242 
March  18,  1897. 
JOURNAL  Of  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
but  we  may  briefly  state  that  whereas  cattle  in  the  United  States 
reached  their  maximum  numbers— viz ,  54,068,000  in  1892,  and 
sheep  their  maximum  of  47,274,000  in  1893,  both  have  gradually 
fallen  in  numbers  since  then,  so  that  now  they  amount  to— Cattle, 
46,450,000  ;  iheep,  36,819,000.  What  has  become  of  the  8,000,000 
cuttle  which  the  States  have  lost  during  these  five  years  ?  We 
have  received  into  this  country  during  that  time  from  there  in 
cattle  (and  fresh  beef  representing  cattle)  something  like  4,000,000, 
but  this  accounts  for  only  half  the  8,000,000.  It  would  appear, 
therefore,  that  at  recent  prices  it  does  not  pay  the  American  farmer 
to  rear  stock  for  home  consumption,  and  that  he  has  given  up 
trying  to  do  so,  or  that  the  demand  in  the  State*  has  so  increased 
during  the  last  two  or  three  years  that  the  supply  has  been  quite 
unable  to  keep  pace  with  it.  The  latter  solution  seems  the  mere 
reasonable,  for  prices  have  certainly  risen  during  the  la»t  few 
months,  a  result  which  was  inevitable  under  the  circumstances. 
Will  a  rise — that  is,  a  reasonable  rise — in  price  have  any  very 
appreciable  effect  on  the  supply?  We  hardly  thick  so.  Unlike 
pigs,  cattle  cannot  be  rapidly  bred  up  to  existing  requirements,  so 
we  hold  a  firm  opinion  that  a  higher  range  of  prices  for  beef  will 
be  attained,  at  any  rate  for  the  next  two  or  three  years,  if  not 
permanently.  This  being  granted,  it  would  appear  that  the  rearing 
of  calves  should  prove  a  remunerative  investment  to  farmers  whose 
holdings  are  suitable  for  the  purpose.  With  a  better  demand  for 
beef,  we  are  sure  to  have  an  even  better  demand  for  meat-making 
machines,  so  let  us  stock  for  1898  as  well  as  1897. 
The  reduction  in  the  number  of  States  sheep  is  not  likely  to 
affect  us  so  materially,  as  mutton  is  a  product  with  which  the 
Yankees  have  never  supplied  us  to  any  great  extent.  It,  however, 
adds  force  to  our  contention  that  the  British  consumer  will  have  to 
look  elsewhere  than  the  United  States  for  his  meat  supply,  unless 
he  is  prepared  to  pay  such  a  pricp  for  it  as  will  stimulate  the 
American  farmer  to  the  production  of  meat,  not  in  the  present,  as 
we  may  style  it,  ranche  fashion,  but  more  as  we  produce  it  in 
England. 
No  doubt  many  farmers  will  say  that  they  already  breed  as 
much  stock  as  they  can  carry.  But  do  they  make  the  most  of  the 
food  produced  on  their  farms?  For  instance,  do  they  use  much 
straw  as  bedding  ?  By  the  use  of  peat  mots  litter  almost  the  whole 
of  the  straw  may  be  consumed  as  food  ;  but  in  order  to  do  this  it 
must  be  cut  up  and  mixed  with  roots,  or  made  appetising  by  the 
addition  of  a  little  meal,  treacle,  or  grains. 
The  question,  “  What  can  the  farm  be  made  to  carry  ?  ” 
suggests  another,  “  Do  we  make  the  best  use  of  our  seeds  and 
grass  ?  ”  When  Clover  seeds  are  dear  farmers  are  apt  to  cut  down 
the  quantity  usually  sown.  They  cannot  afford  more  at  the  price, 
so  they  run  the  risk,  for  the  sake  of  perhaps  2s.  or  3s.  per  acre,  of 
having  onlv  half  a  plant,  and  therefore  a  pasture  worth  less  to  him 
by  £1  or  30s.  per  acre  than  it  would  have  been  if  he  had  been 
liberal  with  his  seed.  Considering  the  great  value  of  the  Clover 
crop  it  is  amazing  how  careless  farmers  are  not  only  about  the 
quantity  of  seed  but  the  quality  they  use. 
Clovers  are  this  season  fairly  reasonable  in  price  at  present, 
though  there  is  some  talk  of  a  prospective  rise,  so  that  if  bought  at 
once  whites  can  be  had  very  good  at  10s.  per  stone  and  red  at  9s. 
Inferior  seed  can  be  bought  much  cheaper,  but  it  would  be  dearer  in 
the  end.  When  we  consider  that  we  have  the  same  labour  bill  and 
the  same  rent  to  pay  whether  our  pastures  are  good  or  bad,  it  is 
obvious  what  a  penny-wise,  pound-foolish  policy  it  is  to  be  miserly 
as  regards  the  seed  bill. 
Whilst  on  the  subject  of  Clover  seed  we  may  take  the  oppor¬ 
tunity  to  recommend  a  variety  called  “  Giant  White.”  We  have 
found  it  much  more  productive  than  the  ordinary  white, 
and  carries  a  much  heavier  head  of  stock.  It  is  nearly  as  large  as 
red  Clover,  from  which  it  may  be  a  sport.  We  have  only  tried  it 
for  one  year  s  pasture  so  cannot  say  whether  it  is  perennial  or  not. 
Very  considerably  increased  returns  may  be  obtained  from  poor 
meadows  and  pastures  by  the  judicious  use  of  artificial  manures. 
The  number  eff  cattle  a  farm  will  carry  is  only  limited  by  the 
amount  of  cattle  food  the  said  farm  can  be  made  to  produce,  for 
heavy  stocking  does  not  affect  the  healthiness  of  cattle,  as  it  is 
liable  to  do  that  of  sheep.  So  that  if  the  crops  of  grass  can  be 
increased  20  per  cent,  a  proporiionately  larger  number  of  beasts 
may  be  fed. 
lo  those  who  wish  to  improve  poor  grass,  and  have  not  farm¬ 
yard  manure  to  put  on  we  would  suggest  a  little  experiment. 
Top-dress  a  portion  at  once  with  80  lbs.  nitrate  of  soda  and 
200  lbs.  superphosphate  of  lime  per  acre.  Have  the  dressed  part 
carefully  marked  out,  and  watch  the  effect. 
WORK  ON  THE  HOME  FARM. 
We  have  again  to  record  a  week  of  disappointment.  The  high  winds 
which  appeared  likely  soon  to  produce  March  dust  in  plenty,  have  been 
followed  by  drenching  rains  (one  day  we  had  a  thunder  storm),  and  where 
sowing  hag  been  done  it  has  been  with  difficulty,  and  can  hardly  prove 
satisfactory.  So  far  March  has  not  fulfilled  the  hopes  we  had  of  it ;  the 
land  seems  almost  as  sodden  as  ever,  and  meanwhile  time  is  passing. 
Every  effort  must  be  made  to  get  sowing  finished  between  now  and 
April  10th, 
The  question  when  to  sow  Clover  and  similar  seeds  is  an  important 
one.  We  favour  sowing  early,  immediately  behind  the  corn  drill,  and 
harrow  seeds  and  grain  in  at  one  operation.  A  plant  of  seeds  under 
these  conditions  is  almost  a  certainty.  True,  there  is  the  danger  of  the 
Clover  getting  big  amongst  the  corn,  and  making  it  more  difficult  to 
harvest,  but  it  is  a  lesser  evil  than  having  no  seeds. 
Lambing  proceeds  slowly,  but  with  fairly  good  success.  The  crop  of 
lambs  is  in  some  cases  large,  and  taking  the  district  as  a  whole  quite  up 
to  the  average.  Young  seeds  have  grown  in  a  wonderful  manner,  the 
Rye  grass  being  several  inches  long,  so  there  is  plenty  of  food  for  the 
ewes  when  it  is  wanted.  We  put  the  pairs  on  seeds  as  soon  as  we  can  get 
them  out,  but  keep  the  singles  on  grass,  and  give  them  a  few  Mangolds. 
Turnips  are  nearly  finished,  and  the  sheep  clippers  are  in  demand. 
Clipped  sheep  are  plentiful  in  the  local  markets — in  fact,  are  now  the 
bulk  of  the  show.  Fortunately  for  those  who  now  have  to  sell,  the 
markets  are  decidedly  good,  a  falling  off  in  the  imports  of  dead  sheep 
having  given  an  impetus  to  the  demand  for  home-bred  mutton. 
We  are  ridging  for  Potatoes  one  field  which  was  manured  during 
early  winter  ;  we  shall  have  the  planting  done  immediately.  Another 
field  is  all  ridged  out,  but  is  waiting  for  the  manure,  which  will  be 
taken  straight  out  of  the  covered  yards.  If  the  Potatoes  are  then 
quickly  planted  and  the  ridges  split  with  the  plough  there  should  be 
little  or  no  loss  of  ammonia. 
One  piece  of  land  we  are  planting  with  a  new  variety,  which,  being 
large  in  size,  we  shall  have  to  cut.  We  shall  cut  them  a  couple  of  days 
before  planting,  and  have  no  fear  of  loss  from  dry  rot,  which  sometimes 
occurs  if  they  are  cut  and  planted  immediately. 
OUR  LETTER  BOX. 
Churns  (£T.  /.). — For  so  small  a  quantity  of  cream  as  12  lbs.  the 
simple  wooden  churn  is  best — the  kind  with  the  horizontal  barrel.  The 
opening  for  pouring  in  the  cream  should  be  as  large  as  possible.  It  is 
also  important  that  no  part  of  the  churn  should  be  out  of  reach  of  the 
hand.  It  should  also  have  a  simple  and  sufficient  lid,  and  the  whole 
thing  must  be  light,  convenient,  and  durable.  The  Dairy  Supply  Co., 
Museum  Street,  London,  is  a  very  reliable  firm. 
Comfrey  and  I^uplns  for  rodder  ( S .). — The  white  Prickly 
Comfrey  is  planted  and  grown  in  the  same  way  as  Rhubarb.  It  is 
requisite  that  the  soil  be  rich,  deep,  and  moist  for  promoting  quick 
succulent  growth.  If  the  growth  is  slow,  as  in  poor,  dry  soil,  the  leaves 
are  bitter,  and  animals  will  not  eat  them.  Good  single  crowns  are 
planted  3  feet  asunder,  at  this  period  of  the  year,  and  the  ground  around 
them  covered  with  manure.  No  leaves  should  be  cut  or  gathered  the 
first  season.  The  common  yellow  Lupin  is  grown  on  the  Continent  as  a 
fodder  crop,  chiefly  in  poor  sandy  soil.  The  seeds  are  drilled  early  in 
May,  in  rows  15  inches  apart,  at  the  rate  of  2  bushels  an  acre.  The 
crop  is  only  to  be  recommended  in  this  country  where  the  land  is  too 
poor  for  Vetches,  Lucerne,  or  Clover. 
METEOROLOGICAL  OBSERVATIONS. 
Oamden  Square,  London. 
Lat.  51°  32'  40"  N. ;  Long.  0°  8/0"  W.:  Altitude  111  feet. 
Date. 
9  A.M. 
In  the  Day. 
1897. 
Sag 
OJ  oJ  > 
a  ~  ® 
HO  J 
Hygrometer. 
Direc¬ 
tion  of 
Temp, 
of  soil 
at 
1  foot. 
Shade  Tem¬ 
perature.  . 
Radiation 
Temperature 
Bain, 
March. 
M  CO  o3 
os  a; 
03  *  HI 
Dry. 
Wet. 
'Wind. 
Max. 
Min. 
In 
Sun. 
On 
Grass. 
Sunday  ... 
7 
Inchs. 
80-005 
leg. 
36-8 
deg. 
36-0 
N.E. 
deg. 
39-2 
deg. 
44-1 
deg. 
31-7 
deg. 
72-4 
deg. 
25-9 
Inchs. 
Monday  . . 
8 
30-145 
39-2 
34-8 
N  W. 
39-1 
45-1 
32-5 
69-8 
25-4 
T“. 
Tuesday  . . 
9 
30-113 
38-2 
36  3 
S.E. 
38-1 
48-5 
29-3 
60-9 
22-1 
0-228 
Wednesday 
10 
29-957 
42-4 
39-7 
W. 
39-8 
50-2 
38-3 
87-8 
32-3 
— 
Thursday . . 
11 
30-089 
40-4 
38-9 
s.w. 
39-2 
50-6 
33-9 
85-1 
26-2 
0-176 
Friday 
12 
29-609 
42-9 
40-6 
S.W. 
40-1 
49-9 
40-9 
926 
33-8 
— 
Saturday  . . 
13 
29-673 
40-6 
38-7 
N. 
39-9 
50-8 
32-9 
82-7 
26-4 
— 
29-936 
40-1 
37-9 
39-3 
48  5 
34-2 
78-7 
27-4 
0-404 
7th  — Overcast  till  11  a.m.  then  frequently  sunny  till  3  P.M  ,  and  fair  after. 
8th.— A  little  fog  early  ;  sunny  morning  ;  foggy  afternoon. 
9th.— Fair  morning,  with  slight  fog  till  10  a.m.,  and  dull  and  foggy  at  times  in  after¬ 
noon.  Rain  from  6  P.M  to  10  p.h. 
10th.— Bright  sunshine  almost  throughout,  but  spots  of  rain  at  2  P.M.  and  5.15  p.m. 
11th.— Bright  sun  all  morniig;  cloudy  at  times  in  afternoon  ;  rain  and  high  wind  in 
evening  and  night. 
12th. — Bright  morning;  cloudy  at  times,  and  spots  of  rain  in  afternoon  ;  fine  night. 
13th.— Overcast  early,  with  spots  of  rain  ;  sunny  for  two  or  three  hours  at  midday ; 
cloudy  after. 
A  very  average  week  in  all  respects.— O.  J.  Symons. 
