96 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
July  25,  1835. 
PLANTS  IN  POTS. 
B. 
d. 
8. 
d. 
0. 
d. 
B. 
Arbor  Vit®  (golden)  dozen 
6 
0  to  12 
0 
Heliotrope,  per  dozen 
4 
0 
to  6 
Aspidistra,  dozen  . .  . . 
18 
0 
36 
0 
Hydrangeas,  per  dozen  . . 
12 
0 
42 
Aspidistra,  specimen  plant 
5 
0 
10 
6 
Lobelia,  per  dozen  . .  . . 
3 
0 
4 
Calceolaria,  per  doz . 
4 
0 
6 
0 
Lycopodiums,  dozen  . .  , . 
3 
0 
4 
Coleus,  per  doz . 
2 
6 
4 
0 
Marguerite  Daisy,  dozen  .. 
6 
0 
9 
Dracffina,  various,  dozen  . . 
12 
0 
30 
0 
„  Yellow  „  .. 
9 
0 
18 
Drac®na  viridis,  dozen  . . 
9 
0 
18 
0 
Myrtles,  dozen . 
6 
0 
9 
Buonvmus,  var.,  dozen  . . 
6 
0 
18 
0 
Palms,  in  var.,  each  ..  .. 
1 
0 
15 
Evergreens,  in  var.,  dozen 
6 
0 
24 
0 
„  (specimens)  ..  .. 
21 
0 
fiS 
Ferns,  in  variety,  dozen  .. 
4 
0 
18 
0 
Pelargoniums,  per  dozen  . . 
8 
0 
12 
Ferns  (smalll  per  hundred 
4 
0 
6 
0 
„  scarlets,  per 
Ficus  elastica,  each  . .  . . 
1 
0 
7 
0 
dozen  . . 
3 
0 
6 
Foliage  plants,  var.  each 
2 
0 
10 
0 
Rhodanthe,  per  dozen 
4 
0 
6 
Fuchsias,  per  dozen  . . 
4 
0 
6 
0 
Boses,  per  dozen . 
8 
0 
24 
Geraniums,  Ivy,  per  dozen 
4 
0 
6 
0 
LESSONS  BY  THE  WAY. 
that  though  the  straw  may  be  somewhat  short  in  a  long  drought, 
yet  the  corn  ears  may  be  full  and  the  yield  satisfactory. 
Among  root  crops  wherever  early  sowing  was  done  in  a  good 
rich  seed  bed  the  plant  is  both  strong  and  full,  but  where  the 
sowing  was  late  the  flea  has  pounced  on  the  plant  as  soon  as 
it  was  up,  sweeping  off  the  whole  of  it,  so  that  sowing  has  been 
repeated  three  or  four  times.  This  is  a  terribly  destructive 
pest,  which  surely  might  be  kept  under  by  means  of  prevention. 
In  a  leaflet  just  issued  by  the  Board  of  Agriculture  we  are  told 
that  in  1881  the  losses  through  the  Turnip  fly  or  flea 
(Phyllotreta  nemorum)  amounted  to  over  half  a  million  of 
money.  In  the  account  of  its  life  history  it  is  stated  that  “  It 
passes  the  winter  in  beetle  form  under  clods  and  stones,  in  tufts 
of  grass,  among  weeds,  and  under  rubbish  of  various  kinds  by 
the  sides  of  fields,  hedgerows,  and  ditches.  It  is  thus  sheltered 
during  the  winter,  and  it  is  sustained  throughout  the  early 
springtime  until  the  Turnips  have  sprouted  on  wild  cruciferous 
plants,  such  as  Charlock,  Hedge  Mustard,  and  wild  Radish.’' 
Therefore,  say  we,  keep  down  Charlock,  let  your  autumn  tillage 
be  thorough,  and  allow  no  rubbish  heaps  on  or  near  the  land. 
With  a  rainfall  less  than  in  1893,  the  year  of  the  great 
drought,  there  is  bo  much  variety  of  growth  and  condition 
among  farm  crops  now  as  to  afford  a  curious  and  interesting 
sight  even  to  the  casual  observer.  To  those  who  wisely  strive 
to  go  deeper — to  learn  something  of  the  cause  of  what  they  see, 
and  to  apply  the  lesson  to  their  own  practice,  the  condition  of  crops 
now  is  eminently  suggestive.  Hay  crops  are  so  short  and  thin 
as  to  be  difl&cult  to  collect  after  they  are  mown.  Oats  not  half  the 
usual  height,  prematurely  ripe,  many  a  field  of  Winter  Oats  being 
mown  quite  a  fortnight  before  the  usual  time.  Even  in  Scotland 
have  we  seen  Oats  in  full  ear  that  were  barely  2  feet  in  height. 
Worse  than  this,  infinitely  worse,  are  those  cornfields  with  scarcely 
half  a  plant,  with  weeds  rampant;  the  whole  thing  a  caricature 
of  farming.  We  see  Oats  grown  to  the  exclusion  of  Wheat  very 
generally  now.  If  they  are  well  grown  they  are  still  profitable ; 
yet  it  is  exceptional  to  see  anything  like  a  full  crop  of  Oats. 
One  of  the  most  useful  lessons  by  the  way  now  is  the  different 
aspects  of  this  corn  crop.  Under  really  good  management  there 
are  some  grand  crops  of  Oats  notwithstanding  the  di-ought. 
Said  an  intelligent  North  Derbyshire  farmer  to  us  recently,  •*  I 
believe  my  Oat  crop  this  year  will  average  80  bushels  an  acre.” 
He  then  went  on  to  tell  us  of  his  system  of  tillage  and 
manuring,  both  thorough  and  well-timed.  Yet  even  he  was 
surprised  when  we  told  him  that  we  regard  80  bushels  of  Oats 
as  the  minimum  yield  under  good  culture. 
In  connection  with  this  there  is  again  abundant  proof  that  with 
thorough  autumn  tillage,  early  sowing,  good  seeds,  and  drilling 
in  with  it  a  full  dressing  of  pure  chemical  manure,  the  crop  is 
very  little  affected  by  drought.  By  early  sowing  enough  of  the 
manure  is  dissolved  and  taken  up  by  the  soil  to  keep  the  crop 
growing  briskly,  and  if  sown  thickly  the  surface  is  covered  so 
early  by  the  plant  as  to  keep  out  much  of  the  drought.  But 
the  farmer  must  know  what  he  is  about  in  using  manures.  Our 
advice  was  sought  early  in  the  present  month  by  a  farmer  who 
had  been  using  sulphate  of  ammonia  freely  under  the  impression 
that  it  was  a  complete  plant  food,  in  proof  of  which  he  handed 
us  a  large  placard,  of  which  hundreds  had  been  spread  about  his 
country  side  by  an  enterprising  gas  company.  Great  indeed 
was  his  surprise  when  we  told  him  that  when  used  alone,  as  it 
had  been  by  him,  it  was  a  mere  stimulant  and  nothing  more; 
that  for  surface  dressings  to  growing  crops  nitrate  of  soda  was 
generally  preferable.  Here  was  another  instance  of  a  farmer 
ignorant  of  the  first  principles  of  his  calling  being  misled  by  the 
statements  of  dealers,  and  wasting  his  means  on  a  fertiliser 
about  the  properties  of  which  he  was  ignorant.  Our  moral  in 
connection  with  corn-growing  is  to  till  well,  sow  well  and  early, 
and  feed  well  if  you  would  have  it  answer,  and  be  practically 
independent  of  trying  seasons  and  extremes  of  weather,  and 
WOBK  ON  THE  HOME  FARM. 
Again  has  the  value  of  some  extra  green  crops  been  realised,  pasture 
very  generally  being  so  brown  and  bare  that  without  some  other  food 
cattle  especially  have  been  sadly  pinched.  Vetches  and  Clover  have 
been  of  the  greatest  service  for  mowing  or  carting  to  the  stock  out  on 
the  pasture.  Much  of  the  second  crop  of  Clover  is  short  in  growth  and 
has  come  into  blossom  early,  but  is  nevertheless  of  the  greatest  service 
for  sheep  folding.  A  30-acre  meadow  which  fell  in  hand  at  Lady  Day 
laid  for  hay  had  a  poor  crop  except  in  a  few  places.  We  had  these 
mown  and  the  grass  carted  off,  the  remainder  being  left  for  the  bullocks, 
which  we  are  thus  able  to  provide  with  a  full  bite  so  as  to  keep  them 
going  well  till  the  aftermath  is  ready  for  them.  Mention  is  made  of 
this,  not  as  superior  practice,  but  as  turning  things  to  account  by  going 
a  little  out  of  the  beaten  track  and  adapting  ourselves  to  circumstances. 
Barometrical  indications  are  for  showery  weather  now,  which  will 
much  assist  the  growth  on  pastures,  help  root  crops,  plump  corn  ears, 
and  soften  the  hard  clods  of  fallow  land,  so  that  cultivators  and  harrows 
may  be  set  going  to  good  purpose,  the  land  cleaned  and  got  into  proper 
condition  for  early  sowing  this  autumn  if  wanted,  or  for  ridging  later  on 
for  winter.  Where  such  land  is  infested  with  Charlock  all  seeds  near  the 
surface  will  germinate  now  ;  then  by  shallow  ploughing  or  a  turn  with 
a  light  cultivator  or  horse  hoe  the  Charlock  plant  is  destroyed  and  other 
seed  brought  to  the  surface  to  germinate  in  its  turn. 
'  Corn  harvest  will  be  early  and  short  with  favourable  weather,  and 
stubbles  should  be  broken  up  and  cleaned  as  fast  as  they  are  ready. 
Much  of  the  Barley  is  changing  very  fast,  and  with  some  showers  now 
to  plump  it  good  bright  malting  samples  may  yet  be  forthcoming.  Of 
Wheat  there  is  nothing  hopeful  to  say  ;  much  of  it  is  so  light  and  thin 
on  the  ground  that  it  will  not  pay  expenses.  On  the  other  hand,  some 
of  it  is  a  really  fine  crop,  very  much  in  response  to  the  treatment  of  the 
land  in  which  it  is  growing. 
METEOROLOGICAL  OBSERVATIONS. 
OAMDEN  Square,  London. 
Lat.sio  32' 40"  N. ;  Long.  0°  8/  0"  W.;  Altitude  111  feet. 
Date. 
9  A.M. 
IN  THE  Day. 
d 
s 
1895. 
July. 
1  Barometer 
at  32°,  and 
1  Sea  Level. 
Hygrometer. 
Direc¬ 
tion  of 
Wind. 
Temp, 
of  soil 
at 
I  foot. 
Shade  Tem¬ 
perature. 
Radiation 
Temperature 
Dry. 
Wet. 
Max. 
Min. 
In 
Sun. 
On 
Grass. 
Inchs. 
deg. 
deg. 
deg. 
deg. 
deg. 
deg. 
deg. 
Inchs. 
Sunday  .. 
14 
29-780 
62-9 
61-2 
N.W. 
66-0 
71-9 
58-7 
125-2 
54-2 
— 
Monday  . . 
15 
29-978 
60-7 
53-4 
S.W. 
64-1 
70-4 
50-4 
115-2 
45-0 
Tuesday  . . 
16 
30-000 
61-3 
64-1 
w. 
63-2 
70-5 
53-3 
101-9 
47-8 
— 
Wednesday 
17 
29-867 
66-0 
59-2 
S.W. 
62-9 
81-9 
64-1 
118-6 
48-4 
— 
Thursday . , 
18 
29-820 
69-4 
61"9 
S. 
64'0 
76-6 
57-6 
118-0 
52-1 
0-460 
Friday  . . 
19 
29-628 
62-9 
58-2 
S.W. 
64-4 
71-6 
67-1 
120-8 
66-3 
0-251 
Saturday  . . 
20 
29-57.5 
57-2 
66-3 
S.E. 
63-0 
67-8 
54-9 
97-8 
50-2 
0-320 
29-807 
62-9 
66-3 
63-8 
73-0 
55-2 
113-J 
50-6 
1-031 
REMARKS. 
14th.— Alternate  cloud  and  sunshine. 
15th. — Generally  overcast  in  morning,  some  sunshine  in  afternoon. 
16th.— Spots  of  rain  early,  and  overcast  almost  throughout. 
17th.— Overcast  morning,  frequent  sunshine  in  afternoon,  spots  of  rain  in  evening. 
18th. — Occasional  sunshine,  but  generally  cloudy ;  steady  rain  from  7.30  P.m.  to  mid¬ 
night. 
19th. — Rain  from  4  A.M.  to  6  A.M.,  then  overcast;  bright  breezy  morning;  occasional 
thunder  and  sharp  showers  in  afternoon  ;  fine  evening. 
20th. — Continuous  ram  from  4  A.M.  to  11  A.M.,  followed  by  high  wind  and  alternate 
sunshine  and  showers. 
Temperature  near  the  average  ;  the  long  drought  broken  by  three  consecutive  days 
of  moderate  rain.— G.  J.  Symons. 
