r / r 



X 



T "'T^ H^-T ^^ 1-^^ 





DK VOTED TO AGKICUIiTUItE, HOKTICULTUKE, ANT> KINDRED ABTS. 



NEW SEllIES. Boston, March, 1869. VOL. III.— NO. 3. 



R. r. EATON & CO., Plblisiiers, 

 Office, 34 Mxrchants' How. 



MONTHLY. 



SIMON BROW^, ( -p^,,^., 

 S. FLETCHER, i ^d»tok: 



MAKCH. 



; C H , the 

 fourth month of 

 winter in our 

 climate, is now 

 upon us. The 

 days are grow- 

 ing longer, and 

 we begin to see 

 increasing indi- 

 cations of the 

 power of the 

 sun. The snow 

 is wasting away 

 and the mud 

 slosh are 

 growing deeper, and 

 the wheels cut deeper 

 and dec per into the ruts 

 every day, and the 

 warmth from above will 

 soon reach the warmth 

 that has been treasured in the earth, and the 

 frozen crust that has covered the earth like a 

 blanket and protected it from the cold wind, 

 and enabled it to retain its accumulated heat, 

 will soon disappear. We shall soon see proof 

 that the heat is increasing _ during the day 

 faster than it is given off during the night. 

 Indeed careful observation will show us even 

 now that the quickening power of the sun's rays 

 is beginning to be felt. The buds of the ma- 

 ples are swelling, and the catkins of the water 



willows are daily growing longer, and in the 

 sunny nooks and sheltered places the crowns 

 of the crocuses and violets are filling with sap, 

 and pushing upward. Innocence and purity 

 are always brave, and so these plants, sweet 

 and modest as they are, fearlessly expose their 

 tender and blushing petals to the biting winds 

 and bruising sleet, in full faith that they will 

 be cared for and protected. Life is awaken- 

 ing in the veins of many plants, and it is inter- 

 esting to watch its growth and expansion, — 

 the renewed fulfilment of the promise that 

 "seed time and harvest shall never fail." 



March should be a busy month. The wood 

 has been hauled into the yard, and if it has 

 not been already cut and split, this must be 

 attended to. We cannot aiford to bum green 

 wood. The time and patience of the good 

 wife is too precious to be wasted in coaxing 

 green wood into a blaze. Let the wood be 

 well split, and a plenty of dry wood for kind- 

 ling be provided, and let it all be well secured 

 from the weather. We all know how much 

 the comfort of the household depends upon 

 this. Some of us were brought up to pile 

 large logs upon the hearth, but the cooking 

 stove has 'changed all that, and we must be 

 willing to cut the wood short and split it fine. 

 It will go further and accomplish its purpose 

 much more conveniently, the women, also, 

 like it better, and this last is a sufficient rea- 

 son, if there were no other. Your wife is a 

 good house- keeper, and why should not she 



