216 



Hints for March. 



Vol. 



II. 



mean to give the poor things a choice.'' Un- 

 der date of March 15th, he says ;'' Younir 

 Chickens — I hear of no other in the neigh- 

 borhood. This is the effect of my loarm 

 fowl-house ! The house has been supplied 

 with eggs all the winter, without any inter- 

 ruption. I am told that this has been the case 

 in no other house hereabouts. We have now 

 an abundance of eggs. More than a large 

 family can consume. We send some to mar- 

 ket." It would have been better if this ex- 

 tract had been made at an earlier period, but 

 It IS not now too late. The information is im- 

 portant. My own experience confirms the 

 above. I adopted the plan recommended, 

 with some slight improvements, with the 

 best results. The greatest difficulty to 

 guard against is vermin, and I would es- 

 teem it a favor if some of your correspondents 

 would point out a suitable and efficient reme- 

 dy.* The demand for poultry and fresh eggs 

 is great in all our cities and large towns, 

 and with proper care and attention, to this 

 branch, I am well satisfied the farmer will 

 reap a rich reward. 



Respectfully, 



David Hill. 



Am well, N. J. Jan. 27, 1838, 



Hints for MiarcBa. 



BY FREDIRICK BUTLER. 



We suppose that you have now collected 

 your wood and fencing stuff for the next sea- 

 son ; your hemp and flax are in great for- 

 wardness, and your threshing was all closed 

 early in February. You have cut your scions 

 for gratling. Cut up your wood, and house 

 it, or pile it up for the summer, and next 

 winter ; the difference in the saving, be- 

 tween green and dry, or seasoned wood, will 

 nearly pay the expense of sledding, besides 

 the extra trouble of kindling fires; both 

 which are objects worthy of attention. 



CLOVER AND RYE SEED. 



If you have neglected to sow clover, at 

 seed-time, upon your winter grains, you- may 

 now sow to advantage, as soon as the ground 

 is bare , (the sooner the better,) or upon a 

 light r^now— both will ansvyer well. You 

 may harrow down your corn-hills, or light 

 potatoe grounds, as soon as the surtace is 

 free from frost, and sow your spring rye, it 

 will generally do better, than after a plough- 

 ing, as late as the first of May. 



TOP DRESSING. 



Dress with stable, compost, hog-pen, or 

 such other well rotted manure as you have, 



• Wage a war of extermination against rats, 

 mice, and all vermin, whenever and wherever they 

 may be found. 



such grass grounds as you have neglected in 

 autumn ; three loads now may be equal to 

 two then ; but it is best to secure a good crop 

 even now. Your winter-grain should now 

 be dressed with plaster, if it was neglected at 

 seed-time ; your mowing grounds, which are 

 upon a dry soil, will pay you well for a bushel 

 or two of plaster, or a few bushels of lime, or 

 leached ashes, to the acre. 



ORCHARDS. 



Your orchards continue to claim your at- 

 tention ; finish trimming as fast as possible, 

 and cart or sled off the brush before the 

 ground becomes soft and poachy — give to 

 each tree a top-dressing of your best chip, 

 stable, or compost manure; your fruit will 

 richly repay, besides the extra profits upon 

 your grass under your trees; whether mow- 

 ing or pasture, together with the growth of 

 your trees. No farmer ever paid too much 

 attention to his orchards, nor probably ever 

 will. 



FENCES. 



Look to your fences, and see that they se- 

 cure your orchards, grass and grain lands 

 against your horses, cattle, and sheep. If 

 your fences are bad, you have toiled in vain ; 

 all is at hazard ; all is bad. 



FRUIT AND SHADE TREES. 



Commence setting your fruit and shade 

 trees; these, if omitted in December, gene- 

 rally succeed best, (when set in the spring,) 

 as soon as the frost is out of the ground.— 

 Whenever the frost will permit, plough your 

 hemp and flax ground, together with such 

 land as you design for peas. Frequent 

 ploughings greatly benefit these crops, and 

 your peas cannot be sown too early to pre- 

 vent the effects of the bug, and insure you a 

 good crop. 



WATER-COURSES. 



Look to your water-courses, and change 

 their direction to receive the benefit of the 

 spring rains ; the frequent changing of your 

 water-courses, will render your mowing 

 even, and prevent one part from becoming 

 too rank, and lodging, before the other part 

 is grown fit to cut, and thus turn to your 

 best profit, that which if neglected, would be- 

 come waste and damage. 



STOCK. 



Now is the time to nurse your stock with 

 potatoes, carrots and other roots, (better if 

 well steamed;) even your cattle and cows 

 will pay you as well for the use of the curry- 

 comb as your horses, and if you nurse them 

 well in the spring, they will repay you with 

 interest through the summer. Let your 

 sheep range upon your old stubble fields, 

 where you have not sown clover for mowing 

 — green herbage is the most natural feed for 



