238 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
Teptember 6,18W. 
DAIRY FARMING REFORM. 
Repeatedly has the possibility of the improvement of 
dairy farming in every aspect of it in this country, the urgent 
need of it, and the possible advantage to be derived from it, 
been set forth in these articles Year after year, season after 
season, has this been done, apparently without results. The 
co-operation among farmers, the establishment of dairy fac¬ 
tories, the systematic cultivation of pasture, the improvement 
of herds of cows both in quantity and quality of milk, the 
combination of science with practice in this work, which has 
had our earnest and persistent advocacy, appeared to have no 
attention from those most interested in t^e matter—the farmers 
themselves. Yet not only has the agricultural depression grown 
yearly in intensity, but the import trade in dairy produce has 
gone on increasing yearly. In five years the Australian butter 
trade has assumed gigantic proportions, and there is every 
reason to suppose that though the turnover for butter imported 
from that colony alone was considerably in excess of £700,000 
last season, it will continue to increase annually. 
It was, therefore, like a ray of light falling upon the gloomy 
sullen inaction—an indication of change, and of a possible 
stirring up of individuals to action, that we heard of the pro¬ 
posed foundation of a Midland Dairy Institute by a combination 
of several County Councils. 
Clear cause had been shown for this by Mr. M. J. R. 
Dunstan, M.A., F.R S.E., Director of Agricultural Education in 
Nottinghamshire, in an able pamphlet on agricultural education 
and dairying in Denmark, compiled from notes made by that 
gentleman during a visit of inspection and inquiry to Denmark 
last year. He begins by saying that, “ The extraordinary deve¬ 
lopment of the dairy industry in Denmark, which has resulted 
in the export of nearly a million cwts. of butter annually to this 
country, of the value of over four millions sterling, must give 
rise to the question. Why should Denmark supply us with a 
commodity which we are able to produce at home P” Unmistake- 
ably does the pamphlet answer this query in the negative, and 
show that the splendid results achieved in that country are a 
standing reproach to us Yery naturally did Mr. Dunstan ask 
if Denmark was not more naturally suited for dairying than 
England. The answer of one of the greatest authorities on 
dairying in Denmark, Professor T. R t'egeleke, should be posted 
up in every market in the kingdom, it was:—“For quality and 
extent of grass land, Denmai-k resembles the county of Norfolk 
more than any other county of England.” Of natural advan¬ 
tages in Denmark it may therefore be said there are none. The 
great reform in dairying and the splendid results achieved in 
that country has been under difficulties which East Anglian 
farmers have declared to be practically insuperable At a lecture 
on the advantages of improved dairy farming which we delivered 
some seven or eight years ago before a farmers’club in Suffolk, 
we were told that Suffolk was not a dairy county. Corn and 
corn only was their ci'eed. Stolid persistence in this belief has led 
some to bankruptcy ; others contrive to struggle on simply because 
rent has come down so low that landlords are practically ruined. 
Interesting, instructive and suggestive as Mr. Dunstan’s 
pamphlet must be to every farmer, it is especially so to those in 
the great corn growing district of the Fens southward through 
Essex to the Thames, because it is shown that provision is made 
for the needs of the 750,000 cows of Denmark by a four-coui’se 
rotation of cropping, extending to a six or seven years’ course. 
Of the cropping we are told that “large quantities of Rye, 
Barle;, and Oats are grown, a moderate area being under 
W^heat, and a considerable breadth of Mangolds, a less one of 
Swedes and common Turnips being sown.” We quote this as 
an interesting fact rather than for home guidance, because the 
Scotch farmers in Essex have shown, are showing, how easily 
anf advantageously land may be laid down to temporary 
pasture under a six or eight years shift, and how milk at any 
rate may be produced profitably on land hitherto given up 
entirely to corn growing. Of necessity, rather than of choice, 
will the change which is bound to come be to the intelligent 
sensible practice of such pioneers. With new Wheat down to. 
18s. per quarter, we cannot have to wait much longer. The fact 
of farmers thrashing corn so early at such a price is an 
indication of their necessity. It may, it probably has, been said 
that corn so sold was not in best condition, as indeed how could 
it be with the dripping harvest weather; but the fact remains 
that it w as so sold, and sold at a loss. Reform must come of 
dire necessity, a change to better times through much suffering, 
owing, be it said, plainly to the ignorance and stupidity which 
permits Denmark to wrest from u^ a trade which ought mainly 
to be ours. We shall return to Mr. Dunstan’s pamphlet next 
week. 
WORK ON THE HOME FARM. 
Real harvest weather at last 1 Corn stacks springing up fast on 
every farm after weeks of weary waiting, cleared stubbles, and little, if 
any, of the corn sprouted. Oats and Barley may be carted with a hope 
of some profit, but we fear that really bright malting samples of Barley 
will be few and far between. Very much of the Wheat crop is a heavy 
one. Doubtful must the sowers have been of the wisdom of sowing it 
at all, still more doubtful the reaper. To the home farmer Wheat 
growing of the best is still as important as ever. He must have enough 
of it for an ample supply of flour for the household, and Wheat straw 
must be had for hunting stables and carriage horses. To him we say. 
Get in what Wheat you have to sow early in September. Lose no time 
now in sowing enough Rye for all possible requirements in spring. We 
commend this early green crop to the attention of those farmers who 
have found themselves at a loss after folding late Swedes. A word in 
favour of Rye may appear unnecessary, yet we were asked about it for 
spring folding recently by an intelligent young farmer in the North 
Midlands, who had seen, but never tried it in his own practice. By all 
means sow some, was our advice, and sow early. 
Of winter Oats we are bound always to speak highly ; no corn crop 
for home consumption has proved more useful—few so useful as this. 
Sow it early, too, and take especial care if this season is your first with 
it to procure as fine and heavy a sample of seed of it as can be had. 
You will h-ave to pay something extra, but it will prove one of the best 
investments in corn you ever made. A good sample of winter Oats always 
commands a special price on market, especially if it is old corn. See also 
to the sowing of Tares early in September; then a couple of succes- 
sional sowings may be made with advantage at intervals of a fortnight. 
Green Maize is now well in use. Do not forget that the first sharp frost 
will turn the upper part of the leaves brown, and though cattle will eat 
it afterward* it is not so useful as when quite fresh and green. Better 
use a fair quantity of this in covered yards during the hot weather we 
appear likely to have awhile, and keep stock from the flies. 
METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVATIONS. 
Oamdex Square, London. 
Lat.51°32'40'' N.: Loasr. 0°8/0" W.: Altitude. Ill feet 
Date. 
9 A.M. 
In the Day. 
d 
"3 
Ps 
1894. 
August and 
September. 
Barometer 
at 32‘',and 
Sea Level. 
Hygrometer. 
Direc¬ 
tion of 
Wind. 
Temp, 
of soil 
at 
1 foot. 
Shade Tem¬ 
perature. 
Radiation 
Temperature 
Dry. 
Wet. 
Max. 
Min. 
In 
Sun. 
On 
Grass. 
Inchs. 
deg. 
deg. 
deg. 
deg. 
deg 
deg. 
deg. 
luchi# 
Sunday .. 
28 
29-971 
66-1 
63-7 
S.W. 
58 7 
76-6 
5')-5 
117-7 
57-3 
— 
Monday .. 
27 
30-032 
61-6 
59-7 
N. 
59-9 
66-3 
52-2 
89-3 
47 5 
— 
Tuesday .. 
23 
30-230 
60-4 
5S-0 
N.E. 
59-5 
7)-l 
53-6 
101-7 
49-2 
— 
W ednesday 
29 
30-247 
eo-3 
55-3 
N. 
59 7 
69-3 
5 -2 
108 7 
47-2 
— 
Thursday .. 
30 
30-276 
56-6 
56-4 
S E. 
59 4 
71-2 
47-6 
910 
42-4 
Friday 
31 
30136 
57-1 
56-9 
N.E. 
59-) 
75-1 
50-2 
107 8 
45-0 
— 
Saturday .. 
1 
3J-11G 
61-3 
55 0 
N.E. 
59-1 
71-2 
54 2 
111-3 
47-9 
— 
30-144 
60-5 
57-9 
59-3 
71-4 
51-1 
103-9 
43-1 
— 
REMARKS. 
26th.—Warm, overcast, and misty till 10 A.ll.; occasional sun after 11 A.M.; bright, 
summer-like afternoon and evening. 
27ih.—Overcast and gloomy till 3 P.M. ; faint sunshine after 4 P.M. 
2Sth.—Fine, with three or lour hours of sunshine. 
29th.—Fine and sunny almost throughout. 
31th.—Yellow fog till 10 A.M., and hazy almost throughout. 
31st.-White mist till noon, thick early, sunny afternoon and evening. 
1st.-Bright throughout. 
A rainless week, with a good deal of sunshine. Temperature slightly above the 
average.—G. J. SrMONS. 
