Febrnary 23, 1888. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
163 
PLANTS IN POTS. 
B. 
d. 
S. 
d. 
B. 
d. 
B. 
d. 
Aralia Sieboldi, dozen .. 
6 
0 to 12 
0 
Fuchsia, dozen. 
0 
0 
to 0 
0 
Arborvlt£e(golden) dozen 
6 
0 
9 
0 
Genista, per dozen 
6 
0 
12 
0 
,1 (common),dozen.. 
0 
0 
0 
0 
Hyacinths, dozen •• 
6 
0 
12 
0 
Azalea, dozen. 
24 
0 
42 
0 
„ (Roman), doz. 
9 
0 
10 
0 
Oineraria, dozen • • . • 
8 
0 
12 
0 
Hydrangea, dozen ,, 
0 
0 
0 
0 
Oyclamen, dozen .. .. 
12 
0 
24 
0 
Lilies Valley, dozen 
18 
0 
24 
0 
Dielytra, per dozen 
12 
0 
18 
0 
Lilium lancifolium, doz. 
0 
0 
0 
0 
Deatzia, per dozen 
6 
0 
9 
0 
Marguerite Daisy, dozen 
9 
0 
12 
0 
Dracasna terminalis, doz. 
30 
0 
60 
0 
Myrtles, dozen. 
6 
0 
12 
0 
„ viridis, dozen.. 
12 
0 
24 
0 
Narciss, per dozen 
8 
0 
10 
0 
Epiphyllnm, dozen .. .. 
10 
0 
18 
0 
Palms, in var.,each 
2 
6 
21 
0 
Erica, various, dozen 
9 
0 
18 
0 
Pelargoniums, dozen 
0 
0 
0 
Euonymus, in var., dozen 
6 
0 
18 
0 
scarlet, doz. 
6 
0 
9 
0 
Bver^eens, in var., dozen 
6 
0 
24 
0 
Pointettia, dozen .. .. 
0 
0 
0 
0 
Ferns, in variety, dozen 
i 
0 
18 
0 
Solanum, dozen ,. .. 
9 
0 
12 
0 
Ficus elaatica, each .. 
1 
6 
7 
0 
Tulips, dozen pots .. .. 
8 
0 
9 
0 
Foliage Plants, var., each 
2 
0 
10 
0 
CUT 
FLOWERS. 
8. 
d. 
s 
d. 
s. 
d. 
B. 
a. 
Abntilons, 12 bunches .. 
8 
0 to 6 
e 
Lilies, White, 12 bunches 
0 
0 to 0 
0 
Anemones (French), 12 
,, Orange, 12 bunches 
0 
0 
0 
0 
bunches 
S 
0 
4 
0 
Lily of the Talley, 12 
Arum Lilies, 12 blooms .. 
4 
0 
6 
0 
sprays . 
0 
6 
1 
0 
Azalea, 12 sprays .. .. 
0 
8 
1 
0 
Mignonette. 12 bunches 
8 
0 
6 
0 
Bouvardiae, bunch .. .. 
0 
6 
1 
0 
Nareiss, "white (Fiench) 12 
Camellias, 12 blooms • • 
1 
6 
4 
0 
bunches . 
2 
0 
4 
0 
Caruations, 12 blooms 
1 
0 
3 
0 
Narcns, various, 12 bchs 
8 
0 
6 
0 
Christmas Boses or 
Pelargoniums, 12 trusses 
1 
0 
1 
6 
Hellebore, 12 blooms .. 
0 
6 
1 
6 
„ scarlet, 12 trasses 
0 
6 
0 
9 
Chrysanthemums,12bchs. 12 
0 
18 
0 
Poinaettia, 12 blooms .. 
2 
0 
6 
0 
„ 12 blooms 
0 
0 
0 
0 
Primroses, 12 bunches ., 
1 
0 
3 
0 
Cyclamen, 12 blooms 
u 
6 
1 
0 
Primula (single), bunch.. 
0 
6 
0 
0 
Daffodils, Double, 12 bchs 
6 
0 
12 
0 
„ (double), bunch ,, 
0 
9 
1 
6 
„ Single, 12 bchs 12 
0 
18 
0 
Boses, Bed, 12 blooms 
6 
0 
9 
0 
Daisies, 12 bunches .. 
2 
0 
4 
0 
„ (indoor), dozen 
8 
0 
4 
0 
Epiphyllum, 12 blooms ,. 
0 
6 
0 
9 
,, Tea, dozen .. •• 
1 
6 
6 
0 
Eucharis, dozen •• •• 
4 
0 
6 
0 
red, dozen (French) 
1 
6 
8 
0 
Gardenias, 12 blooms .. 
12 
0 
24 
0 
„ yellow . 
4 
0 
9 
0 
Hyacinths, Boman, 12 
Snowdrops, 12 bunches 
1 
0 
2 
0 
sprays 
0 
6 
1 
0 
Stephanotis, 12 sprays .. 
0 
0 
0 
0 
„ French, 12 
Tropmolnm, 12 bunches 
2 
0 
3 
0 
bunches .. 
1 
6 
4 
0 
Tuberoses, 12 blooms •• 
2 
0 
3 
0 
Lapageria, coloured, 12 
Tulips, dozen blooms •. 
0 
9 
1 
0 
blooms. 
1 
0 
1 
6 
Violets, 12 bunches., ,, 
1 
0 
1 
6 
Lilium longiflorum, 12 
„ (French), bunch 
1 
6 
2 
0 
blooms. 
6 
0 
9 
0 
„ (Parme), bunch 
5 
0 
7 
0 
Marguerites, 12 bunches 
2 
0 
6 
0 
White Lilac, per bunch .. 
5 
0 
6 
0 
LESSONS BY THE WAY. 
with low prices, tends to show that the year was an exceptionally 
bad one, and farmers have suffered accordingly. 
It must not, however, he forgotten that rent has been greatly 
reduced, and where, under a really good system of management, 
the land has been well cultivated, and a high standard of cleanliness 
and fertility maintained, excellent and abundant crops have con¬ 
tinued to yield a sufficient margin of profit. Such results, are 
perhaps, more common than is generally supposed ; at any rate, 
out of a numerous tenantry only one gave us notice of his intention 
to quit his farm next Michaelmas. Nor can we wonder at this, 
when we recall the fact that rents have been lowered by one-third 
to one-half what they were a few years ago. If only the general 
practice of farmers were at all as sound and thorough as it ought 
to be, crop averages would be higher, and the depression much 
lighter than it is. 
In some critiques of the returns of 1887 we are told that under 
a drought a light crop of hay and roots is a foregone conclusion. 
Now we by no means agree with this, because we know under high 
culture both hay and roots were a good crop. We repeat what we 
have so often said, that if only pasture is well managed we may 
alw^ays reckon upon a full hay crop, but the aftermath wiU 
certainly suffer from drought. Of root crops, too, we had really 
heavy crops of Mangolds, and where Swedes were sown in April or 
early in May, as is done in Norfolk, they were a heavy full crop. 
Then, too, in Potato culture there is frequently much poor prac¬ 
tice, the ordinary average crop being sadly inferior to that which 
may be had by thorough cultivation of the soil and the use of pure 
chemical manures. We have proved this in our own practice for 
many years, and though we do not recommend Potatoes as a 
desirable crop for farmers generally, yet when local conditions 
favour the practice by all means let it be of the highest, for that 
only is profitable. That practice in Potato culture is low is an 
absolute certainty, for an ordinary average of 4 tons per acre means 
this if it means anything ; nor can any plea justify such poor re¬ 
sults when it is possible to do so much better. 
The publication of these agricultural returns is important as a 
record of the outcome of last year’s crops, but it is by no means to 
be taken as evidence of what farmers can do with the land even in 
The returns collected from 14,000 parishes in Great Britain, 
and from each police district in Ireland, have enabled the Agri¬ 
cultural Department to form estimates which have now been 
issued, and of which we have received a copy. These estimates 
go to show that the year 1887 was one of the worst ever expe¬ 
rienced by British farmers. In proof of this we may give some of 
the averages which have been worked out, as a starting point for 
inquiry into the reason of such a lamentable state of things. 
Wheat ... 
Barley ... . 
Oats 
1887. 
Bushels. 
31-S7 
31T2 
34-25 
1883. 
Bushels. 
23-89 
32-32 
38-40 
Ordinary 
average. 
28-07 
34-13 
39-04 
Beaus ... 
■ 22-47 
27-09 
30-35 
Peas 
24-43 
27-31 
28-46 
Tons. 
Tons. 
Tons. 
Potatoes 
5-23 
4-31 
4-41 
Turnips... 
9-89 
14-75 
14-41 
Mangolds 
14-31 
20-13 
19-05 
Hay ... 
1-27 
1-54 
1-50 
Cwt. 
Cwt. 
Cwt. 
Hops 
7-18 
11-07 
7-84 
These figures go to show that only Wheat and Potatoes afforded 
a yield above the average, all the other crops being below it in the 
following proportions : — Barley, 3 bushels an acre ; Oats, 4f 
bushels ; Beans almost 8 bushels ; Peas, 4 bushels ; Turnips, 44 
tons ; Mangold, 44 tons ; hay, 44 cwt.; Hops, about two-thirds cwt. 
We give these figures for what they are worth, and as proving the 
case in a general sort of way, knowing as we do well that the 
crops on some farms were far above the average, and also upon 
other farms crops were much below it. A low average, combined 
a year of drought. We hold that nine-tenths of the land is not 
well cultivated and until this fault is set right, and we have the best 
possible combination of practice with science in the management 
of farms throughout Great Britain and Ireland, such returns 
ought not to be received as evidence of what the land will pro¬ 
duce. If every farmer had to submit his practice along with its 
results to a State department for publication we should then have 
tangible evidence of the prevalence of ignorance among those who 
essay to do what they can to provide a home supply of corn and 
meat. That such ignorance does prevail there can be no doubt ; 
why else do we still find so many men clinging to a four-course 
shift, to the muck cart, to fattening poor imported Irish cattle ? In 
this, as in so many other things, ignorance and prejudice go hand 
in hand ; improvement and change from the practice of our fore¬ 
fathers finds acceptance but slowly at the hands of farmers gene¬ 
rally, and the stern teaching of adversity is not turned to account 
as it ought to be. 
WORK ON THE HOME FARM. 
The lambing continues in a very satisfactory manner, the lambs 
generally being strong and healthy, and the condition of the ewes, too, 
being excellent. With few exceptions they have an ample supply of 
milk, but there always will be a few delicate animals in every flock 
however carefully they may be selected, and the lambs of such ewes 
must be fed with milk fresh from the cow till they are old enough to 
consume other food. Our dietary for the ewes continues to be Barley 
straw chaff mixed with Oats, Mangolds, and grass, and they have a few 
lumps of rock salt to lick. We shall make no change in feeding the 
ewes till Turnip folding begins, but the lambs will have some bran as 
soon as they are able to eat it. We shall give them other food when they 
can take it, and every effort will be made to bring them on for sale as 
early in the season as possible. In the home flock we have a remarkable 
number of twins, but in the flock at an off-hand farm there are very few 
twins. We attribute this difference to the fact of our having h.ad a 
