254 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



June 



Such was Madame Juno's team, and we 

 rather think it would outshine those of the 

 yellow-gloved gentry on the "Fifth Avenue," 

 or "Boston Neck." 



June is the sixth or middle month of the 

 year, and is, perhaps, crowded with more 

 beautiful things to delight the senses and make 

 the world appear attractive than any other 

 month of the year. The temperature of the 

 air is mild ; the hopes of spring are realized, 

 yet the enjoyment is but commenced ; we have 

 all summer before us ; the singing of the 

 birds, the hum of the bees ; — little clouds lie 

 in lumps of silver about the sky, and some- 

 times fall to stimulate the growth of the herb- 

 age ; the fields are in blossom with the sweet 

 and beautiful clover, and the roses, garden 

 and wild, fill the air wiih their grateful fra- 

 grance. 



As evening approaches, it is a June even- 

 ing ; there is nothing else like it. The sights 

 and sounds are peculiarly tT-iwe. In the doubt- 

 ful dusk, the bat and the owl venture forth, 

 flittering through the glimmering quiet. As 

 night grows deeper, the moon is most silvery, 

 the sky at once darkest and clearest ; and 

 when the birds have done singing, you may 

 hear happy solos and choruses from the deni- 

 zens cf the pools, and the voices of the brooks 

 of the spring running and tumbling through 

 their stony channels ; or, as Coleridge has it : — 



A noi=e like of a hidden brook, 



In the leafy month of June, 

 That to the sleeping woods all night 



Singeth a quiet tune. 



Nature has her peculiar ways in all seasons, 

 and it never is a waste of time to observe 

 them. We grow wiser, stronger, better, by 

 such observation. It helps us in the family, 

 in the field and in the granary. It opens a 

 book of revelation to us in all the labors of 

 the farm. It instructs, purifies and softens 

 the rugged labors which the month of June 

 demands, and leads us pleasantly from "Na- 

 ture up to Nature's God." Let us mingle it, 

 then, with our daily toil, and find in it per- 

 petual encouragement to labor on manfully 

 and cheerfully in the duties of life. 



While we preach this lay sermon, however, 

 we are not forgetful of what is to be done in 

 this busy month, in order that the farm work 

 shall be performed in its appropriate time. 



Quite an extended observation has led us 

 to believe that an opinion has become com- 



mon that late planting is as favorable as early 

 planting. In consequence of this, nearly half 

 of our corn crop is not planted until about 

 the first of June, and many of the potatoes 

 somewhat later. The result of such a prac- 

 tice was sadly felt in the early and severe 

 frost of last autumn, when hundreds of acres 

 of corn were smitten with frost before the grain 

 was ripe, and greatly injured. So it was with 

 the potatoes. In many fields the vines were 

 in the midst of a vigorous growth when ar- 

 rested by the frost, and the crop essentially 

 damaged. That the season was cold and 

 backward last spring, is true, nevertheless 

 numerous fields on high and dry lands were 

 not planted until the very last days of May. 



We ought to plant early so that we may do 

 the June work early. Most of the hoeing for 

 the season ought to be done before the work 

 of haying comes on. 



Another change of opinion has also taken 

 place among farmers, which we think will re- 

 sult in much good, and that is in commencing 

 to get the hay crop in June. If haying is 

 not commenced until all the grass of the farm 

 Is in suitable condition to be cut, a consider- 

 able portion of it must be so far advanced as 

 to essentially reduce its value. 



All the stock like grass better than any 

 other food ; so that the nearer the hay resem- 

 bles grass, the better the cattle will like it, 

 and the more valuable it will prove for them. 

 It is a common remark that good rowen is 

 highly relished by cows and causes an unusual 

 flow of milk. Why ? Because it is cut and 

 cured when the grass has attained only about 

 one-half its natural growth, — no seed is formed, 

 and it retains nearly all its grass quillty. 

 This quality is what we need to retain in all 

 the hay crop. It may be secured by cutting 

 the grass as soon as it comes into blossom, 

 and curing it without much exposure to the 

 sun. If allowed to stand until the seed is 

 formed, a striking change would take place in 

 most of it, which would greatly reduce its 

 value. The sugar and starch of the leaves 

 and stems would principally go to perfect the 

 seed, leaving the plant almost a dry and taste- 

 less woody fibre. 



Many excellent farmers now commence 

 their haying as early as the 20th of June, and 

 state that by so doing they not only get more 

 fodder, but that of a greatly superior quality. 



