December 29. 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER. 
243 
trivance by which it is to be hastened into growth; 
and for that purpose almost anything will do that 
affords an increase of temperature. It is not unusual 
to find very good Rhubarb grown in the dark re¬ 
cess of some spare corner of the stock-hole, pro¬ 
vided that such is to be had; an odd corner in a 
stable will also do ; and it is often enough forced in a 
“cellar;” nevertheless, it is all the bettor by being so 
situated as to have a little light, although at the first 
I commencement this agent is not wanted. In the 
absence of any suitable place in the back grounds, 
I Rhubarb is sometimes honoured by an odd corner in 
some of the forcing or other house, where a good warmth 
is kept up. When this is the case it may be relied on 
with more certainty. It may also be forced by being 
placed on some bed, or heap of leaves, or dung, or, what 
is better, both mixed, and a box set over it, the warmth 
these fermenting matters impart speedily pushes the 
incipient buds into activity; and when it has once been 
induced to make a move much, of the difficulty is over, 
for it will continue to grow in spite of a diminished 
temperature. Observe, that in placing it on a bed 
of fermenting material, care must be taken that the 
heat does not attain a point over that of blood-heat, 
otherwise the roots will be destroyed; in fact, about 70° 
or 80° is quite as much as it is prudent to treat it to at 
this early seasou, when so many concurring circum¬ 
stances would induce a period of rest rather than one of 
activity, that harsh treatment is sure to result in a 
misfortune of that or a more decided kind. In covering 
up the roots in the hotbed, it is better not to use any 
close packing material, as wet soddened straw—leaf- 
mould, with a few ashes at top, will be more suitable, 
and even these might be omitted if it appeared likely to 
check the heat too much. In a usual way, it glows 
without much attention, and the stalks it produces are 
in accordance with the strength of the buds, and the 
vital energy of the plant which was stored away at the 
end of summer, Coupled with this is the gentle or 
forcible means taken to bring it into use : if gentle and 
steady, they will be fine, because they are, perhaps, as¬ 
sisted by the plant withdrawing nourishment from the 
surrounding matter it is placed in; if forcible means be 
used, the stalks will most likely be, weak, because urged 
into activity, and kept there, fed solely by the accumu¬ 
lated juices stored away previously to its being taken up. 
Having said this much on the early-forced Rhubarb, 
it is proper to observe, that it is also occasionally forced 
in the natural ground, by placing long and wide-mouthed 
pots over the plants, covering the surrounding ground 
with fresh tree-leaves or other heating material; in this 
mode, it rarely happens that any mode of applying it 
can ensure a supply of stalks before the beginning of 
February, after which it furnishes an abundant supply, 
and it has the additional advantage of not sacrificing 
any plants, and the shoots can by accommodated to the 
open air without injury, and a supply can be furnished 
to carry on the family until the earliest kind come into 
use in the open air in the common way. 
It may be proper to observe, that when plants are 
taken up and stored away in some dry warm corner to 
force, watering will be necessary, and if this be done 
with liquid-manure, so much the better, as the require¬ 
ments of the plant will be such as to greedily devour 
food of any kind that may be placed before it; it is also 
necessary to caution the inexperienced against things 
which at times commit sad depredations on this and 
other tender crops, but the rapidity with which it is pro¬ 
pelled on soon outgrows the attacks of such tiny 
assailants. The more dangerous or difficult part of the 
business being in securing the plant against injury by 
the heating matter, and the earlier the season in which 
it is applied, the greater the danger; hence the propriety 
of attending carefully to this. 
It is needless here to urge the growth of Rhubarb 
more strongly to the attention of cottagers, for it has 
been done so already, and its uses are tolerably well 
known; but I have often been grieved to see the little 
attention paid it by them, as some confined spot under 
a tree, hedge, or bush, is considered good enough; 
hence the certainty of its not being a satisfactory crop 
—for a gross feeder and robust-habited plant like the 
Rhubarb can ill brook to be confined in a pot, or placed 
in such a position as to derive no more nourishment 
than a moderate-sized one might give; on the contrary, 
I advise the cottager to give it one of the best positions 
in his garden, and I have no doubt but the result will 
be as satisfactory as that of any other crop planted 
in the same place. J. Robson. 
THE MANAGEMENT OF DOWN EWES AND 
LAMBS. 
Having, in several former papers, treated of the mode of 
management to be adopted in keeping forward Ewes 
and Lambs, it is now my intention to write upon the 
treatment necessary for the management of the latter 
description of stock—those which usually drop their 
Lambs in the mouths of December, January, and 
February. In doing so, I must call attention to one or 
two very important points, for it must be admitted that 
both early and late lambing Ewes have each advantages 
which make them desirable stock, under different cir¬ 
cumstances, such as the variations of soil and climate, 
as also the extent of the farm, the proportion of pasture 
and arable land, and the rotation of crops, &c., adopted 
thereon. For instance, forward Ewes, to make early 
Lambs, are best adapted to small arable farms, where a 
system of close cropping and high farming is pursued, 
and upon those soils where a large portion of land is 
annually sown to Wheat. Having two farms under my 
own management, one of which is stocked with horned 
Ewes for rearing early Lambs, the other with Down 
Ewes, which bring their Lambs in tbe mouths of De¬ 
cember and January, I find the early stock get through a 
large quantity of roots at an early period of the season, 
which enables me to sow an extended breadth of Wheat; 
whereas, upon the farm where the Down Ewes and 
Lambs are kept, the root crops are not fed off, more than 
in time sufficient for sowing the land to Oats and Barley. 
Again, in the spring, when the roots are consumed, it 
is a common practice to sell all the forward Lambs, 
and two-thirds of the Ewes, before tbe grass and green 
crops are ready for feeding; yet, in the case of Down 
Ewes, it is good management if half the Lambs are fit 
for sale at the time the Turnips, &c., are consumed, say 
the first week in May. The Ewes are seldom fat 
enough for the butcher until shearing time—that is, 
the latter end of May, or the beginning of June. These 
are important points in farm economy, and must be 
specially provided for. In the case of early stock, the 
numbers will be so much diminished by sale, before the 
grass feeding commences, that but little, if any, en¬ 
croachment will be made upon the provision for the 
stock of the ensuing season. On the other hand, where 
Down Ewes are kept an extensive provision in green 
