470 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ J une 0, 1S8P. 
In this particular matter we may feel hopeful about the future, 
since ladies are turning attention to the dairy and are becoming as 
proficient in making butter as in any other accomplishment. At a 
recent butter-making competition at the Eastern Counties Dairy 
Institute at Akenham the first prize was taken by Mis3 "Brown, 
daughter of the rector of Witnesham, and the second by Emma 
Baker, a dairymaid from Great Bealings, while two farmer’s 
daughters were an equal third. The Rev. F. D. Brown said his 
daughter did not study dairying to displace anyone else, but rather 
to encourage others, and make them feel that it was work of which 
they need not be ashamed. Well done ! the parson and his 
daughter, say we, they are certainly in the right place, and we 
agree with the worthy Secretary that it was a pleasing sight to see 
the “ parson’s daughter ” come there and beat farmer’s daughters 
and dairymaids. Such general excellence was shown by the com¬ 
petitors that the Judge had some difficulty in making his awards, 
and he said subsequently that he did not think there was any 
doubt about our being able to win back the butter trade from 
foreigners with such dairymaids. Here is the scale of points used 
by the Judge. 
Preparation of churn. 
Temperature of cream and rise in thermometer 
Yentilation of churn ... 
Judgment and skill in churning . 
Use of strainer... 
Washing butter in churn 
Preparation and use of worker . 
Salting. . 
Making up 
General neatness 
Flavour. 
Colour ... 
Texture and freedom from moisture 
Cleaning up utensils. 
Time . 
Points. 
6 
10 
4 
10 
2 
6 
6 
4 
10 
5 
8 
8 
10 
6 
5 
Total .100 
Turning from dairy produce to corn, we note the serious fact 
that last year the annual imperial average price of Wheat declined 
Sd. a quai’ter from 1887, and the probability of an abundant Wheat 
crop this year tends to show once more that we must look to a full 
crop of high quality for any profit rather'than indulge in vain 
hopes for better prices. We hear much about the abnormal 
advantage which the rate of exchange gives the Hindoo ryot over 
the British farmer, yet the returns given of the quantities imported 
show British Indian exports to us to be so much below both the 
United States and Russia that we much question if an alteration 
in the value of the rupee can ever materially affect the condition of 
farmers in this country. Very brief indeed was the time last year 
when Wheat was sold at the maximum price of 38s. Id. per 
quarter. It had risen steadily in price in J uly and August to the 
middle of September, when it fell suddenly from 6s. to 7s., and 
was in such low condition that there was a very general resolution 
to hold over till spring for a better quality and higher price. The 
result has been disastrous, very little Wheat indeed having realised 
more than 30s. this spring ; and in May the Wheat trade was in so 
deplorable a state of stagnation that it became difficult to effect a 
sale at all. 
Of the articles in this issue of the Royal” Journal, we have 
aheady called special attention to that by Sir J. B. Eawes on 
“ Permanent Pasture.” The second article is by Mr. W. Carruthers 
on “Some Grass Experiments at Woburn,” in which Italian, 
Annual, and Perennial Rye Grass, with Foxtail, Cocksfoot, Meadow 
Fescue, TallFeseue, and Timothy are under trial in separate plots, 
the aim being to obtain a clear understanding of the relative value 
of each sort of Grass. The experiments also embrace mixed Grasses 
and Clovers for permanent pasture, thick and thin seeding, and the 
correct quantity of seed of each sort of Grass and Clover. The 
importance of this is explained by the fact that a pound of White 
Clover seed will produce three times as many plants as the same 
weight of Red Clover seed, and a pound of rough-stalked Meadow 
Grass seed should give as many plants as b lbs. of Cocksfoot or 
7 lbs. of Meadow Fescue. 
In an interesting paper on “ Fifty Years of Fruit Farming ” 
Mr. Whitehead tells of steady advance in modes of cultivation and 
details of management, and he says that “ the invasion of foreign 
fruit need not at present fill home producers with dismay, consider¬ 
ing the dense and increasing population of this country, and the 
extraordinary growth of the taste of the multitude for fruit and 
jam.” A useful hint is also given as to the need of more care in 
the selection of sorts of Apples for planting. With this we entirely 
agree, for it is the exception and not the rule to see well-grown 
fruit of really choice sorts offered for sale. In our uncertain 
climate we cannot always obtain such high-coloured fruit as that 
sent from America, but we may do much even in that direction. 
Our home-grown Fearn’s Pippin, Duchess of Oldenburg, Cpurt 
Pendit Plat, Court of Wick, Cellini, Blenheim Pippin, Api, and 
Worcester Pearmain are all highly coloured handsome fruits, but it 
cannot be said that these and others of our best sorts of Apples 
are either known or cultivated as they ought to be. 
WORK ON THE HOME FARM. 
Growth has been so highly favoured by weather that the progress 
of all crops has continued unchecked. Mangolds are singled on some 
farms, and the horse hoe has been used between the rows twice with 
such good effect that we may now rest assured of a full crop and clean 
land. As the early sown Swedes appeared the weather was so hot and 
dry that the plant was at once attacked by fly. A few timely showers of 
rain, however, soon set matters right, and the plant will now soon be 
out of danger. Ploughing for late Turnips has been done, and fallows 
have all been cross ploughed. With the exceptionally full hay crop 
there can be no good reason for delay in haymaking this year. The 
grass should be mown when in flower, and not when in seed. In order 
to manage this on extensive pasture the mowing should begin as the 
grass comes into bloom, so that the last mown hay may not have passed 
out of flower. The time required for the mowing is easily calculated. 
With free stepping horses and a good Hornsby mower a man can mow 
ten acres daily, if the mower is in good order. To ensure this it is our 
invariable rule to have the mower closely examined, and all loose joints 
or worn sockets or bearings set right. This is to be regarded as an in¬ 
dispensable annual requirement, for if it is not done there will most 
likely be a stoppage in the midst of the haymaking. 
Those who have not yet tried making silage should by all means 
try at least one stack. It is no light matter in these times to be able to 
provide a winter supply of wholesome fodder at so low a cost, and to 
have it in our power to dispense altogether with root crops. The 
beginning and end of successful ensilage is pressure applied promptly 
and continuously to the exclusion of air. Nothing can be more simple, 
nothing more sure. The grass or other green crops may be cut and 
stacked without having regard to its being damp or dry; no special 
skill is required ; cut it, cart it, stack it, apply the pressure, and the work 
is done. 
Very much of the first crop of Clover has been folded by sheep, our 
object being to obtain a strong early second growth for seed, which by 
this plan is generally assured. It did not answer last year, owing to 
the cold wet weather, but then last summer was altogether an ex¬ 
ceptional one. Many farmers value Clover hay or stover too highly 
to consume the first growth with sheep. Last year much good Clover 
hay could not be made, and where sheep folding was done and the land 
ploughed for Wheat, the Wheat plant is now very robust. 
METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVATIONS, 
CAMDEN SQUARE, LONDON. 
Lat. 51° 33-40" N.; Lon*. 0° 8- 0" W.: Altitude. Ill feat. 
DATE. 
9 A.M. 
IN THE DAY. 
Hydrome- 
d j 
*o • 
Shade Tern- 
Radiation 
fl 
1889. 
ter. 
V d 
or 
perature. 
Temperature 
flC 
« 
M>iv and June. 
In 
O n 
Dry. 
Wet. 
Q o 
H - 
Max. 
Min. 
sun. 
grass 
Inches. 
ded- 
ded. 
ded. 
ded- 
ded. 
ded. 
ded. 
In. 
Sunday . 
29.606 
51.6 
53.8 
N.E. 
59.0 
59.2 
52.4 
77.5 
54.1 
1.089 
Monday. 
27 
29.731 
52.1 
51.7 
N. 
57.1 
59.8 
51.3 
76.6 
51.2 
0.204 
Tuesday ... 
28 
29.690 
56.3 
52.1 
S.W. 
56.1 
64.3 
51.4 
112.9 
51.6 
0.099 
Wednesday. 
29 
29.712 
54.7 
52.2 
w. 
55 9 
64.6 
50.2 
114.8 
46.2 
0.029 
Thursday... 
30 
29.870 
56.4 
517 
S.W. 
55 3 
G2.8 
46.9 
111.9 
42.4 
— 
Friday . 
31 
29.869 
56 9 
51.6 
S.W. 
55.2 
67.2 
48.3 
115.9 
43.4 
— 
Saturday ... 
1 
29 982 
61.9 
5.5.2 
E. 
56.0 
73.7 
4 ».9 
121.3 
39.6 
— 
29.789 
56.1 
52.6 
j 56.4 
645 
49.6 
104.4 
46 9 
1.403 
REMARKS. 
26 tli.-Pull, damp morning, wet afternoon and evening, continuous heavy rain at night. 
27ih.—Continuous heavy raiii from 0 A.M. to 11 A M., then dull and damp. 
28 th.—Fine day, with occasional sunshine, wet evening. 
29ih.—Frequent slight showers, and occasional sunshine in morning; fine afternoon and 
evening. 
80th.—Showery from 7 30 A M. to 9.30 A.M, otherwise generally bright and fine. 
3l8t.—l ine and bright. 
The first half of tlie week was wet and cool, the latter half fine and pleasant. Tempe¬ 
rature about the average, but nearlv six degrees below that of the preceding week,— 
G. J. SYMONS. 
