282 
[ Apiil 7,1887. 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE 
AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
but when “ winter lingers in the lap of spring,” as it has 
done this year, bringing us frosty nights late in March 
of a severity unrivalled by any we had in the depth of 
winter, and April comes in with a heavy snowstorm, 
ordinary plans and calculations are bound to be upset, 
and many a farmer finds himself at a loss where to turn for 
sustenance for his flocks and herds. It is precisely at 
such a time as this that the full value and importance of 
prudential cropping in conjunction with high farming is 
realised. Happy indeed is he whose pastures are fresh 
and green with upsprmging growth, whose Rye is ready 
for cows as well as ewes and lambs, whose store of roots 
and fodder is still so bountiful that all the live stock may 
be kept upon a full and liberal dietary. No better proof 
could we want or have than this of prudential cropping, 
of well-considered purpose and plan, resulting in action 
having a much greater degree of certainty than usual. 
To be more particular, we may explain that by pru¬ 
dential cropping we mean a system which provides for 
emergencies, and takes fully into account the risks of un¬ 
kindly seasons, of long periods of drought and heat in 
summer, of frost and snow in winter and spring. Under 
such a system we are not content with just enough of any 
crop, but we require a surplus of such a kind as need not 
be wasted, but which can always eventually be turned to 
good account for some useful purpose or other. Take for 
example winter Tares : the crop is a good one, and may 
prove sufficient for our requirements ; but then it may not, 
and in order to make sure, one or a succession of sowings 
of spring Tares will be made. To them we can turn at 
midsummer for sheep folding, or later still for a supply of 
fresh succulent green food for cows, when pasture may be 
parched and brown by drought. Then, too, a surplus 
both of winter and spring Tares may either be harvested 
for seed or turned to account for silage, and it should not 
be forgotten that a surplus green crop may be turned to 
excellent account by ploughing it into the soil, which it 
stores with fertility for another crop. Certainly the 
ploughing in of green crops for manure is highly worthy 
of mention here, for it holds a leading place in our system 
of prudential cropping. For land that is foul and poor 
there can be no better treatment than ploughing, harrow¬ 
ing, rolling, and repeated stirrings till it is fairly clean 
now, followed by the immediate sow ng of 20 lbs an acre 
of White Mustard, to be ploughed in when the seed pods 
are well developed and yet are still green. A second crop 
may be ventured upon if the weather is favourable to seed 
germination and free strong growth, but in a hot dry 
summer it does not answer. 
Perennial Rye Grass is another crop requiring attention 
now. A few hours before sitting down to write this article 
we were walking across a field of it which was sown about 
a year ago, and which was in so flourishing a condition 
that the bailiff suggested turning it to immediate account 
for sheep folding. This, however, was a mistake, as the 
Rye comes first, and then the Rye Grass forms an admir¬ 
able connecting link between it and winter Tares. If not 
wanted for grazing Rye Grass makes excellent hay, and it 
affords a stout second crop for either purpose. It also 
enters largely into our mixture of Grasses and Clovers for 
two or three year layers, but it requires generous treat¬ 
ment or the fertility of the soil soon becomes exhausted 
under it. We make particular mention of it here, for 
though we condemn its use in permanent pasture, yet, 
rightly used, it is one of our most valuable forage plants, 
yielding under good cultivation a bulk per acre much 
heavier than that aff Tiled by meadow glass. 
To have a really vigorous early growth of the crops we 
have mentioned in such a late spring as the present one, 
the soil must be well drained and rich in fertility. With¬ 
out this we cannot induce earliness and vigorous growth; 
with it we may reckon upon both those desirable advan¬ 
tages. That this simple truism is not understood by 
farmers generally we have abundant proof now in brown 
bare pastures, in Rye weak and stunted in growth. Loud 
is the outcry about the scarcity of food and the lateness 
of spring, but we fear little attention is given to making 
such provision for the future as shall prevent a recurrence 
of difficulties 1 or which blame is laid altogether upon the 
weather. Earnestly do we hope that our readers will 
strive to show how by improved practice much may be 
done to mitigate the evils of a late spring, and how by the 
prudent exercise of a due amount of foresight neither 
suffering nor loss may arise from it. 
WORK ON THE HOME FARM. 
March winds hindered the distribution of chemical manures on land 
sown with spring corn, but advantage has been taken of every 
favourable turn of weather for this work. On the whole we have 
reason to feel satisfied, for the weather has been showery as well as 
windy, and the manures have been dissolved and washed into the soil, 
which is now stored with fertility in readiness for the corn. In a wet 
season there is so much risk of manure sinking too low in the soil that 
we prefer applying it as a top-dressing after, and not before the corn is 
sown. Barley sowing is now over, and the plant from early sowing is 
now well up. Wheat looks well generally, especially on heavy land 
farms. Winter Oats, too, are full of promise, though somewhat stunted 
in growth. Exceptionally dry weather induced many farmers to roll 
winter corn a month ago. Where this was done on land in bleak open 
situations the plant has suffered from the abnormal severity of the 
weather in March. Far better is it to leave the surface unrolled till 
April in order that some shelter may be afforded to the corn. The 
sowing for Clover, Lucerne, Sainfoin, Trifolium, mixed layers, and 
permanent pasture should now be done. We intend sowing a field of 
Lucerne near a farm homestead specially for a supply of green food for 
the horses. The rows will be far enough apart to admit a horse hoe, as 
the Lucerne is intended to remain upon this field for several years. 
Sainfoin sown last spring is n»w a good plant, and it will probably 
answer well if left over for another year. We have some of this useful 
fodder plant on the home farm, and we have provided seed for a fair 
proportion of it upon two of our off farms. Under high culture it 
answers well for two or three consecutive years, but we do not hold 
with leaving it so long that much of the Trifolium plant dies and the 
land becomes infested with weeds. Well will it be now to consider 
carefully how much land can with advantage be sown for two or three 
year layers, not simply to provide fodder for home consumption, but for 
sale. If onl j a farm be within reasonable distance of a good market, 
there is every reason for growing large quantities of fodder. A shilling 
a rod can always be had for the first crop of green fodder on farms 
within a mile or two of a town, the buyer doing the mowing and carting. 
As this crop is cleared the prompt application of manure easily soluble, 
so that it will act quickly, brings on a second growth of equal vigour 
and abundance. The best manure of all for this special purpose is 
sewage or other liquid manure applied by means of a water cart with a 
spreader behind similar to that in use for watering roads in towns. 
METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVATIONS. 
Camden Square, London. 
Lat. 51° 32' 40" N.; Ling. 0° 8' 0" W.; Altitu le, 111 faet. 
DATE. 
y A.M. 
IN THK DAY 
Hygrome- 
a . 
Shade Tern- 
Radiation 
a 
1887. 
gw3Q > 
ter. 
^ d 
o — 
ci.^ £ 
perature. 
Temperai-ur* 
X 
March and April. 
gS ~ pi'- 1 
In 
Oa 
Dry. 
Wet. 
Co 
Max 
Min. 
sun 
gra* 
Inches 
deg 
deg. 
deg. 
deg. 
d«*g 
deg 
dea 
In. 
Sunday .... 
.27 
29 940 
47.8 
43.2 
s.w. 
40.0 
57.5 
44.1 
99.1 
39.0 
0.010 
Monday .... 
8-MIG 
469 
42.0 
N.W. 
40 7 
57 3 
38.2 
95 2 
32.3 
— 
Tuesday .... 
V» 
30.3.53 
41 9 
39.3 
X. 
412 
561 
40.2 
92.1 
33 1 
— 
Wednesday 
3» 
30.31'5 
4 > 8 
44 2 
N. 
41.7 
53.4 
40.0 
80 6 
351 
— 
Tbnrsday .. 
31 
30.1 >58 
45.3 
42 9 
S.w. 
41.9 
53.1 
35 8 
73 2 
31.1 
0317 
Frmay . 
.. 1 
29 59.J 
33.5 
33.5 
X. 
41.8 
478 
32.7 
94.1 
31 9 
0.193 
Saturday .. 
.. 2 
29 913 
42 3 
39.0 
s.w 
41.2 
53.3 
32.8 
97.1 
268 
30.069 
43.5 
41.0 
41 2 
54.1 
37 8 
90.6 
32.8 
0.425 
REMARKS. 
87th.—Wet early, clondy morning, bright sunshine with slight sho ers in afternoon. 
28th.—I.ore 1 v morning, cloudy afternoon with spots of ruin. 
2 Ith —Bright and fine. 
30th.—Fine with some sunshine. 
3Ist —( loudv, with glimpses oi sun ; showery after 4 P.M. 
1st.—Ra n insiuali hours and heavy wet snow from before 8 A M. to about 10 A. M, wet 
morning, showery afternoon witli glimpses of sun, gusty all <1 y. 
2nd.—Fine and bright. 
With the exception of Friday morning, which was very wintry, a week of pleasant 
spring weather Ternneratnre about the average, and nearly 4° above that of the pre¬ 
ceding week.-G. J. SYMONS, 
