120 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ February 7, 1689. 
PLANTS IN POTS. 
s. 
d. 
8. 
d. 
s. 
d. 
S. 
d. 
Aralia Sieboldi, dozen .. 
6 
0 to 12 
0 
Ferns, in variety, dozen 
4 
Oto 18 
0 
Arum Lilies, per dozen .. 
12 
0 
18 
0 
Ficus elastica, each 
i 
6 
7 
0 
Arbor vltaefgoldon'i dozen 13 
0 
24 
0 
Foliage pints, var., each 
2 
0 
10 
0 
Asters, 12 pots. 
Azalea, per dc Z9n .. 
0 
0 
0 
0 
Genista, per dozen .. .. 
8 
0 
18 
0 
24 
0 
42 
0 
Hyacinths, per dc zen .. 
6 
0 
0 
9 
Begonias, various, per doz. 0 
0 
0 
0 
Hyacinths (Roman), dcz. 
9 
0 
12 
0 
Cineraria, per dozen 
9 
0 
12 
0 
Lily of the Valiev, 
Cyclamen., dezen pots .. 
9 
0 
18 
0 
doz. pot? . 
12 
0 
38 
0 
Draeienaterminalis, doz. 
30 
0 
60 
0 
Marguerite Daisy, dtzen 
6 
0 
12 
0 
Dracerre viridis, doz. .. 
12 
0 
24 
0 
Myrtles, dozen. 
6 
0 
12 
0 
Erica liyemalis, doz. 
12 
0 
24 
0 
Palms, in var., each 
Pelargoniums, scarlet, 12 
2 
6 
21 
0 
„ gracilis, doz. 
9 
0 
12 
0 
6 
0 
9 
0 
,, various, doz. 
Euonymus, var.. dozen 
8 
0 
18 
0 
Primula, per doz. 
4 
0 
6 
0 
6 
0 
18 
0 
SolanuDQS. doz .. . 
9 
0 
12 
0 
Evergreens, in var., dozen 
6 
0 
24 
0 
Tulips, doz. po*s .. .. 
6 
0 
9 
0 
SPRING CORN. 
Again has the time come round for sowing spring corn, and we 
may usefully call attention to one or two important matters in 
connection with this work. True it is that the plans of a good 
farmer are arranged for the year at Michaelmas, but it is not yet 
too late to reconsider any doubtful point in them, and if necessary 
to apply a remedy. - 
Perhaps the most important part of the work is Barley sowing, 
and every farmer would do well to inquire if the land he intends 
for Barley this year is really suitable for that crop. There has 
been far too much of line and rule work in farm cropping, and 
there can be no doubt that when a farm is kept strictly under a 
four course shift, Barley is frequently sown in soil quite unsuit¬ 
able for it. In certain seasons good Barley may be grown upon 
heavy clay land, but the risk of failure i3 so great that the venture 
Is undoubtedly a rash one. Barley to be grown in perfection 
requires an open porous soil, well drained, and with the surface 
tolerably light and quite clean. What is known to farmers as good 
mixed soil is undoubtedly the best for our purpose, and it will 
be found to yield good samples in most seasons. It must not, 
however, be forgotten that this crop is at the mercy of the weather 
more or less in all soil. Take for example last season. Nothing 
could be more promising than the appearance of the Barley crop in 
the earlier stages of growth, but unfortunately as the corn ripened 
the weather became broken, high wind with heavy rain beat down 
the corn and discoloured the grain so much that a really clean 
sample now commands an exceptionally high price, while dis¬ 
coloured samples have often to be disposed of at ruinously low 
rates. It is precisely this adverse influence of weather that imparts 
a degree of uncertainty to the culture of a crop which would other¬ 
wise be fairly profitable. 
It is generally considered that land should not be highly manured 
for Barley ; but this must not be taken as a guide for all soil, as 
there is no doubt that Barley on light land does require manure to 
enable the plant to withstand any trying alternations of weather, 
and to insure full bold grain. On stronger land manure is generally 
applied for a previous crop, and if this is well done the Barley crop 
is generally a good one, while the growth is not so rampant as to 
be easily beaten down. For all soil at all of a light nature we drill 
chemical manure with the Barley if sheep-folding beforehand 
cannot be managed, that being the most economical and thorough 
way of enriching the soil. We plough as early as possible, and care 
nothing about a fresh or a stale furrow so that we can get a fine 
tilth for the seed bed. 
The seed should be of the very best, well screened, and with no 
tail corn in it. We have reason to give preference to pure Chevalier 
Barley, yet we are free to admit the excellence of both Golden 
Grain and Golden Melon Barley, and Beardless Barley is undoubt¬ 
edly invaluable for the heaviest land, in which we dare sow Barley. 
About 10 pecks of seed per acre are sufficient—some farmers sowing 
a little less, some a little more ; but we would lay far more stress 
upon having pure, choice, clean seed, than upon any quibble as to 
quantity. It may be as well to add that 8 necks of really first-class 
seed are all that many of our best farmers use. 
Oats are imported and placed on markets at such low rates now 
that home-grown Oats are not very plentiful. Yet, under high 
culture, the crop is not unprofitable, for we can have from eighty 
to a hundred bushels of full heavy corn per acre, which invariably 
commands a much higher price than the ordinary light imported 
Oats. The straw, too, is even more valuable for feeding purposes 
than Barley straw. We always sow Oats on rich land, and many 
an headland and odl corner is turned to account for this crop, 
which may be sown as early and later than any other spring corn, 
three to four bushels of seed per acre being used. Black Tartarian 
or White Canadian are both excellent sorts. Land freshly broken 
up is generally sown with Oats. We often take a crop from land 
which has been down some time under Sainfoin, and if sheep have 
been folded upon the layer previously, a full crop generally follows. 
Where ewes and lambs are kept late in spring upon Rye, when a 
crop of Rye is not required for seed it may be ploughed and sown 
at once with Oats. 
WORK ON THE HOME FARM. 
Peas and spring Beans should now be sown as the surface becomes 
dry enough for the work. Last season the growth of both these crops 
was so rampant late in the autumn that it was only by care and skilful 
management they could be saved ; but the abundant crop has been very 
useful, and a larger area is likely to be devoted to them this year. One 
of our bailiffs, much given to follow a regular rotation or shift in 
cropping, has two fields on the farm under his care which should come in 
this year for Oats and Peas. He wished to sow the Oats on the richest 
field of the two, but vve had to insist upon the Peas being sown there, 
as the Oats would be much more likely to answer upon the poorer land, 
enriched sufficiently by the judicious application of manure. No favour¬ 
able opportunity should be lost of sowing spring corn, for should the 
weather become very unsettled it may be several weeks before the soil 
is again dry enough for sowing. Talavera Wheat and Barley should also 
be sown, and an early sowing of spring Tares forms an admirable 
succession to winter Tares. About 2 bushels an acre of Tares is sufficient 
now, both seed germination and growth being more brisk than in autumn. 
Much Wheat was sown hastily last autumn, the surface of the soil being 
left in a very rough state, and a roller or presser should be passed over 
it now as soon as possible. Rooks have been very troublesome upon 
late-sown fields of AVheat and Winter Beans, and there has been nothing 
for it but to keep boys constantly out upon the land. 
The lambing season opens in most favourable weather, with such an 
abundant supply of grass and roots that but little dry food is required. 
Every precaution has been taken against cold weather, of which we may 
yet have enough to do harm. The ewes have some chaff, a moderate 
quantity of Mangolds, and a few crushed Oats. Very little corn is 
required this season in comparison to last year, when the weather was 
so severe, and snow covered the pastures. 
Of pigs “ porkers ” and “ jointers ” are being cleared out of the 
yards now, aud the muck is thrown up into heaps in readiness for carting 
on to the land for root crops. We have a considerable number of younger 
pigs, which are kept in sties and warm lodges while there is risk of cold 
weather. 
METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVATIONS. 
CAMDEN SQUARE, LONDON. 
Lat. 51° 82' 40" N.; Long. 0° 8- 0" W.; Altitude, 111 feet. 
DATE. 
9 A.M. 
IN THE DAY. 
a 
1889. 
January and 
February. 
Barome¬ 
ter at 32® 
and Sea 
Level. 
Hygrome¬ 
ter. 
0 • 
o-d 
52 a 
So 
°. 
§82 
H 
Shade Tem¬ 
perature. 
Radiation 
Temperature. 
Dry. 
Wet. 
Max. 
Min. 
In 
BUD. 
On 
grass 
Sunday.27 
Monday. 28 
Tuesday .... 29 
Wednesday.. So 
Thursday.... 31 
Friday . 1 
Saturday .... 2 
Inches. 
30.025 
30.491 
29.955 
29 989 
29.950 
29.810 
29.719 
deg. 
34.4 
41.9 
45.7 
.'8.8 
45 2 
51.7 
37 J. 
deg. 
32 8 
41.2 
43.1 
36.8 
41.4 
5'.4 
34.1 
N.E. 
8.W. 
S.W. 
S.W. 
S.W. 
S.W. 
S.W. 
deg. 
39.3 
S7.8 
39.1 
39.0 
39.3 
41.3 
42.2 
deg. 
42.2 
499 
48.4 
47.2 
53.1 
56.1 
43.5 
deg. 
32 6 
33.4 
419 
32.5 
38.5 
45.7 
85.5 
deg. 
58.9 
64.1 
49 7 
52.1 
64 9 
61.3 
78.2 
deg. 
25.0 
24 6 
37.6 
26.3 
339 
44.3 
30.0 
In. 
0.020 
0.112 
0.061 
0.‘ 28 
0.015 
0.*rJ7 
342)77 
42 1 
40.4 | 
39.7 
48.6 
37.2 
61.3 
31.7 
0.308 
REMARKS. 
27th.—Brilliant morning:, fine but hazy i fr.ernoon and evening:. 
28ih.—Dull early; fine clay with a good deal of tuushine, but a few spots of rain at 
midday. 
29th.—Dull, with frequent rain. 
3. th.—Dull, damp, aud rainy. 
Slat.—Fme morning, with some sunshine; showers in afternoon. 
1st.—Mild and dull. 
2 nd.—Almo t cloudless morning, frequently clou iy in afternoon, rain and snow in 
evening; lightning at 8.15 p.m. 
Warmer, with bright sunshine occasionally; but frequently dull, with snow at 
of wtek.—G. J. SYMONS. 
