410 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
L May 16, 1889. 
manager for a wife. If she is not one at the outset let her not be 
discouraged, for she will improve if she “ sets her mind to it,’ as 
Mrs. Poj ser would say. Neither of two of the best dairy managers 
we know began life in a farmhouse, nor did they see anything of 
farmhouse work till they were married. Both are accomplished, 
highly educated ladies, and both make good butter, not by any means 
in dilettante fashion, for both have several cows, and one turns out 
some 150 lbs. of excellent butter every Tuesday morning by the 
help of two maids and a man to churn, her superintendence being 
by no means that of a mere onlooker, for she takes the lead in the 
work. That after all is the key to success in farming—active 
■personal superintendence, the master’s hand and eye in constant 
touch with every part of his business. 
No rule can be laid down as to the number of any class of 
animals to be kept on a farm, but it should be a strict rule with 
every farmer never to overstock his farm, but always to keep the 
number well within bounds. Many half-fed animals can never 
prove so profitable as a few good ones always kept well up in con¬ 
dition and sold as soon as it is seen they can gain no more profit¬ 
able improvement on the farm. One of the largest breeders of pigs 
we know always sells them when they become worth £1 or a few 
■shillings more, and says he finds the plan very profitable ; but then 
he keeps some forty sows, and if we take the average number of 
pigs which a sow rears yearly at twenty we have a total of 800 pigs 
■as the annual output of this farm. These figures are reliable, for 
the average is a low one, and we may add the important fact that 
this farmer is a successful prosperous man, his other practice being 
•equally sensible and well managed. Of course, we do not in¬ 
tend to imply that pigs sold at £1 are the most profitable. Perhaps 
•some of the most profitable pigs we ever had were some 
M Londoners ” sold a week or two ago at 36s. each, and we have 
occasionally a batch of a larger size which realise an average price 
of £3. All this is entirely a question of supply and demand, of 
ways and means ; only especial care is taken to avoid heavy bills 
for purchased food. No matter how great the merit of special 
■cattle food of any sort, it is bad practice for a farmer to purchase 
that which his land ought to produce. Such expenditure is only 
justifiable when home-grown corn is worth more than imported 
food of equal quality. 
Of sheep there ought always to be a certain number in propor¬ 
tion to the size and convenience of the farm. The mention of 
•sheep to a beginner may call up visions of extensive pasture, but 
we Can assure him much pasture is by no means essential for sheep. 
In the great corn-growing district of East Anglia every farm that 
is a good going concern has its flock, which even when prices were 
at the lowest proved the farmer’s unfailing resource upon emergen¬ 
cies. Only one thing had to be guarded against, which was never to 
part with sound ewes, and whenever a man has had to do so it 
almost invariably proved that he was on the verge of bankruptcy. 
WORK ON THE HOME FARM. 
The change to warmer weather has induced such free growth that 
“Wheat is now practically out of hand till harvest. We cannot antici¬ 
pate results from this crop with renewed hopes of any improvement in 
price, for Wheat is now selling at such low rates that there is much 
•complaining on the markets. The best samples of White Wheat shown 
at recent local markets only realised 30s. per quarter, and much Red 
Wheat was sold for 2s. less money. The position of the farmer whose 
land is almost entirely under the plough is not an enviable one. For 
farmers having a large proportion of their holdings in pasture the out¬ 
look just now is much brighter, the prices for sheep and cattle being 
alike good. There is, however, a slight reaction in the price of cattle, 
and bearing in mind the probable speedy increase in importations, 
which high prices will certainly induce, it would be unwise to add to 
the number of cattle very much. It is more than doubtful if the high 
prices now given for store cattle can afford a possible margin of profit 
upon them later on. No doubt home-reared stock will answer well this 
year, and a recent inspection of several herds at grazing farms in the 
midlands has enabled us to see that such stock is plentiful and in ex¬ 
cellent condition generally. 
So far the weather has been seasonable and favourable to all farm 
work and crops. Spring corn is a full plant nicely forward ; the sowing 
•of small seeds is ended ; harrowing-in of such seeds has destroyed much 
Charlock, and tended materially to lessen the usual outlay for corn 
hoeing. A day or two after the harrows were used the rollers followed, 
and any of the plants loosened by the harrowing was well settled in 
the soil again. Grass laid in for hay has a vigorous flourishing appear¬ 
ance, there is fair promise of an abundant hay crop, and feed for sheep 
and cattle is plentiful enough. The ewes and lambs are now in folds on 
Sainfoin, and are in excellent condition. Winter Tares are so forward 
in growth that they will be ready for use in the course of another week 
or two if requiied. With such an abundance of herbage we may be 
able to hold some of the Tares in reserve for seed, which is always 
worth doing both for home use and for sale, as we have always found a 
full crop of seed Tares answer well when well harvested. Winter Oats 
and Beans sown together on rich land have a very promising appearance. 
This mixed crop is more liked in the midland than the eastern counties. 
AVhen grown for home consumption it is certain a very useful and pro¬ 
fitable crop. 
OUR LETTER BOX. 
Floors for Cow Houses—Cream Separators (M. G. M .).— 
The very best floors for cow houses iare made with 9 inches of concrete 
faced with Portland cement. These floors, if really well made, are 
preferable to all others both for economy and durability. It is impor¬ 
tant to have lime for the concrete quite fresh from the kiln ; the cement 
should also be used at once when brought from the cement works, and 
be guaged under careful supervision. Earth floors are of course not to 
be compared with those of cement, bricks, asphalt, or other hard sub¬ 
stance ; but if well rammed at first, and well kept subsequently, they 
answer fairly well. We do not recommend a cream separator for so 
small a dairy as yours, and we are supported in this opinion by the 
decision of some of the highest authorities, given after the Newport 
trials of various systems last summer. Shallow milk pans and careful 
skimming of the cream is all that is necessary for a dairy of three cows. 
If you have only sufficient dairy space to admit of milk being kept over 
for a second skimming you need fear no loss of cream. 
Farm. Stock ( Young Gardener ').—You will find the latest advance 
in cow-feeding at milking time in our last, week’s article, and we shall 
probably treat somewhat fully upon calf-weaning shortly. Meanwhile, 
we say do not rear the twin calf, but sell it at once, or as soon as it is 
foward enough for local requirements. It may be taken as a rule that 
each cow requires an acre of tolerably rich pasture for grazing. Your 
cows may require more or rather less according to the condition of your 
pasture, but seven cows and a horse will not leave much for sheep 
upon the 9-acre field, and you will find that taking the aftermath of 
the 7 acres into account you will not manage more than four cows with 
their young stock, and about a score of ewes with the grazing for their 
lambs till they are sold. In this very favourable spring grass is 
abundant, but if you stock too heavily now you may find yourself 
straitened for food a couple of months hence. Not knowing the con¬ 
dition of your pasture we cannot speak more exactly. Fairly good 
local pigs are to be had everywhere, and if you can obtain a sow or two 
with stout compact bodies, and cross them with the best boar of medium 
size you can find, you will have done a 1 you can locally. But if your 
employer cares for a choice select breed there are three- for choice— 
the Tamworth, middle Yorkshire, and Berkshire, all alike excellent and 
worthy of a trial. The Tamworth are red, the Berkshires black, and 
the Yorkshire white. For poultry you cannot do better than procure 
some choice dorkings, either white or coloured, and remember that a 
supply of eggs in winter is much valued. To ensure this select young 
birds from broods hatched the first and last week in May. You might 
purchase a few such pullets this year, and raise your own stock another 
year, taking care to do this annually, as well as keeping enough hens 
over for the ordinary supply. Small round old whole Maize is good for 
poultry, and ground oats mixed slightly with water are very nourishing. 
Feeding twice a day may suffice now, but three times a day is necessary 
in autumn, winter, and early spring. Young chickens require food 
early and late, and at frequent intervals during the day. 
METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVATIONS. 
CAMDEN SQUARE, LONDON. 
Lat. 51° 83' 40" N.; Long. 0° 8' 0" W.; Altitude, 111 feet. 
DATE. 
9 A.M. 
IN THE DAY. 
Hygrome- 
fl . 
Shade Tem- 
Radiation 
1889. 
a ”ao © 
o ^ ^ 
ter. 
X3 a 
Sr? 8 
perature* 
Temperature 
5 
May. 
a o«~ 
In 
On 
03 
Dry. 
Wet. 
So 
H 
Max. 
Min. 
sun. 
grass 
Inches. 
deg. 
deg. 
deg. 
deg. 
deg. 
deg. 
deg. 
In* 
Sunday . 
5 
29.867 
65.4 
58.8 
N. 
50.0 
73.3 
50.3 
lll.l 
45.9 
— 
Monday. 
6 
29.813 
62.4 
57.0 
N. 
51.4 
76.4 
49.2 
117.8 
44.9 
_ 
Tuesday .... 
7 
29.810 
63.9 
59.1 
8. 
53 9 
65.7 
52 1 
102.0 
49.0 
— 
Wednesday.. 
8 
29.876 
50.4 
500 
s.w. 
53.8 
65.6 
50.2 
108.4 
50.5 
— 
Thursday.... 
9 
29.735 
64.8 
57.9 
S.E. 
53.9 
71.1 
49.4 
106.9 
43.9 
0.010 
Friday . 
10 
29.769 
51.9 
50.0 
s.w. 
54 2 
G1.8 
50.0 
950 
50.5 
0.334 
Saturday .... 
11 
29.7 e5 
52.7 
49.5 
N. 
53.7 
54.7 
50.0 
66.8 
43.5 
0.555 
29.809 
59.6 
54.6 
52.9 
66.9 
50.2 
101.0 
47.6 
0.899 
REMARKS. 
5th.—Bright and warm, but? rather opnressive in the afternoon. Distant thunder and 
spots of rain between 4 and 5 p.M. 
6th.—Bright and warm. 
7th.—Fine and pleasant, but frequently cloudy, and much cooler. 
8th.—Fine and pleasant, but not much bright sunshine till afternoon, 
yth.—Warmer and frequently cloudy, but at times bright: thunder at 4.35 p.M., followed 
by a heavy shower from 4.40 to 4.60; fair again after. 
10th.—W, t till 10 a M., then generally fine and bright. 
11th.—Dull and cool; ruin off and on all day. 
Avery variable week, the first two days being quite hot and summerlike, and the list 
day not warmer than, and yet the total range of the barometer has been less than a fifth 
of an inch.—G. J. SYMONS. 
