1192 



KALENDARIAL INDEX. 



Where there are water-meadows, the sheep and Iambs -will 

 have been faitening on these during the whole of the month, 

 an immense advantage to a farmer. 



PotiUry of most kinds have now hatched their broods, and re- 

 quire looking after, to see thev do not injure one another, nor 

 are attacked by stronger enemies. 



5. Grass Lands. (5086.) 



See that the fences are kept up, and the gates regularly shut 

 and fastened ; as cattle newly let out are very apt to wander, 

 and more ready to break through fences than when the herbage 

 is more abundant. 



Water-meadows (4053.) are generally shut up for hay about 

 the end of the month, the ewes and lambs being then turned 

 on young artificial grasses, or common provincial pastures, in a 

 sufficiently forward state. 



Monnnf^-meadorva of the common kind (.5197.), and clovers, 

 and mixed grasses for hav, should be hand-picketl, bush- 

 harrowed, and rolled, early 'in the month, and then shut up for 

 liie scythe. 



6. Arable Lands. (4548.) 



Finish sowing all the S])ring corns (4659.), pease, tares, 

 lucem (5025.), saintfoin, and ail other herbage, plants, and 

 grasses. (5086.) 



Summer rvheat (4602.) may be sown during the whole of the 

 month, also barley in late situations (4659.), pease for late pod- 

 ding, and under peculiar circumstances, tares for cutting 

 green in October and November. 



Manvfactorial plants, as woad, madder, flax, hemp, mustard, 

 &c. ; oil plants, as raije, poppy, and such plants as are grown 

 for medicinal purjjoses or peculiar uses in domestic economy, 

 as rhubarb, liquorice, buck or beech -wheat, cress, &c. may a'll 

 be sown or planted from the middle of last to the middle of 

 this month. The first week in April will, in the {greater num- 

 ber of seasons, soils, and situations, suit the most of them. 



Carrot (4962.), field beet (4926.), parsnep (4951.), and Swed. 

 ish turnip (4880.), if not sown the last week of March, should 

 be finished during the first ten days of April. A bed of Swedish 



turnips should be sown in the garden for transplanting in 

 the field by the end of the month, or the first week in May. 



The last fortnight of the month is the best season for planting 

 potatoes (4825.) ; in the earliest situations this is soon enough 

 tor a full crop ; in the latest the middle of May will answer 

 better. For very early crops for the supply of summer markets, 

 dry rich sheltered lields may be planted in March. In the 

 moors of Scotland they often plant in June, and still have a 

 crop: there the potatoe is alike obnoxious to late spring emd 

 early autumnal frosts. 



7. Fences (27t)7.). Itoads (3280.), and Drains. 

 (3909.) 



All these should have been put in order before, so as to leave 

 the hedger of the farm (6929.), and the laborer of all-work 

 (0926.), time to assist in getting in planted crops, as potatoes, 

 cabbages, &c. in the fields, cropping the garden, mowing, or 

 otherwise dressing the orchard, shrubbery, lawn, or such 

 ornamental or enjoyment ground, as the farmer indulges in 

 round his house. 



8. Orchards (3770) and Hop-grounds. (5393.) 



In some cases fruit-trees may be so overrun with insects 

 towards the end of the month as to make it worth while to burn 

 wet straw under them ; but this rarely happens before the 

 middle of May, and even then farm orchards may almost 

 always be. left to the birds and vigor of the trees. Hops are 

 generally poled in this month, and the ground between the 

 hills afterwards stirred with the cultivator or nidget as itis call- 

 ed in Kent. (5417.) 



9. Wood Lands and Plantations. (3627.) 



All planting and pruning of deciduous trees should l>c 

 finished the first week of the month. Afterwards the planting 

 and pruning of evergreens may commence ; first the common 

 pine and fir, and afterv/ards the holly, yew, and other forest 

 evergreens. (3655.) If these can be watered, and staked, so 

 much the better. Barking oaks may in some warm situations 

 be felled the last week of the month, but May is the more ge- 

 neral time. (3748.) 



MAY. 



1. Kalendar of Animated Nature round London. 



In the , first week: the titlark ialmida pratensia) sings, the 

 cuckoo (cucu/tti canorus) is heard ; the gudgeon-(nroWKiM frobio) 

 spawns; the redstart (motacUla phasnicurm), swift (larumlo aptis), 

 white-throat (motadlla sylma), and stinging-fly {conopa calci- 



ant (foniica rubra), the laughiiig %vren (motadUa curucca), the 

 common flesh-fly (musca vomitoria), the lady-cow (cocrineUa 

 bipunkata), jgrasshopper lark (alauda locustce vocw), and willow- 

 wren (mutaciUa salicaria), appear. 

 Third week: the blue flesh-fly (miisca vomitoria) appears; 



black snails (helix nigra) abound, and the large bat appears. 



Fourth week: the great white-cabbage butterfly (panilio 

 brasaica;), and dragon-fly (libella 4-maculata) appear, the glow- 

 worm shines, and the fern-owl, or goat-sucker {caprimulgua 

 furopcBua) returns. 



^ 2. Kalendar of Vegetable Nature round London. 



In the first rveek : geum urbanum, artemisia campestris ; lily 

 ofthevaXley {convallariamnUilis),.\i!ater-\io\et {Iwttonm paluatiis), 

 tulip-tree {liriodendron tulipifera), and numerous other j)lants in 

 flower. 



Second rveek: the oak, ash, sweet chestnut {fagns cactanea), 

 hawthorn (meapilus oxyacantha), the common maple (acer cam- 

 pestre), hoise-cnestnut (asmiliu hippocastanum), barberry (ber- 

 heris mUgarU), and the ajuga reptang in flower. 



Third week; the water scorjnon -grass, or forget-me-not 

 {myosulis scorpioiJea), lime-tree {tilia), milk- wort (polygala 

 vulgaris), nightshade [atropa belladona), and various American 

 shrute in flower, and rye (secale hybemum) in ear. 



Fourth week : oaks, ashes, and beech< 

 and the mulberry (morus " . . 



The cinnamon rose, and some other hardy roses in flower ; and 

 also the bramble (rubus frvtitoius), moneywort (lysiiruichia 

 iiurrmadaria), columbine {aijuilei'ia viUgaris), and various other 

 trees and shrubs in blossom. 



3. Farm-yard. (2740.) 



Feeding and wintering on straw and roots generally ends, 

 and soiling (5004.) or pasturage (5017.) commences, in the 

 first fortnight. Where high-flavored milk and butter are pre- 

 ferred to quantity, then pasturage on dry -bottomed uplands is 

 to be preferred ; but where quantity and richness is the object, 

 soiling with clover and tares, and two or three hours' pastur- 

 age per day, for the sake of exercise, is the preferable system. 

 Even on farms where there is nothing to mow but old meadow, 

 soiling with that will be found more economical than pastur- 

 ing it. A field of meadow in good heart, mown and eaten 

 green, will, at a rough estimate, produce treble the quantity of 

 milk it would have done if pastured; ' ' 

 as it woiUd do in the form of dry hay. 



The \)arils and \nts are generally cleared of dung, urine, &r. 

 at tliis' season ; and if no soiling goes on, they should be kept 



s, and beeches now generally in l^f, 

 nigra) beginning to oi>en its buds. 

 9me other hardv roses in flower : and 



clean during the summer, excepting what room is required for 

 the dvmg of the few stock which are there constantly, as 

 pigs and poultry, or occasionally, as horses while hamesjing, 

 &c. 



4. Live stock. (5546.) 



In turning cattle to grass, consider the different systems of 

 pasturing (5240.) ; adopt what jsuits your circumstances, and 

 pursue it regularly. See that water is not wanting to each 

 field (4127.); nor shade, rubbing posts, and shelter. (6266.) 



Leaa stock are generally dear during this month, from the 

 number of persons who buy in and feed off on grass. When 

 cattle or sheep are very numerous, they are found to feed better, 

 and do less injury to the grass, in small herds or flocks than in 

 large ones. 



Mares may have the horse during the first week, but not 

 later, considering the season of parturition. (5968.) 



5. Grass Lands. (5086.) 



As most grasses send up their flower-stalks during this 

 month, it is of importance so to stock pastures, as to eat these 

 down. This is onlif to be accomplished in recently sown down- 

 lands by overstocking, and not then completely if rye-grass pre- 

 vails. When grass-lands are to be mown, the best croj) of hay 

 will be obtained by not pasturing after the middle of April. 

 Some may think that where cattle and sheet) are fed till Alay 

 or June, the stalks left will come in as hay ; but as such fields 

 cannot be mown till the end of July, the stalks have long l)e- 

 fore she<l their seed and become dry, and so shrivelled as to be 

 unfit'for food. 



Where paring and burning is wanted, this is a favorable 

 season. (2971.) 



Water-mead on>s having been eaten down in April, are gene- 

 rally watered for the first three or four weeks of tliis tiionth, to 

 bring forward the crop of hay. (4096.) 



6. Arable Lands. (4548.) 



Summer wheat (4602.) and grass seeds (4602.) may still be 

 sown, but not profitably after the first week or ten days. 

 Swedish turnip (4S89.), marygold, and yellow turnip), may be 

 profitably sown, and also early crops of common white turnip 

 where the soil is clean and duly prepared. (4887.) 



The preparation cX turnip fallows is the great business of this 

 month, and next the stirring of naked fallows (4568.), and the 

 culture, by horse and hand hoes, of corns and pulse in drills. 

 In late situations potatoes may be planted during the whole 

 month (4843) ; and hemp and flax sown during the first fort- 

 night. (5292. and 5327.) Tares for successional supply. (4795.) 



7 Fences (2767.), Roads (3280,), and Drains. 

 (3909.) 



Clean young hedge-mw/:. ('^789.) Drains may now 1)C advan- 

 tageously designed, as the : prings sliow themselves more ton- 



