APRIL. Ill 



foot, in its frosty brittleness, as by fire, and with 

 much the same appearance. 



RURAL OCCUPATIONS. 



Feeding cattle in the yard still continues, from 

 deficiency of grass. Fields intended for mowing are 

 cleared of stones, bush-harrowed, and shut up ; all 

 ditching, hedging, and draining, better done last 

 month, but if unfinished, to be concluded. Water- 

 meadows, which have been eaten, closed at the end 

 of the month. Sowing still continues of spring corn, 

 peas, tares, sainfoin, lucerne, and grasses ; also the 

 sowing and planting of woad, madder, flax, hemp, 

 mustard, rape, poppy, rhubarb, and other medicinal 

 plants ; at the end of the month planting mangel- 

 wurzel, carrots, and Swedish turnips. Early pota- 

 toes are planted. Hops are poled, and the ground 

 between the rows dressed. Evergreens are planted, 

 as holly, yew, and the fir tribes. Poultry broods 

 are now numerously hatched, and demand much of 

 the good housewife's care. The anxieties attending 

 the raising of young poultry are far from incon- 

 siderable. Watching for, and discovering the nests, 

 particularly of ducks, turkeys, and guinea-fowls, 

 which are fond of laying away in hedge-bottoms 

 and beds of nettles ; securing and preserving eggs, 

 setting them, and observing, from time to time, that 

 they are not broken, or addle ; sprinkling them with 

 water as they approach the time of hatching ; sup- 

 plying the sitting fowls daily with food and water ; 



