596 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ December 27, 188?. 
FRUIT. 
e. d. s. d. 
Apples, j sieve.. .. .. 2 6 to 4 6 
„ Nova Scotia and 
Canada, per barrel .. 10 0 19 0 
Cherries, $ eieve .... 0 0 0 0 
Cobs, 100 lbs.100 0 0 0 
Grapes, per lb. 0 9 3 0 
b. d. b. d. 
Lemons, case.10 0 to 15 0 
Oranges, per 100 .... 4 0 9 0 
Peaches, dozen. 00 00 
Pears, dozen.10 2 8 
Plums, J-sieve. 0 0 0 0 
St. Michael Pinea, each SO SO 
VEGETABLES. 
Artiohokes, dozen .. 
• • 
8. 
s 
d. 8. 
0 to 8 
d. 
0 
B. 
Lettuce, dozen .. .. 0 
d. 
9 
8. 
to 1 
a. 
s 
Asparagus, bundle .. 
• t 
0 
0 
0 
0 
Mushrooms, punnet .. 0 
6 
i 
0 
Beans, Kidney,per lb. 
. . 
0 10 
0 
0 
Mustard and Cress, punt. 0 
2 
0 
0 
Beet,Red, dozen .. 
.. 
1 
0 
2 
0 
New Potatoes,per cwt... 0 
0 
0 
0 
Broccoli, bundle .. 
. , 
0 
0 
0 
0 
Onions, bunch.0 
3 
0 
0 
Brussels Sprouts, i sieve 
1 
6 
2 
6 
Parsley, dozen bunches 2 
0 
3 
0 
Cabbage, dozen 
,, 
1 
6 
0 
0 
Parsnips, dozen .. .. 1 
0 
0 
0 
Capsicums, per 100 
0 
0 
0 
0 
Potatoes, per cwt. 4 
0 
6 
0 
Carrots, bunch .. 
,, 
0 
4 
0 
0 
- „ kidney, per cwt. 4 
0 
8 
0 
Cauliflowers, dozen 
. . 
1 
0 
2 
0 
Rhubarb, bundle .. .. 0 
2 
0 
0 
Celery, bundle 
, , 
1 
8 
2 
0 
Salsify, bundle .. .. 1 
0 
1 
6 
Coleworts, doz. bunches 
2 
0 
4 
0 
Scorzonera, bundle •• 1 
6 
0 
0 
Cucumbers, each .. 
0 
S 
0 
4 
Shallots, per tb , .. .. 0 
3 
0 
0 
Endive, dozen .. .. 
1 
0 
2 
0 
Spinach, bushel .. .. 1 
6 
2 
0 
Herbs, bunch .. .. 
0 
2 
0 
0 
Tomatoes, per ft. .. .. 0 
3 
0 
10 
Leeks, bunch .. .. 
0 
3 
0 
4 
Turnips, bunch .. .. 0 
4 
0 
0 
LESSONS OF THE YEAR. 
If it be true that in 1887 we reached the lowest depths of 
the agricultural depression, it is, we fear, equally true that the 
present year has witnessed no great improvement in the position 
of farmers generally. Adverse weather has, undoubtedly, been the 
chief cause of this, for if only we had been able to harvest and 
save the abundant grain crop in high condition, and have got a 
little more quality in the hay, there would certainly have been 
fair reason to record a decided improvement in agriculture all 
round. Horses, sheep, cattle, and pigs have’ all been profitable, 
and they continue so. The impetus given to dairy farming tends 
to a marked improvement in the home trade ; really good samples 
of new Wheat command prices that approach closely the much- 
desired 40s. per quarter, and old Wheat was sold at really remu¬ 
nerative prices. The crops of Peas and Beans were very abundant; 
so, too, were Oats and Barley. But, though there was a full and 
perfeot development of Barley grain, the trying changes of weather 
rendered it thick-skinned and discoloured, and prices have been 
disastrously low, to the serious loss of corn farmers. Wet weather 
spoilt much hay, and the entire crop is low in quality. Prices for 
good hay have naturally risen, but then very few farmers have 
good hay ,to sell. Root crops are very abundant, so abundant that 
many farmers are puzzled what to do with them, and are giving 
them to qnyone who will put sheep on the land to consume them. 
Of course the proper thing is for more sheep to be purchased to 
be folded upon the Turnips, but a want of means prevents very 
many farmers from doing this, and they are unable to take advan¬ 
tage of their opportunity. We have seen some of the Turnips 
being chopped in pieces with hoes and ploughed in, and this will 
doubtless enrich the land for Barley, but it cannot answer to grow 
Turnips for such a purpose. A natural outcome of the abundance 
of roots and green crops was an increasing demand for sheep ; prices 
have risen accordingly, and those who have sheep to sell find the 
trade very profitable. 
Pigs have been more useful than usual, as they have been turned 
to excellent account to consume inferior Barley. It is matter for 
regret that the farmer is unable to derive the full benefit from pigs 
that is possible. What he really ought to do is to strive to get rid 
of all those who come between him and the consumer. If he would 
only be at the trouble to establish a trade for dairy fed pork, 
sausages, ham', bacon, and lard, he is bound to add greatly to his 
profits. “ Live and let live,” is, no doubt, a very good proverb 
rightly applied, but the farmer is justified in looking more closely 
after his own interests just as much as anyone else, and to ask him 
to refrain from interference with the pork butcher's trade is about 
as sensible as to assure him it is a point of duty with him to employ 
so much labour upon his farm. The farmer is not a philanthropist; 
he invests a certain amount of capital in land, and he is bound to 
get the best interest he can from his investment. 
Throughout the year we have repeatedly heard much talk of 
the necessity for State aid, in the form of protection or fair trade ; 
of an uniform rate of exchange throughout the dominions of the 
empire, in order to set aside the unfair advantage conferred upon 
the Hindoo ryot, by the difference in value of the rupee in Eng¬ 
land and in India ; of relief in the burden of tithes and taxes- 
upon the land ; of tempting reforms promised by our rulers ; of 
a minister of agriculture to give especial attention to our interests. 
But what has come of it all ? why, literally nothing, and now r 
at the end of another year the farmer ought to see clearly that the 
best help of all for him is self help. 
On December 10th, at the Surveyors’ Institution, Mr. Wells- 
read an interesting paper on “ The Prospects of an Agricultural 
Revival.” He gave elaborate details of Wheat culture by our 
foreign competitors in India, France, America, and Russia, and by 
comparison and otherwise strove to show that our prospects ire 
future competitions with those countries were at least hopeful ; but 
he had really nothing definite to go upon, and mere conjecture or 
fanciful deduction, however interesting, cannot be taken as a guide 
for action. He, in common with other optimists, said that there 
was more inquiry for farms, which we may assume by inference is 
to be taken as an indication of tenants being available for farms 
in hand. Well, now, we and several other land agents well known 
to us have many farms to let, but very few really desirable 
tenants were to be heard of last Michaelmas. It had just come to 
this in letting a farm, an agent dare not take any conclusive step 
about it till he obtains a satisfactory bankers’ reference from a 
prospective tenant, and how few of them can pass satisfactorily 
through such an ordeal ? 
On the whole, then, if the end of another year has brought us to 
no higher degree of success, it has certainly brought no catastrophe 
in its wake, and we have still reason to be hopeful about the future. 
More than this, we are resolved, as we doubt not all our readers 
are, to leave nothing undone to render the new year a prosperous 
and successful one. 
WORK ON THE HOME FARM. 
The end of the year finds us with much more work upon our hands 
than usual, and we hope to have no snow yet, for we are doing our 
utmost to bring up arrears of ploughing. The past year will certainly 
be memorable for its late harvest and the late sowing of winter corn, 
which on the whole looks remarkably well. But we are anxious to 
plough every foot of land we can, both to be ready for spring work and 
to expose the soil to beneficial action of frost and snow. Steam tackle 
has been used to advantage this winter, but we object strongly to its- 
reckless use in the same way upon all land. If we intend laying down 
land to permanent pasture we break up soil of every kind deeply with a 
steam cultivator. But for corn this plan does not answer, for if a cold 
clay subsoil is brought to the surface to be sown with corn in spring, it 
would indeed prove difficult to enrich it sufficiently to insure a crop. 
By all means stir the land deeply, but first turn over the surface 
furrow, and then turn up the subsoil, always keeping the surface furrow 
uppermost. 
Glad indeed are we to see so much pipe draining being done this 
winter, for it is a sign that landlord and tenant are united in their efforts 
to improve the land. Depend upon it under-draining unlocks the soil 
and insures it full benefit from all subsequent culture. We are aware- 
that farmers still exist who proclaim their disbelief in drainage ; living 
examples are they of ignorance and conceit, who are not to be taught 
either by the lessons of experience or science. Keep the land water¬ 
logged, and all your efforts to enrich it with manure in view of obtaining 
full crops will be vain, for the wet soil continues cold, inert, and 
practically impervious to the air and warmth even in summer, and crops 
cannot thrive. Relieve it of water by judicious drains ; air and warmth 
enter the very water itself as it passes through, and always leaves some 
addition to the store of fertility, and we have no difficulty in rendering 
most of the fertility in the soil active and useful for plant food. For 
heavy clay land bush drains are perhaps piefi'-able, as they open up the 
soil better than pipes ever can do. 
