December )5, 18S7. ] 
journal, of horticulture and cottage gardener. 
529 _. 
PIANT3 IN POTS. 
F. 
a. 
8. 
d. 
s. 
a. 
p. 
a 
Aralia Sieboldi. dozen .. 
6 
0 to 12 
0 
Fuchsia, dozen.. .. 
0 
to 0 
0 
Arbor vita? (golden) dozen 
6 
0 
9 
0 
Hyacinths, dozen .. 
.. 9 
0 
12 
0 
,, (common),dozen.. 
0 
0 
o 
0 
„ (RomaD), 
doz. 9 
0 
15 
0 
Asters, dozen pots .. 
0 
0 
0 
0 
Hydrangea, dozen .. 
.. 0 
0 
0 
0 
Azalea, dozen. 
50 
0 
42 
0 
Lilies Valley, dozen 
.. 36 
0 
42 
0 
Begonias, dozen .. .. 
4 
0 
9 
0 
Lilinm lan ifolium, 
doz. 0 
0 
0 
0 
Capsicums, dozen .. 
0 
0 
0 
0 
,, longiflorum, 
doz. 0 
0 
0 
0 
Chrysanthemums, dozen 
4 
0 
12 
0 
Atargnerpe l)aisv, dozen H 
0 
12 
0 
Cineraria, dozen .. .. 
0 
0 
0 
0 
Mignonette, dozen . 
.. 0 
0 
0 
0 
Dracaena terminalis, doz. 
30 
0 
60 
0 
Mask, dozen 
.. o 
0 
0 
0 
„ viridis, dozen.. 
12 
0 
24 
0 
Myrtles, dozen.. 
.. 6 
0 
12 
0 
Erica, various, dozen .. 
EuoDymus, in var., dozen 
9 
0 
18 
0 
Palms, in var.,each 
.. 2 
6 
21 
0 
6 
0 
18 
0 
Pelargoniums, dozen 
.. 0 
0 
0 
0 
Evergreens, in var., dozen 
6 
0 
24 
0 
scarlet, doz. 3 
0 
9 
0 
Ferns, in variety, dozen 
\ 
0 
18 
0 
Poimettia. dozen .. 
.. 12 
0 
IS 
0 
Ficus elastica, each 
1 
6 
7 
0 
Solauum, dozen 
.. 9 
0 
12 
0 
Foliage Plants, var.,each 
2 
0 
10 
0 
Tulips, dozen pots .. 
.. 6 
0 
9 
0 
BREAKING UP LAYERS. 
Our correspondent “ A. D.,” to whom we recently 
gave some advice about the breaking up of old leas or 
layers, shows his appreciation of it by sending to us a full 
account of his intentions in the cultivation of a small 
farm of ninety acres, and in doing this he asks us several 
questions, the answers to which will, we think, be useful 
to our readers generally. 
The best crop to sow on old lea, or layers of eight or 
ten years broken up now or during winter, is undoubtedly 
Oats. This crop should be sown as early next March as 
the state of the soil and weather admits, in this way. 
First of all apply the manure mixture broadcast, harrow 
once, then drill in the seed and harrow sufficiently to 
cover it well. The advantage of thus using the chemical 
manure is that in a dry season the moisture in the soil 
acts upon it sufficiently to render much of it available for 
plant food by the time the crop is ready for it. We 
would not, however, bury the manure deeply in the soil, 
because of the risk of much of it being carried down into 
the subsoil in a w T et season. The cash price of the manure 
should be about 23s. Gd. per acre in any good central 
market or large seaport. 
If farming can be carried on successfully anywhere 
in this country it ought certainly to answer with “ A. D.,” 
whose land is of good sta|>le, well drained, well sheltered, 
and within a mile of a large town. With such exceptional 
advantages our correspondent is quite right in his pre¬ 
ference for dairy farming, in which he will find both Oats 
and Oat straw most useful. To this crop we would add 
others of roots including Mangolds and Carrots; but 
unless it is his intention to steam or boil Turnips we cer¬ 
tainly do not recommend them for dairy cows, raw Turnips 
invariably imparting an unpalatable flavour to butter. 
In breaking up old leas for root crops we should first 
plough deeply, and then, when the soil has by exposure 
become slightly friable and mellow, it should be cross- 
ploughed and so left till spring. The cross-ploughing 
brings the grass to the surface, and therefore as soon as 
the weather is favourable in spring the soil must be 
harrowed down, well stirred with a cultivator, and as 
much of the grass taken out of it as can be shaken free 
from soil. If the grass can be burnt in small heaps col¬ 
lected together all over the field it should be, both as a 
saving of labour and for the value of the ashes for manure. 
Ploughing, harrowing, and rolling may have to be 
repeated again and again till the land is really clean. It 
is then ridge-ploughed for Mangolds with a double-breasted 
plough, and farmyard manure at the rate of 14 tons per 
acre spread along the furrows, which should be some 30 
inches apart. C hemical manure is also scattered along 
the furrows, and is a mixture consisting of J cwt. nitrate 
of potash, cwt. nitrate of soda, 2 cwt. of steamed bone 
flour, 1 cwt. ground coprolite, 1 cwt. common salt, at a 
cost of about 43s. per acre. The ridges are then split 
down the middle by passing the double-breasted plough 
through them, thus closing the soil over the manure and 
forming new ridges, along the top of which the seed is 
drilled, and the soil closed over and about the seed by 
means of a light roller. 
The grass retained for permanent pasture should about 
the end of February have a dressing sown broadcast upon 
it \ cwt. nitrate of potash, 1 cwt. nitrate of soda, cwt. 
superphosphate, I cwt. steamed bone flour, at a cost of 
about 20s. per acre. See that all permanent pasture is 
not suffered to remain badly infested with noxious weeds. 
Docks, Thistles, Nettles, Gorse, Broom, Rushes, and 
Ononis are the most troublesome pests, and care should be 
taken to eradicate them from it. Remember that perma¬ 
nent pasture requires an annual spring dressing of manure 
to render it fully productive. In addition to sound, fertile, 
permanent pasture, we would have a piece of Giant Rye 
to mow early, and chaff with dry fodder for the cows, 
and a piece of Perennial Rye Grass for a successional crop 
to the Rye in spring, and for grazing or mowing through¬ 
out summer. Neither of these useful crops can now be 
had for next spring, and we only mention them in passing. 
Carrots are drilled on the flat in rich soil, and as only 
enough are required to afford a supply for the cows, say 
from October till January, we prefer to sow rather closely, 
and to keep them clean by hand-hoeing. We are aware 
that the rows are frequently made so far apart as to 
admit of the use of a horse hoe, and on large farms this 
plan may answer well enough, but on a small farm we 
would not have the rows more than a foot apart. It will 
be understood that the Carrots are intended for use till 
the Mangolds can be used freely. 
WORK ON THE HOME FARM. 
All possible care must now be taken to keep the ewe flock quiet anti 
well nurtured. A neighbour of ours who has a valuable flock of black¬ 
faced ewes, got together at great cost, had them recently driven out of 
the fold at night, chased for half a mile, and much bitten by dogs. He 
thought a stray sheep dog had done it, but we suggested poachers’ 
lurchers, and we were probably right, for his watchmen have seen no 
night dogs, and the poachers are likely to avoid the neighbourhood of 
that farm for some time to come. The consequences of such a fright 
upon pregnant ewes may eventually prove most disastrous, and the 
farmer will indeed be fortunate if he has not several cases of abortion at 
lambing time. Not only should the ewes be kept quiet, but they should 
be kept on sound wholesome food, and on land that is firm to the tread. 
To fold ewes now upon soft sodden soil is not aivisable, for the strain 
upon the frame is very trying, as the feet become clogged and are 
moved with difficulty. 
Our flock of young ewes have been in folds on Mustard for a few hours 
daily, whenever the weather was suitable, but they were always taken 
off at night to sound dry pasture, and were given unthrashed chaffed 
Oat straw. This has enough grain with it to render it very nourishing 
food, and it is obvious that it is worth while to effect such a saving 
in threshing corn. Many flock masters are already much straitened 
for means to feed the sheep, and should next spring prove a late one, 
both ewes and lambs will probably be disposed of early. Repeatedly 
of late have we been pressed to purchase hoggets at such low rates that 
“they must pay.” We hold, however, that there should be no hap¬ 
hazard purchasing of farm stock simply because it is cheap. Keep well 
within the scope of your means, say we, and do what you undertake as 
well as you can. and above all things have a purpose and plan thoroughly 
well considered in reference not only to the purchase of stock, but of 
the provision of food for it, and to its final disposal. Because we do so, 
and exercise ordinary prudence in the management of our she p and 
other live stock, we have been called lucky, when in point of fact luck 
had nothing to do with our business. 
