416 
JOUEXAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDEXER. 
[ May 17, "888. 
PRECISION IN FAT^MING PRACTICE. 
If Ave required proof of the existence of a desire for improve- 
ment, and a lively apprehension that improvement in practice is 
possible among farmers, we have certainly had it during the last 
few months, for never before have we had so many applicants for 
advice about cropping and the selection and application of manure 
to farm crops. We have done the best we could for all our clients) 
and if our advice is accepted and acted upon in a literal sense it 
■cannot fail to induce better practice and a proportionate imnrove- 
ment in results ; for we have invariably insisted upon the primary 
importance of thorough drainage, cleanliness, and mechanical 
■division, in order that the crop for which manure is used maj' 
derive full benefit from it. In addition to this we also require 
-exact distribution of manure, and when chemical manure is used it 
cannot be applied avith precision by hand, and the use of an imple¬ 
ment is absolutely necessary. No implement which we have tried 
■for this purpose is equal to the Excelsior drill. The quantity can 
he regulated to a nicety. It is drilled with seed just as regidarly 
as the seed itself, or it is applied as a surface dressing alone by 
removing the coulters evith a degree of precision that is perfectly 
delightful in comparison with the slovenly work done by hand. 
For example, if manure, consisting of a mixture of nitrate of soda, 
muriate of potash, steamed bone flour, and mineral superphosphate 
is sown by hand upon pasture, the heavy particles of soda and 
potash fall within a space only a few feet wide along the track of 
the sower, but the bone flour and superphosphate is carried sonae 
distance off by the slightest puff of wind. We have seen evidence 
of this repeatedly, and came upon a glaring example a few days 
■ago upon some permanent pasture, Avhere the grass along each 
track of the sower was of a deep green hue and robust growth, the 
intermediate spaces being of a comparatively weak groavth and 
light colour. This difference arises from the speedy action of the 
nitrogenous manures, of which the greater portion of the surface 
was practically free. Sown by the drill this can never happen, for 
the manure is distributed ev'enly over the entire surface. 
Frequently are we asked for a formula of the most suitable 
manure for certain crops. We always give it, but -n'e are free to 
■own that more or less than we recommend might probably be used 
with advantage. Ho'W are w^e to know this ■without that intimate 
knowledge of the condition of the soil to be treaied, which the 
manager of each farm ought, but -ndiich he so frequently does not 
possess ? Soil and seasons both exercise an influence for good or 
■evil upon results. Knoaving this as we do so well, how can we 
venture to give precise formulae for general guidance ? Science 
has been defined as precise or systematic knowledge, but in relation 
to agriculture it is best regarded as precision in degree. By all 
means let us strive for the possession of accuracy in every detail 
•of farming, but do not let us forget how greatly results are in¬ 
fluenced by atmospheric as well as soil peculiarities. If only we 
■come to accord due aveight to such natural influences, ave shall not 
strive for unnecessary accuracy of aveight and measure. It a\'as for 
this reason, or rather this avas one of our reasons for recently calling 
attention to the important fact that there is a residue in the soil of 
the fertility imparted by chemical manures after the crop of the 
year is harvested. It is true there may be some loss of nitrates 
from this residue in a aa-et winter, especially from light soils, and 
this must be taken into account in spring when calculations are 
made of the quantities of different manures required for the season. 
No doubt the marvellous results obtained by Mr. Cook at Flitcham 
Abbey by the use of muriate of potash for Barley has induced very 
many farmers to try it, and has led to much disappointment. Yet 
good has undoubtedly been done, by showing how the want of 
enough potash, phosphorus, or nitrogen in the soil may prevent a 
full dea'elopment of a crop. 
Precision, then, in farming practice is best regai'ded as a relative 
term. Let U3 take care that it leads us to avoid all shams either 
in manures or seeds, that we use pure manures and pure seeds, 
that our piactice all round is sound. We may be asked. Of what 
use, then, are the reports of agricultural experiments? We reply. 
They are invaluable if taken as guides to practice, provided there is 
no blind following of any of them. If a farmer avould excel in the 
practice of his calling he must bring intelligence and common 
sense to bear upon it, and must proa*e for himself what or which 
are the best sorts and methods of manures and their application to 
the soil. But ave may insist upon close accuracy in the preparation 
of the soil for the reception of manure and seed. Drainage, either 
natural or artificial, there nijist be ; mechanical division of the par¬ 
ticles of the soil there must be ; aveeds also must be kept down. 
Do these three simple primary conditions to precision in farming 
practice receive the attention they merit ? If any of our readers 
had been with us on the day we write this aidicle, when we walked 
over three farms of an aggregate area of nearly a thousand acres, 
they would have had ample evidence that they do not. 
WORK ON THE HOME FARM. 
Corn-hocing still continues being done as briskly as posssible, and we 
have had to urge the men doing this upon Wheat to greater exertion, 
for it has groavn so fast that we feared the hoeing might not be finished 
before the Wheat became too high for such work. Rapidity of growth 
has been most remarkable where the top-dressing of chemical manures 
was given early in showery weather. We fully intended using the Ex¬ 
celsior drill for this work over the Wheat, but finding the soil too wet 
and soft for horses to go upon it hand-sowing had to be resorted to. We 
•mention this as showing how no inflexible rule can be laid doavn for 
general practice. Farmers more than any class are subject in thi ir work 
to conditions of aveaUier, and when these prove adverse aamhaa-e to make 
the best of them. We haa’c seen reports in daily papers that the Wheat 
plant is backward in groavth, and therefore a short crop was inevitable. 
Seeing as aa-e do frequently much of the great corn-growing district of 
East Anglia, aa-e cannot agree with this statement. Some Wheat is 
undoubtedly backward, but very .much more is fairly forward. Thistles, 
Docks, Coltsfoot, Charlock, and Couch Grass have ave among corn sown 
upon land taken in hand last Michaelmas, and we have every horse and 
man ave can spare at aami’k upon them, for never aams the weather more 
favourable for the destruction of aveeds, and true economy prompts the 
employment of all available labour poaver now to destroy these robbers 
of the feitility of the soil. 
Since the aa-eather has become more favourable to the promotion of 
free growth in grass and other green crops, the price of sheep has ad¬ 
vanced so much that aa-e have known a profit of 10s. per head made 
upon hoggets purchased only a fortnight ago. Upon one of our farms 
ave have decided to fold sheep upon a weak Clover layer, aa-hich aamuld 
not afford a full crop for Ijay, and by folding we may obtain a better 
.second crop either for stover or seed. We have finished folding upon 
Rye, which is noav left for a second growth for harvest, as ave do not 
require the land for roots; had a\-e done so it would have come ad¬ 
mirably to hand for such a purpose, after being so avell manured by 
the flock in folds. A full crop of Rye seed and straav is not unpro¬ 
fitable, and it alavays meets with a ready sale. 
METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVATIONS, 
CAMDEN SQUAllB, LONDON. 
Lit. 5t° 33'40''N.; Long. 0° S'0" W.; AUifcuile, 111 feet. 
DATE. I 9 A.M. IN THE DAY. 
1883. 
IMiiy. 
Sli 
£ i 
csi a 
Hyf?rome- 
ter. 
Direction 
uf Wind. 
Temp, of 
soil at 
1 foot. 
Shade Tein- 
p,i,rature. 
Radiation 
Temperature 
^ Rain 
Dry.' Wet. 
Max. 
Min.. 
In 
sun. 
On 
grass 
Inches. 
deu 1 deg. 
i deg. 
deg. 
deg. 
deg. 
deg. 
In. 
Sunday. 
. fi 
.54.8 48 2 
S W. 
! 48 0 
.508 
41.9 
8b.6 
30 4 
— 
Monday. 
SO.’87 
58 0 .-4 7 
w. 
i 48.8 
09 7 
.51.2 
lU.l 
47.0 
— 
Tuesday ... 
s 
C.O 55 7 
s.w. 
1 518 
(80 
50.0 
115.7 
44.7 
— 
Wednesday. 
. tJ 
.50.7 4!A 
X. 
510 
6'».2 
4'3 
1(0.3 
85.5 
— 
Thursday... 
. 10 
30. PI 
48 4 41 3 
61 9 
.58.2 
42 7 
1"2.3 
3A7 
— 
Friday . 
U 
; 0.491 
48 7 42.5 
X.K, 
612 
(> '.<> 
,8.5 :i 
J05.5 
29 3 
— 
Saturday ... 
. IJ 
80.4 ;i) 
5l.r, 44.3 
E. 
' 61.0 
07 2 
37 3 
103.2 
32.4 
— 
30.305 
51.3 47.0 
50..5 
(J3 .5 
43.0 
105.5 
67.7 
- 
REMARKS. 
nth.— Fine, blit with very little sunshine. 
7tli.—(.’ oiuly ti J !l A.M. bright and warm after. 
Kh.—I'eiierallv c’oudy except tor an hour or two at mid-day,and r.ilher clo>c. 
0 th.- IJripht, fre-h and cool. 
n th.—‘ lou-iv eurlv. gr.dually clearlug, and br ght in afternoon and crerinjr. 
nth.—an«l frej^h. 
12th.—Urj*iht >ind watin. 
A week of tine spring; weather, temp3r; t'lre fust the averai?'*. Gr. 83 fros’. on th® 
11th.-G. J. Symons. 
