558 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
December  21,  1899. 
land  Bays  and  coach  horses,  Clydesdales  and  Suffolks,  all  come  in  for 
a  due  share  of  attention. 
We  saw  last  week  that  50,000  more  mules  were  wanted  for  our 
present  undertaking  with  Paul,  and  so  W.  B.  Tegetmeier's  paper  on  the 
utilisation  of  the  mule  was  read  w'uh  the  greatest  interest.  We 
think  there  is  something  in  the  idea.  Will  Sir  Walter  Gilbey  give  it 
his  attention  ?  we  want  a  pioneer. 
As  for  horned  stock.  Oh!  the  list  is  tremendous!  Their  successes 
in  the  show  ring,  their  prices  at  auction  sales,  the  names  of  those 
heroes  who  have  travelled  far  away  into  the  distant  regions  are 
here  catalogued,  and  each  by  his  own  particular  advocate.  There  is 
something  to  be  proud  of.  English  agriculture  cannot  be  moribund 
yet.  Her  well  bred  stock  is  known  over  the  civilised  world,  and  if  we 
could  peep  into  many  a  colonial  parlour  we  should  see  copies  of 
herd  books,  the  very  backs  of  which  would  nuke  us  feel  at  home 
at  once. 
If  we  are  good  hands  at  beef  making  we  can  also  take  first 
place  as  sheep  rearers,  and  if  the  trade  in  rams  has  during  this  last 
year  not  been  quite  equal  to  past  seasons,  still  there  is  nothing  to  be 
ashamed  of.  Here  again  we  find  a  good  export  trade.  We  could  wish 
wools  were  better  ;  but  it  is  a  long  lane  that  has  no  turning,  and  the 
turn  may  not  be  far  off. 
A  question  is  raised  as  to  whether  agricultural  shows  are  teaching 
all  the  lessons  they  might.  Are  they  maintaining  their  popularity  ?  and 
Sir  R.  D.  Green  Price  gives  some  excellent  hints  well  worthy  (the 
attention  of  those  who  have  to  do  with  the  working  management 
of  shows. 
The  article  by  Mr.  C.  Stein  comes  home  to  us  just  now  ;  it'gives  us 
some  idea  of  the  difficulties  our  men  have  abroad  with  regard  to  their 
horses.  Anthrax  is  bad  enough  here  among!  horned  stock,  but  in 
India  it  also  attacks  horses  and  is  most  virulent.  Whether  the 
African  horse  sickness  is  some  form  of  the  same  fell  disease  has  not 
yet  been  absolutely  proved.  There  is  a  wonderful  family  likeness  Fin 
the  two. 
Mr.  Geo.  Fleming  contributes  an  interesting  article  on  fractured 
bones  of  the  horse,  and  shows  how,  by  patience  and  cire,  serious 
fractures  may  be  reduced  and  the  patient  made  “goable”  again. 
Mr.  Ed.  Brown  is  ready  to  give  us  a  good  mark  or  two  for 
greater  care  and  common  sense  in  the  poultry  yard.  He  thinks  we 
are  beginning  to  see  there  is  something  to  be  had  by  a  little  method, 
that  we  are  getting  out  of  the  old  ruts,  and  putting  ourselves  together 
generally.  A  careful  perusal  of  his  remarks  will  forward  Jus  a  little 
more;  but  mind,  we  must  not  just  read  and  then  go  la  way  "and 
forget.  There  are  many  little  matters  in  our  own  poultry  yards  that 
are  not  quite  as  perfect  yet  as  they  might  be. 
From  eggs  to  bacon  !  well  there  is  nothing  to  beat  English-cured 
yet,  if  we  can  only  get  it  ;  but  we  want  the  best  type  of  pig,  and  to 
learn  what  the  type  is  please  apply  to  Mr.  Saunders  Spencer  within, 
lie  is  a  competent  guide,  and  knows  all  there  is  to  be  known,  or 
thereabouts,  re  swine. 
All  this  good  matter  in  one  volume,  and  yet  this  is  not  all- 
almanack  and  diary,  tables  of  all  sorts,  breeder’s  directory,  lists  of  fairs 
and  markets,  live  stock  societies  and  agricultural  societies,  it] really  is 
a  mill  turn  in  parvo.  We  ought  to  add  there  is  not’a  dull  page  from 
cover  to  cover,  and  there  is  great  credit  due  to  the  proprietors  for 
maintaining,  as  they  do,  year  after  year,  the  intrinsic  value  of  the 
book. 
WORK  ON  THE  HOME  FARM. 
Winter  at  last!  But,  has  it  come  to  stay  ?  v  We  have  been  so 
accustomed  to  unseasonable  weather  for  several  years  that  when  real 
winter  takes  his  rightful  place  we  may  be  poorly  prepared]  to' meet  his 
severities. 
Alas  !  This  seems  to  be  the  probable  case  at  the  present  time, 
should  the  promise  of  winter  be  fulfilled.  %  Only  a  small  proportion  of  the 
growing  and  unstored  root  crip  is  in  any  sense  suite!  to  withstand  severe 
Irost.  The  general  crop  is  very  small  in  size,  and  therefore  fairly  tough, 
but  never  having  possessed  a  tap  root  it  has  grown  very  much  out  of 
;he  ground,  and  is  therefore  peculiarly  susceptible  to  frost  injury. 
Farmers  who  have  stored  all  the  Swedes  and  Mangold  worth  storing 
may  have  every  cause  for  congratulation,  whilst  they  can  have  nc  ne  for 
regret. 
Should  frost  continue  we  may  give  the  horses  a  rest  and  do  a  little 
thrashing,  or  if  there  be  manure  to  get  out  we  may  find  plenty  of 
employment  in  that  quarter,  but  we  must  remember  the  comfort  of  tho 
animals  and  restore  the  bedding  plentifully  with  straw  (dry  and  well 
spread).  Straw  bedding  is  wasted  if  put  down  in  big  lumps.  A  man 
who  rolled  his  blanket  into  a  lump  and  sat  on  it,  expecting  thereby  to 
keep  warm,  would  be  jeered  at  Then  spread  the  straw  blanket  well 
abroad  for  the  cattle,  that  they  may  lie  in  it,  not  upon  it. 
Whilst  on  this  subject  we  might  mention  that  trials  in  connection 
with  tuberculosis  have  shown  that  open  air  treatment  is  most  conducive 
to  health,  and  that,  therefore,  the  open  yard  with  a  common-sense 
bedding  of  dry  straw  is  the  right  treatment  for  cattle,  either  breeding  or 
growing  if  they  are  to  be  kept  in  such  a  state  that  they  may  pass 
either  the  ‘  vet,”  or  the  market. 
The  ewes  had  better  be  kept  off  Turnips  as  much  as  convenient 
during  the  frost.  Roots  are  very  scanty,  and  frozen  ones  are  never  good 
for  breeding  ewes,  so  we  had  better  use  more  straw  and  fodder,  which 
are  both  plentiful  and  cheap.  Both  are  a  little  dearer,  but  still  cheaper 
relatively  than  other  foods.  Good  hay  is  certainly  cheaper  than  cake, 
and  more  economical  if  intelligently  used. 
We  see  that  straw  is  quoted  as  low  as  15s.  per  ton  on  some  markets. 
Cut  up  and  used  with  a  little  treacle  and  malt  culm  a  good  and  cheap 
substitute  for  roots  is  provided.  This  may  be  given  to  the  older  stores, 
and  the  hay  saved  for  the  young  cattle  and  sheep. 
Prickly  Comfrey. — Has  anyone  grown  this  as  a  fodder  plant  ?  I 
have  never  seen  it  so,  but  as  a  curiosity  in  odd  corners  I  have  met  it 
many  times,  and  when  a  few  handffils  have  been  given  to  the  cows  they 
have  left  it,  and  it  has  been  discarded  as  useless  as  fold. —  A.  D.  S.  K. 
Wintering  In-foal  Mares  at  Grass.— Where  in-foal  cart  mares 
can  be  spared  from  the  team  they  should  now  be  turned  afield  for  the 
winter.  Thus  they  get  rest  for  their  feet  and  legs,  and  establish  that 
healthy  state  constitutionally  that  is  so  needful  to  insure  the  bearing  of 
healthy  foals.  Grass  may  appear  to  be  cold  diet,  and  the  field  chilly 
quarters,  but  I  have  found  that  there  is  no  better  way  of  reaching  success 
in  breeding  than  by  turning  the  mares  adrift  in  the  fields  in  winter.  If 
the  pasture  land  is  tolerably  good,  and  there  is  an  average  covering  of 
grass  thereon,  no  extra  food  is  needed  unless  it  be  in  time  of  hard  frosts 
and  snow,  when  an  armful  of  hay  night  and  morning  will  suffice.  Thus 
wintered  the  animals  come  up  at  spring,  just  before  foaling,  in  good 
condition,  quite  healthv,  and  in  every  way  in  a  suitable  state  to  bring 
their  foals. — (“Rural  World.”) 
Breeding  Ewes. — The  ewe  flocks  are  in  the  early  districts  being 
taken  from  the  rams,  and  have  marvellou-ly  picked  up  in  flesh  on  the 
fresh  pastures.  It  is  for  flock- masters  to  now  see  that  their  charges  do 
not  sink  in  condition  during  the  coming  trying  months — a  circumstance 
that  by  no  means  uncommonly  occurs.  It  is  just  at  the  beginning  of  the 
year,  says  the  “Rural  World,”  that  the  decline  in  flesh  is  mostly  notice¬ 
able  ;  but  now's  the  time  to  buoy  up  the  system  against  the  trying  time. 
If  you  allow  your  breeding  ewes  to  get  poor  against  lambing  time,  you 
may  not  possibly  get  up  the  condition  until  after  the  lambs  are  weaned  in 
the  following  summer,  and  a  very  poor  lot  of  lambs  the  mothers  generally 
give.  Troughs  should  be  placed  now  in  every  field,  aod  the  ewes  get  a 
pint  of  oats  per  head  daily,  and  that  will  keep  up  the  condition  and 
insure  luck  at  yeaning  day  to  a  ccnsiderable  e stent. 
Adulteration  of  Drugs. — If  the  adulteration  of  food  stuffs  with 
harmless  materials  is  mean  and  paltry,  what  shall  we  say  to  the  adulterator 
of  drugs,  upon  which,  at  certain  critical  times,  our  very  lives  depend  ? 
More  than  once  in  advising  readers  as  to  drugs  for  veterinary  purposes  I 
have  warned  them  against  the  cheap  store,  and  said  "  Don’t  haggle  over 
prices  of  drugs.”  Let  me  now  offer  you  proof  of  my  belief  in  adultera¬ 
tion,  from  the  blue  book  of  the  Local  Government  Board  of  England  and 
Wales.  There  were  in  1898,  1641  samples  of  drugs  analysed,  and  198 
found  to  be  adulterated,  very  close  upon  12  per  cent.  One  of  the  fre¬ 
quent  remedies  employed  in  colic  draughts  for  horses,  and  in  fevers 
and  colds,  is  sweet  spirit  of  nitre,  and  the  proportion  of  samples 
adulterated  was  thirtv-nine  out  of  173  Fifteen  out  of  e’ghty-two 
samples  of  sulphur  were  impure,  and  of  lime  water  thirteen  out  of  forty. 
These  are  flagrant  instances,  the  whole  report  showing  a  more  favourable 
average,  but  enough  has  been  said  to  prove  my  contention  that  it  is  not 
worth  while  to  invite  adulteration,  and  thit  the  best  is  the  cheapest  in 
the  matter  of  drugs,  whatever  may  be  the  case  in  regard  to  other  articles. 
As  all  who  are  interested  in  the  land  c  ntribute  so  heavily  to  county  and  all 
other  rates,  it  may  afford  a  grain  of  comfort  to  be  told  that  the  expense 
of  analysts  and  the  detective  work  connected  with  it,  is  gradually,  but 
surely,  securing  greater  purity  in  nearly  every  department  ;  the  persistent 
raids  made  on  the  sellers  of  articles  particularly  liable  to  sophistication, 
in  all  cases  leads  to  reform,  as  proved  by  the  statistics  of  the  great  blue 
book  from  which  I  have  quoted. — Vet.  (in  “  Farmer  and  Stock-breeder.”) 
