418 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER 
December  8,  1898. 
BIRMINGHAM’S  JUBILEE. 
This  year  of  grace  1898  sees  two  great  events  in  the  Midland 
capital  of  Birmirg  lam — that  town  given  over  to  every  kind  of  hard¬ 
ware  manufacture,  from  a  steam  engine  to  a  steel  pen,  or  a  duplex 
burner  for  a  paraffin  lamp. 
But  these  two  great  events  are  not  at  all  in  connection  with  her 
home  manufactures,  except  as  far  as  they  relate  to  the  food  production 
for  the  great  multitude  which  throng  her  streets.  Wo  refer  to  the 
exhibition  held  by  the  Royal  Agricultural  Society  in  June,  and  to  the 
Fat  Stcck  Show  opened  November  26th,  which  on  that  date  completed 
its  fiftieth  year  of  existence.  We  wonder  how  many,  if  any,  of  the 
actual  founders  of  that  show  are  still  living  ?  We  wonder,  if  living, 
what  they  think  of  the  giant  strides  made  by  their  nurseling  ?  We 
wish  we  had  a  few  figures  to  refer  to  to  show  how  the  child  has  grown, 
till  it  only  yields  the  first  place  to  the  Christmas  show  in  London. 
Norwich,  wo  believe,  opens  the  ball,  but  Norwich  is  rather  difficult  of 
access,  lying  as  it  does  in  East  Anglia,  whereas  Birmingham  is  as 
central  as  London  itself,  and  with  its  wonderful  railway  facilities, 
invites  both  exhibitors  and  visitors. 
M  hat  a  levelling  thing  a  show  is,  and  how  all  sorts  and  conditions 
of  stock  meet  in  a  show  ring  !  No,  wo  must  hardly  say  that,  as  it 
would  imply  that  some  of  the  sorts  must  be  bad.  We  do  not  mean  that 
for  a  moment.  No  bad  stock  is  there.  We  should  rather  speak  of  it 
as  good,  better,  best.  That  is  the  fairest  way,  and  will  hurt  no  one’s 
feelings.  Ihen  look  again  at  the  exhibitors.  We  begin  with  Her 
Gracious  Majesty,  her  Royal  son  and  heir,  at  least  one  duke  and 
duchess,  earls  and  barons,  with  their  ladies,  north  and  south  country 
baronets,  country  gentlemen,  and  plain  farmers.  Here  all  are  on  equal 
ground,  and  it  is  by  merit  of  their  exhibits  they  stand  or  fall. 
Birmingham  does  its  share  by  preparing  a  handsome  prize  list, 
and  silver  cupis  seem  much  in  evidence.  Three  of  these  vessels  are 
valued  at  £L0o  each,  and  that  presented  by  Her  Majesty  is  put  at 
£50.  Numerically  the  show  is  hardly  as  large,  taken  all  round,  as  in 
past  years.  Ihis  is  owing,  in  a  measure,  to  a  Scottish  show  held  this 
week,  and  also  to  the  fact  that  the  fat  porker  has  to  stay  at  home 
owing  to  swine  fever  regulations.  When  will  this  plague  be  stayed  ? 
In  the  list  of  prizewinners  is  given  not  only  the  age  but  weight,  and 
we  are  rather  struck  by  one  fact  that  in  two  classes  the  younger 
animals  take  the  prize,  and  also  in  two  cases  weigh  less  than  the 
animals  that  stand  second.  Symmetry  and  shape  have  so  much  to  do 
in  making  up  nice  beef.  Who  does  not  know  that  meat  which  is,  to 
use  a  common  country  phrase,  all  boiling  pieces  ? 
We  none  of  us  like  ver}r  fat  meat,  and  we  do  not  care  to  pay  top 
price  for  that  which  goes  into  the  dripping  pot ;  hence  the  desire  for 
neat,  trim  joints  where  fat  and  lean  are  beautifully  marbled. 
Ihe  first  prizewinner  among  the  pretty  white-faced  Herefords  was 
Her  Majesty,  and  Captain  H.  L.  Townshend  came  second  with 
Romulus.  \V  e  note  a  very  good  name  in  this  class — “  Beefsteak.” 
What  could  be  better  for  an  animal  weighing  13  cwt.  1  qr.  15  lb-'.  ? 
Among  the  Shorthorns,  which  we  admit  arc  old  favourites  of  ours, 
we  find  her  Majesty  comes  first  with  Margaiet,  and  Mr.  W.  E. 
Learner  second  with  Silence.  The  best  Devon  is  owned  by  her 
Majesty  too,  so  she  has  reason  to  be  proud  of  her  stock  and  her  stock- 
men.  Someone  must  breed  and  buy  with  judgment,  and  someone 
must  attentively  feed. 
llie  best  Scot  figures  twice  in  the  list,  first  as  the  best  Scot  and 
then  as  the  champion  animal  of  the  show.  We  congratulate  Lord 
Strathmore  on  the  possession  of  Ju  Ju  of  Glamis.  We  shall  doubtless 
hear  of  this  heifer  again,  when  more  silver  cups  will  find  their  way  to 
her  owner  s  castle.  1  he  best  cross-bred  belonged  to  the  late  J.  J. 
Golmari,  Esq.,  of  Norwich,  and  the  second  to  Mr.  W.  Paikin  Moore. 
We  all  of  us  prefer  beef  for  Christmas,  but  we  gladly  turn  to 
mutton  for  a  change,  and  we  find  the  cross-breds  provide  the  ju:ciest 
and  tenderest  of  eating.  All  these  Down  sheep  seem  especially  to 
lend  themselves  to  judicious  crossing,  and  are  most  of  them  dropped 
early,  well  fed,  and  thus  quickly  mature.  Time  is  money,  and  the 
breeder  knows  it.  From  sheep  to  roots  seems  an  easy  transition,  and 
all  the  great  seedsxea  are  represented.  There  is  much  complaint  of 
the  general  poorness  of  the  Turnip  crop  this  year,  but  no  one  would 
think  it  who  v’site  l  the  Birmingham  Show. 
Then  come  corn  exhibits.  White  and  red  Wheat  with  some  samples 
of  best  malting  Barley  and  black  and  white  Oats,  made  a  pleasing 
variety.  We  rather  think  Oats  are  not  cultivated  so  much  as  they 
might  be;  they  can  and  do  yield  some  tremendous  crops  under  suitable 
management,  and  we  are  of  opinion  no  cereal  is  more  valuable  as  food 
on  a  stock  farm. 
Implement  makers,  manure  manufacturers,  cake  crushers,  patent 
food  inventors  were  all  fully  represented,  and  the  visitor  got  his  full 
pennyworth  of  sightseeing  before  the  day  was  out — indeed,  it  is 
questionable  whether  all  could  be  seen  in  a  day.  As  a  rule  we  each 
have  some  speciality,  and  turn  a  blind  side  to  those  other  exhibits, 
which  do  rot  appeal  to  our  fancy. 
WORK  ON  THE  HOME  FARM. 
The  Martinmas  hirings  have  come  and  gone,  and  again  has  there  been 
a  rise  in  the  wages  of  fa  m  servants.  In  many  places  wages  are  as  high 
as  they  were  in  1875,  but  what  makes  things  the  more  serious  is  the  fact 
that  many  farmers  find  a  difficulty  in  getting  men  at  any  price,  and  are 
obliged  to  engage  such  as  are  wanting  both  in  age  and  in  experience. 
There  is  little  wonder,  then,  that  new  labour-saving  machinery  is  so 
eagerly  brought  up,  and  the  only  solution  to  the  agricultural  labour 
problem  seems  to  be  the  substitution  of  machine  for  hand  labour  wherever 
possible.  Higher  wages  could  be  given  individually  to  the  smaller  number 
of  men,  with  the  result  that  intelligent  men  would  be  retained  to  farming 
instead  of  driven  away  to  the  manufacturing  centres. 
Early  sown  Wheat  came  up  well  and  quickly,  and  looks  very  pro¬ 
mising.  Later  sown  is  lying  longer  in  the  ground,  and  the  frosty  nights 
will  postpone  its  appearance. 
Thrashing  still  continues,  and  the  colder,  drier  weather,  is  favourable 
for  it.  Wheat  turns  out  well,  and  will  be  quite  up  to  expectations,  but  the 
markets  are  disappointing.  There  will  not  bo  much  inducement  to  sow 
more  Wheat  in  February  if  the  price  keeps  down  at  28s. 
Barley  turns  out  well,  but  there  is  a  too  large  proportion  of  tail  corn, 
and  the  samples  are  not  as  fine  as  we  expected.  Demand  for  fair  qualities 
of  Barley  is  good,  and  prices  are  hardening  a  little. 
•Ploughing  is  still  the  order  of  the  day,  and,  except  for  the  delivery  of 
grain  and  Potatoes,  will  continue  to  be  until  the  new  year. 
Extra  men  are  now  paid  off,  and,  as  usual  in  our  neighbourhood,  find 
winter  work  in  the  woods,  which  are  very  extensive.  Besides  the  men 
necessary  to  work  the  horses  and  attend  to  the  stock,  only  two  men  are 
retained  to  attend  to  the  fences  and  do  odd  jobs. 
METEOROLOGICAL  OBSERVATIONS. 
Camden  Square,  London. 
Lat.  51°  32’  40"  N.;  Long.  0°  8'  0"  W.;  Altitude  111  feet. 
Date. 
9  A.M. 
In  the  Day. 
■ 
Rain. 
1898. 
November  and 
December. 
Barometer 
at  32°,  and 
Sea  Level 
Hygrometer 
Direc¬ 
tion  of 
Wind. 
Temp, 
of  soil 
at 
1  foot 
Shade  Tern, 
perature. 
Radiation 
Tempera¬ 
ture. 
Dry. 
Wet. 
Max. 
Min. 
In 
Sun 
On 
Grass. 
inchs 
deg. 
deg. 
deg. 
deg. 
deg. 
deg. 
deg. 
inchs. 
Sunday  .... 
27 
29-170 
41-7 
40-8 
N.W. 
44-9 
45-8 
40-1 
57-3 
35-0 
— 
Monday  .... 
28 
29-374 
34-5 
33-9 
N. 
42-9 
41-2 
32-3 
45-2 
24-9 
0-107 
Tuesday  .... 
29 
29-588 
36-8 
35-5 
N. 
42*2 
40-4 
34-3 
58-6 
31-3 
*■' - 
Wednesday 
30 
29-S44 
35-4 
34-6 
W. 
41 T 
49-1 
29-1 
53-2 
22-9 
o-osr 
Thursday  .. 
1 
29-966 
49-1 
47-4 
W. 
421 
53T 
35-4 
62-2 
31-0 
— 
Fridav . 
2 
29*7(55 
52-3 
49-5 
w. 
44"2 
54-7 
48-6 
58-4 
43-9 
0-038, 
Saturday. . . . 
3 
29-892 
51-2 
51-0 
S.W. 
45-9 
55-2 
47  -8 
63-3 
44-3 
— 
29-057 
43-0 
41-8 
43-3 
48-5 
38-2 
56-9 
33-3 
0-196* 
REMARKS. 
27th. — Bright  sun  almost  throughout  and  clear  night. 
28th. — Fair  and  cold  till  4  p.m.,  then  rain  till  8  p.m.,  and  slight  showers  of  raim 
later  and  snow  in  evening. 
29th. — Overcast,  with  spots  of  rain  early;  generally  sunny  from  10  A.M.,  and  fine 
night. 
30th. — Sunny  day  ;  showers  in  evening. 
1st. — Overcast  early  ;  fair  day  with  occasional  bright  sun  ;  overcast  from  3  p.m. 
2nd. — Overcast,  with  S.W.  gale  and  drizzle  at  times. 
3rd. — Rain  early  ;  generally  overcast  day,  but  a  little  sun  in  morning. 
A  very  average  winter  week,  but  rain  rather  deficient.— G.  J.  Symons. 
