68 



FARMERS' REGISTER— GARDEN— MANAGEMENT OF HORSES, 



THE GARDEN. 



From the (New York) Cultivator. 



Thoup;h we do not intend to enter into tlie mi- 

 nute details of gardening, nor to say much of tlic 

 ornamental portion of the art, yet we would lain 

 encourage a taste for this branch of la,bor, which 

 does much to multiply our conitbrts, and refine our 

 manners, and pro Her such occasional directions as- 

 may tend to benefit the generality of our readers. 

 We go upon the i»rinciplc that we all ought to look 

 for our chief happiness at Junne; and that the more 

 this home is embellished, and provided mth the 

 varied productions of the soil, the stronger will our 

 attachments be to tt, and the niore multiplied will 

 be our enjoyments. At all events, there arc many 

 productions of the garden which are in a measure 

 indispensable in every ilmiily; and the farmer can 

 raise them with more economy than he can buj' 

 them. It is in relation to the culture of these that 

 Ave intend to offer some brief remarks. 



Among the general rules which ought to be re- 

 garded in the management of a garden, and which 

 in some measure apply to the management of a 

 farm, we may particularize the following :^— 



1. A garden should be enclosed by a secure 

 fence — otherwise an unruly animal may destroy in 

 a night the fi-uits of many a day's toil. 



2. A garden should be rich: for here the maxim 

 particularly applies, — that it is better to cultivate 

 a small pjiece of ground Avell, than a large one 

 slovenly and bad. " J Veil done" is the only '^good 

 enough'''' for a garden. 



3. Do not plant your roots and vines in the 

 shade, or under the drippings' of trees, but in an 

 open exposure. Appropriate these situations to 

 medicinal plants and herbs. Trees impoverish the 

 ground, and their shade is baleful to most crops. 

 Plant trees u))on the north, east, and west borders, 

 where their shade will be but partially prejudicial, 

 or along a main alley. 



4. Alternate your crops; that is, do not plant 

 your onions or other vegetables two successive 

 years on the same quarter. This ride is as im- 

 portant to the garden as it is to the fiirm: and everj- 

 ikrmer, at least every good liirmei', knows, that 

 alternating his farm crops is of the first importance 

 to profit. 



5. Plant your seeds v.-hi^n the ground is fresh 

 dug or ploughed, when it is filled with atmospheric 

 air, and moist, and permeable to heat, three indis- 

 pensable requisites to the vigorous germination oi 

 the seeds. They wiU then sprout quick, and grow 

 luxuriantly, 



6. Seeds require to be kept moist till their roots 

 have got firm hold ol" the earth, and their leaves 

 have expanded above it. To ensure this, the soil 

 must be brought in close contact with them, and 

 they sufficiently covered. A good precaution is to 

 tread the fresh dug soil on the line where the seeds 

 are to be planted, which retards evaporation from 

 below, or, when the seeds are covered to a sufficient 

 depth, to compress the earth upon them Avith a 

 hoe, spade or board, which not only tends to retain 

 the moisture, but to break the soil and to bring it in 

 close contact Avith them. Seeds often tail to grow, 

 or, having began to germinate, are dried and lost, 

 for the want of moisture. And many small seeds 

 with husky coverings, particularly flower seeds, 

 have been declared bad, because they have been 

 planted Avithout due reference to this rule. 



7. As soon as the plants are firmly rooted, the 

 more the earth is stirted about them the. better. 

 This iiicilitates the preparation of the vegetable 

 food in the soil, and greatly promotes growth. 

 Next to the destruction of weeds, nothing coun- 

 teracts the effects of drought so much, in garden 

 or field, as stirring the surface of the.soil. 



8. Difiere'nt seed's require different temperatures 

 to induce germination; and if they are'put into the 

 ground when it is too cold, they are liable to rot. 

 Wheat, rye, bariey, &c. will germinate at 45 de- 

 grees, corn at perhaps 55, while the melon proba- 

 bly requires a heat of 60 to 70 degi-ees. The com- 

 mon bean will vegetate in a cold temperature, 

 while the Lima bean will rot in a cold or Avet soil. 

 Hence, in planting, regard is to be had to the 

 hardiness of the plant Avhich-is to besown. 



The present month is an important one in the 

 operations of the garden. If not already done, 

 no time should be lost, in soAvingthe seed of onions, 

 sallads, eai'ly cabbage, peas, radishes, and in plant- 

 ing some early corn and potatoes. The beet, car- 

 rot, parsnip, and summer squash may also be 

 soAvn. Cabbages for AAinter use may be sowai in 

 time, from the 20th to the 30th. As soon as the soil 

 and the season are Avarm enough to bring up corn, 

 which here irS generally from the 15th to the 20th , 

 plant your melons, pumpkins and cucumbers, 

 though it Avill do equally avcU to plant the latter, 

 for pickles, in the early part of June. The 15th 

 Avill ordinarily do' for Lima beans, AAdiich are the 

 best of the bean family. . Soak the seed of these 

 in Avarm Avater, a leAv hours, and cover them 

 slightly. My practice is to save this crop for Avin- 

 ter use. They afford a great product. When 

 frost is apprehended, the beans are all picked, the 

 unri]>e ones shelled and dried; and, if soaked be- 

 fore cooking, are nearly as good as Avhen first 

 gathered from the vines. An acquaintance digs a 

 large hole, in Avhich he depositee a barroAV of dung, 

 which ha covers Avith six inches of earth, and 

 plants the Lima beans, and puts down poles upon 

 the border of the irianured circle. In this Avay they 

 are said to groAV luxuriantly, and to produce in 

 great abundance. Of the pumpkin there are 

 several ncAV and much esteemed varieties, as the 

 Valparaiso, Porter and acorn 'squashes. These 

 are rather later in coming ta maturity than the 

 old yellow kind; though they have been success- 

 fully cultivated among corn. We Avould commend 

 the planting out, or sowing seeds of parsley, balm, 

 Avorm-Avood, tanzy, garfick, hyssop, rue, sage, 

 thyme, and other herbs, Avhich are oJlen required 

 in a feniily. b. 



ON THE MANAGEMENT OF HORSES WHILST 

 TRAVELLING. 



From the Southern Agriculturist. 



''Jpril^Ath, 1834. 



Dear Sir, — As it is j^our request, I Avill noAv en- 

 deaA^or to say something about- the treatment of 

 a horse upon a journey, though, I assure you, that 

 you ha\'e travelled much more than I haA^e. I 

 will,, hoAvcA-er, say, hoAV I would treat my nags. 



It is of great importance that the horse be in 

 good condition before the journey is commenced — 

 not \-ery fat: he should eat nothing but the most 

 solid food tor sometime before you start, nothing 

 light or green; i'or nine out of ten horses Avill i'onn- 

 dcr if fed on green food. Earlv in the morning 



