per acre, and would, in course of the first season, closely cover the whole surface; while, in mixture with other grasses newly sown, at one yard apart, the planting would amount to little more than a single day's wages of an ordinary labourer-no great cost, considering the advantages that would accrue from a liberal introduction of the spiked Fescue, either into irrigated grass lands, or the damp hollow parts of ornamental parks. Grown at Woburn, on a rich brown loam, the F. loliacea is reported to have produced 16,335 lb. of newly cut grass per acre, which lost 9188 lb. in drying, thus leaving 7147 lb. as the weight of hay; while the grass of the lattermath was 3403 lb. per acre.

SEED AND SOWING.

Although F. loliacea is a name which frequently appears in seed catalogues, it is only applicable to a variety of the F. pratensis (see p. 58), the present species being, as before noticed, incapable of producing seed, or at least we have never, by long and frequent observation, been able to discover a single fertile seed upon it, either when growing naturally or under cultivation.

CHEMICAL ANALYSIS.

Not being among those grasses analysed by Professor Way, we can only give the less satisfactory results recorded in the "Hortus Gramineus Woburnensis." When grown on a rich brown loam, the yield of nutritive matter was, when flowering, at the rate of 765 lb. 11 oz. per acre, only 553 lb. when the straw assumed a ripened-like appearance, and about 661⁄2 lb. from the latter-math.

VARIETIES.

There are none of any agricultural importance, the F. loliacea of the seed shops being more correctly associated with F. pratensis (see p. 58). Parnell, in his "Grasses of Britain," has figured and described two varieties under the names of Bucetum loliaceum longiglume, and B. 1. elongatum; but we take the first of them to be the true Festuca loliacea, whereas we look upon his B. loliaceum as identical with the F. pratensis spurea (p. 58). His B. 1. elongatum is described as differing from B. 1. longiglume in the large glume or calyx-chaff being shorter, concave, and fiveribbed; and from his B. loliaceum in the spikelets being longer, and the whole plant much taller.

SU

UCCESSIVE heavy showers, although welcome for many reasons, have served to remind us that in saving our harvests we are not to reckon on a continuance or a frequent recurrence of such weather as we recently experienced, which not only enabled farmers in many parts of the kingdom to cut down, but also to secure the kindly fruits of the earth, without a shower intervening to hinder operations. We all know what it is to endure the inexpressible dreariness of a wet harvest, and the feeling of utter helplessness which besets us when "the rain it raineth every day." How gladly, under such circumstances, is the return of sunshine welcomed, and the sharp breeze which whistles through the soaked sheaves is regarded with feelings of the highest gratification and thankfulness.

The wet harvest of 1866 gave occasion to certain writers outsiders as regarded agricultural pursuits—to refer in somewhat harsh terms to what they were pleased to consider the backwardness of farmers in not having, long ere now, devised some means by which they would be rendered independent of the weather in securing the ripened crops of the farm. But it was much easier to find fault than to point out any feasible remedy, and the farmer's volunteer advisers just left him where he was. The Society of Arts, however, believing that some light might be thrown on what is certainly a question of vast importance, went to work in a practical manner, and in the course of last year offered a gold medal and a prize of fifty guineas, for the best essay or report on the harvesting of corn in wet weather. The result was that twenty essays were received, and, as we intimated some time ago, the gentlemen who acted as judges—namely, Mr J. C. Morton, Mr C. S. Read, M.P., and

Mr Chandos-Wren Hoskyns-awarded the prize to Mr W. A. Gibbs, of Gillwell Park, Essex, and at the same time commended several essays which had been sent in by other competitors. Mr Gibbs' essay has now been published, and we are thus enabled to judge, in some measure, of the plans he has tried for harvesting corn crops, and even hay crops, under adverse circumstances; plans which his experience, so far, enable him to recommend to the attention of agriculturists, and which have received the sanction of the Society, acting on the judg ment of those experienced gentlemen to whom the competing reports were submitted.

A considerable portion of Mr Gibbs' essay is taken up with a review of the expedients which have been already resorted to in this and other countries, for partially averting the effects of unfavourable weather, and that portion should not be overlooked, for although those expedients are comparatively few and meagre, still the information given is of a useful nature.

Mr Gibbs next pro

ceeds to give the details of his own attempts in conducting a series of definite experiments upon the artificial drying of hay and corn in wet seasons. Those details consist mainly, as he remarks, of a history of failures, and his apology "for recalling some of these, before giving final results, rests upon the hope that one man's failures may either suggest other men's successes, or save fellowlabourers in the same task from wasting fruitless labours upon methods already proved impracticable."

For the details of those experiments, as well as of the final results, we must refer our readers to the essay itself, as published by Bell & Daldy. The plan finally adopted consists of a drying-house, made of iron or

brick, into which a continuous stream of hot air is driven by a fan propelled by a portable steam-engine, as used for thrashing; and the hay or sheaves when sufficiently dried, are thrown out and elevated by means of an "atmospheric hoist," which, driven by the same engine that works the hot blast, is capable of sending up sheaves of wheat to the top of a stack 22 feet high, at the rate of 960 per hour. Mr Gibbs states that a shed, 12 feet by 24 feet, "would enable the farmer to dry sixty-four sheaves in fifteen minutes, or 256 per hour." This number of sheaves represents "the produce of rather more than half an acre, hence twelve acres in the twenty-four hours could be cleared by this means." Larger quantities can be dealt with by increasing the size of the shed, and the volume of hot air. An eight-horse engine will drive four or five fans, and additional heat can be easily supplied by simple means. As to the question of expense, Mr Gibbs enters into details, shewing "a final total of 8s. per acre, which, with a four-quarter yield would put 25. per qr. on the wheat thus saved. For this extra expense, however, it should be fairly allowed that the straw as well as the wheat is secured in better condition, and the increasingly high value of that part of the crop makes this an important point in the calculation."

Mr Gibbs submits for the consideration of practical men a few reasons in favour of his plan, and some of the probable advantages that would follow its wide adoption. These reasons are as follow:

"In the first place, it is not a mere theory, existing only on paper, or in the imagination of a sanguine inventor, but a palpable and very visible fact, that has been, and can be, put to the severest test of practical

working.

"2d. It is a powerful yet inexpensive arrangement, with no complex nor delicate machinery which would render it liable to break down, clog, or otherwise get out of order.

"3d. It is portable and easily adjusted, and adapted to most varieties of engines without requiring any

alterations in them.

"4th. It leaves the hay and clover, whilst drying, constantly open to the examination of the men, so that the exact requisite point of dryness may be seen and seized upon; whilst with the cereals a definite time can be established by the first batch of sheaves,

VOL. I.

after which, the same time may be depended upon for producing the same results without further watching. "5th. It does not pretend to supersede nature, to set aside experience, or to change old and approved modes of harvesting, but merely adds to them a large and easily-managed power of securing with certainty and rapidity each crop in succession.

"6th. It does not involve any new system of things, but with an apparent natural sequence 'follows the (steam) plough,' and in the rotation of the seasons helps to harvest the increased growth which that plough has helped to produce.

"7th. It fits in most conveniently and practically with the existing mode of hiring engines, offering a good means of paying employment to their owners just at the time of year when they have been hitherto idle, and yet not putting the farmer to one penny of cost, if the rare chance of a fine season for every one of his crops renders him happily independent of all need of help.

"8th. It would be a boon to the harvestmen, pro

viding them with work through wet and dry, saving them the loss of wage, and temptation to drink that follows when they are turned off, to lounge about the village, waiting for a change of weather; and enabling them to get through with one job of harvest work in time enough to get another elsewhere."

There is one important fact noticed by Mr Gibbs-namely, that the high temperature used in the drying, from 220° to 320°, does not affect the germinating powers of the grain, as he had five plots sown with the wheat thus dried; and at the time when he wrote— last June-the plants were as well forward as any wheat in the neighbourhood.

It is impossible, of course, to decide definitely, as to the practical merits of the plan invented by Mr Gibbs. That it has merits sufficiently strong to warrant, at least its conditional reception, by practical men, seems evident, not only from the results given by him, but also from the mere fact that such eminent agriculturists as Messrs Morton, Read, and Hoskyns have approved of it. That it will be thoroughly tested we have no doubt, and possibly some further improvements introduced in its working details. Waiting, therefore, further confirmation of Mr Gibbs' experience, we close our remarks for the present by quoting the concluding paragraphs of his really interesting essay :

"If, therefore, it be remembered that this new adjunct of the steam-engine begins its work with the first crop of hay, can next be applied to wheat, oats, barley, and the whole range of cereals, is then at hand to finish the second crop of hay, and enables us to dry

the artificial grasses at any season of the year, it would seem as if it were destined, perhaps at no very distant period, to complete that perfect circle of systematic husbandry which now begins with the steam-plough, and ends with the thrashing-machine.

"When continuous employment can once be found for the iron horses,' we may hope to see them on

every considerable farm in the kingdom; first, breaking up and cultivating the soil; next, mowing, reaping, and gathering the produce; and, finally, passing from field to field, and from farm to farm, saving, drying, and bearing home the harvest."

A full description of Mr Gibbs' mode of operation will be found at page 351.

I

T seems but a trite saying to make use of, that the "more carefully you cultivate the soil the better will be its produce;" yet, trite as it is, the principle which it involves is singularly overlooked by many farmers. For if not, how comes it that a by no means extended survey of farming districts serves to shew how that, while one farmer will be busy at the most appropriate season, in turning every minute to account in availing himself of appropriate weather to work his soils, you will find others who are quite indifferent as to the work being done, evidently ignorant that every benefit is to be derived from doing it, for otherwise it can scarcely be that they are too lazy or unwilling to do it. These considerations came up with great force upon us when, a few days ago, we saw a well-known, and in every sense an advanced farmer taking advantage of a double blessing—an early harvest, which cleared his fields from their summer produce, and fine weather, so as to break them up to get all the advantages of the system of autumn culture; while some of, we might say all, his neighbours were as indifferent to these opportunities and these advantages as he was alive to them, and were doing nothing while he was doing much. And yet, even amongst those who are indifferent to the subject, it will not be denied that great advantages are to be derived from the carrying out an autumn cultivation of the soil, not only because it enables the farmer to get rid of weeds, but also to lay up his soil in the best possible condition, to get from the atmospheric influences of the autumn and winter all the advantages which they can and do bring with them.

And first, as to the advantages brought about by the system of autumn culture in the way of getting rid of the weeds. When the crop is on the ground-we here suppose it, of course, to be a cereal one-the weeds do not make much progress; they are, so to say, overshadowed by the superior power of the crop. But the moment that the surface is laid bare to the influences of light and air, then they begin to assert their power, and all who have to do with weeds know what that means and what it involves. And it is just at this point that the difference is shewn between a farmer who really understands his business, and one who does not, or, if knowing it, does not care to apply his knowledge to his practice. The longer the land is allowed to lie in the same condition as it is left after the corn crop is taken from it, just so much more completely will the weeds be allowed to take possession of the soil. It is no uncommon thing to find that the weeds have been allowed to grow unmolested, and for such a time that they take such a possession of the soil, that scarcely anything less than a summer fallow will suffice to get rid of them. The sooner, then, that weeds are brought to the surface after the crop is off the ground the better, so that they may be placed as much as possible under the scorching influence of the autumnal sun-in this year we may almost say the summer one, so early has been the harvest. To bring the weeds to the surface, we believe that there is no implement so effective as the grubber or cultivator; and the advantages of using this are all the more marked where the soil is much infested-as unfortunately too many soils are infested

with twitch or couch grass (Triticum repens). The peculiarity of this plant is, that being possessed of a number of reticulated joints, and each joint possessing the faculty of being reproduced as a special and separate plant, the result is, that the more it is cut up the more does it multiply, and this cutting up is just what the plough, with its peculiar action of double cutting by the coulter and by the sock or share, does. We believe, therefore, that ploughing up stubble lands with the view of getting rid of the weeds does not bring about the end which is in view. Possibly it is, in some of the circumstances mentioned above, the very worst way of treating stubbles much infested with weeds. The action of the grubber, on the contrary, we believe to be the very best adapted to deal with this scourge of strong lands. By it we do not so much divide the couch as bring it in long lengths and great masses to the surface, there to lie to be exposed to all the destructive work of the hot sun and atmospheric influences. Some authorities advise that, being thus acted upon, the weeds may be turned in afterwards by the plough, and add, by way of manure, to the fertility of the soil. This we do not agree with, and simply because, that we are of those who, believing in the extraordinary vitality of the perennial weeds, more especially of the couch or twitch, do not believe that such limited exposure as in our climate we can obtain for them, to the scorching and killing influences of the sun and air during autumn, does effectually kill them; on the contrary, we believe-and having had much to do with them, we may well believe—that if turned into the soil they very rapidly resume their spreading powers, and by the time the spring comes round, and the land has to be brought under the final spring working, the weeds will be found, if not to be as rampant as ever, still to possess the ground in such fashion as to be anything but pleasing to the farmer. It is right, however, here to state, that although being decidedly of opinion that the weeds, when brought to the surface, should, if at all possible, be swept off from it —and burnt, not added to the manure heap --still there appears to be one mode available

by which much of the mischief, if not all of it, arising from turning them again into the land, may be avoided, and that is by the use of salt. We have ourselves great faith in the power of this substance in destroying the vitality of couch; we have tried it, and have reason to believe in its efficacy. The quantity to be used will depend upon the bad or foul condition of the land; not less certainly, under ordinary circumstances, than two-and-a-half cwts. to the acre, applied as a top-dressing.

We are, however, strongly under the impression that the best implement adapted to break up the land in autumn is the grubber or cultivator; and certainly there is no part of the experience of the past years, in the history of agriculture, so striking as the position which the grubber as against the plough has taken. Indeed, carefully considering the principle upon which it operates, many authorities are fully in the belief that it is in the extension of the principle—and we need scarcely say, aided more especially by the power of steam--that they look to securing an increase in the productiveness of our soils. They confess to seeing in it a "philosophical fitness," as it has been called, that they have been long looking for--a fitness by which all the complicated processes of ploughing will be done away with, and others-or another only-substituted for it, by which that complete pulverization of the soil, or tilth, as it is otherwise named, may be secured, by placing it for the longest possible period under the influence of the atmosphere during the autumn and winter months: and by which, moreover, we are enabled to keep in spring the upper soil which was worked in autumn, and which was thus exposed to these influences; so that the work to be done in spring-when so much has to be done and done quickly-may be reduced to a minimum. We therefore are of those who believe that the grubber is the best implement for smashing up the soil and placing it in the position best calculated to receive the atmospheric influences which all wish to place it under, because its action is such that the working tines get under the roots of the couch,