166 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
Aujust 16,19)1 
all inferior slieep; as for example, every ewe having the 
slightest blemish should have been drafted out of the flock 
when the Iambs were weaned. All sheep having a tendency to 
foot-rot should also go, but not one of them should be sold at 
a sacrifice if they are sound enough to fatten. Place them in 
folds on whatever green crop is available, give them some 
corn in addition to the green food, and draft them for the 
butcher as they become ready. Pay no heed to the voice of 
the charmer, who comes to you at every market in the guise of 
the salesman of linseed cake. Grow abundance of Oat^, and avoid 
bills for oilcake. It has been laid down by high authorities 
that farms should be self-supporting in stock—should raise 
their own animals, so also should they provide all food required 
for the maintenance and fattening of stock without the expendi¬ 
ture of a penny upon the purchase of food of any sort under 
the present trying condition of agriculture. 
We have, too, to look forward in flock management, and to 
base our arrangements for breeding upon the perspective supply 
of food at lambing time. With enough sound upland or dry 
pasture before and during the lambing, and suitable crops for 
folding afterwards, have the tups with the flock by the third 
or fourth week in August, so as to have the lambing well 
advanced by the last week in January. There must be no 
folding of pregnant ewes upon sodden arable land, and the use 
of either Mangolds or Swedes before lambing is objectionable 
We have always kept up condition in ewes by giving them 
chaffed Barley or Oat straw in troughs, and some Pea straw 
uncut in racks. In very cold or snowy weather they also have 
about a pint of crushed oats per head. To fold ewes before 
lambing upon roots, as is done so frequently, causes abortion 
and foot-rot to be rampant among them, ewes being often lost 
as well as lambs. To wade about in a sea of mud, out of which 
it is often difficult to lift the feet, with much of the wool 
clotted heavily with mud, is bad enough, the strain upon the 
sorely tried animals being severe in the extreme; but when to 
this is added a dietary of frozen roots, there is so great a loss of 
vital heat that it is marvellous how any of them survive such an 
ordeal. Much more wonderful is it that any sane person should 
ever so tax the powers of endurance of his flock. It is because 
we have heard the excuse offered for such folly that there was 
no choice—nothing else to turn to, that we mention the matter 
now. Far better be without early lambs than to so mismanage 
the flock, and in common prudence all such risk of harm and 
loss can and must be avoided. 
Much may be done to avoid the winter folding of ewes on 
arable land, by withdrawing them from pasture as much as 
possible now, folding during the tupping on early Turnips, 
Tare or Mustard, so as to hold pasture In reserve for winter. 
We would now, also, like to call the attention of every flock 
owner having poor upland pasture to the advantage of winter 
sheep folds upon it. By means of ^uch folds while cattle are 
in yards—say, from the middle of October till the end of 
February, the pasture may be sufficiently manured to ensure in 
the following season early spring growth, and luxuriant herbage 
in summer and autumn. We tried to do without folds or 
manure dressings in the second year, but though there was 
enough vigour of growth to prove the presence of a residue in 
the soil of the fertility derived from the sheep folds, it was so 
decidedly inferior to that of the first year as to convince us once 
for all of the necessity of timely annual dressings of manure. 
That was many years ago, but the lesson has been applied to 
practice ever since; sustained fertility has been, and is, a rule in 
practice that is never broken, and sheep folds have preference 
both for economy and efficiency. 
For early lambing, then, we must now have regard to flock 
requirements in winter and spring, of sound land, food, and 
shelter. With this early lambs answer much better than late 
•nes. A few may be fattened and sold at fancy prices for 
Easter, all others that are not wanted go off at good prices early 
in June, ewe lambs selected for the flock are so forward that 
they come for breeding the first season, and hoggets may be in 
condition for market as early as we may wish to dispose of them, 
that being a mere matter of detail, which is governed by folding 
requirements and the state of the markets. Inferior flocks 
cannot be said to answer under the stress of foreign competi¬ 
tion, and the gigantic proportions of the foreign mutton trade 
show that only home-bred mutton of the highest quality can 
answer now. We must not look only to the mutton and wool, 
but try and estimate the flock at its true value as our prime 
fertiliser, by means of which we avoid the costly manure cart 
and are able to curtail our expenditure upon chemical manures. 
WORK ON THE HOME FARM. 
Swedes, Mangolds, and Drumhead Cabbage in about equal propor¬ 
tions, were seen in prime condition on a small Midland dairy farm 
recently inspected. The land was clean and fertile, and the growth 
of roots and Cabbage so vigorous that it had met between the rows, so 
that weed growth, and the rapid loss of moisture from the soil by 
evaporation were both checked. It was a fine example of first-rate 
practice, and we heartily congratulated the tenant upon his prospects 
for winter. He was atop of a load of his equally fine crop of hay—ou 
a market day, too—and was evidently a believer in the axiom that the 
master’s hand should guide the plough. We want to see a similar field 
of green and root crops at every dairy farm, with thorough systematic 
pasture cultivation—with this a return of prosperity may safely be 
predicted. Farmers I look to yourselves, and help yourselves to set 
matters right ; the conditions of agriculture have changed, are still 
changing, and we must change too if we would prosper. 
The showery weather, though it hinders harvest work, softens the 
stubbles so much that the cleaning is light work, and can be advanced 
much faster than usual. Weed seeds germinate quickly, too, after the 
soil is stirred, which also helps to clean the land for another season, as 
the weeds are easily ploughed in. Mark any wet land for drainage, 
especially where Coltsfoot is rampant. Drainage and thoroughly deep 
cultivation will get rid of this pest, which practically takes possession of 
the land if left to grow unchecked. We always make a point of a 
complete clearance of Coltsfoot, Docks, Thistles, Nettles, and Couch 
Grass. He would be a bold man who would say he could eradicate 
Charlock ; and for a very bad case we know nothing better than laying 
down the land either to temporary or permanent pasture. We dwell 
upon this matter of weeds and foul land now because of the importance 
of autumn tillage—of clearing and ploughing every field as summer 
crops are harvested or cleared off the land. 
The sowing of Trifolium early was mentioned last week. See also 
that what land is required for winter corn is ready for sowing early in 
September. Get in such crops as Rye, Wheat, Winter Oats, and Tares 
in good time before heavy autumn rains come. The sowing will be 
done quickly and well, the work be out of hand in good time, a full 
strong plant will be a certainty, and the Rye and Oats will be available 
for grazing if required. 
METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVATIONS. 
Oamden Square, LoxnoN. 
Lat.sio 32'40" N.; Long. 0° 8' 0" W.; Altitude, HI feet 
Date. 
9 A.M. 
In THE Day. 
s 
1894. 
August. 
1 Barometer 
1 at 32°, and 
1 Sea Level. 
Hygrometer. 
Direc¬ 
tion of 
Wind. 
Temp, 
of soil 
at 
1 foot. 
Shade Tem¬ 
perature. 
Radiation 
Temperature 
Dry. 
Wet. 
Max. 
Min. 
lu 
Sun. 
On 
Grass. 
Inchs. 
deg. 
deg. 
deg. 
deg. 
deg. 
deg. 
deg. 
Inchs. 
Sunday .. 
5 
29-934 
65-6 
55-5 
N. 
61-9 
72-0 
57-3 
114-9 
53-8 
0-126- 
Monday .. 
6 
29-789 
58-7 
57-6 
N. 
62-2 
69-6 
57-4 
94-3 
5 4-8 
— 
Tuesday .. 
7 
29-888 
64 6 
58-0 
N. 
61-5 
73-7 
55-9 
1-24-9 
50-9 
— 
Wednesday 
8 
29-806 
64-2 
59-1 
W. 
62-1 
69-2 
57-6 
100-1 
55-9 
0-048 
Thursday .. 
9 
-29-788 
62-0 
57-1 
W. 
61-9 
70-0 
64-1 
122-9 
52-0 
0-047 
Friday 
10 
29-917 
58-0 
56-2 
N.W. 
61-4 
70-4 
51-2 
116-4 
52-9 
0-200 
Saturday .. 
11 
30-123 
58-4 
54-2 
N. 
60 9 
67-4 
51-1 
116-5 
49 1 
0-010 
29-892 
61-6 
66-8 
61-7 
70-3 
54-9 
112-9 
52-8 
0-431 
REMARKS. 
5th.—Shower at 1.30 A.M.; brilliant from sunrise to 11 A.M. ; cloudy at times after, and 
rain from 10 P.M. 
eth.—Almost continuous rain or drizzle from early morn till 9 A.M. ; overcast, with 
occasional drizzle till 1 P.M. ; frequent sunshine in afternoon. 
7th.—Brilliant early; alternate sunshine and cloud till midday; overcast afternoon i 
spots of rain in evening. 
8th.—Occasional gleams of sun and frequent spots of rain. 
9th.—Rain at 0.30 A.M. ; fine day with frequent sunshine, especially in afternoon. 
10th.—Rain from 8 A.M. to 9 A.M. ; fair, with occasional sunshine till 3.15 p.M., then 
thunder storm rather distant; tain again in evening, with distant thunder. 
11th.—General,y sunny in morning; cloudy afternoon; very slight showers at 2 P.M., 
6 P.M. and 8.30 p.M. 
On the whole cloudy and no day absolutely without rain, but only one day with 
the sun max. below 100°. Temperature very ne.ar the average.—G. J. Si’MOXS. 
