402 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER. 
Febkuaky 20. 
We think sudden changes of temperature, in such circum¬ 
stances, often affect plants in span-roof houses, when they 
escape a flattish lean-to house ; and we have little doubt 
that your Camellia petals have suffered by being subjected 
to sudden changes from the cold and dark of night, to the 
glare and warmth of sunshine. If they were shaded for a 
few hours, until the house gradually warmed up, the dis¬ 
figurement would not occur probably.] 
IMPROVING THE STAPLE OF A CLAY SOIL. 
“ I thank you for the prompt reply to my enquiry, how to 
improve the staple of red clay soil, which contains an excess 
of iron. You reccommend Black peat; now experience, on 
two occasions, enables me to inform you, that the application 
of the under strata of peat-moss, containing, too large a 
proportion of per oxide of iron was most injurious; almost 
all plants languished for two years, whilst the red or grey- 
peat, taken from three feet of the surface, laid on to land 
exposed to the frost, gave vigour the first season to all 
plants. Our bogs are upward of twelve feet deep, gradually 
increasing by the yearly deposit of Calluna vulgaris on marl 
foundation. I should be obliged for your opinion, as to the 
value of peat-moss mixed with road-scrapings, from a moun¬ 
tain limestone district; in what proportions for general 
kitchen-garden use.—0. B." 
[Your reply shows the justice of our opening remark, in 
our answer to you, at p. 004. If we had known that the 
“ black peat ” contained excess of iron, we should not have 
recommended its use. As you knew the injury arising from 
such use, why did you ask the question ? For a clayey-soiled 
kitchen-garden, we should use two parts of the limestone 
road-scrapings to one part of peat.] 
DOMESTIC. 
HAY AND STRAW REQUIRED FOR A COW. 
“ I want to know what proportion of hay and straw would 
keep a cow in good milking condition (say one of from six 
to seven score a quarter] with plenty of Mangolds. One 
year I tried meal, and finding it turned to beef, and not milk, 
was obliged to leave it off. Ido not like to see thin animals; 
but am sure they give most milk if the thinness is not from 
want of food. Hay here is too dear to give more than 
necessary—six pounds to six guineas a ton.—J. B. H." 
[A good general rule for feeding a cow is that she requires 
food daily equal to one-twenty-fifth of her weight. There¬ 
fore, a cow weighing 500 tbs. would require 20 lbs. of food 
every day. This could not be in better proportions than 
10 lbs. of mangold, 8 lbs. of hay, and 2 tbs. of straw. Your 
cow, however, will weigh more than 500 lbs., and the pro¬ 
bability is that 15 lbs. of mangold, 12 lbs. of hay, and 0 lbs. 
of straw, will be nearer her daily ration.] 
AGRICULTURAL STATISTICS OF NEW SOUTH 
WALES. 
The total number of acres undor crop in 1844, was 
128,400; in 1845, 138,237; in 1846, 151,034; in 1847, 
128,598; in 1848, 123,499; in 1849, 135,806; in 1850, 
144,647; in 1851, 152,057; in 1852, 130,643; in 1853, 
138,052. In 1852, the quantity of grain produced was as 
follows : wheat, 1,194,480 bushels ; maize, 554,631 bushels; 
barley, 80,476 bushels; oats, 22,833 bushels; rye, 2,226 
bushels ; millet, 92 bushels. In 1853, the quantity of grain 
produced was, wheat, 134,541 bushels ; maize, 684,253 
bushels; barley, 69,128 bushels ; oats, 36,880 bushels; rye, 
1,869 bushels; millet, 536 bushels. The quantity of wheat 
ground in 1853, over that in 1852, was 190,061 bushels; of 
maize, 129,622 bushels; of oats, 14,053 bushels; in other 
descriptions of grain there was a slight falling off in the 
quantity. 
In 1852, the production of potatoes was 12,782 tons; and 
in 1853, 20,308 tons ; showing an increase in the latter year 
of 7,530 tons. In 1852, the quantity of tobacco produced 
was 1978 cwt. In 1853, it was only 342 cwt.; showing a 
decrease, of 1,630 cwt. In 1852, the quantity of hay was 
20,733 tons. In 1853, it was 34,595 tons; showing an 
increase of 13,862 tons. 
This return, showing as it does a steady and material 
increase, must be considered satisfactory. The increase, it is 
true, is not proportionate to the increase of population, but 
when the nature of that population is considered, and the 
circumstances attendant on the introduction of the great 
bulk of it, it will be seen at once that the productive capa¬ 
bilities of the immigrants who arrived during the year could 
scarcely have been brought into action for agricultural 
purposes. The production of wheat is larger than in any 
previous years of the colony, excepting those of 1849 and 
1851, while the production of potatoes considerably exceeds 
that of any previous year. 
The return, it is to be regretted, exhibits the almost total 
cessation of the cultivation of one valuable article of com¬ 
merce, that of tobacco. In 1851 the production of this article 
amounted to 12,530 cwt.; in 1852 it was only 1,978 cwt.; in 
1853 it had dwindled to 342 cwt. There is no doubt that 
the alteration in the tariff of the colony has been the main 
cause of this decrease, the duty on foreign tobacco having 
been very materially reduced thereby. The full amount of 
this reduction did not come into force until January of the 
present year, which accounts for the almost abandonment of 
the cultivation of the plant. As, however, the climate and 
soil of the northern districts are admirably suited to its 
cultivation, there is little reason to doubt that when the 
unnatural excitement of the labour-market subsides, tobacco 
will, without the assistance of protective duties, assert its 
value as a production of New South Wales. 
It may be mentioned in connection with this return, and 
as in some degree explanatory of it, that the import of grain, 
potatoes, &c., in the year 1853, amounts to £306,319, being 
nearly .£250,000 more than it has amounted to since the 
famine years of 1839 and 1840. The export of the same 
articles the same year amounted to £71,303. 
The next return we come to, under the head of production, 
is that of the vineyards of the colony. 
In the year 1843, the numbeis of acres planted was 508— 
wine made, 33,915 gallons; brandy, 715 gallons. In 1844, 
546 acres—50,500 gallons wine; 1018 gallons brandy. In 
1845, 011 acres—54,090 gallons wine; 1433 gallons brandy. 
In 1840, 749 acres—52,337 gallons wine; 1383 gallons 
brandy. In 1847, 899 acres—54,035 gallons wine ; 1402 
gallons brandy. In 1848, 887 acres—97,300 gallons wine; 
1163 gallons brandy. In 1849, 963 acres—95,843 gallons 
wine; 1266 gallons brandy, In 1850, 1069| acres—111,085 
gallons wine; and 1985 gallons brandy. In 1851, 10601- 
acres, 84,843 gallons wine ; 1641 gallons brandy. In 1852, 
lOOOj acres—92,744 gallons wine; and 1581 gallons brandy. 
In 1853, 9621- acres—57,491 gallons wine ; and 1587 gallons 
brandy. The import of wine during' the year 1853 was 
757,256 gallons, value at .£198,017, being considerably more 
than double the quantity imported in 1852, and nearly four 
times the amount of its estimated value. The quantity of 
Colonial wine exported was 4263 gallons, of an estimated 
value of £3719. The quantity of foreign wine exported was 
101,793 gallons, leaving an enormous balance for home 
consumption. 
The next return is of live stock:—In the year 1843, 
there were 55,739 horses, 850,160 horned cattle, 54,007 pigs, 
3,452,539 sheep. In 1844, 64,093 horses, 971,559 horned 
cattle, 52,196 pigs, 3,743,732 sheep. In 1845, 73,014 horses, 
110,420 homed cattle, 56,022 pigs, 4,409,504 sheep. In 
1846, 76,720 horses, 1,140,297 horned cattle, 30,733 pigs, 
4,909,819 sheep. In 1847, 90,118 horses, 1,270,700 horned 
cattle, 57,395 pigs, 5,673,260 sheep. In 1848, 97,400 horses, 
1,366,164 horned cattle, 65,216 pigs, 6,533,542 sheep. In 
1849, 105,190 horses, 1,463,651 horned cattle, 52,902 pigs, 
0,781,494 sheep. In 1850, 111,458 horses, 1,374,968 horned 
cattle, 52,371 pigs, 7,092,209 sheep. In 1851, 116,397 horses, 
1,375,257 horned cattle, 65,510 pigs, 7,390,895 sheep. In 
1852, 123,404 horses, 1,495,984 horned cattle, 78,55!) pigs, 
7,707,917 sheep. In 1853, 139,705 horses, 1,555,228 horned 
cattle, 71,395 pigs, 7,929,708 sheep. This return is also ex¬ 
ceedingly gratifying, showing as it does, that the increase in 
our live stock has fully kept pace with the increase of popula¬ 
tion. The return would give an average of thirty-five sheep 
and seven head of horned cattle to every man, woman, and 
child in the colony, and nearly two horses and the fourth of 
