The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1859-08-16 00:00:00


2ariculturt.

Tin ROYAL AGRICI:LTCHAL Soeam.I,under-
',toed that Mr. Joseph Lice, brother of the Rev. W.
Ince, Fellow and Sub-Rector of Exeter College, ftaford,
is likely to be appointed to the vacant Oboe of Secretary
to this society. Mr. Ince is well known ill the litersry
and scientific world as • good practical chyluist and •
eontriLutor to the pharmaceutical jouruaLi a the metro.

CAL:TtoN TO FAnSfElln AND Surer OwYsits.—A
1111‘aC sad aff:dr has occurred in the parish of Cobham,
on Linded Fi,i UI, 111 the occupation of Mr. Janie*
Fe,,hei, `fr. Francis hos becn in the habit for several
years of using a wash to his sheep, containing mercury
and soft soap, u a preventive against flies. Ile has
generally had it applied by dipping thew, bat this year
Faid them on their side sod poured the wash toile pint
to a sheep) over thew. The flock (about P.N) having
been thus dressed, were turned into • dry barren part to
drip. About an hour or so afterwards the shepherd
noticed 2101110 of them looking bail; in a short space of
time they began to die, and sad to relate, by the morn-
ing only sixteen remained alive out of the large number.
It is supposed that they sucked the 'moisture from each
others' wool, there being no water in the field, and the
great heat causing them to thirst. The greatest
sympathy is felt for the sufferer; he being a Man
universally respected.

- -
MACHINE AND HAND REAPING.—Some excitement
was manifested by our agricultural friends on Tuesday
week, in consequence of a reapin, match which took
place on land beionging, to G. F. . Miles, Esq., of Ford
Abbey, and granted by him for the purpose of testing
the relative value of machine and manual labour.
Reaping machines of two eminent firms, namely Wood's,
for which our clever neighbours—Messrs. Wightenan
and De g, are agents for the adjacent neighbourhood,
and Dray's. We hear that both machines did their
work well, but it was demonstrated that Wood's worked
much lighter than Dray's, Alio that it did not choke or
break as did the other when going over rank or couch-
grassy 'daces. For proof of its superiority in respect of
lightness we limy state that Wood's requires only one
man and • boy and two horses for its propulsion and
management, while Dray's requires from six to eight
men and two horses. The opinion given on this latter
particular in Dray's by the agriculturalists present, was
"That it was capable of tzolllo improvement. '
MILDEW IN BARLEY AND WHEAT.—It is a very
general complaint that the barley this autumn is thin
and meagre, but farmers do not ui general seem to be
acquainted with • very prevalent came. They may be
right in attributing the evil in part to deficiency of
moisture, and cold nights alternating with hot days'
but there is an enemy which seems to have escaped
their notice, which is at least as much to blame.
Scarcely • leaf or leaf-sheath is free from mildew, and
in many cases the parasite extends to the stem; and
doubtless had the weather been warm and moist, butts
the barley and wheat crops would have suffered very
seriously. Mildew is very rare in general on barley,
and assumes rather a different form on that plant from
what it does on wheat. The spots are touch shorter,
and the meores are shorter. In other respects, however,
it is precisely the same and has doubtless equal powers
of exhaustion, especially when seated on the stein. As
regards wheat, there is also • prevalent notion that it
is much affected by meanie blight, and though somewhat
exaggerated, it is not entirely without foundation. It
was very evident soon after the wheat had blossomed,
and appeared on the chaff in the shape of dark liner or
blotches penetrating deep into the tissue without any
trace of mould, even of the common Madosponion,
which so often gives a black tint to standing corn in
damp weather without very materially affecting the
grain. The affection is in fact very similar to one
which was very prevalent in Hungary last year. It
arises, as we believe, from heavy dew settling upon the
ear while the tissues are yet tender, and inducing a
degree of cold which is injurious to them in consequence
of its rapid evaporation. Here and there the stalk
immediately beneath the ear is blackened, the stain
extending upwards unongst the spikelets. This is a
far autire formidable condition, and ends, in bad weather,
in complete decay, the hollow of the stem being stuffed
with the spawn of souse fungus. The affection is not,
however, common, and may probably escape general
observation. Though sonic diminution of weight will
doubtless attend on the prevalent blight, there is clearly
no cause for general uneasiness, but on the contrary,
the produce in moat parts of England will probably be
above the average, provided the weather does not take
an unfavourable turn and encourage the growth of
dew.—M. J. 8., ix thirtkiteri Chrunkle.
ANOTHER GUANO DEPo,•I T.-A ouunnunication trans-
nutted from the Foreign Office by order of Lord John
Russell, together with copies of despatches relative to
guano depoeits on Jarvis Island, was laid before the
'ouncil I the Royal Agricultural Society at their meet-
ing im Weillieselay week. From a despatch (ruin Capt.
Montressor, of H.M.S. Calypso, to Rear-Admiral Baynes,
it appears that on Jarvis Island, situated in at. 0 22‘ S.,
long. IW" 50' W., deposits of guano exist to an extent
estimated (by measurement), at 1,0011,000 tone. Of this
6,000 tons have been exported since the American Guano
Company of New York (to. whom it belongs) first coop
menced regular shipments in May, The shipments
already made have been exclusively in American veseels.
The deposit is from 4 feet to ten Males in depth, and it
contains a maxiiiew of SO per cent, of phosphate of
lime but little or no ammonia. It appears that there is
also a deposit on lannaig's Island, but that none of this
has been exported, and • further deposit is said to exist
on Johnson's Island.

WASH YOUR PlGS.—Pigs are not dirty when they
have an encouragement to be clean. Ours is washed
every week, in warm soap and water, and well scrubbed
behind the ears and everywhere, to its great ease and
comfort. A highly economical rviark of my man
about this part of his work was, that he scrubbed the
pig on washing days, because the soapsuds did just as
well for manure alter the pig had done with them,
"unit that," said lie "makes the soap serve three times
over."—Once a Wets..