364 



THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 



CALENDAR OF AGRICULTURE. 



This is the general month of sowing wheat. 

 Plough with a seed fuiTow the fallowed lands that 

 have been dunged and limed. Steep the seed grain 

 in stale urine or in a very strong solution of com- 

 mon salt ; skim off the light grains, and encrust the 

 seed with hot lime to dry the grains for being 

 sowDi Sow immediately by the hand in broadcast 

 or by the drill machine. On wet lands draw the 

 water furrows without delay, open the cross cuts 

 by the spade, and make clear passages for the 

 water into the side ditches. Put gates and fences 

 in repair, and shut up the sown fields for the 

 winter. 



Prepare, by fallowing, the lands intended to be 

 sown with early green crops the next year. 



Raise potatoes from the ground in dry weather 

 by the plough or hand fork ; pull and carry the 

 haulm to the dung yards. Carry the potatoes to a 

 dry place, form the heaps longitudinally about 

 four feet high, cover with turf and earth, 

 and thatch with straw. Secure mangel wurzel, 

 carrots, and parsnips, in a similar way, and remove 

 from clayey loams the crops of Swedish turnips, 

 to get the land sown with wheat. Give the tops 

 of Swedish turnips and of beet root to cattle and 

 sheep — moderately at one time, to prevent hoving. 

 Plant potatoes with farmyard dung on fallowed 

 lands. Drill the ground widely and deeply, to 

 protect the sets from frost. 



Put the rams to the ewes, one to fifty, and place 

 each lot in a separate field. Give them turnip tops 

 and of beet, which will much increase the salacity. 

 All aged, unsightly, and ill-shaped animals, and 

 bad thrivers, and those ewes that missed last year, 

 are rejected for the purpose of breeding, and the 

 places supplied with the same number drawn from 

 the ewe lambs that are now eighteen months old. 

 Much care and discrimination must be exercised in 

 assorting qualities for the purpose of propagation. 

 Mark the rams on the brisket with red paint or 

 black pigment, which will mark the ewes on the 

 rump, and enable the shepherd to place marks on 

 the ewes regularly as they are impregnated. This 

 mark being affixed every fortnight, will be found 

 very useful in spring, in drawing the ewes for 

 lambing, and in preventing any lambs being 



dropped unknown and unseen. Ewes must be got 

 into good condition for the tupping season. 



Sheep are smeared with some hquid ointment 

 during this month, to kill vermin, and to prevent 

 rubbing and tearing oflf the fleece. Tobacco liquor 

 is much used, mixed with a small quantity of the 

 spirit of tar. But the most approved practice now 

 adopted is to dip the animals in Biggs' Composition 

 dissolved in water for a few minutes' immersion, 

 and then drying the animals on bear clean ground. 

 It kills all vermin, and very much promotes the 

 growth of the wool. 



The lambs will require the assistance of artificial 

 food in the end of this month, as the grass will 

 begin to fail. If the turnip lands be dry and warm, 

 confine the animals on spaces of the crop divided 

 by hurdles or flakes, and give fresh spaces as the 

 others are consumed. But if the lands be wet and 

 poachy, cart the turnips daily for the lambs to a 

 dry lea or stubble field, and cut oflF the roots on 

 the field where the turnips grow. The sheep in- 

 tended to be fattened will require turnips in a 

 similar way. 



The bullocks that are foremost in condition 

 must be tied up in stalls singly, or placed in yards 

 two or four together, and amply fed with turnips, 

 with the tops and roots cut away. Give the tops 

 to the keeping ewes or to the young cattle. The 

 latter must be placed in yards six or eight together, 

 and carefully fed and well littered. 



Feed milch cows with cabbages and tops of 

 turnips, and of beet root. Give hay and straw in 

 chaff; or steam the roots and chaff in mixture. 

 Juicy food is indispensable for the secretion of 

 milk. 



Begin to fatten hogs for bacon, use steamed food 

 of roots and meals mixed, and finish with hard 

 corn. 



Get the manure pit in readiness ; fill it with 

 earthy and vegetable matters in order to absorb the 

 urinary liquid, and clear out all the culverts that 

 lead from the cattle yards to the tank. The ab- 

 sorption of urine by earthy substances is much the 

 best use of the liquid matters. Tanks should be 

 roofed over, as the exclusion of light is found to 

 promote putrefaction, 



CALENDAR OT GARDENING. 



Kitchen Garden. 



Cape broccoli requires early care, and as each 

 head is cut, the stump and leaves ought to be re- 

 moved : these when dry should be burned, for the 

 sakeof the ashes. Spring broccoU plants should now 

 be sloped down, the heads to the north, and earth 

 brought up nearly to tlie leaves, or if in trenches, 

 the stems ought to be landed up. 



Beet root and carrots are partially dug up 

 and stored in sand, for early use. 



Cauliflowers in frames, or under glasses, must 

 have abundance of air. 



Finish the planting of cabbages as soon as 

 possible. 



Tie up some good plants of endive for blanching, 

 and draw fine earth about the stems. Keep the 

 winter spinach clear from weeds. Sow small salads 

 once more ; also a few mazagan beans. 



Asparagus beds should be brought into winter 

 order, not waiting for the ripening of the seeds. 



