476 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ June 9, 1887. 
farmer’s chief support under the depression; to it he 
turned for the profit which of yore he obtained from 
Wheat, and to it he often turned in vain, for in common 
with all farm produce it fell off so much in value that 
profitable culture was out of the question with but few 
exceptions. These exceptions were, and we may say are, 
in favour only of choice samples of malting Barley, for 
which 40s. a quarter was to be had even after the last 
harvest, and such a price for what may be termed a crop 
of 50 bushels per acre is a paying one, but alas! how few 
and far between were the fortunate growers of such 
samples. 
The season of 1886 was undoubtedly a most unfavour¬ 
able one for the production of clean bright samples; so 
unfavourable was the weather that much of the grain was 
discoloured in the ear before harvest, so that for one 
sample of Barley worth 40s. there would be twenty not 
worth much more than half that amount. No matter 
how large and fine the grain might be, if it were coarse 
and discoloured it could only obtain a sale for grinding 
purposes. Of malting Barley we may safely venture to 
say that the average price was 33s. per quarter; occasion¬ 
ally we saw samples for which 54s. was obtained, and at 
rare intervals as much as 40s. might be heard of, but 
very seldom indeed did that happen. No doubt much 
Barley sold to middlemen and merchants at low rates as 
grinding Barley was eventually converted into malt, but 
it was then out of the hands of the grower, and the 
maltster got the benefit, or at any rate the lion’s share, 
of it in the transaction. 
Since quality tells so much in Barley, the grower must 
be on the alert to do all he can to secure it in his grain. 
He cannot command quality, simply because a week of 
unfavourable weather as the corn ripens may affect it so 
seriously as to spoil it for malting purposes. But he may 
do much by sowing carefully selected seed, not neces¬ 
sarily of very large size, but rather of fine form and of a 
medium even size. We had a sample of what was termed 
pedigree seed Barley offered us at a certain market which 
we declined at once without any inquiry about price, 
simply because the grain was so large and coarse. It had 
in point of fact precisely the appearance of Barley grown 
on undrained heavy land, and which, useful as it un¬ 
doubtedly is as grinding Barley for cattle food, is seldom 
if ever converted into malt. If, however, a very heavy 
crop of it can be produced then it might answer, and only 
then. 
The mention cf quantity or bulk of crop reminds us 
of the remarkable results of Mr. Cooke’s experiments at 
Mitcham with different chemical manures, to which we 
have already called attention, and about which he was 
good enough to communicate an interesting note last 
week. Mr. Cooke has proved to demonstration that 
Barley cannot be grown to full advantage without a 
certain proportion of potash in the soil. Let it not be 
supposed, however, that because with potash he had 
54 bushels of head corn per acre, and without it only 
11 bushels, that potash is the one fertiliser necessary to 
success in Barley culture. Rather let it be understood 
that it cannot be grown to advantage without potash. 
To set the matter clearly before our readers we may state 
that the proportion in decimals of manurial constituents 
in an acre of Barley, the average bulk of which is 50 
bushels of grain and a proportionate quantity of straw, is 
nitrogen 54, phosphates 54, and potash only 44. In clay 
soils, therefore, a dressing of nitrate of soda, steamed 
bone flour, and mineral superphosphate would suffice; 
we might even venture to leave out the superphosphate 
were we certain the steamed bone flour was genuine. 
For ordinary bone flour the addition of superphosphate 
a few days previously to using would be indispensable. 
Clad are we to see due prominence given to the 
Norfolk experiments in the last number of the “Journal 
of the Royal Agricultural 8'ociety of England.” The 
importance of such experiments can hardly be overrated r 
for if the British farmer is to tide ovtr the depression, 
and if agriculture is to take rank as a science, it will be 
by the help of such good men and true as those members 
of the Norfolk Chamber of Agriculture who have devoted, 
their land and their time to such good purpose. 
WORK ON THE HOME FARM. 
Warm weather and genial showers have set the grass growing to good 
purpose, and we may now feel assured of a full crop of hay. The mow¬ 
ing machines are being put in order, and all other implements used in 
the haymaking will now be examined and got ready for use. Enough, 
faggots will be required for the bottom of each hayrick to keep the hay 
from contact with the soil. Without faggots the hay at the bottom of 
the rick becomes musty and worthless. Patent as this simple fact must 
be to everyone, yet we have seen rick after rick made without faggots or 
wood of any kind being used, and much good hay spoilt. 
Mangolds are growing briskly, and the plants will soon be forward 
enough for singling ; meanwhile the horse and hand hoes are kept going’ 
between the rows to keep the soil stirred, and to keep down weeds; 
Early-sown Swedes have come up a thick strong plant, and with the: 
soil so moist and warm growth will be so quick that we have very little 
fear of injury to the crop from insects. Thousand-headed Kale, too, 
drilled in rows are almost forward enough for transplanting. We like, 
to drill as much land as we can with this useful crop, and transplant to 
other land for a successional crop to follow the plants left undisturbed, 
in the drilled rows. To those farmers who have not tried Thousand¬ 
headed Kale we strongly recommend it for cattle, sheep, and pigs. It 
also affords an excellent supply of green food for dairy cows. 
Maize for use as green food and for silage is usually sown about the 
first or second week in the present month. The first sowing is coming 
up well, but it had to be watched closely, for rooks are very fond of it, 
and are not to be kept off without a watchman being near the Maize 
from dawn till twilight. This is a most important forage crop, affording a 
greater bulk per acre than anything else we have tried. Cows are most 
eager for it, eating the juicy succulent green stalks ravenously, so that 
care has to be taken to allow them only a moderate quantity, for if 
they have as much as they can consume it is liable to affect the flavour 
of the butter so much as to render it unpalatable. 
Winter Tares are now in use for the dairy cows, a liberal proportion 
being chaffed and mixed with dry food for them. Rye, upon which 
sheep were folded, has such a poor second growth that we have re¬ 
served a few acres for seed, and have ploughed in the remainder for 
Swedes. 
OUR LETTER BOX. 
Turkeys Dying (B. W.). — From your description they are suffering, 
we should say, from catarrh or cold, which the late sudden change in 
temperature will fully account for. Remove those affected at once to a 
dry well-sheltered and moderately warm place, and feed on soft nourishing 
food, to which you might add a teaspoonful of Thorley’s spice, or sprinkle 
a little pepper or ginger in the food. If the eyes are puffed or swollen, 
sponge them and the nostrils with warm water. 
METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVATIONS. 
CAMDEN SQUARE, LONDON. 
Lat. 81° 32' 10" N.; Lmj, 0° 8' 0" W.; Altitude, U1 feet. 
DATE. 
0 A.M. 
In the Day. 
1887. 
Hygrome- 
d . 
Shade 
Tem- 
Radiation 
p O) 
C * £ 
ter. 
■-£ a 
d— o 
C'rP 
perature. 
Temperature 
c5h 
C4. 
May. 
b r~-d 3 
In 
On. 
SSs 
Dry. 
Wet. 
Qo 
H 
Max. 
Min. 
sun. 
grass 
Inches. 
deg 
deg. 
deg. 
deg. 
deg. 
deg. 
deg. 
In. 
Sunday . 
20 
20 0 ’J 2 
40.6 
4i 8 
N.E. 
51.0 
62.5 
44.8 
106.6 
41.8 
0.014. 
Monday. 
20 084 
50 7 
404 
N.E. 
51.0 
62 3 
46 6 
8 L 2 
46.6 
Tuesday ... 
31 
3€ .083 
68 4 
55.1 
N.E. 
513 
60.4 
48 I 
113 0 
43.0 
0.01& 
Wednesday. 
1 
20.015 
54 6 
52.8 
N.E. 
52.7 
65 0 
48.0 
103.4 
463 
Thursday ... 
2 
29752 
51.2 
40 8 
N. 
53 2 
58.S 
47.7 
73.4 
43.7 
0.350 
Friday . 
3 
20.635 
54.7 
53.0 
N. 
52 6 
55.2 
40 8 
91.6 
49 8 
0.507" 
Saturday ... 
4 
20.010 
55 4 
53.3 
S.W. 
52.4 
60.8 
47 8 
116 2 
44 3 
20 802 
53.7 
51.6 
52.0 
63.4 
47.5 
99.0 
45.5 
0.883. 
REMARKS. 
29th.—A glimpse of snu in afternoon, otherwise cloudy all day, with slight showers in 
evening. 
SOth.—I lull and damn early, overcast morning, fair later. 
31st.—Fire and bright, slight rain at night. 
1 st.—Dnil morning, fine afternoon and evening. 
2nd.—Dull throughout, raiu at 6 P.M., wet evening and night. 
3rd.—A thoroughly wet day, rain incessant until 9 P M. 
4th.—A tine bright day. 
A nother rather dull week of average temperature, but deficient in sunshine.— G. J, 
SYMONS. 
