A catechism of Agriculture (1892)

[alex04w]

I was going through an old box of family papers today, and at the bottom of it found a small book with my great grandfathers name on it and a date of 1897. It is Book II in the University Series - A Catechism of Agriculture.. It was published in Belfast in 1892.

There is some cracking stuff in it! I have not photographed every page, but the following will give you an idea.

For Sheep

What should be done with sheep before shearing them?
They should be washed in a running stream of water, so as to remove any dirt that collects in the wool.
How many do that today? Wait till Red Tractor gets that idea in the standards.

For dairy

Why is it objectionable to keep milk in a bedroom?
Because the foul air of a bedroom will be injurious to the milk.

Why is straw a good roof for a dairy?
Because it keeps the dairy cool in summer and warm in winter.

For Beef

How is the land stocked?
At a rate of two beasts for every three statute acres.

When does it pay to give oats and barley to cattle?
When the price of these crops is low, and the price of meat is high.

For Pigs

When do store pigs get exercise and when not?
They get exercise when intended for bacon, but when intended for pork they are kept almost constantly in the sty.
(At least until Red Tractor or animal rights catch you

 

[alex04w]

For root crops

Cabbage
Why is the cabbage so profitable to the cottager?
Because it is a most wholesome and nutritious vegetable, and any which the cottager does not require for his table can be given to cows and pigs.

Parsnips
State some of the merits of parsnips?
It is an excellent vegetable, it is a hardy crop, and can be sold for a high price in most parts of the country.

Carrots
Why is the carrot not so suitable a crop as the parsnip for the cottage garden?
Because the carrot is not so valuable for human use, nor so saleable as the parsnip.

How tastes change, and the relative merits of crops!

For poultry

 

[Suffolk Serf]

I never knew that few substances are richer in farinaceous matter than indian corn. I'll mention that to my farm nutritionist, I know that he'll be impressed.

 

[RushesToo]

For root crops

Cabbage
Why is the cabbage so profitable to the cottager?
Because it is a most wholesome and nutritious vegetable, and any which the cottager does not require for his table can be given to cows and pigs.

Parsnips
State some of the merits of parsnips?
It is an excellent vegetable, it is a hardy crop, and can be sold for a high price in most parts of the country.

Carrots
Why is the carrot not so suitable a crop as the parsnip for the cottage garden?
Because the carrot is not so valuable for human use, nor so saleable as the parsnip.

How tastes change, and the relative merits of crops!

For poultry

@alex04w Thank you for this - I have to say that the stock pages would have a few breed societies at each others throats.
Wonderful reading!

 

[penntor]

Would be interesting to know what they recommend for foot rot and worms.

 

[penntor]

In sheep

 

[Radio]

Great book. Sheep always washed here till the seventies, shore easier as got rid of grease. Also paid more for washed wool.

 

[The Ruminant]

Killing out % for pigs of 90% and for a fat cow it’s 70%
wow!

 

[deleted user 837354]

Killing out % for pigs of 90% and for a fat cow it’s 70%
wow!

Probably because in those days they were prepared to eat virtually everything...

 

[Bury the Trash]

Interesting word 'Catechism' , pretty rare in use.

 

[The Ruminant]

Probably because in those days they were prepared to eat virtually everything...

That was my thought too. Shows how much we waste. And these wouldn’t be super lean, heavily muscled, £250k( ) limmys, but traditional native breeds

 

[digger64]

That was my thought too. Shows how much we waste. And these wouldn’t be super lean, heavily muscled, £250k( ) limmys, but traditional native breeds

Yes but looking at the old pictures around their idea of fat was somewhat different to ours, also the fat/lard was a highly valued commodity before the advent of rape and vegetable oils

 

[Bald Rick]

I note that it’s headed “Elements of Agriculture”

IIRC one of the core texts when I was at college in the early 1980s was Fream’s Elements of Agriculture.
Wonder if they are related?

 

[alex04w]

I note that it’s headed “Elements of Agriculture”

IIRC one of the core texts when I was at college in the early 1980s was Fream’s Elements of Agriculture.
Wonder if they are related?

The fly leaf. No mention of Fream.