it is a good 
plan to wait in spring till a first crop of Charlock is well up, 
then to plough it in, sow 20 lbs. of White Mustard per acre, and 
feed it and the second crop of Charlock off together. If the 
land is poor it may be quite worth while giving the 
Mustard a dressing of 1 cwt. per acre of nitrate of soda. 
It is well to remember that the effect of the nitrogen is not 
only to invigorate but to accelerate growth, and to render the 
Mustard ready for the folds a week or two sooner than it 
otherwise would be. 
Rape is another useful green crop, which, if sown at the same 
time as Mustard, is an excellent successional crop to it, as it 
requires a month longer for its growth. It is usually sown at 
the rate of 6 lbs. per acre, and left unthinned ; but on eally good 
land no green crop repays so well for singling like Turnips, and 
a free use of the horse hoe between the plants. Then it is that a 
growth is had among which the sheep are lost to sight, and 
upon which they thrive well. This is an example of high 
farming suitable for the Fens, but not for thin light land, where 
there should be no thinning, and where a dressing of nitrate 
of soda might be worth while. 
A field or few acres of white Turnips sown in May or June is 
undoubtedly useful—often very useful; but having regard to 
the expense of cultivation it is a crop to keep well within bounds, 
and to which we sellom accord a leading place. It is just a 
question of ways and means, of possible requirements, of crop 
proportion as to whether any are grown. Labour is much less 
if chemical manures only are used, but in southern or eastern 
counties with a low annual rainfa 1 it is unsafe to sow early root 
crops on the flat. I he only safe plan is to ridge over furrows 
well filled with farmyard manure, so that the plant can root into 
and become established quickly. It is then safe from drought, 
and by drilling some nitrogenous manure in with it the growth 
is quickly out of harm’s way from insects. If land is devoted to 
the cultivation of all or any of these crops by all means let such 
cultivation be thorough, be satisfied with nothing less than full 
crops and well-fed stock. That is the only way to meet hard 
times, but remember crop and stock must both be right—the 
one as nutrithus food, the other as a marketable commodity in 
high demand, and upon which a profit is possible. 
WORK ON THE HOME FARM. 
The showery weather has been very favourable for seed germination 
and the brisk growth of Mangolds, and of all other April sown crops. 
Cabbage plants from seed beds have been transplanted with ease and 
certainty; those sown in April bid fair to come into use early in 
autumn, a good start being all important for this crop. Horse and hand 
hoes must be kept going briskly among each crop as soon as the plant 
is visible along the rows. Never suffer weeds to become so large as to 
be difficult to destroy. We like frequent tu ns of the horse hoes 
especially, both to keep the surface stirred and to keep down weeds. 
For annual weeds this is suffcien*-, the suiface be ng k pt clean and 
open till the crop is suflSciently advanced for hoeing to be dispensed 
with. Push on all such work, get all singling of Mangolds, early Swedes, 
Cabbage, and Kale out of hand quickly. The season is so forward 
that haymaking will be in hand much sooner than usual, and we must 
be ready for it and have as little as possible of other work to do then. 
On all really rich pasture there is now a full bite of herbage; cows 
and horses are out till dusk, but we have had them in at night, as there 
have been occasional frosts, also hailstorms and heavy rain. Again 
have we seen how valuable hovels are on pasture. We would, if it 
could be managed, have one in every enclosure. If they are deep and 
commodious, with a clean, hard, dry floor, and shut off from cold wind, 
all live stock will go to them without being driven. Thus shelter is 
assured—shelter from eold and wet, with this we ask for nothing better 
for our horses, cows, and store beasts than the mixed herbage of Grasses 
and Clovers which good pasture affords. It is really curious to see how 
quickly horses out to grass become sleek, and their coats glossy. That 
is so generally ; there are exceptions, and when a horse does not thrive 
on green or any other food, it is certain to require special treatment. 
It may be only a matter of teeth, which a veterinary surgeon can set 
right, or it may be constitutional debility. A little observation enables 
one to see what is wrong, and generally to apply a suitable remedy. 
OUR LETTER BOX. 
Butter Failure (2).).—Without a close inspection of the cows, 
their surroundings, and everything having connection with them and 
the dairy, it is impossible to give definite advice, because there are so 
many things which may spoil the butter. Have you carefully con¬ 
sidered what happened when the butter first became bad? It is 
evidently caused by some adverse influence under which cows or the 
milk then came, and have been subsequently. What change was made 
in the dietary, if any ? Did it happen in the first week of going out 
on pasture ? If so there is something noxious among the herbage. 
Other causes are the milk of stale cows—that of even one such cow 
may cause it ; foul odours in contact with milk, cream, or butter ; dirty 
hands of milkers; any accumulation of stale milk in fissures in the sides 
of churn, milk pail or other vessel in contact with milk or cream before 
the churning. Is there a drain stoppage near the dairy, or any accumu¬ 
lation of filth near the cowhouse ? There is undoubtedly a clear reason 
for such a change from good to bad butter, and we hope our hints may 
assist you to discover the cause and to apply a remedy. In your inquiry 
take nothing for granted, place no reliance upon any evidence at second 
hand, but look thoroughly into everything yourself. 
METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVATIONS. 
Oamdbn Squarb. London. 
Lat.51° 32'40" N.; Long. 0° 8' 0" W.; Altitude, 111 feet 
Date. 
9 A.M. 
In tdb Day. 
d 
'S 
Pd 
1894. 
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 .. 
22 
29-962 
46-7 
4-2-2 
N.W. 
48-0 
54-6 
34-5 
85-1 
27-1 
— 
Monday .. 
23 
29-685 
60-3 
43-5 
E. 
47 9 
56-1 
39-1 
94-9 
31-2 
0-010 
Tuesday .. 
24 
29 708 
54-8 
47-0 
S E. 
48-0 
59-0 
43-2 
98-0 
36-6 
0-585 
W ednesday 
25 
29-673 
48-3 
47-2 
S.W. 
48-2 
60-6 
46-1 
106-3 
42-0 
0-110 
Thursday .. 
26 
29-724 
55-0 
50-2 
S.E. 
49-0 
60-3 
46-2 
106-0 
41-0 
0-040 
Friday 
27 
29- 65 
53-2 
48-6 
W. 
49-6 
62-0 
45-8 
112-6 
417 
0-062 
Saturday .. 
28 
29-893 
53-2 
48-9 
N. 
49-8 
60-6 
42-8 
106-3 
38-1 
0-125 
29*751 
51-6 
46-8 
43-6 
59-0 
42-5 
101-3 
36-7 
0-932 
REMARKS. 
22nd.—Cloudy at times, with much bright sunshine. 
23rd.—Cloudy early; a few gleams of sun in morning; almost continuous, but very 
slight rain from 4 p.m. to 10 P.M. 
24th.—Sunny early; overcast from 10 A M., almost continuous rain from 11 A.M. to 
8 P.M. 
25th.—Continuous rain from 6 A.M. to 10 A.M.; generally sunny from 10.30 A.M. (o 
sunset. Rain from 7. 0 P.M. to 9 P.M. 
26th.—Showers in the .‘mail hours; alternate cloud and sunshine from sunrise to 
sunset, with frequent showers in afternoon. 
27th.—Alternate cloud and sunshine most of the day ; heavy rain from 12.20 to 1.15 p.m. 
28th.—Alternate cloud and sunshine in morning; overcast afternoon ; heavy showers of 
rain and hail at midday. 
) Temperature very similar to that of the previous week, rainfall in excess.— 
G. J. Symons. 
