526 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
December  5,  1901, 
Nothing  pays  for  buying  in  the  way  of  live  stock  better 
than  supposed  barren  milk  cows  in  the  face  of  Christmas. 
Buying  in  a  market,  there  is  a  risk  of  getting  screws.  But 
if  a  large  number  be  bought,  the  purchaser  can  generally 
afford  to  have  one  wrong  one.  A  considerable  proportion  of 
these  drapes  turn  out  to  be  in  calf,  and  sometimes  come  to 
profit  in  remarkably  quick  time. 
The  great  question  with  cattle  of  this  class  is  how  to 
minimise  the  cost  of  winter  keep.  Well,  wooden  erections 
are  built  over  foldyards  to  economise  straw,  why  should  not 
a  similar  one  be  put  up  in  a  park  for  cattle  to  fly  to  at  night 
or  in  rough  weather  1  If  a  good  dry  foundation  were  laid, 
very  little  bedding  would  be  required,  and  peat  moss  litter 
would  seem  to  be  the  most  economical  material  for  the  pur¬ 
pose.  The  animals  would  not  be  driven  in,  but  allowed  to 
use  the  shelter  at  will.  In  this  way  a  large  number  of  cow 
beasts  might  be  wintered  in  a  park  at  very  little  cost,  and  if 
they  only  held  their  own,  and  were  not.  in  calf,  the  difference 
between  autumn  and  spring  prices  would  leave  a  margin  for 
profit.  Many  parks  are  full  of  Bracken,  which  might  be 
utilised  as  bedding  instead  of  peat  moss  litter,  but,  as  a  rule, 
the  land  which  produces  bracken  is  of  little  use  for  wintering 
cattle. 
Horses  do  well  ott'park  grass  through  summer  and  winter, 
but  during  the  latter  season  they  might  interfere  with  the 
comfort  of  other  stock.  In  summer,  when  no  shelter  is 
needed,  a  moderate  quantity  of  horses  may  be  grazed  ;  but 
if  the  land  be  suitable  for  cattle,  the  horses  must  be  strictly 
limited  in  number. 
Work  on  the  Home  Farm. 
Five  sudden  changes  of  weather  in  a  fortnight  are  rather  too 
many  even  for  those  who  have  been  brought  up  to  endure  the 
fickleness  of  the  English  climate.  We  should  highly  appreciate 
some  settled  weather  now,  not  being  particular  as  to  its  character 
as  long  as  it  is  stable.  If  we  are  to  have  frost,  there  is  plenty  of 
carting  work,  but  there  is  a  little  more  ploughing  to  be  done  before 
Christmas,  and  we  should  like  to  see  it  finished.  The  last  frost 
touched  16  on  two  nights,  this  being  the  second  occasion  in 
November  that  ploughing  has  been  stopped.  The  first  frost  was 
hardly  out  of  the  ground  before  we  had  the  second.  We  should 
like  to  have  some  Swedes  up  and  stored  if  the  weather  will  keep 
mild.  To-day  has  been  beautiful,  with  warm  sun,  but  the  even¬ 
ing  sky  looks  like  frost. 
After  writing  last  week,  we  saw  some  Mangold  being  led  into 
heaps  which  had  been  trimmed  and  laid  in  rows  through  the 
previous  frost.  We  hardly  think  that  the  storing  of  such  roots 
can  turn  out  satisfactory.  It  is  very  unwise  to  trim  a  large 
break  of  Mangold  after  November  has  arrived,  unless  there  be  a 
sufficient  force  to  cart  all  up  before  night.  An  old  plan  with  us 
was  to  engage  men  to  pull  and  trim,  sending  all  the  horses  to 
plough,  or  similar  work,  until  noon.  After  a  short  bait  all  the 
horses,  carts,  and  spare  men  carted  the  roots  together  until 
darkness  set  in,  and  seldom  were  many  left  out.  If  such  a  plan 
were  followed  the  spoiling  of  valuable  roots  could  hardly  occur. 
Complaints  are  made  of  the  damage  done  by  pheasants  this 
season  to  newly  sown  Wheat  adjoining  the  covers.  No  doubt 
pheasants  are  very  numerous  this  year,  but  it  is  the  farmer’s  own 
fault  if  he  allows  them  to  get  his  seed  Corn.  Farmers  generally 
tent  against  rooks,  but  pheasants  are  more  easily  kept  off,  for 
they  only  frequent  certain  fields,  and  a  boy  will  hardly  need  a 
gun  to  keep  them  in  the  covers,  where  a  good  allowance  of  food  is 
generally  provided  for  them.  The  other  day  we  saw  some  strips 
of  red  handkerchief  hung  up  on  thatch  pegs  to  keep  pheasants 
off  some  Wheat,  without  the  desired  effect.  The  tenant  might  as 
well  have  put  up  printed  notices. 
Pork  is  dearer  than  ever,  and  beef  is  very  firm,  which  is 
promising  for  the  Christmas  markets.  Fat,  i.e.,  really  fat  beasts, 
are  not  plentiful,  and  we  hear  of  a  large  wholesale  butcher 
inquiring  for  fat  cows  full  of  suet,  and  offering  6fd.  per  lb.  for 
Them. 
- - 
Webb  &  Sons’  Root  Competition. 
The  awards  in  the  above  competition  for  the  valuable  prizes 
offered  bv  Webb  and  Sons,  The  King’s  Seedsmen,  Wordsley, 
Stourbridge,  for  root  crops  grown  from  their  seed,  and  with  the 
aid  of  their  special  manure,  have  just  been  decided.  The  judges 
were  Mr.  J.  Brown,  Easthampstead  Park  Farm,  Wokingham ; 
Mr.  J.  H.  Kemp,  Walton,  Wellington,  Salop:  Mr.  J.  M.  Belcher, 
Lynn,  Newport.,  Salop,  and  the  following  is  a  copy  of  their 
awards. 
District  1. — Five  acres  of  Webbs’  Swede,  open  to  the  counties 
of  Salop,  Stafford,  Montgomery,  Warwick,  and  Leicester.  First 
prize,  £15  15s.  :  Mr.  J.  S.  Billington,  Balterley  Hall,  Crewe,  40 
tons,  2cwt  3qr  121b  per  acre;  second,  £10  10s.  :  his  Grace  the 
Duke  of  Sutherland,  Lilleshall,  Newport,  Salop,  32  tons  per  acre ; 
third,  £5  5s.  :  Mr.  George  J.  England,  Wykey  Farm,  Ruyton  XI. 
Towns,  Salop,  30  tons  8cwt  2qr  81b  per  acre.  Three  acres  of 
Webbs’  Mangold,  prize,  £5  5s. :  Mr.  S.  Timmis,  Charnes  Old 
Hall,  Eccleshall,  Staffs.,  66  tons  lOcwt. 
District  2. — Five  acres  of  Webbs’  Swede,  open  to  the  counties 
of  Hereford,  Monmouth,  Brecon,  Glamorgan,  Carmarthen,  a,nd 
Pembroke.  First  prize,  £15  15s.  :  Mr.  J.  S.  Birrell,  Henrhiw, 
Usk,  Mon.,  30  tons  5cwt  2qr  241b  per  acre;  second,  £5  5s.  : 
Mr.  Richard  Thomas,  Rowston,  Pembroke,  27  tons  18cwt  2qr  81h 
per  acre.  Three  acres  of  Webbs.’  Mangold,  prize  £5  5s.  :  E.  C. 
Curre,  Esq.,  Itton  Court,  Chepstow,  79  tons  4cwt  Iqr  41b. 
District  3.— Five  acres  of  Webbs’  Swede,  open  to  the  counties 
of  Oxon  Berks,  Bucks,  Wilts,  Hants,  Surrey,  Worcester,  and 
Gloucester.  First  prize,  £15  15s.:  Mr.  W.  L.  Anson,  Iverley, 
Stourbridge,  21  tons  2cwt  3qr  121b  per  acre ;  second,  £5  5s.  : 
Mr.  W.  H.  Rymer,  Stroat  Farm,  Chepstow,  20  tons  15cwt  2qr 
41b  per  acre.  Three  acres  of  Webbs’  Mangold,  open  to  the 
counties  of  Oxon,  Berks,  Bucks,  Wilts,  Hants,  Surrey,  and  Wor¬ 
cester.  Prize,  £5  5s.  :  Mr.  H.  Fernihough,  Yew  Tree  Farm, 
Wythal,  Alvechurch,  47  tons  12cwt  3qr  121b  per  acre. 
District  4. — Three  acres  of  Webbs’  Mangold,  open  to  county 
of  Gloucester.  Prize,  £5  5s.  :  Mr.  W.  H.  Rymer,  Stroat  Farm, 
Chepstow,  57  tons  4cwt  lqr  41b  per  acre. 
District  5. — Five  acres  of  W" ebbs’  Swede,  open  to  the  county 
of  York.  First  prize,  £10  10s.  :  Mr.  D.  Cooper,  Bainesse,  Cat- 
terick,  34  tons  15cwt  2qrs  241b  per  acre;  second,  £5  5s.:  Mr. 
George  Beckett,  Deighton,  Escrick,  28  tons  llcwt_  lqr  201b  per 
acre.  Three  acres  of  Webbs’  Mangold,  prize,  £5  5s.:  Sir  J. 
Lothian  Bell,  Bart.,  East  Rounton,  Northallerton,  59  tons  4ewt 
lqr  41b  per  acre. 
District  6. — Five  acres  of  Webbs’  Swede,  open  to  the  counties 
of  Norfolk,  Suffolk,  and  Cambridge.  Prize,  £10  10s.  :  S.  Night¬ 
ingale,  Esq.,  Scratby  Hall,  Great  Yarmouth,  20  tons  8cwt  2qr 
81b.  Five  acres  of  Webbs’  Mangold,  prize,  £5  5s.  :  Mr.  George 
Tansley,  8,  Norfolk  Street  East,  Wisbech,  57  tons  lOcwt  per  acre. 
District  7. — Five  acres  of  Webbs’  Swede,  open  to  the  counties 
of  Bedford,  Cornwall,  Cumberland,  Cheshire,  Derby,  Devon, 
Dorset,  Durham,  Essex,  Herts,  Huntingdon,  Kent,  Lancaster, 
Lincoln,  Middlesex,  Northumberland,  Notts,  Northampton,  Rut¬ 
land,  Somerset,  Sussex,  Westmoreland,  Cardigan,  Carnarvon, 
Denbigh,  Flint,  Merioneth,  and  Radnor.  First  prize,  £15  15s.  : 
Mr.  T.  E.  Griffith,  Gallt-y-Beren1,  Pwllheli,  37  tons  2cwt  3qr  121b 
per  acre;  second,  £5  5s.  :  Mr.  L.  P.  Hill,  Skinburness,  Silloth, 
32  tons  17cw,t  2qr  lib  per  acre. 
District  8. — Five  acres  of  Webbs’  Swede,  open  to  the  counties 
of  Roxburgh,  Haddington,  Berwick,  Edinburgh,  and  Linlithgow. 
Prize,  £10  10s.  :  Mr.  William  Pringle,  Temple  Farm,  Gorebridge, 
Edinburgh,  29  tons  2cwt  3qr  121b  per  acre. 
District  9. — Five  acres  of  Webbs’  Swede,  open  to  the  county 
of  Perth.  First  prize,  £10  10s.  :  Mr.  John  Mailer,  Easter  Ross, 
Gargunnock,  Stirling,  35  tons  14cwt  lqr  41b  per  acre ;  second, 
£5  5s.  :  Messrs.  J.  and  D.  Morton,  North  Muirton,  Perth,  34  tons 
12cwt  3qr  121b  per  acre. 
District  10. — Five  acres  of  Webbs’  Swede,  open  to  the  counties 
of  Forfar,  Fife,  and  Kinross,  Prize,  £10  10s.  :  Messrs.  J.  and  W. 
Meiklem,  Begg  Farm,  Kirkcaldy,  35  tons  per  acre. 
District  11. — Five  acres  of  Webbs’  Swede,  open  to  the  counties 
of  Aberdeen,  Banff,  Kincardine,  Inverness,  and  Elgin.  Prize, 
£10  10s.  :  Mr.  William  Ritchie,  Teawig,  Beauly,  34  tons  5cwt  2qr 
241b  per  acre. 
District  12. — Five  acres  of  Webbs’  Swede,  open  to  the  counties 
of  Dumfries,  Kirkcudbright,  and  Wigtown.  Prize,  £10  10s.  : 
Mr.  Robert  McNeil,  Cairnpat,  Stranraer,  35  tons  llcwt  lqr  201b 
per  acre. 
District  13. — Five  acres  of  Webbs’  Swede,  open  to  the  counties 
of  Stirling,  Dumbarton,  and  Clackmannan.  Prize,  £5  5s.  :  Mr. 
Jas.  King,  Airthrey  Kerse,  Bridge  of  Allan,  37  tons  per  acre. 
District  14.— Five-  acres  of  Webbs’  Swede,  open  to  the  county 
of  Ayr.  Prize,  £10  10s.  :  Mr.  Wm.  Maxwell,  Sparnel  Bank, 
Galston,  42  tons  5cwt  per  acre. 
District  15. — Five  acres  of  Swedes,  open  to  the  county  of 
Peebles^  Prize,  £5  5s.  :  Mr.  Simon  Linton,  Posso,  Peebles,  28 
tons  15cwt  per  acre. 
District  16.— Five  acres  of  Yellow  Turnips,  open  to  the 
county  of  Lanark.  Prize,  £5  5s.  :  Mr.  D.  B.  Pate,  Tofts, 
Douglas,  N.B.,  33  tons  17cwt  Oqr  161b. 
- - 
Potatoes  for  America. 
A  new  feature  has  this  season  marked  the  Lincolnshire  Potato 
trade,  a  good  demand  having  sprung  up  from  America,  and 
several  substantial  orders  for  the  United  States  have  been  ful¬ 
filled  through  London  merchants.  > 
