124 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
f August 8, 1889. 
"brought upon it by a generation of bad farming could soon be 
•corrected. Thus by the exercise of sound judgment, industry, 
-economy, and thrift, the new tenants are successful and prosperous. 
They adapt themselves to circumstances, cause their farms to serve 
local requirements, produce articles for which there is a speedy sale, 
a sure and profitable return. The price of milk is undoubtedly 
low, but they contrive to make it pay ; and even where cows are 
not kept for milk the farmers are prosperous, for it need not be 
questioned that men so alert and keen would turn their holdings to 
account for every crop that bids fair to be profitable. 
We may be told that all farmers could not meet their difficulties 
in this manner ; and we agree. But they could assuredly do better 
everywhere than continue using all their land for the cultivation of 
•corn. It is that of which we complain, and we have done so to 
good purpose among the tenants of small farms, who, if only they 
can be induced to see that their interest lies in the production for 
sale of mutton, pork, poultry, and dairy produce, rather than corn, 
are quite certain to be prosperous if they conduct their business 
with due care and skill. They may grow some corn, but most of 
it should be for home consumption by the animals of the farm. 
WORK ON THE HOME FARM. 
Recent showers have done much to ensure the safety of late Swedes 
and white Turnips. The rain has also done much good to early roots 
and all green crops. Thousand-headed Kale and Cabbages are full of 
vigorous growth, especially where a dressing of nitrogenous manure had 
been applied before the rain, which dissolved and v ashed it well down 
to the roots. An abundant store of fodder and roots is now certain for 
'use next winter, and all who can hold over the lambs for hoggets should 
do so, both in view of profits from them and for the sake of the 
land, a large proportion of which ought always to be folded with sheep 
every year. When lambs are purchased as stores for hoggets it should 
be done with a clear grasp of one’s intention, for without a definite 
purpose it is easy to make a mistake. If, for example, we require 
hoggets to go out to the butcher before Christmas, then we should secure 
forward lambs which have been well fed ; and we must continue the 
use of lamb food, Waterloo cake, or crushed oats and peas or beans. But 
if hoggets are not to be finished till next spring, then lambs which have 
mot been forced on by high feeding will be best ; and they will require 
nothing besides grass at present. The appearance of forward lambs in 
high condition is so tempting that it is quite necessary to caution 
beginners about the purchase of such animals, for if the high-feeding is 
not continued there is a speedy falling off in condition, involving much 
vexation and a certain loss. 
Harvest will now soon be general, for all corn has ripened very fast, 
and not a day must be lost in saving every crop as it becomes ready. 
Much Wheat had the grain ready for reaping while yet the straw was 
quite green, and there is so strong a growth of weeds or layers among the 
straw that some caution is necessary. Before all things the corn must 
be saved ; and it will not answer to leave it so long as to run risk of its 
being shaken out of the ears. As a rule Wheat should be reaped as soon 
as the grain becomes so far matured as to yield no juice when squeezed 
hard. Barley must be left till quite ripe, and then it cannot be got to 
the stack too quickly. The test for Oats is precisely similar to that for 
Wheat, and early cutting is advisable, as ripe Oats are easily shaken out 
of ear. Beans may be cut when the leaf begins to fade, and the beans 
become “ black-eyed.” Peas should always be cut quickly after the seed 
is fully developed, and be laid in thin wads to facilitate ripening and 
turning. 
THE CROP REPORTS. 
The reports on the crops which we publish to-day (August 5th), 
taking them all round, are about the most favourable which it has ever 
been our pleasure to chronicle. They were collected between July 26th 
and August 1st. The abstract tables given below represent the crops of 
England only, and we believe that the figures we give fairly indicate 
their general condition :— 
Coen Cr®ps, 1889. 
Over average 
Wheat. 
Barley. 
Oats. 
Beans. 
Peas. 
... 100 
51 
58 
27 
26 
Average ... 
... 83 
100 
97 
42 
54 
Under average 
... 18 
• 49 
56 
56 
37 
Total 
... 206 
200 
211 
125 
117 
Percentages, 
1839. 
Over average 
... 48-6 
25-5 
27-5 
21-6 
22 2 
Average ... 
... 427 
50-0 
46-0 
33-G 
4 6'2 
Under average 
... 8:7 
24-5 
26.5 
448 
316 
-- 
- . 
— .. 
_ 
100 
100 
100 
100 
100 
Hay, Potatoes, and Root3, 1889. 
Hav. 
Potatoes. 
TurniDS. 
Mangels. 
Over average . 
187 
102 
93 
82 
Average ... 
... 22 
63 
88 
73 
Under average , 
... .1 
15 
17 
31 
Total 
... 210 
180 1 
203 
186 
Percentages, 18S9. 
Over average . 
... 890 
56-7 
43-3 
44 1 
Average ... 
... 10-5 
35-0 
43 3 
392 
Under average , 
... 05 
8 3 
84 
16 7 
100 
100 
100 
100 
It will be seen that the figures represent all the crops except Beans and 
Peas as more or less generally above average, while Peas are not very 
much below. In fact 1 , we may say that, approximately, our returns 
represent Barley, Oats, and Peas as average crops, Beans as under 
average, and all the other crops as considerably above the ordinary 
standard. 
A comparison of this year’s tables with those of last year, given 
below, will show the great superiority of the present season in general 
productiveness :— 
Corn 
Crops, 
1888. 
Wheat. 
Barley. 
Oats 
Beans. Peas. 
Over average ... 
15 
86 
75 
45 
35 
Average ... 
49 
109 
100 
55 
53 
Under average ... 
164 
52 
75 
77 
89 
Total 
228 
247 
250 
177 
177 
Percentages, 
1888. 
Over average ... 
7 
34-8 
30 
25-4 
19 8 
Average. 
21-5 
441 
40 
31T 
29 9 
Under average ... 
71-5 
21T 
30 
43-5 
503 
100 
100 
100 
100 
100 
Hay, 
, Potatoes, and 
Roots, 
, 1888. 
Hay. 
Potatoes. Turnips. 
Mangels. 
Over average ... 
140 ' 
128 
130 
83 
Average. 
68 
54 
83 
85 
Under average ... 
53 
55 
39 
61 
Total 
261 
237 
252 
231 
Percentages, 
, 1888. 
Over average ... 
53 6 
54-0 
51-6 
37 6 
Average. 
261 
22-8 
32 9 
36 3 
Under average ... 
20-3 
23 2 
15*5 
26 1 
100 
100 
100 
100 
Barley and Beans are the only crops which come out worse for 18S9 
than for 1888, while all the other crops show up considerably better. 
The comparison is most quickly made by noticing the percentages of 
under-average returns for the two years. As usual, there is more doubt 
about the root crops than any others, for the simple reason that they 
have not nearly arrived at maturity at this season of the year ; but we 
take it to be a good sign that our correspondents express much less 
hesitation in estimating these crops on the present occasion than they 
expressed last year. 
Farmers in the early districts have enjoyed splendid weather for the 
beginning of their harvest, and we hope that this is but an earnest of 
what is to follow .—(The Agricultural Gazette .) 
METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVATIONS, 
CAMDEN SQUARE, LONDON. 
Lat. 51° 88' 40" N.; Long. 0° 8' 0” W.; Attitude, 111 faet. 
DATE. 
9 A.M. 
IN THE DAY. 
43.3-s' 
Hygrome- 
a . 
** 
Shade Tem- 
Radiation 
B 
IE 80. 
ter. 
V a 
§•=8 
perature. 
Temperature. 
« 
July and August. 
In 
On 
K2 a 
Dry. 
Wet. 
So 
H 
Max. 
Min. 
sun. 
grass 
Inches. 
deg 
deg. 
deg. 
deg. 
deg. 
deg. 
d*cr. 
1l. 
S mday. 2-i 
SO.i 72 
62 8 
56 0 
N. 
58 8 
72.1 
50.4 
1.8 9 
47 4 
— 
Monday. 29 
30.103 
63 5 
57.9 
N. 
too 
75 9 
5d.9 
114 4 
55.2 
— 
Tuesday .... 30 
80.'4ft 
07 6 
6 .'.6 
S. 
61.1 
75.3 
57 4 
97 8 
72 9 
— 
Wednesday., at 
30.123 
69.1 
0A2 
K. 
6)9 
73.4 
53.3 
120.0 
47.7 
— 
Thursday.... l 
*0.904 
70.2 
65 0 
K. 
61.9 
8-*.4 
57.7 
125 9 
53 2 
— 
Friday . 2 
29 9 0 
66.4 
60.0 
8.W. 
62 9 
75 9 
7.7 5 
124 3 
523 
0.120 
Saturday .... 3 
19 804 
60.8 
09.4 
S. 
630 
l8 7 
59.4 
85 5 
57.9 
0.136 
30.035 
65.8 
6 ).7 
61.2 
75.8 
51.2 
113.8 
52.4 
0.256 
REMARKS. 
28 f h.—F’ne bright day; spots of rain in evening. 
Dull early ; tine day, but close, especially in afternoon and evening. 
30ih.—Dull ear y ; br ght warm day. 
Slst.—iiright and warm. 
1st.—Warm, hazy,.and oppressive. 
2nd.—Fine, and genera ly brielit. 
3rd.—Wet from 3 A.M. to 1 P.M.; tine, and frequently bright in afternoon. 
A week of warm summer weather. Temperature 6* above that of the preceding week 
and 4-> above the average.— G. J. SIMONS. 
