428 HANDY-BOOK OF HUSBANDRY. 



a direct fertilizer, but as a mulch to protect the crop from the 

 injurious effect of too frequent freezing and thawing, and of violent 

 winds. 



In the autumn, before the ground becomes too wet, a consider- 

 able area is plowed up and made ready for spring planting. As 

 early in the spring as it is possible to go on to this land with 

 teams, without injuring its texture, it is once lightly harrowed, 

 then sowed with oats, and these thoroughly harrowed in, — the land, 

 however, not being rolled, as the clods will afford a certain pro- 

 tection against late frosts and high, cold winds. This sowing 

 should always be made early in April, or, if the weather will admit, 

 even in March. The commencement of its growth, however, 

 may always be dated, in the latitude of New York, from about 

 the loth or 15th of April. The only object in getting the seed 

 in before this time is to get the work out of the way, and to insure 

 its being planted in ample season for the earliest growing weather. 



About the first of May another tract, which had been plowed 

 in the fall, is prepared in precisely the same manner and sown 

 with oats. About the middle of May, or as soon as the plants are 

 strong enough to bear the treatment, these two fields, if the land 

 is dry and in good condition, should be neatly rolled down. 



It will be well, also, to make another sowing of oats or barley 

 as late as the middle of May, but from the tenth of May until the 

 first of August sowed corn should be put in, on a separate piece 

 about every two weeks. That first planted will be large enough to 

 cut late in July or early in August, and throughout the whole of 

 August and September, and often far into October, corn may be 

 relied upon as the chief soiling-crop, and both the quantity per 

 acre and the value of the material as food, make it almost the 

 best of all soiling-crops. 



In addition to the foregoing, a considerable area of grass or 

 clover should be well manured and kept in all respects in the best 

 condition ; and the hay crop being early taken ofF, the aftermath 

 should be stimulated to the greatest possible extent. For, in 

 exceptional seasons, or as the result of circumstances which can- 

 not be foreseen, it might become necessary to depend very largely 



