302 
.JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ April 1-1,1887. 
has been passed over it; foul land has been cleaned with 
facility; and we are now in the full swing of preparation 
for the root crop. There should be no uncertainty about 
any detail of this important part of spring farm work, for 
at Michaelmas the whole of the cropping for the ensuing 
twelve months was well considered, and the area of the 
land to be devoted to each crop was definitely arranged. 
It was then decided if any alteration or addition was 
advisable, but our decision then may be modified in some 
degree now, for the long hard winter and late spring have 
taxed our resources severely, and it may be that many a 
farmer may have good reason to try and enlarge his store 
of roots for another winter. 
Mangolds were an abundant crop last year; the roots 
were large and of good quality, but we know several 
farms where the store of Mangold is almost exhausted, 
and the frequent inquiries at market for Mangolds which 
we have heard recently prove this to be the case very 
generally. Yet so abundant was the crop in the Fen 
districts that large quantities have been sold at the extra¬ 
ordinary low rate of 5s. a ton, or 10s. a ton less than 
the average price in ordinary seasons. Sown in the second 
or third week of the present month Mangolds may be 
regarded as a safe crop, provided due care is taken in the 
preparation of the soil, 3 lie best way of doing this is 
to ridge plough the land in autumn. This is done by first 
of all throwing it into ridges, which are immediately split 
by passing a double-breasted plough along through the 
middle of each ridge, throwing the soil right and left so as 
to form other ridges, and to stir up the whole of the 
surface, which is thus left fully exposed to the action of 
the weather throughout winter. By doing this we achieve 
two objects, which are the free admission of air, rain, and 
frost into the soil, and the making of furrows between the 
ridges to contain farmyard manure for the roots in 
spring. Nor would we have manure put in them before 
spxfing, no matter how great may be the temptation to 
cart out the manure in winter. We repeat here that to 
cart manure, to spread it in the furrows, and leave it 
exposed often for several weeks, is bad practice. There 
must be a serious loss of the very essence of the manure 
so exposed to the air, and the mass of humus which 
remains to be covered by the soil contains comparatively 
little nutriment. The quantity of farmyard manure to be 
used per acre is 14 tons; with this use a mixture of £ cwt. 
muriate of potash, 11 cwt. nitrate of soda, 2 cwt. steamed 
bone flour, 1 cwt. common salt, and 1 cwt. mineral super¬ 
phosphate per acre. Procure the chemical manures 
separately and mix them at the farm three or four days 
before use, then apply the mixture by scattering it along 
the furrows upon the soil and farmyard manure, and 
immediately cover by drawing a double-breasted plough 
through the ridges. Sow the seed at once while the soil 
is moist at the rate of 7 lbs. to an acre. 
Sowing on ridges gives such an additional depth of 
soil that any sort of Mangold may be sown. We have 
had excellent crops of Long Red upon poor thin soil 
under ridge culture, and we have now upwards of 100 tons 
of this sort which were grown in poor gravelly soil last 
season. But soil that is naturally poor undergoes a 
radical change when treated with chemical and farmyard 
manure in this way. Yellow Globe is the most popular 
variety among farmers in East Anglia, and under high 
culture it answers so admirably that they have ample 
reason to like it. Preference for particular sorts is, how¬ 
ever, a matter of fancy rather than of practical utility, 
and so long as due attention is given to all other im¬ 
portant points of culture, our chief care is to obtain really 
good well-harvested seed, either home-saved or from a 
reliable source. 
Speedy germination of the seed and quick growth is 
most important. If drought sets in after the sowing the 
soil may become so dry that much harm may follow, for 
if germination is induced, and there is a want of moisture 
in the soil to sustain the seedlings, they may perish out¬ 
right. In a dry season this risk is avoided by the use of 
water barrels or carts with a clever arrangement behind 
the barrel, whereby a spray of water falls upon the top of 
each ridge as the water-cart is drawn along by a horse. 
If, however, the soil continues sufficiently moist to enable 
the plants to become well established in it and to grow 
freely, it is altogether best to avoid using a water cart. 
The roots soon reach the farmyard manure among which 
they spread, and the moisture which it contains goes far 
to ensure a strong quick growth. It is for this reason 
that we continue using a certain quantity of farmyard 
manure in preference to a larger quantity of chemical 
manure. 
WORK ON THE HOME FARM. 
Easter lambs have sold 'veil at prices ranging from 40s. to 55s. apiece. 
Such (trices are exceptional, and though the transaction is not on an 
extensive scale as regards the number of lambs sold, yet it is somewhat 
pleasant to effect even one good sale amid the prevalence of low prices 
generally for farm produce. The loss of two of the strongest lambs 
puzzled us at the moment, and we were some little time in ascertaining 
the cause. The ewes have had a liberal supply of Oats with chaffed hay 
and Barley straw while folded upon Swedes. The lambs have run 
forward, and have not only cleared off the tops, but have also eaten the 
greater part of many of the roots ; they have also had Mackinder’s 
lamb food in troughs outside the folds. Now a small proportion of the 
Swedes have become rotten, the strongest lambs have eaten heartily of 
the roots, and have, of course, had most of the lamb food. In point 
of fact they have gorged themselves with food to repletion, the 
rotten roots have induced scouring, while the rich full diet has forced 
them on so fast as to affect them in a very similar manner to that of 
calves and young stock under high feeding. The shepherd declared that 
inflammation was the cause of the loss, but such a conclusion was alto¬ 
gether too vague to satisfy us, and we believe we should not be far 
wrong in terming the ailment apoplexy. The outcome of our cogitations 
was an order to discontinue using the lamb food for a few days, to 
move the flock on to the Rye, and to give a moderate quantity of crushed 
Oats mixed with bran, care being taken to see that the strongest lambs 
did not get an undue share of it. The late spring affects the price of 
hoggets as well as of bullocks. Excellent hoggets were sold at our last 
market for 35s. apiece, and very few bullocks reached so high as £20 
apiece. There is no “ keep ” upon pastures, cattle must still be kept in 
yards and hoggets in folds : this fact, combined with a pressure for 
money to pay the Lady-day rents, has forced much stock upon the 
markets, and has, consequently, tended to keep down prices. “ After all 
there is nothing like pigs,” said we, after watching the sale of some of 
our porkers for 50s. apiece at the last market. If only they can be kept 
free from disease, and be really well managed, nothing answers better, 
few things so well. We must, however, again and yet again insist upon 
the importance of cleanliness for pigs if we would avoid disease. 
METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVATIONS. 
Camden sqoahe, London. 
Lat. 51° 32' 40" N.; Ling. 0° 8' 0" W.; Altitu 1e, 111 feet. 
DA.TB. 
y a.m. 
IN THE DAY. 
Rain 
1887. 
April. 
& 3* C3_ 
pco « o> 
£ <tj 
x - x •— 
a2§ 
Hygrome¬ 
ter. 
Direction 
of Wind. 
| Temp, of 
Soil at 
1 1 foot. 
Shade Tem¬ 
perature. 
Radiation 
Temperature 
Dry. 
Wet. 
Max 
Min. 
iu 
sun. 
On 
gras- 
Inches. 
deg. 
de«. 
deg. 
deg. 
deg 
dea:. 
deg 
In. 
Sanday .... 
3 U24 
4 '.7 
4 '.0 
X.W. 
41.8 
55.9 
35 3 
92.3 
28.8 
— 
Monday .... 
20 842 
43 6 
40.6 
s. 
42 2 
563 
35.7 
04 7 
31.3 
—. 
Tnesilay .... 
2 9.58 L 
4)3 
3<7 
X. 
42.9 
43.8 
40 3 
57.7 
30.6 
0.11C 
Weinesday 
.. 6 
21* 770 
41.3 
37.6 
N.ifi. 
42.2 
45.6 
j7.0 . 
80.4 
36.2 
— 
Thursday .. 
. 7 
20 027 
43.7 
38 7 
N.E. 
41.6 
53.3 
35. C 
90.2 
31.7 
—■ 
Friday . 
30.112 
43.9 
3-U 
E. 
41.1 
54 0 
33.2 
98.6 
27.2 
— 
Saturday .. 
. 9 
30.182 
4L.4 
39.6 
N. 
41.7 
53.1 
36 7 
101.5 
30.2 
— 
20 9-7 
42.1 
39.0 
41.9 
51.7 
36.3 
87.9 
32.1 
0.116 
REMARKS 
3rd.—Wa-m, bright.and pleasant. 
■till.— Fine and generally bright. 
Jib.—Dull (lamp morning, wet afternoon, 
erh.—Overcast throughout, with strong wind. 
7th.—Bright and fin”, with cold ht.E. wind. 
8th.—Btiliiant all Jay. 
9th.—Dull and damp early,but cleared gradually,and the afle'noon ar.d ev.ntng weie 
line and bright. 
A variable week, but with little rain. Temperature about 2 J below the average, and 
the same amount below that of the preceding week.—G. J. SYMONS. 
