S24 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ A; ril SI, 188?. 
country is more favourable to such crops than elsewhere, 
yet if “ Severn-side ” farmers or those in the south-west 
were questioned, it is more than probable that they would 
have a doleful tale to tell of many a hay crop spoilt by 
untimely showers—aye, and many a orn crop too, of 
which so mnch of the grain had sprouted in field-ricks 
that an inferior sample and low price was unavoidable. 
In the great corn growing districts of the eastern counties 
so little attention has hitherto been given to fodder crops 
that with the exception of red and white Clover and 
Sainfoin layers, very little land has been devoted to this 
important branch of farming. It is true enough that a 
grass meadow or two may be found upon most farms, but 
a glance at them, especially at this season of the year, 
tells the experienced eye that no systematic culture has 
been brought to bear upon them, and that apart from the 
manuring by cattle or sheep which may have been grazed 
upon them, no annual dressing of manure has been 
applied. Nor is the general faulty practice confined to 
this want of manure, equally bad if not worse is the foul 
condition of pasture. 'J histles, Nettles, Rushes, Sedges, 
Ononis, Brambles, Docks, frequently infest the pasture so 
badly as to cause a serious deterioration in the quality of 
the hay. 
Now we may premise that pasture is as worthy of 
systematic culture as arable land simply because it is as 
profitable. This is, to say the least, so much within 
bounds having regard to the very low price of corn now, 
that we may go farther and assert that it is more pro¬ 
fitable than corn. Let us particularise a little. Experi¬ 
ence has shown that under high culture a crop of at least 
3 tons of hay per acre may be had, which at £4 a ton 
gives a return of £12 an acre. 'J hat this sum is well 
within bounds will be owned when we point to recent 
quotations for best meadow hay of from £4 8s. to £4 15s., 
and we may remind our readers that in seasons of scarcity 
we have realised .£7 per ton for meadow hay. It is true 
that we have now to contend with importations of hay, 
especially in the metropolitan markets, but the very fact 
of hay being imported should act as an incentive to in¬ 
creased home production, for hay even when compressed 
is so bulky that the cost of carriage must prove a serious 
matter to foreign producers. 
In a comparison of prices of hay with corn it must not 
be forgotten that the cost of grass farming is infinitely 
below that of corn. Take, for example, an old pasture 
foul with weeds and poverty stricken. It may be that 
drainage may be necessary as a preliminary step to im¬ 
provement, but then if this be well done the cost may be 
spread over so many years that it sinks to a minimum. 
Of foul growth, Thistles, Nettles, Docks, Brambles, and 
Ononis, better known perhaps by its popular name of 
Rest-harrow, must be eradicated. Rushes and coarse 
herbage soon disappear after efficient drainage. As an 
example of this we may mention a peat bog which we had 
drained several years ago. Before the draining the 
common Kush (Juncus conglomerates) and coarse grasses 
rendered the bog practically worthless; afterwards the 
Rushes and coarse herbage disappeared and were replaced 
by sweet wholesome herbage, of which both sheep and 
cattle were very fond. Or to take another example. We 
once ran a wire fence through a poor foul pasture, half 
being taken for hay and half being left for grazing. The 
hay pasture was drained, cleaned, and dressed annually 
with manure; the other had to be left to take its chance 
under the grazing of cows and sheep. The superior con¬ 
dition of the cultivated portion of the pasture was so re¬ 
markable that we, as a matter of duty, called the owner’s 
attention to it, yet strange to say we were unable to in¬ 
duce him to do more for the other part than to fold sheep 
upon some part of it in winter. 
Sheep folding is unquestionably an economical and 
sure way of imparting fertility to pasture, but to be 
efficient it must be done annually. Simply grazing with 
sheep without folds will not answer; there must be 
systematic folding, using small folds and keeping the 
sheep in each fold for twenty-four hours. When sheep 
are not so used we apply our annual dressing in February 
of nitrogen, potash, and phosphorus in the form of home- 
mixed chemical manures in quantities and sorts as we 
have so frequently enumerated. Nothing can be more 
simple, nothing more sure. We are free to acknowledge 
that to procure and mix chemical manures involves much 
time and care, but then the reward is fully proportionate,, 
and the simple fact of being assured that we are using a. 
genuine article is of itself highly satisfactory. 
WORK ON THE HOME FARM. 
Since writing our last note we have had many long journeys by road 
and rail, and have seen more Couch Grass fires burning than we ever 
saw before in a week. Never was there a more favourable winter and 
spring for cleaning foul land, and glad are we to see full advantage, 
taken of such an opportunity. We saw one field in particular where 
Couch roots were so abundant that men were collecting them into rows- 
with rakes, just as is done with hay. What a loss of fertility is involved, 
by letting land become so foul ! Wherever Charlock was visible among 
corn harrows have been used to destroy as much of it as possible before 
sowing Clover and other seeds for layers. The Mangold sowing is over- 
on many farms, and with the seed in the land we shall now eagerly 
welcome rain and warm weather. We like to get the hoeing and 
singling of the Mangolds out of hand before the haymaking begins, for 
if it is not so managed the Mangolds must often be left till the bulk of 
the hay crop is got together, and then the field may have become a 
thicket of weeds mingled with the Mangolds, which are thus robbed of 
much of the food with which we have been at the expense and pains of 
providing for them. Winter Tares are a good and vigorous plant, but 
rowth has been so slow that we are doubtful if this crop will be ready 
for the sheep when the Rye is done. Our Rye Grass will be required to- 
finish our fattening sheep for market, and we shall probably fold the 
ewes and lambs upon a field of Sainfoin, which is more forward in¬ 
growth than the Tares. It was with regret that we saw a flock of sheep- 
upon a Clover layer in Cambridgeshire recently, for the Clover was not 
forward enough in growth to afford much food. With an early strong- 
growth of Clover folding \yith sheep answers well if the second growth 
is intended for seed, as we are then able to harvest the seed before, 
autumnal rain sets in. We have no doubt that many a farmer is at a 
loss for green food for the flock, owing to the adverse influence of the. 
late cold spring. The lesson is a severe one. Well indeed will it be 
if it induce more general attention now to making due provision for 
another season. Poor pasture is almost bare of growth, but fertile pas¬ 
ture has a nice forward growth notwithstanding the cold weather, and 
it is most useful for the flock. Dairy cows have not been out upon it 
yet, as they get enough Rye to impart freshness to the milk and colour 
and flavour to the butter. 
METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVATIONS. 
Camden Square, London. 
Lat.51°32' 40" N.; Long. 0° 8-0" W.; Altitude, 111 feet. 
DATE. 
» A.M. 
IN THE Day. 
4 e* e®_, 
Hygrome- 
a . 
Shade Tern- 
Radiation 
P 
1887. 
ter. 
To d 
gr* 
O 
peratnre. 
Temperature 
pv 
April. 
& a “■* 
£S 
In 
Oq 
Dry. 
Wet. 
Q o 
Max 
Min. 
enn. 
gras- 
Inches. 
deg. 
dea:. 
dear. 
dear. 
detr 
deg 
dee 
In. 
Sunday .... 
31.248 
40 3 
38.1 
N.F. 
42.2 
53.4 
33.2 
84 6 
3-L3 
— 
Monday .... 
30.131 
43.7 
42.0 
N. 
41.9 
60.7 
33.6 
103.0 
29.3 
— 
Tuesday .... 
30 027 
43.9 
42.3 
N. 
43.1 
66 3 
30 2 
1027 
$3.0 
— 
Wednesday 
. 13 
30.094 
4 *.l 
38.6 
N.E. 
44.2 
47.6 
37 9 
6i.4 
37.1 
— 
Thursday .. 
14 
80.249 
38.8 
&5.8 
N. 
43 2 
46 8 
32.2 
97.2 
27.4 
— 
Friday . 
30.449 
40.7 
37.2 
N. 
42.3 
53.1 
30.6 
98.3 
25.3 
— 
Saturday .. 
..16 
30.558 
44.6 
38-8 
N.E. 
42.8 
52.1 
38 3 
98 2 
29.6 
— 
30.254 
417 
39.0 
42 8 
54.3 
35.3 
92 2 
31.1 
— 
REMARKS 
loth.—c'nndv morning ; fine bright afternoon and evening, 
llth.—Fine, bright, and warm. 
12th.—A delightful spring day. 1 
13th —Fine and fairly bright, lmt cold. 
nth.—Fine, entd, and generally bright, with short sharp showers of snow and hail, 
lflth.—Fine, though with dark clouds; very bright at times. 
I6th.—A bright warm day, 
A week of typical spring weather and very dry. Fine days with variable temperature 7 
edd nights. Mean temperature about a degree below the average, and somewhat above, 
that of the preceding week.—G. J. SYMONS. 
