DEVOTED TO AGRICULTURE AND ITS KINDRED ARTS AND SCIENCES. 



VOL. IV. 



BOSTON, MARCH, 1852. 



NO. 3. 



RAYNOLDS & NOURSE, Proprietors. 

 Office. . ..Quincy Hall. 



=.t»,^»t t,™,,,^ ^ FRED'K HOLBROOK, ) As sc 



SIMON BROWN, Editor. henry p french ; } ^ 



FRED'K HOLBROOK, } Associate 



TORS. 



FARM WORK FOR MARCH. 



March is usually a rough and boisterous month 

 — a continued contention of the elements for the 

 mastery. Now, the glad sunlight rests upon the 

 earth and soft airs from the south call out the blue- 

 bird and robin, and invite, us into the garden to 

 look at the snowdrop, the crocus and yellow helle- 

 bore, the first sweet harbingers of spring. But 

 ere the birds have finished their song or the 

 flowers unfolded a leaf, hoarse breathings at the 

 North are heard, and down comes old Boreas again 

 with all "his attendant train" of hail, sleet, wind 

 and snow. Like a bright meteor, the golden mo- 

 ments quickly passed, and winter reigns again 

 supreme. 



But March weather, rough and blustering as it 

 is, could not be spared. Its rude winds are or- 

 dained to sweep away the surplus moisture and 

 prepare the soil for the hand of the cultivator 

 The old proverb tells us that "a peck of March 

 dust is worth a king's ransom." It indicates con- 

 tinued dry weather and a suitable condition of the 

 soil for the reception of seed. Were these winds 

 hushed, and the redundant March moisture re 

 main, seeds would not germinate, but rot and de 

 cay. "A dry and cold March never begs its 

 bread — because it prepares the earth for seed time 

 — but a wet March makes a sad August," because 

 the ground is saturated with cold water, the seed 

 is spoiled and yields no crop in August. 



The winter has been stern and cold — we long 

 to see the streams unlocked, to think that "the 

 winter is over and gone" — to hear the birds sing- 

 ing, and feel the warm sunshine and balmy air. 

 We cast lingering looks up and down the garden 

 walks where a crocus is peeping from the rubbish, 

 among which the warbling sparrow tunes his lit- 

 tle throat, though thick flakes of snow may be 

 falling fast. We are impatient for genial skies and 

 gentle winds, Avithout counting the cost of an en- 

 joyment of them now. We forget that "the late 



have April suns and showers now, April frosts 

 will pinch the buds and blossoms which they have 

 produced, and we shall have neither fruits nor 

 flowers in due season ; and this explains the other 

 old proverb, that "March flowers make no sum- 

 mer bowers." 



But there will be days of sunshine and softness,. 

 in March, and spots in the garden or field ready 

 for the exercise of a skilful hand, and these, with 

 various other matters, demand the attention of the 

 husbandman now. 



Clover Seed. — This month is a suitable time for 

 sowing clover seed on fields laid down to grass in 

 August or September last. Clover is apt to be 

 winter-killed, and most persons leave the seed for 

 spring sowing. It may be scattered upon the 

 snow, which affords a good opportunity for ascer- 

 taining how thick to sow it; or upon the ground, 

 or even where the water is standing — there is no 

 difficulty in its coming now. 



Early Potatoes. — Prepare potatoes for early 

 planting by sprouting them in horse manure, or in 

 barrels by the kitchen stove. Plant in some sunny 

 border or sheltered place and you may have fine 

 potatoes by the 20th of June, or earlier if all 

 circumstances are favorable. 



Hot Beds. — See that these are in order, and 

 start your tomatoes, lettuces, egg plants, &c. 



Grape Vines. — Make a judicious trimming of 

 these, and shorten down to three or four eyes of 

 the vigorous shoots of last years' growth. Prune 

 apples, and other fruit trees — that need it — but 

 not to indulge a fancy for using the knife and saw, 

 as that may more properly find vent on the wood 

 pile. Look after the currant and other bushes ; 

 clip the tops and tie up the raspberry bushes that 

 were neglected last fall, and you shall find an 

 abundant recompense by-and-by. 



Fruit Stones. — Sow such fruit stones as have 

 been preserved, and mark the rows of each. 

 Plowing. — Stubble or other fields on sandy land 



spring makes the fruitful year," and that if we [intended for potatoes may be plowed this month. In 



