478 
JOURNAL CE HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ November 28, 1889. 
PLANTS IN POTS* 
B. 
a. 
8. 
d. 
8. 
d. 
8. 
d. 
Aralia Sieboldi, dozen .. 
6 
0 to 12 
0 
Pious elastic*, each 
i 
6 to 
i 
0 
Arum Lilies, per dozen .. 
9 
0 
12 
0 
Foliagi plants, var., each 
a 
0 
in 
0 
Arbor vitee (golden'* dozen 
8 
0 
24 
0 
Hyacinths (Roman) 12 pot i 
9 
0 
15 
0 
Begonias, various, per doz. 4 
0 
12 
0 
Geranium*, Ivy, doz. 
0 
0 
0 
0 
Balsams, per dozen.. .. 
0 
0 
0 
0 
Lobe’ias, per dozen 
0 
0 
0 
0 
Caladiums, per doz. 
0 
0 
0 
0 
Marguerite Daisy, dozen 
6 
0 
12 
0 
Calceolaria, per dozen .. 
0 
0 
0 
0 
Mignonette, per dozen .. 
0 
0 
0 
0 
Christmas Hose 
0 
0 
0 
0 
Musfr, per do en .. .. 
0 
0 
0 
0 
Chrysanthemums, dozen 
8 
0 
It 
0 
Myrtles, dozen. 
G 
0 
12 
0 
Dracaunaterminalis, doz. 
24 
0 
42 
0 
Palms, in var., each 
2 
6 
21 
0 
Dracaena viridis, doz. 
M 
0 
24 
0 
Pelargoniums, scarlet, 12 
0 
0 
0 
0 
Epiphyllum, per doz. .. 
12 
0 
24 
0 
Primula (single) per doz. 
4 
0 
6 
0 
Erica, various, dozen 
12 
0 
18 
0 
Rhodanthe, per dozen .. 
0 
0 
0 
0 
Enonymus, var., dozen 
8 
0 
18 
0 
Suxafraga pyramidalis, 
Evergreens, in var., dozen 
6 
0 
24 
0 
per dozen . .. .. 
0 
0 
0 
0 
Ferns, in variety, dozen 
4 
0 
18 
0 
Solanutns, per dozen 
6 
0 
12 
0 
THE FLOCK IN WINTER. 
LAMBING TIME. 
“ Luck in lambing !” Yes, this is the term so frequently heard 
among shepherds and farmers, and whenever we hear it we feel 
tempted to ask, What has luck to do with it ? For we certainly 
cannot agree with the popular but fallacious idea that a certain 
per-centage of loss of ewes in lambing is inevitable. The flock of 
the home farmer should consist of choice ewes, home bred, within 
age, and selected with due care and judgment, and in such a flock 
under good management a loss is quite exceptional. But if the 
flock is made up with ewes of all ages, with a large proportion of 
full-mouthed ewes, or, as is so often the case, with a good many 
over-age, then there is a proportionate increase in the risk of 
losses. 
So much depends upon the shepherd ; aye ! and upon the shep¬ 
herd’s master too. A lazy shepherd will often harrass the sheep 
by a too free use of his dog, and quiet gentle treatment is of 
especial importance. We have pointed out the evils attendant upon 
folding ewes upon Turnips now, and we would again urge the im¬ 
portance of shelter, quiet, and judicious feeding. The sheep will 
soon show us how much they appreciate shelter if we only give 
them an opportunity of doing so. Turn them out on a bleak plain 
on a cold wet night, and if there is any possibility of shelter from 
tree belts they will take full advantage of it. Often have we in 
these articles recommended the erection of open sheep lodges for 
shelter on pasture, because we know the outlay to be a sound in¬ 
vestment, tending, as it does, to preserve the sheep from harm. 
Can any reasonable person see ewes in the wretched plight they 
are so frequently in during the present month—drenched by cold 
pelting showers while standing in a sea of mud—suppose it possible 
for them to continue healthy, or, at any rate, to pass through the 
strain of such exposure without suffering ? What is the result of 
such ill treatment but that heavy loss of ewes and lambs which is 
attributed to bad luck ? Let there be an end of such stupidity, 
and let sheep have the shelter they require equally with all other 
animals of the farm. 
As the lambing begins the ewes are brought close to the fold or 
lambing yard, and we always hold the pasture near the fold in 
reserve for this purpose. Each ewe with its progeny to a separate 
pen, in order that it may not only have shelter, but be sufficiently 
under the shepherd’s eye for him to see if all is well, or if any 
special treatment is required. The lamb may not suck aright, the 
ewe may not “ take to it ” as she ought, she may be deficient in 
milk, and the lamb may require aid from tlm shepherd’s milk bottle. 
Each case must be treated upon its merits, strong ewes and lambs 
being turned out of the pen after a few hours, others requiring 
special care being kept there just so long as is necessary. 
There should always be enough space in the fold to take in the 
entire flock without crowding. The earliest lambs with the dams 
are out upon open pasture upon all fine days, but there must be no 
risk run by exposure on very cold days or nights. One can hardly 
understand the folly which suffers lambs to be exposed to weather 
which is likely to hurt them, yet it is a most common thing to 
hear of losses arising from such carelessness. 
If the flock has the taint of foot rot every case must be taken 
in hand at once, and persistently. It is lament ible to see the 
lambs suffering from this infectious disease, for they then soon fall 
off in condition. A judicious master will see his interest in allow¬ 
ing ample help to the shepherd at this critical time, and not press 
so much work upon him that negligence in something or other is 
inevitable. Keep the shepherd with his flock, and let roots, fodder, 
and all other things required be taken to him regularly, and then 
insist upon full attention being given by him to every animal 
under his charge. When a flock goes wrong the shepherd is 
blamed, but depend upon it his master is also in fault. Self 
interest or the sense of duty should suffice to bring every fault or 
falling off under the master’s eye before the evil has become 
serious ; but when one sees ewes lame by the dozen, with many of 
the lambs limping too, it may be taken as a sure sign of careless¬ 
ness that is quite inexcusable. 
WORK ON THE HOME FARM. 
With a continuance of such fine mild open weather all work on the 
land should be finished as speedily as possible, not a day being taken 
for any other purpose. To glance at sound practice, all land was 
ploughed as the stubbles became clear, and dropped corn eaten by 
sheep, pigs, or turkeys. On heavy land we began autumn sowing 
immediately after harvest, or rather when the first stubbles were cleared. 
First came TrifoMum incarnatum, then Rye, followed closely by winter 
Oats, Tares, Beans, and Wheat. With such work well in hand ^fan- 
golds and Swedes were got up, carted and clamped as growth ceased. 
We never had better weather for clearing the roots. The crop was ex¬ 
ceptionally heavy, but the land was so dry and firm that carting was 
comparatively an easy business, one horse doing work that requires two 
in a wet season. So far all went well, but a wet October caused a 
temporary cessation of such work, and there was the usual outcry from 
laggards about arrears of work, very little land ploughed, no sowing 
done, and only part of the roots cleared. But do not let us forget that 
these are the men who make such an outcry about hard times. 
We do not like to be hasty in bringing corn samples on the market, 
and Barley especially may be threshed at a loss. It is now well ouc of 
the sweat which occurs in every Bariey stack, and threshing is being 
done gradually so as not to overfill the cleaning floor. There is con¬ 
siderable difference in the way in which various threshing machines 
screen corn, and all good malting Barley should be screened once or 
twice after it is threshed. In selling Barley colour stands first, next 
comes condition, substance, and purity of sample, freedom from tail 
corn, and any discoloured grain. Every point tells, and we know 
no better investment than the purchase of a thoroughly good new corn 
screen, through which we frequently pass Barley twice, if it appears 
worth the labour involved in doing so, thorough screening often making 
a difference of several shillings per quarter in the price. We lay par¬ 
ticular stress upon screening Barley, but the plan answers for all corn 
that is well grown and well harvested. High-class malting Barley is 
comparatively scarce, and the best samples command special prices 
altogether above ordinary quotations. The yield per acre is low, the 
average being very little above 26 bushels per acre, and there are crops 
so poor that they will not realise anything like the expense of 
cultivation. 
METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVATIONS. 
CAMDEN SQUARE, LONDON. 
Lat. 51° 8?'40"N.; Lon a. U°R- 0" W.: Altitude 111 t«fl* 
DATE. I 9 A.M. | IN THE DAY. 
1889. 
November. 
Barome¬ 
ter at 32° 
and Sea 
Level. 
Hygrome¬ 
ter. 
Direction 
ot Wind. 
Temp, of 
soil at 
1 foot. 
Shade Tem¬ 
perature. 
Radiation 
Temperature. 
a 
aS 
tf 
Dry. j Wet. 
Max. 
Min. 
In 
sun. 
On 
grass 
Inches. 
deg. 1 deer. 
deg. 
deg. 
deg. 
deg. 
deg. 
In. 
Sinday . 
17 
30.133 
49.8 . 49 7 
N.E. 
47. * 
51 9 
49.2 
54.0 
40.0 
— 
Monday. 
18 
30.669 
48 1 1 47.0 
s. 
47.9 
5'» 3 
47.8 
54 1 
46.9 
— 
Tuesday .... 
IS) 
30 660 
44 5 41 6 
IS. 
47.6 
45 3 
440 
48.3 
43.1 
— 
Wednesday.. 
20 
3'-.663 
42.2 40.1 
N.E. 
46.4 
43 0 
41.3 
43.9 
41.2 
— 
Thursday.... 
21 
30.548 
38.9 38 0 
N.tf. 
46 9 
45.6 
37 6 
47.9 
37.8 
— 
Friday . 
22 
30.406 
45 2 44.8 
SE. 
4 4.4 
51.2 
359 
f 2.6 
cl.8 
— 
Saturday .... 
28 
30.282 
50.5 49 7 
S. 
45.4 
53.3 
44.3 
54.9 
17.3 
0.119 
30 552 
45.6 44 4 
43-6 
48.7 
42.9 
50.8 
40.3 
0.119 
REMARKS. 
17th.—Wet mict nearly all day. lsth.—High fog early, dull day. 19th—Cloudy, but dry. 
2iAb.—High fog or smoke cloud rendering gas necessary, except for a few hours at 
mid day. 
21st.—Dull at.d dark. 22nd.—Dn’l and mild. t3r.1.—Dull and mild. 
A very dull week, with high barometer, rm tll (bitty range, and scarcely a gleam of 
sun. The rain on the 23rd was the flrst since the 3rd, the fall on the 16th being merely 
the product of wet fog.—G. J, Symons. 
