494 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
November  18,  1897» 
applied  to  cow  houses.  We  had  a  feeling  that  horse  manure  proper 
was  not  of  the  highest  value  ;  we  are  quite  ready  to  he  corrected  on 
this  point,  but  we  think  we  are  right.  Added  to  this  doubtful  manure 
is  something  really  good — viz.,  70  tons  of  ground  fish  manure  and 
complete  fertiliser.  What  must  be  the  smell  of  this  70  tons  in  the 
3'ffg'’^gate  we  leave  our  readers  to  imagine.  We  trust  it  is  speedily 
ploughed  in. 
No  wonder  with  all  this  tillage  early  Potatoes  yield  11  tons  per 
acre.  It  is  stupendous.  We  could  not  afford  to  do  so  much  tillage 
here  except  in  very  rare  cases ;  the  carriage  would  kilt  everything,  let 
alone  the  original  price  of  the  fertiliser.  The  hands,  too,  call  for  a 
word  of  acknowledgment.  No  stinted  labour  here  ;  that  is,  if  the  men 
are  up  to  anything  at  all.  In  the  busy  season  forty  men  are  kept  in 
constant  employment.  They  are  fed  and  lodged  on  the  premises,  and 
this  in  itself  must  entail  a  good  deal  of  thought,  let  alone  work.  There 
is  another  point  where  Mr.  Ilallock  is  much  in  advance  of  his  neighbours. 
When  an  article  is  out  of  season  it  is  usually  dear,  so  Mr.  Hallock 
contrives  by  means  of  cold  storage  to  keep  certain  articles  till  the 
ordinary  market  is  clear  of  them.  Then  he  comes  in  and  reaps  the 
reward  of  his  forethought. 
In  reading  this  account  for  the  first  time  we  were  somewhat  puzzled 
by  the  expression  “  Onion  sets.”  Have  we  solved  the  difficulty  when 
we  suggest  Eschalots  ?*  In  no  other  way,  we  think,  could  Onions  be 
grown  from  sets  ;  at  least,  there  is  no  method  known  to  us,  and  we 
are  perfectly  sure  that  a  man  of  Mr.  Hallock’s  acumen  will  grow 
pickling  Onions  of  some  sort,  and  certainly  Eschalots  are  most  prolific 
and  easily  managed. 
WOKK  ON  THE  HOME  FARM. 
"Weather  conditions  are  still  dry  and  free  from  frost.  We  have  had  a 
little  drizzling  rain,  but  not  enough  to  stop  thrashing  or  interfere  with 
any  farm  work  ;  indeed,  AVheat  has  gone  into  a  much  drier  seed  bed  in 
November  than  it  did  in  mid-October.  The  plant  is  now  growing  so  fast 
that  there  may  be  danger  of  its  getting  too  forward.  There  are  many 
complaints  of  dry  wells  and  springs,  and  of  difficulty  as  to  water  supply 
for  cattle  in  the  yards.  To-day  a  neighbour  has  been  carting  water 
a  mile  and  a  half  for  threshing  purposes. 
We  are  delivering  Potatoes  from  the  pie,  and  find  much  more  disease 
than  appeared  when  they  were  covered  up.  There  are  many  complaints  of 
such  being  the  case,  and  especially  does  this  apply  to  Reading  Giants, 
which  are  seriously  affected.  Much  alarm  is  thus  being  caused,  and  we 
fear  many  Potatoes  will  be  forced  on  the  market  in  order  to  get  rid  of 
diseased  tubers  at  a  good  price.  The  effect,  however,  will  be  to  tem¬ 
porarily  ruin  the  market,  and  growers  would  be  much  wiser  to  turn  the 
Potatoes  over,  picking  out  all  tainted  ones,  and  carefully  pie  them  down 
again  ;  and  whilst  writing  on  this  subject,  we  must  strongly  advise 
growers  to  sell  their  Potatoes  at  home  to  the  highest  bidder,  not  to  send 
them  to  be  sold  on  commission.  There  never  was  a  better  opportunity  of 
.striking  a  blow  at  the  commission  trade,  which  has  done  very  serious 
harm  in  all  markets.  Hedges  and  ditches  call  for  attention  when  there 
are  hands  to  spare.  It  is  a  good  plan  to  get  on  with  this  kind  of  work, 
for  little  or  nothing  can  be  done  during  a  frost  period,  and  we  may  have 
a  severe  one  in  store.  A  mild  autumn  usually  precedes  a  severe  winter. 
Basic  slag  should  be  ploughed  in  any  time  between  now  and 
Christmas  ;  it  will  be  much  more  available  for  either  grain  or  roots  if 
sown  now  than  sown  in  spring  or  summer  with  the  crop. 
WEBB  &  SONS’  HOOT  COMPETITION. 
This  competition  covers  nearly  the  whole  of  Great  Britain,  and  is 
restricted  to  crops  grown  from  Webbs’  seeds,  and  with  the  aid  of  the 
firm’s  special  manures.  The  judges  were  Mr.  E.  Doolittle,  High 
Habberley,  Kidderminster  ;  Mr.  H.  Sankey,  Fulfin,  Lichfield ;  Mr. 
J.  R.  Butler,  Churchill,  Kidderminster,  and  the  following  is  a  list  of  their 
awards  : — 
Five  acres  of  "Webbs’  Swede,  open  to  the  counties  of  Salop,  Stafford, 
klontgomery,  Warwick,  and  Leicester.— First  prize,  £15  15s.,  Mr.  S. 
Timmis,  Charnes  Old  Hall,  Eccleshall,  50  tons  18  cwt.  per  acre.  Second 
prize,  £10  10s.,  Mr.  W.  Humphreys,  Evenall,  Oswestry,  41  tons  2  cwt, 
per  acre.  Third  prize,  £5  5s.,  Mr.  R.  Preece,  Cressage  House,  Shrews¬ 
bury,  40  tons  1  cwt.  per  acre.  Three  acres  of  Webbs'  Mangold. — Prize, 
£5  5s.,  klr.  Roger  Gittens,  Alberbury,  Shrewsbury,  52  tons  G  cwt.  per 
acre. 
Five  acres  of  Webbs’  Swede,  open  to  the  counties  of  Hereford,  Mon- 
[*  No.  If  Onion  bulbs  the  size  of  hazel  nuts  are  obtained  by  late  sowing 
—the  end  of  May  or  early  in  J une — taken  up  in  October,  stored,  and  planted  in 
March,  they  will  develop  into  large  bulbs,  at  least  those  will  that  do  not 
produce  flower  stems,  and  the  larger  the  bulbs  are  when  planted  the  more  likely 
is  bolting  to  follow.  Try  the  plan.] 
mouth,  Brecon,  Glamorgan,  Radnor,  and  Pembroke,  —  First  prize, 
£15  I6s.,  Mr.  R.  Thomas,  Rowston,  Pembroke,  41  tons  16  cwt.  per  acre. 
Second  prize,  £5  5s.,  Mr.  J.  Thomas,  Tile  House,  Boverton,  Cowbridge, 
39  tons  12  cwt.  per  acre.  Three  acres  of  Webbs’  Mangold. — Prize, 
£5  5s.,  S.  H.  Wood,  Esq.,  Norden  Farm,  Leominster,  53  tons  18  cwt. 
per  acre. 
Five  acres  of  Webbs’  Swede,  open  to  the  counties  of  Oxon,  Bucks, 
Berks,  Wilts,  Hants,  Surrey,  "iVorcester,  and  Gloucester. — First  prize, 
£15  15s.,  Mr.  W.  M.  Harvey,  Allington  Manor,  Bishopstoke,  38  tons 
per  acre.  Second  prize,  £5  5s.,  Mr.  L.  Pullin,  Severn  House  Farm, 
Berkeley,  37  tons  2  cwt.  per  acre.  Three  acres  of  Webbs’  Mangold. — 
Prize  £5  5s.,  Mr.  G.  Dodge,  Cannon  Court  Farm,  Fetcham,  Leatherhead, 
54  tons  per  acre. 
Five  acres  of  Webbs’  Swede,  open  to  the  county  of  York. — First  prize, 
£10  10s.,  Mr.  W.  Scorer,  Givendale  Grange,  Borobridge,  40  tons  3  cwt. 
per  acre.  Second  prize,  £5  5s.,  Mr.  T.  Bradshaw,  Amotherby,  Malton, 
34  tons  13  cwt.  per  acre. 
Five  acres  of  Webbs’ Swede,  open  to  the  counties  of  Bedford,  Cam¬ 
bridge,  Cornwall,  Cumberland,  Cheshire,  Devon,  Derby.  Dorset,  Durham. 
Essex,  Hertford,  Huntingdon,  Kent,  Lancaster,  Lincoln,  Middlesex, 
Norfolk,  Nottingham,  Northampton,  Northumberland,  Rutland,  Somerset, 
Suffolk,  Sussex,  Westmoreland,  Carmarthen,  Carnarvon,  Cardigan, 
Denbigh,  Flint,  and  Merioneth. — First  prize,  £15  15s.,  Mr.  J.  Hayton, 
Beck  Farm,  Wigton,  56  tons  8  cwt.  per  acre.  Second  prize,  £5  5s.,  Mr. 
E.  H.  Jones,  Penarth,  Four  Crosses,  [Chwilog,  R.S.O.,  40  tons  3  cwt. 
per  acre. 
Five  acres  of  Webbs’  Swede,  open  to  the  counties  of  Roxburgh,  Had¬ 
dington,  and  Berwick. — Prize,  £10  10s.,  Mr.  IV.  Gemmill,  Greendykes, 
Macmerry,  24  tons  11  cwt.  per  acre.  Five  acres  of  Webbs’  Swede,  o])en 
to  the  county  of  Perth. — First  prize,  £10  10s.,  Messrs.  J.  &  D.  Morton, 
North  Muirton,  Perth,  33  tons  1  cwt.  per  acre.  Second  prize,  £5  5s.,  Sir 
R.  D.  Moncrieff,  Bart.,  Bridge- of-Earn,  31  tons  10  cwt.  per  acre.  Five 
acres  of  Webbs’  Swede,  open  to  the  counties  of  Forfar,  Fife,  and  Kinross. 
— Prize,  £10  10s.,  Mr.  Geo.  Reid,  Ladywell,  Kirriemuir,  25  tons  11  cwt, 
per  acre. 
Five  acres  of  Webbs’  Swede,  open  to  the  counties  of  Aberdeen,  Banff, 
Kincardine,  and  Elgin. — Prize,  £10  10s.,  Colonel  Leith  Hay,  C.B., 
Kennethmont,  23  tons  10  cwt.  per  acre.  Five  acres  of  Webbs’  Swede, 
open  to  the  counties  of  Stirling,  Dumbarton,  and  Clackmannan. — Prize, 
£5  5s.,  Colonel  Murray,  Polnaise  Castle,  Stirling,  25  tons  10  cwt.  per  acre. 
Five  acres  of  Webbs’  Swede,  open  to  the  county  of  Ayr. — Prize,  £10  10s., 
Mr.  John  Allan,  Holmston,  Ayr,  37  tons  per  acre. 
This  Year’s  World’s  Wheat  Crop. — Mr.  Broomhall,  F.S.,  Corn 
Trade  statistician,  has  issued  his  annual  statement,  showing  the  world’s 
Wheat  crop  raised  this  autumn.  The  total  production  m  Europe,  reckon¬ 
ing  the  British  crop  at  practically  the  same  quantity  as  the  last,  is 
140  million  quarters,  compared  with  185  millions  in  the  pi'evious  year, 
which  was  the  average  crop.  Compared  with  the  so-called  famine  j  ear 
of  1891,  the  deficiency  amounts  to  10  million  quarters.  North  and  South 
America  he  reckons  as  having  produced  93  million  quarters,  of  which  the 
state  raised  74,  compared  with  59  last  year.  The  total  production  of  the 
Americans  in  1891  was  101  million.s.  Asia,  Africa,  and  Australia  arc 
reckoned  as  having  produced  somewhat  in  excess  of  the  preceding  year, 
but  fully  11  millions  less  than  in  1891.  The  world’s  total  production  is 
given  at  278  million  quarters,  compared  with  298  millions  in  ISOii, 
309  millions  in  1895,  320  millions  in  1891,  314  millions  in  1893, 
305  millions  in  1892,  and  308  millions  in  1891. 
METEOROLOGICAL  OBSERVATIONS. 
Camden  Square,  London. 
Lat.  51°  32'  40"  N.;  Long.  0°  8'  0"  W.;  Altitude  111  feet. 
DATE. 
9  A.M. 
In  tub  Day. 
c 
’5 
1897. 
November. 
Barometer 
at  32’,  and 
Sea  Level. 
Hygrometer. 
Direc¬ 
tion  of 
Wind. 
Temp 
of  soil 
at 
1  foot. 
Shade  Tem¬ 
perature. 
Radiation 
Temperature. 
Dry. 
Wet. 
Max. 
Min. 
Jn 
Sun. 
On 
Grass. 
Inchs. 
deg. 
deg. 
deg. 
deg. 
deg. 
deg. 
deg. 
Inchs. 
Sunday  ....  7 
30- 1  <3 
42-4 
41-8 
N. 
45-4 
49-3 
40-6 
5.3-2 
33-9 
0-046 
Monday  ....  8 
30-l.W 
49-4 
49-0 
N.E. 
46-0 
53-9 
42-5 
53-9 
36- .3 
0-119 
Tue.sday  ....  9 
30-318 
52-2 
52  2 
N.E. 
47-9 
51-1 
49-1 
55-1 
48-2 
0-010 
Wednesday..  10 
30-252 
46-9 
44-2 
E. 
48-8 
49-6 
45-4 
58-6 
41-1 
_ 
Tliursday . . . .  11 
30-221 
34-1 
34-1 
W. 
46-1 
5.3-6 
33-4 
56-1 
29-2 
_ 
Friday .  12 
30-007 
53-5 
52-2 
S  W. 
46-4 
56-9 
34-3 
58-9 
35- 1 
Saturday  . .  13 
-29-713 
56-9 
54-4 
S.W. 
48-1 
59-0 
53-3 
62-9 
50-8 
— 
3J- 123 
47-9 
46-8 
4«*9 
5S-8 
42-7 
57-0 
39-2 
0-173 
REMARKS. 
7th. — Sun  through  slight  fog  in  morning;  dull  after  noon. 
8th.— Dull  and  foggy  throughout,  with  requent  rain. 
3th. — Dull  and  damp,  with  more  or  less  fog  almost  throughout, 
loth.— Fair  early,  with  occasional  spots  ot  rain ;  a  little  sun  after  11  a.m. ;  overcast 
evening. 
11th.— More  or  less  fog  almost  throughout. 
12th. — Fair,  with  a  gleam  of  sun  about  10.40  a.m.,  but  occasional  spots  of  rain. 
13th.  -Fair  day,  but  slight  rain  between  8  and  9  a.m. ;  clear  evening,  halo  at  midnight, ' 
Temperature  not  remarkable,  rain  still  smalL— G.  J.  SYUONS. 
