The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1859-11-15 00:00:00

ggrirulturt.

ARRICELTCREL REPORT FOR OCTOBER.--Tir.singular
character of the present year hae been exhibited in a
stronger manner during the past month than perhaps in
any other during the year. The extraordinary heat of
the first fortnight, must of itself, tax the memory of
the "oldest inhabitant" to point to its equal, but when
we come to record Its extreme opposite, the piercing,
almost unparalelled cold (for October) of the :e2nd.
Zird, and 24t1i, with the combination of hard frosts,
snow, thunder, and hail, followed by a fierce and dia-
estrous hurricane, perhaps few such extremes of teni-
per:dare and electrical displays have ever been witnessed.
It is sonic years since we have had so much rain and
tempestuous wind, and from that circumstance the
remarkableirruption is more noticed. The springs
which for three years had been unprecedentedly low,
are now regaining their usual position, and the hill
con:Anis have reason to rejoice in the great rain fall
which has brought the welcome change, but the low
lands have been unable to disi large by the watercourses
the surplus accumulation of water, and the consequence
is • temporary flooding of pasture lands, and a stoppage
of wheat sowing on the arable. /Should such weather
long continue it may operate very prejudicially on the
wheat crop on the strung and loamy soils, the time
being far advanced for wheat seeding. But the most
serious effect has been the complete destruction in some
places, and the great injury in nearly all, of that invalu-
able root the inaugel wurxel by the three frosta at the
dates above mentioned. Some few people had begun
pulling for storing away, but not dreaming of frost in
October *efficiently severe to do them mischief, had
allowed them to remain on the ground with the very
commendable view of drying thew a little before stack-
ing. We have seen lushly of these a complete pulp, in
which all the feeding properties are destroyed, and
which cannot be given to cattle without great risk of ill
consequences, unless food of Astringent qualities is given
with them. This rout was extending very rapidly in
general cultivation, and the lois will be severely felt,
in addition perhaps to the curtailing of the acreage
planted on a future occasion. The young wheats sown
early have made considerable progress and look well.
The turnips and sweed crop were advancing very rapidly,
when checked by the frosts, and it is more than likely
the two or three remaining sheep lairs will feel the
influence in iminewliat diminished rates from the high
figures obtained at the late A ppleshaw, Weyhill and
Winchester fairs. There continues to be complaint of
the yield of wheat on most light soils, with a compara-
tive light weight per bushel on all, yet the markets
remain stationary in price, which is far too low to be
remunerative with such a deficient produce. Barley is an
average crop and yields • fair price, notwithstanding its
general inferior quabty. Oats, as anticipated, are a
large crop, but !Ike the other corn, thin in body and of
light weight, the best corn selling at fair prices. Beans
and peas are also good average crops, realising average
fact all amnia satisfactory except wheat, which,
Fume% er, is an important item of the farmer's return on
all arable farms, and the principle one on a large portion.
—Avirolcs.

I'LLIAO•PNF.USIONIAix SHEEP.—In July I came
home, and found that I had lost several ewes ; one was
ill at the time, and presented all the appearances that
a cow does under this disease. I had her killed, and
examined her carefully, and found her sound, with the
exception of the parts about the lungs, which were just
like those of cattle that have died of pleura-pneumonia.
Sonic time afterwards, in my 'Mamma, my wife heard of
another ewe being ill, and had it brought in. She
found it apparently in the last stage of the disease, and
icy steward and shepherd both thought it past recovery.
She, however4deterinined to try the hommopathie
trestment, beginning with phosphorous, and continuing
with bryonia, and, finally, sulphur. The sheep per-
fectly recovered. Since then I have had two more
CAACII, a ewe and • wether. The first was taken in
time by my stewanl, and recovered. The latter was
very ill indeed ; but under his treatment, following the
directions on the little pamphlet by Turner, of 'Man-
chester, he also was recovering, when lie was pat out in
a field with a rani. The rain attacked him, and he was
found nearly dead, and was for sonic days hardly able to
Ineathe, but is cow recovering, and almost well.—C.
(keg, Portuars Cappuutore. frisk Purism'
(Pr.:olr.

FuGsTED MANGE!. WERZEL.—The frost of last week
Mee MI 1,0 stuldedly, and for the time of year so sharply,
that it caught my niangels unsecured. All the upper
side has suffered, tha trost•hit extending over about an
eight part of their surface. 1 have placed them in rows
covered them with the tops, and ploughed a furrow on
either side over them. Is there anything I can do to
arrest decay by straining or otherwise ? 'I he answer of
any grower will much oblige O. H. Hudson, Wick, near
Persbore, Worcestershire, Oct. Zi. fWe have numerous
requests for information on the possibility of saving
frosted mange! wurxel : and we have simply to add our
own to the number. If any correspondent can daucribe
an experience capable of encouraging the many who aro
now anticipating the loss of a great t.art of their winter
food for stuck, it will be very acceptable. Certainly our
own experience is not encouraging, • very little frost
having always ultimately destroyed the rout. In the
. !meantime, however, we can only recommend that the
roots if piled together be put in small heaps, and while
protected from any further frosts by straw that they be
! not covered over at the top with earth for • week or
I two The plan described above by Mr. Hudson in which
the roots are not piled in heaps at all, but for the
present lie in rows, is better still. If notwithstanding
after a week or two they appear to be rotting, they
must jest be used as quickly as possible.]—Agricialtarat
Gazette.

PEBBLES IN row's STWIACH.—The Rev. W. Sy-
monds exhibited 30 pebbles, one of them weighing lb.,
found in the stomach of a cow lately killed at Barton-
under-Needwoud, Burton-on-Trent. The pebbles be-
long to the northern drift of geologists which abundantly
overlie* the new red sandstone of the district ; and they
are remarkably glazed and polidied by the actions of
the cow's atoutach. The weight of the pebbles is Max,
and the annual appeared perfectly healthy and fat when
killed by Mr. Utiodivan, butcher, of Barton-under-
Needwouil, to whom reference may be made.—Dr.
Lankester thought this was an instance of a morbid ap-
petite, and quoted many instances of the same nature.
Awwciatiou, Yalural iliatury Section.