382 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER 
October  17,  1896. 
sent  to  tlie  kitchen  they,  and  in  due  course  older  birds,  were 
in  constant  request  till  the  end  of  the  season. 
Yery  easy  is  it  to  run  glibly  through  such  a  list,  but  by 
no  means  easy  is  it  to  prevent  the  occurrence  of  faults  in  the 
supply.  Butter  and  new  laid  eggs  in  the  winter  will  perhaps 
give  most  trouble.  Butter  will  occasionally  go  wrong,  especi¬ 
ally  in  the  winter ;  and  as  to  eggs,  why  we  soon  found  that 
to  trust  to  one  source  of  supply  alone  was  to  run  much  too 
serious  a  risk  of  failure  to  be  safe.  Two  of  the  gamekeepers 
had  suitable  poultry  houses  provided  near  their  cottages,  and 
they  were  placed  on  their  mettle  'by  the  promise  of  extra 
pay  dependent  on  the  number  of  eggs  sent  in.  One  of 
them  had  already  a  considerable  number  of  so-called  “ever¬ 
lasting  ”  layers  under  his  care,  but  he  could  make  no  hand 
of  them  for  this  work,  and  he  had  to  turn  to  other  breeds, 
eventually  settling  do  vn  to  White  Dorkings  and  thus  becoming 
our  champion  winter  egg  man. 
In  this  important  matter  breeding  tells  but  the  selection  of 
fine  healthy  pullets  from  March,  April,  and  May  broods  is  the 
main  thing.  Birds  must  be  had  which  commence  laying  just 
when  the  supply  from  older  hens  is  falling  off  in  early  autumn. 
This  means  plenty  of  early  March  pullets,  and  it  must  not  be 
forgotten  that  they  may  only  lay  freely  for  a  short  time  and  then 
moult.  It  is  here  precisely  that  younger  birds  tell,  keeping  up 
the  egg  supply,  and  continuing  to  do  so  if  only  they  have  every 
advantage  of  snug  clean  quarters,  made  warm  and  comfortable 
at  night,  with  a  closed  commodious  run  by  day,  well  lighted 
and  ventilated,  with  a  clean  flo  ir  kept  well  supplied  with  dust 
and  grit,  among  which  a  little  corn  may  be  thrown  occasionally. 
Warm  food  twice  a  day  is,  however,  of  the  utmost  importance, 
and  as  the  fowls  are  so  much  confined  extra  care  must  be  given 
to  cleanliness  in  every  part  of  the  interior  of  the  fowl  houses 
and  runs.  Nesting  places  and  perches  must  not  be  overlooked; 
both  are  frequently  found  infested  with  vermin  and  clogged 
with  filth. 
All  this  points  to  systematic  management,  close  attention  to 
detail,  and  intelligent  supervision.  A  very  different  thing  this  to 
the  common  easy-going  custom  of  opening  and  closing  the  fowl 
house  morning  and  night,  throwing  down  some  whole  corn  (of 
which  sparrows  often  have  a  big  share),  and  taking  no  further 
care  or  notice  of  the  fowls  Yet  a  glance  at  them  on  a  cold 
day  should  ari’est  attention;  they  make  no  attempt  to  wander 
or  go  near  their  summer  haunts,  but  gather  under  any  available 
shelter  and  remain  there  drooping  and  uncomfortable.  They 
go  to  roost  very  early  on  perches  often  on  a  level  with  the 
eaves  of  the  building,  under  which  there  is  a  bitter  draught 
rushing  in  on  them  through  the  long  winter  night.  It  is  no 
wonder  that  under  such  conditions  winter  eggs  are  a  rarity,  or 
rather  unknown. 
The  remarks  on  poultry  having  extended  somewhat  farther 
than  was  intended  the  rest  of  our  space  this  week  may  be 
usefully  devoted  to  it.  To  the  lover  of  Orpingtons,  or  of  any  of 
the  Mediterranean  breeds,  we  may  say  that  all  of  them  are  good 
for  winter  eggs  if  only  sufficient  attention  is  given  to  the  selec¬ 
tion  and  management  of  pullets  as  has  been  indicated  The  day 
has  gone  by  when  barndoor  mongrel  fowls  were  allowed  to  pre¬ 
dominate  at  the  home  farm,  when  old  hens  were  suffered  to  go 
on  long  after  they  had  ceased  laying  freely.  The  whole  of 
them  should  be  closely  examined,  as  they  go  off  laying  in 
autumn,  only  exceptionally  good  ones  being  kept  over  Of  the 
others,  destroy  all  that  are  unhealthy  and  use  up  the  others  for 
the  stock  pot,  taking  care  that  proper  arrangements  are  made 
with  the  kitchen  authorities  as  to  the  number  that  can  be  taken 
weekly  for  this  purpose. 
Let  the  bailiff  make  it  a  special  matter  to  see  personally  that 
no  doubtful  old  hen  is  so  used.  It  is  within  our  experience  that 
the  whole  of  the  soup  has  been  spoiled  by  a  hen  that  oughc 
never  to  have  left  the  farm.  An  oversight  Well,  it  might 
have  been ;  but  the  farm  manager  who  attends  very  closely  to 
detail,  and  regards  so-called  trifles  as  important,  is  by  no  means 
too  common.  continued.) 
WOEK  ON  THE  HOME  FARM. 
Showery  weather  has  brought  up  winter  corn  with  a  rush,  owing  to 
the  land  being  so  warm  from  the  great  heat  of  September.  Parched 
pasture  is  already  looking  better,  and  with  the  weather  so  mild  growth 
of  herbage  is  remarkably  brisk.  Wonderful  is  the  contrast  presented  by 
the  luxuriant  herbage  in  the  High  Peak  of  Derbyshire  to  the  bare 
pastures  in  much  of  the  south  Midlands.  In  the  Peak  the  complaint  ia 
of  a  want  of  sufficient  stock,  while  in  Leicestershire  it  has  been  difficult 
to  obtain  food  for  the  stock,  and  the  agistment  of  cattle  has  been  a 
matter  of  necessity  on  many  a  farm. 
This  refers  to  poor  pasture  that  is  never  brought  under  anything  like 
a  systematic  application  of  manure,  and  we  are  bound  to  say  that  our 
use  of  chemical  manure  on  about  100  acres  of  pasture  in  the  very 
centre  of  a  parched  district  this  year  baa  proved  once  more  a  safeguard 
against  drought.  Of  course  there  is  a  check  to  growth  from  drought, 
but  it  is  never  so  severe  on  land  that  is  rich  in  available  plant  food. 
Push  on  the  clearance  of  the  Mangolds  now  while  the  work  can  be 
done  quickly  and  well.  If  keeping  is  scarce  the  sheep  may  follow  for  a 
few  days  to  clear  up  the  tops.  In  any  case  set  the  ploughs  going  as  soon 
as  possible  after  the  land  is  cleared,  and  get  it  ridged  up  for  winter  if 
is  not  to  be  sown  now,  then  follow  with  the  Swedes  that  are  to  be 
placed  under  cover  for  winter.  White  Turnips  are  a  grand  crop,  and 
are  now  being  folded  with  hoggets.  Late  sown  Swedes  are  small  in 
size,  and  will  be  left  out  as  usual*  for  spring  folding.  The  last  crop  of 
Lucerne  has  been  very  useful,  as  indeed  has  each  successional  crop  ofi 
this  grand  forage  plant. 
The  nights  grow  colder,  heavy  rain  showers,  with  cold,  cutting  wind 
at  night,  and  frosty  mornings  may  now  be  expected,  and  dairy  cows 
should  go  into  the  yards  at  night,  unless  there  is  ample  provision  of 
open  hovels  on  the  pasture.  Shelter  must  be  had,  and  it  is  also  well  to 
remember  that  when  pasture  is  sodden  by  heavy  rain  at  this  season  of 
the  year,  there  is  much  risk  of  harm  to  cattle  and  horses  having  to  lie 
down  to  rest  on  it.  Look  to  the  flock  now  for  indications  of  foot-rot ; 
wc  were  through  a  flock  recently  said  to  be  free  of  it,  and  we  dis¬ 
covered  two  limping  sheep. 
OUR  LETTER  BOX. 
Feeding  Cows  {^Inquirer'). — 1,  The  best  dietary  for  your  purpose  is 
meadow  hay,  crushed  oai.s,  and  bran.  If  you  have  enough  home-grown 
oats,  the  bran  may  be  dispensed  with ;  but  if  food  has  ta  be  purchased, 
then  give  preference  to  the  mixture.  2,  Your  cows  will  require  about 
60  lbs.  of  food  daily,  or  thereabouts,  according  to  size.  But  we  should 
prefer  to  give  each  of  them  6  lbs.  of  the  corn  twice  daily  at  milking 
time,  and  as  much  hay  as  they  can  clear  up.  3,  No,  roots  are  not 
absolutely  necessary.  If  they  can  be  had  use  a  few  Carrots  till  the  end 
of  the  year,  then  Mangolds  ;  avoid  Swedes  and  other  Turnips  altogether. 
Some  Cattle  Cabbage  or  Kale  in  moderation  is  a  valuable  addition  to  a 
winter  dietary.  4,  Cows  out  of  milk  require  no  corn.  6,  The  bull  will 
require  no  corn  ;  hay  and  oat  straw  should  suffice  to  keep  it  in  healthy 
condition.  Beware  of  exposing  such  delicate  cows  to  cold  and  wet. 
Jerseys  ought  certainly  to  lie-in  at  night  now,  and  after  this  month  tO’ 
be  withdrawn  altogether  from  the  pasture,  and  be  settled  in  the  yards 
for  the  winter. 
METEOROLOGICAL  OBSERVATIONS. 
OAMDBN  SQUARK,  LONDOir. 
Lat.51°  32'40"  N. ;  Long.  0°  8' 0"  W.:  Altitude  111  feet. 
Date. 
9  A.M. 
In  the  Day. 
d 
*3 
1895. 
October. 
1  Barometer 
j  at  32°,  and 
1  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. 
Inch., 
Sunday  .. 
6 
29-608 
54-4 
53-8 
N. 
54-9 
68-6 
53-9 
68-1 
51-1 
0-060- 
Monday  . . 
7 
29-762 
60  0 
47-8 
W. 
54-6 
59-2 
43-7 
101-8 
37-6 
0-162 
Tuesday  . . 
8 
29-385 
53-9 
52-1 
B. 
54-0 
56-9 
50-1 
64-6 
44-1 
0-295. 
Wednesday 
9 
29-103 
51-6 
50-2 
N.W. 
53  9 
56*1 
41-9 
77-6 
48-8 
0-014 
Thursday . . 
10 
•..9-640 
48-9 
46-1 
N. 
53  2 
52-1 
41-1 
68-9 
36-9 
— 
Friday 
11 
30-083 
48-1 
45  1 
W. 
51  9 
56-2 
36‘d 
90-1 
29-7 
— 
Saturday  .. 
12 
30-130 
53-1 
49-3 
s.w. 
51-8 
61-4 
43-0 
96-4 
40-6 
-  ■ 
29-673 
51-4 
49-2 
53-6 
67-1 
46.6 
81-1 
41-3 
0-521 
REMARKS. 
6th.— Heavy  rain  from  midnight  to  3  30  A.J'.,  and  from  6.30  A.M.  to  9  A.M.,  then  drizzly 
till  noon  ;  overcast  afternoon  ;  fair  evening. 
7th.— Fine  and  generally  sunny  till  2  P.M.,  overcast  after. 
8th. — Rain  from  1  A.M.  to  4  A.M. ;  overcast  day,  with  slight  rain  at  intervals  ;  almost 
incessant  rain  after  7.30  P.M. 
9th. — Continuous  rain  till  4  A.M. ;  dull  damp  morning  ;  fair -afternoon,  with  gleams 
of  sun. 
1 0th. — A  little  rain  in  small  hours  ;  dull  damp  morning  ;  fair  afternoon ;  clear  night. 
11th.— Fine  and  generally  sunny. 
1 2th.— Dull  early,  sunny  and  pleasant  after  11  A  M. 
Another  considerable  decrease  in  temperature  ;  but  the  fall  of  the  mean  maxima  of 
21'7°  in  a  fortnight  has  only  brought  the  temperature  down  to  .about  its  true  a-^erage, 
— G.  J.  Symons. 
