24  JOUUnAL  OW  HORTICULTURE  and  COTTAGE  GARDEmVER.  July 8,3890. 
fed  fat  lambs  the  trade  would  be  spoilt,  so  a  large  proportion 
have  to  be  kept  forward  to  provide  the  mutton  supply  of  another 
season,  or  breeding  flocks  of  the  future. 
1 1  is  an  easy  enough  affair  to  buy  a  few  ewes  and  lambs  and 
run  them  on  a  pasture  hired  for  the  summer  ;  but  if  they  are 
to  be  kept  forward  and  wintered  it  is  when  they  have  been 
weaned  that  the  diiSiculties  of  the  owner  really  begin. 
It  is  a  good  plan  if  they  have  been  receiv  ng  no  artificial 
food  to  give  them  some  lamb  food  or  corn  cake  for  a  fortnight 
before  weaning.  A  few  Mangolds,  too,  ax*e  also  very  good  for 
them ;  the  ewes  teach  the  iambs  to  eat.  If  you  have  a  plentiful 
supply  of  Mangolds  you  cannot  give  lambs  anything  better. 
When  possible  take  the  ewes  from  the  lambs,  not  the  lambs 
from  the  ewes.  They  are  better  left  on  the  same  pasture  they 
have  been  on  recently,  and  any  added  food  should  be  taken  to 
them  there. 
Arrange  if  possible  to  have  them  on  pastures  that  have  only 
been  grazed  during  the  current  season — i'.e.,  first  year’s  seeds. 
They  would  be  more  likely  to  go  wrong  on  two  or  three  year 
old  seeds  Old  pastures  that  have  been  grazed  with  cattle  or 
horses  only  are  a  good  change  for  lambs  if  the  land  be  sound 
and  well  drained 
When  they  have  been  from  the  ewes  a  fortnight  they  should 
be  dipped  and  then  folded  on  a  second  crop  of  Clover,  but  the 
Clover  ouiht  to  be  well  grown  and  nearly  or  quite  in  flower.  A 
fresh  fold  should  be  given  when  the  Clover  is  dry ;  for  instance, 
when  there  ai*e  heavy  dews  the  Clover  would  not  be  dry  till 
midday. 
The  first  few  days  the  lambs  would  be  better  for  only  an 
hour  or  two  of  the  Clover,  and  gradually  increase  the  time  until 
they  are  on  altogether  Grass  aftermath  is  also  suitable  for 
lambs,  but  again  the  stipulation  must  be  that  the  land  is  sound 
and  dry. 
But  what  is  to  be  done  when  there  is  neither  Clover,  n  r  old 
pasture,  nor  aftermath  ?  A  good  plot  of  autumn  or  early 
spring  planted  Cabbage  is  most  valuable  under  such  conditions. 
These  Cabbages  should  have  been  sown  the  previous  August, 
and  will  begin  to  heart  well  by  July,  if  not  earlier. 
“  Enfield  Market  ”  is  a  good  variety,  and  of  ample  size  if  well 
grown.  If  you  keep  your  lambs  on  the  old  seeds  and  give 
them  a  few  Cabbages  they  will  not  go  far  wrong,  and  as  soon 
as  harvest  comes  and  a  stubble  is  cleared  get  them  there  at 
once  and  continue  the  Cabbage. 
By  mid-September  they  may  be  taken  to  the  Cabbage  field, 
and  folded  on  the  remnants  that  are  left.  We  make  a  practice 
of  always  sowing  an  acre  or  two  of  early  Turnips  beside  the 
Cabbage  If  this  be  done,  and  the  lambs  have  a  narrow  strip  of 
Turnips  included  in  each  fold,  they  soon  begin  nibbling  them, 
and  it  is  surprising  how  readily  they  get  a  taste  for  the  Turnips 
in  this  way,  and  how  easily  the  difficulty  and  risk  of  getting 
lambs  on  Turnips  is  surmounted,  and  once  on  Turnips  it  is,  as 
a  rule,  plain  sailing. 
Some  people  grow  “  Thou  sand- head”  or  Rape  for  use  before 
the  Turnips.  Rape  does  not  go  far,  and  does  not  always  get 
ripe  enough  when  wanted ;  it  also  sometimes  gets  ba 'ly 
mildewed,  and  then  may  not  agree  with  the  lambs.  ‘  Thousand- 
head  ”  are  very  good,  carry  a  heavy  stock,  and  are  very  healthy, 
but  if  required  for  this  season  should  have  been  drilled  by 
April  1st 
If  lambs  are  going  wrong,  they  first  show  it  by  becoming 
nip;  ed  up  in  their  bodies,  acquire  a  leggy  appearance,  and  then 
the  wool  begins  to  look  dark.  On  the  first  suspicion  that  all  is 
not  right  they  should  have  a  change  of  food  if  possible ;  a  stroll 
through  a  by  lane  where  Brambles  are  plentiful  will  do  much 
g  od.  Bramble  leaves  are  an  excellent  tonic. 
Dipping  often  acts  like  a  charm,  probably  it  is  owing  to 
the  th'  rough  disinfection.  It  has  been  suggested  by  an 
authority  that  monthly  dippings  might  prove  economical,  though 
expensive  in  the  first  instance.  Worm  in  the  throat  often  causes 
great  loss,  but  is  easily  stopped.  A  teaspoonful  of  turpentine 
in  a  2  oz.  bottle,  filled  up  with  linseed  oil,  well  shaken  together, 
and  administered  at  once,  wi  1  generally  stop  the  progress  of 
the  complaint,  but  it  should  be  given  as  soon  as  the  cough  is 
noticed. 
Every  dose  m-'st  be  mixed  separately,  to  insure  the  right 
proportions  of  turpentine  and  oil.  Sometimes  a  second  dose 
has  to  be  given  after  a  few  days’  interval.  When  lambs  are 
well  on  Turnips,  a  ittle  brimstone  mixed  with  their  hard  food 
once  a  week  has  a  good  effect  in  keeping  them  healthy.  Rock 
salt  should  always  be  present  in  the  fold. 
WORK  ON  THE  HOME  FARJJ. 
The  weather  seems  to  be  quite  broken,  and  hay-making  may  not  be 
completed  without  considerable  difficulty.  It  will  be  a  great  pity  if  the 
small  crop  we  have  should  receive  any  material  damage.  There  is, 
however,  a  reasonable  prospect  of  a  fair  second  mowing  if  such  is 
desired. 
Barley  and  Oats  asain  show  improvement.  They  have  come  into 
ear  very  slowly,  which  shows  that  they  have  been  making  straw.  Oats 
have  suffered  the  most  from  the  drought,  and  must  in  any  case  be  short, 
but  Barleys  are  beginning  to  look  bulky,  and  if  much  more  rain  should 
fall,  may  not  stand  up  after  all.  Let  us  hope  they  may,  or  the  foreigner 
will  again  beat  us  on  our  own  market. 
Mangolds  have  been  struck  out,  and  are  growing  fast ;  200  lbs,  of 
sulphate  of  ammonia  per  acre,  sown  broadcast  now,  will  give  them  a  lift 
they  will  never  forget.  Swedes  are  ready  to  go  on  with,  so  there  is  no 
lack  of  employment  at  present.  When  Swedes  are  growing  rapidly  it  is 
well  to  start  striking  out  early  ;  if  they  get  very  big  they  fall  down  when 
thinned,  and  though  they  may  do  well  afterwards  they  do  not  grow  so 
nice  a  shape,  and  being  more  out  of  the  ground  would  be  liable  to  frost 
injury. 
It  is  very  necessary  to  do  the  striking  out  in  fine  weather.  When  it 
is  wet  or  only  perhaps  showery  progress  may  be  made,  but  the  work 
often  has  to  be  nearly  done  over  again.  We  prefer  to  keep  the  hoe  out 
of  the  Turnip  field  when  wet,  but  send  every  available  hand  to  work 
there  when  a  powerful  sun  is  shining. 
When  too  wet  to  hoe  send  the  men  to  mow  out  hedge  bottoms, 
ditches,  or  occupation  roadsides  ;  the  mowings  when  dry  may  be  used  to 
top  up  the  haystacks,  or  make  a  foundation  for  these  still  to  be  made. 
It  will  soon  be  time  to  drill  the  Turnips  for  late  eatine.  In  warm 
districts  they  may  be  sown  with  success  as  late  as  July  20th,  but  the 
lOtfa  as  a  rule  is  late  enough,  and  too  late  in  the  north,  where  they 
should  be  drilled  in  June.  Different  kinds  suit  different  localities,  but 
for  all-round  excellence  as  a  common  Turnip  we  have  found  nothing  to 
beat  Fosterton  Hybrid. 
Having  bad  the  little  items  of  fence  repairing  usual  at  this  season, 
we  have  been  obliged  to  come  to  the  conclusion  that  barbed  wire  should 
be  used  entirely  or  not  at  all.  We  have  no  hunting  to  consider,  but  for  our 
own  sake  do  not  like  little  bits  of  wire  hidden  in  a  fence.  The  animals 
get  mysterious  little  cuts,  which  we  can  only  attribute  to  the  wire, 
whereas  where  we  have  a  fence  made  with  wooden  posts,  11  feet  apart, 
carrying  six  wires,  the  highest  6  feet  from  the  ground,  no  damage  has 
been  done  for  years,  and  the  fence  h'ls  been  most  satisfactory. 
METEOROLOGICAL  OBSERVATIONS. 
OXMOBN  SqOARH,  LONDON. 
Lat.51o32'40"N.:  Long.0°8'0"  W.;  Altitude  111  feet. 
Datb. 
9  A.M. 
In  thk  Day. 
A 
1 
1896. 
June. 
Barometer 
at  33°,  and 
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 
0rasa. 
Inohs. 
deg. 
deg. 
deg. 
deg. 
deg. 
deg. 
deg. 
Inchs. 
Sunday  ..31 
30’200 
66-5 
53-2 
N.W. 
64-1 
72-9 
81-7 
122-9 
46-0 
Monday  . .  22 
30-201 
62-3 
53  8 
N. 
63-9 
72-6 
47-1 
125-0 
38-2 
Tuesday  . .  23 
30-126 
68-2 
66-9 
W. 
63-9 
76-8 
65-1 
127-8 
49-6 
0-010 
Wednesday  24 
30-024 
64-8 
60-9 
N. 
64-2 
74-2 
68-9 
120-1 
62-3 
0-291 
Thursday . .  25 
30-020 
59-4 
66-9 
N.E. 
63-4 
67-9 
65-9 
108-8 
50-4 
— 
Friday  . .  26 
30-187 
57-7 
60-8 
N. 
62-1 
72-1 
48-1 
122-2 
39-9 
— 
Saturday  . .  27 
30-169 
64  7 
67-4 
N. 
62-4 
79-2 
47-7 
122-1 
41-2 
— 
30-133 
62-9 
5  6-6 
63  4 
72-7 
52*1 
121-3 
45-4 
0-301 
REMARKS. 
Slat.— Generally  sanny  and  pleasant. 
22nd.— Sunny  morning  ;  overcast  afternoon,  but  gleams  of  sun  about  7  I’.M. 
23rd. — Overcast  almost  throughout,  but  occasional  sun  in  afternoon, 
24th.— Overcast,  with  showers  early  ;  rain  at  1.30  P.M.,  then  sunny  at  times,  then  a 
storm  rain,  with  about  a  dozen  claps  of  thunder  at  2.45  p.M. 
25th.— Rain  from  S  to  6  A.M ,  and  overcast  all  morning ;  bright  sunny  afternoon  and 
evening. 
2Hh.— Overcast  early ;  sunny  at  times  la  morning ;  bright  afternoon. 
27th.— Bright  early  ;  generally  overcast  after  11  A.M 
Another  fine  week,  but  not  so  warm  as  the  previous  ones.  — G.  J.  SVMONd. 
