138 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
August  18.  Ic98 
largest  farm  in  the  United  Kingdom  is  situated  in  Lincolnshire — 
“  Withcall,”  on  the  chalk  wolds  between  Louth  and  Lincoln.  The 
parish  of  Withcall  means  the  farm,  as  it  is  one — 2600  acres.  It 
requires  a  large  capital  and  a  large  mind  to  work  such  a  place.  It 
has  been  celebrated  in  the  annals  of  farming  for  many  a  long  year. 
A  field  of  350  acres  all  Turnips  !  An  annual  bill  for  bones  of  about 
£1800! 
This  woldland  farming  is  of  a  totally  different  style  to  anything 
seen  in  the  south.  Sheep  and  Barley  are  the  mainstays,  and  as  the 
Turnips  are  eaten  on  the  land  the  Barley  has  every  chance  of  being  a 
good  crop.  For  many  years,  we  believe,  this  farm  was  the  property 
of  the  Chaplin  family,  and  records  exist  of  the  tenant  appearing  at 
Blankney  to  pay  his  rent  driving  his  own  coach  and  four.  This 
tenant  left  a  fortune.  Times  were  better  then  than  now. 
On  farms  of  this  description  beasts  are  fed  principally  on  straw 
and  large  supplies  of  oil  cake.  Where  seventy  cart  horses  find 
regular  employment  one  is  not  surprised  to  find  horse-breeding  is  a 
necessary  feature.  Fortunaudy  for  Withcall  the  railway  runs  through 
it,  and  thus  makes  export  and  import  an  easier  matter  than  it  used  to 
be  in  days  of  old.  It  then  passed  to  Mr.  Nathaniel  Clayton,  and  no 
money  or  labour  was  spared  to  make  the  farm  as  profitable  as  it  was 
in  those  bygone  days  when  the  tenant  drove  fonr-in-hand. 
We  leave  Withcall,  and  record  some  doings  of  other  men  in  the 
N.E.  corner  of  Lincolnshire.  The  Shorthorn  of  Durham  did  not  long 
confine  itself  to  the  limits  of  that  county,  and  perhaps  one  of  the  most 
noted  herds  of  late  years  has  been  the  one  that  found  its  home  at 
Aylesby,  and  that  owed  its  formation  to  the  late  William  Torr — 
better  known  as  “  Awd  Billy  Torr.”  This  clever  but  eccentric  old 
fellow  was  noted  as  well  for  his  Lincoln  Long  Wools,  but  it  was  left  to 
his  executors  to  record  the  highest  average  and  the  highest  individual 
price  for  a  Shorthorn  cow  ever  known.  This  was  in  the  seventies. 
He  had  no  son,  but  had  been  wonderfully  helped  in  his  farm  manage¬ 
ment  by  a  young  man  called  C.  W.  Tindall. 
In  process  of  time  a  landowner  of  N.  Lines,  conceived  the  idea  of 
founding  a  Shire  horse  stud,  in  the  first  place  to  supply  a  long-felt 
want,  and  in  the  second  to  afford  himself  a  pleasant  and  profitable 
recreation.  He  had,  like  all  breeders,  his  ups  and  downs,  and  there 
were  those  among  us  who  wondered  if  his  agent,  Mr.  Tindall  of 
Aylesby  fame,  was  as  much  at  home  with  Shire  horses  as  he  had 
been  with  Shorthorns. 
Presently  the  stud  outgrew  the  accommodation,  and  in  1891  the 
services  of  Messrs.  Sextcn  &  Grimwade  were  called  into  requisition, 
and  a  sale  was  held  at  the  Home  Farm.  When  we  say  that  the 
forty-eight  head  averaged  £198  17s.  3d.,  and  that  “  Starlight,”  the 
champion  mare,  fetched  925  guineas,  outsiders  will  not  be  surprised  to 
hear  that  this  average  has  yet  to  be  beaten. 
Earlier  m  this  paper  we  made  mention  of  sheep  as  being  the  great 
stay  of  the  Lincolnshire  farmer.  Lincoln  Long  Wools  are  noted  the 
world  over.  They  are  di  spatched  to  every  country  and  every  colony 
where  sheep  raising  is  practicable. 
Their  constitution,  their  wool,  and  their  mutton  are  incomparable, 
and  the  diligent  reader  of  agricultural  papers  will  recall  at  once  the 
honoured  names,  that  are  now  household  words,  of  celebrated  Lincoln 
ram  breeders — Dean  &  Sons,  Casswell,  Kirkham,  Clarke  of  Scopwick, 
Clarke  (Sleaford),  and,  last  and  greatest  of  all,  Henry  Dudding  of 
Riby  Grove. 
This  year,  July  19th,  saw  the  sale  at  Riby  of  fifty-two  yearling 
rams.  There  had  been  a  good  deal  of  speculation  as  to  what  prices 
would  be  realised,  and  it  was  confidently  expected  that  one  of  them 
would  fetch  at  least  £500. 
The  morning  of  the  19th  rose  dull  and  threatening,  but  the  animals 
were  there,  and,  what  was  more  to  the  point,  the  buyers  too,  with 
full  pocket-books.  The  foreigner  was  much  in  evidence,  and  before 
the  day  was  over  secured  Riby’s  Gem  for  the  unprecedented  sum  of 
1000  guineas  !  It  is  to  be  exhibited  at  Buenos  Ayres  in  August,  and 
we  are  only  too  thankful  that  we  are  not  responsible  for  his  safe 
convoy  to  that  distant  port.  However,  he  will  let  the  S.  Americans 
see  that  old  England  is  not  yet  played  out. 
Another  yearling  still  made  310  guineas,  and  another  235  guineas.. 
The  grand  total  was  reached  of  £4521  6s.,  an  average  of  £86  19s., 
and  mind  this  is  for  sheep,  not  for  horses.  So  Lincolnshire  has 
surpassed  herself — the  best  average  at  a  shorthorn  sale,  William  Torr  ; 
the  best  average  at  a  Shire  horse  sale,  R.  N.  Sutton-Nelthorpe ;  the 
best  average  at  a  Lincoln  Long  Wool  ram  sale,  Henry  Dudding. 
We  are  not  of  a  racing  stock,  but  still  feel  constrained  to  note 
that  the  grand  old  Derby  winner,  Hermit,  was  owned  by  a  Chaplin 
and  stood  at  Blankney. 
WORK  ON  THE  HOME  FARM. 
Having  been  burnt  up  for  three  weeks  with  sun  heat  and  drying  winds, 
we  are  now  ready  to  complain  of  too’much  rain.  It  has  fallen  very  heavily 
at  very  short  intervals,  and  as  it  has  been  accompanied  by  strong  lashing 
winds,  the  corn  crops  are  almost  universally  laid. 
Whereas  machine  agents,  who  had  been  selling  self-binders,  have 
received  numerous  requests  for  orders  to  be  cancelled,  the  labourers,  after 
running  round  almost  in  vain  to  seek  a  j  ib,  are  r.ow  much  in  request.  As 
we  have  only  noticed  one  small  gang  of  Irishmen  seeking  harvest  work, 
it  seems  likely  that  the  harvest  labour  pinch,  which  we  have  long  fore¬ 
told,  may  soon  be  a  reality. 
We  are  getting  on  well  with  weeding  Turnips.  We  are  sending 
Elephant  Potatoes  to  market  ;  the  quality  is  good,  but  the  quantity  must 
be  short  owing  to  the  drought.  The  later  kinds  of  Potatoes  are  now 
doing  very  well,  and  must  be  a  good  crop.  A  few  big  weeds  are  beginning 
to  show,  and  must  be  pulled  out  before  getting  any  higher. 
The  rain  has  immensely  benefited  the  pistures,  and  aftermath  should 
now  make  a  good  growth.  One  effect  of  this  is  seen  in  the  stock  markets 
and  fairs  ;  lambs  are  5s.  dearer  on  the  week,  and  all  kinds’  of  store  stock 
decidedly  firmer. 
Now  will  come  a  d  fficulty  in  keeping  lambs  healthy  ;  all  kinds  of 
green  food  will  be  too  succulent  for  the  stomach  of  the  young  animals,  and 
must  be  supplemented  by  medicated  lamb  food  to  assist  digestion.  Constant 
change  of  pasture  is  very  beneficial,  and  a  few  hours  in  the  lanes  is  a  good 
thing.  Bramble  leaves  are  a  fine  tonic,  and  lambs  should  have  every 
chance  of  getting  to  them  where  they  are  available. 
L'ntil  the  fog  or  aftermath  gets  well  grown  and  past  the  frothy  stage, 
old  pastu  e,  w  hich  has  been  summer  grazed  by  cattle,  is  the  safest  food 
for  lambs. 
Cabbage  required  for  use  next  summer  should  be  sown  now  at  once. 
The  land  is  in  fine  order,  and  the  young  plants  w-ill  soon  be  up. 
METEOROLOGICAL  OBSERVATIONS. 
Camden  Square,  London. 
Lat.  51°  32'  40"  N.;  Loug.  0°  8'  0"  W.;  Altitude  111  feet. 
Date. 
9  A.M. 
In  the  Day. 
1898. 
August. 
Barometer 
at  32°,  and 
Sea  Level 
Hygrometer 
Direc¬ 
tion  of 
Wind. 
Temp, 
of  soil 
at 
Shade Tem. 
perature. 
Radiation 
Tempera¬ 
ture 
a 
P3 
Dry. 
Wet. 
1  foot 
Max. 
Min. 
Iu 
Sun 
On 
Grass 
Sunday  . . . . 
7 
inchs 
29-813 
deg. 
53-8 
deg. 
51-4 
N.E. 
deg. 
52-5 
deg. 
56-2 
deg. 
51-4 
deg. 
74-4 
deg. 
49-0 
inchs. 
0-694 
Monday  .... 
8 
29-745 
54-8 
52-8 
N.E. 
5y  *t> 
64-6 
45-9 
97-2 
42-2 
— 
Tuesday  .... 
Wednesday 
9 
30-071 
59-3 
54-1 
N. 
58-9 
69-1 
48-2 
113-3 
44-6 
— 
10 
30T71 
59-9 
55-3 
S.W. 
59-2 
67-2 
50-9 
95-9 
46-4 
— 
Thursday  . . 
11 
30-231 
66-0 
60-9 
w. 
59-9 
80-8 
58-4 
120-0 
56-8 
— 
Friday . 
12 
30-087 
74-3 
64-6 
s. 
61-9 
86-1 
53-7 
126-1 
50-2 
— 
Saturday. . . . 
13 
29-995 
71-2 
65-3 
w. 
_ 
64T 
85-3 
63-1 
127-0 
58-6 
— 
30-016 
62-8 
57-8 
59-4 
72-8 
53-1 
107-7 
49-7 
0-694 
REMARKS. 
7th.— Dull  early  ;  cold  with  incessant  rain  from  8.30  A.M.  to  4.30  P.M.,  then  sunny 
till  sunset. 
8th.—  Overcast  and  cold  throughout,  and  rainy  from  5.30  till  9  A.M. 
9th.— Fine  and  pleasant  with  frequent  sunshine,  but  threatening  cloud  at  times  7 
halo  at  6  p.m. 
10th.— Generally  overcast,  with  a  slight  shower  at  9  A.M. 
11th.— Fine  and  sunny  throughout,  but  hazy. 
12th.— Sunny  and  hot  throughout. 
13tli.— Occasional  cloud,  but  generally  sunny  and  hot. 
A  very  remarkable  week,  the  temperature  being  very  near  the  average,  but 
composed  of  (writing  from  memory  only)  a  remarkably  sudden  rise  of  temperature. 
Sunday,  August  7th,  was  like  what  we  often  have  in  winter  ;  for  instance,  very 
much  the  same  as  the  16th  of  last  December,  whereas  Friday  and  Saturday  were 
thoroughly  hot  summer  days.  In  absolute  heat  they  have  often  been  surpassed, 
but  to  pass  from  a  December  day  to  not  merely  an  average  summer  day  but  to  a 
group  of  hot  ones  has  been  very  trying.— G.  J.  Symons. 
