1868. 



NEW ENGLAOT) FARMER. 



139 



Horr, of Ohio ; Wilder, of Wisconsin ; Far- 

 rington, of Ontario, C. W. 



Secretary and Treasurer. — G. B. Weeks, 

 Verona, N. Y. 



For the New England Farmer, 

 THE GARDEN" IN FEBRUARY. 



The best practical argument in favor of a 

 good garden on the farm, where a variety and 

 £fbundance of all the most common as well as 

 the choicest and best vegetables and fruits 

 can be raised and had for the table at all sea- 

 sons, is the evident relish with which the far- 

 mer and his family partake of the first fruits of 

 such a garden. Take the man who thinks the 

 least of the profit of a garden, and obsarve him, 

 at a single meal, as a new dish is added to the 

 repast, or any nice fruit is offered ; his actions 

 will speak louder than any words of mine can. 

 If so grean satisfaction can be realized at a 

 single meal, will it not pay to devote a suita- 

 ble space of land, and time for the cultivation 

 of a garden, so that a constant supply can be 

 had for the table through the season, and even 

 an occasional change may be introduced, 

 through ih J year ? 



It may be said by niany, that the farmer's 

 business is farming, not gardening. But is 

 farming, raising stock and fattening cattle all 

 we live for? Is it not our duty as well as 

 privilege to make the every-day life of 

 ourselves and families as p'easant and en- 

 joyable as possible? By attention to these 

 little comforts and conveniences, your family of 

 sons and daughters will grow up around you 

 with a greater likelihood of remaining on the 

 farm, and of being a comfort and support to 

 your declining years. Shall we not, then, 

 have more interest and attention given to the 

 garden, from which so much can be enjoyed, 

 the coming season ? 



If so, now is the time to plan and make pre- 

 liralnaiy arrangements. As we have had an 

 early and a steady winter, the spring may be an 

 early one. We should, then, be in readiness 

 to nif^et it whenever it does come. 



Manure and material that will continue to 

 give out heat for the longest time is desirable 

 for a hot bed, and should now be accumulated. 

 Horse manure being the most heating, is the 

 best where mixed with plenty of litter. Leaves 

 make as good litter to mix with it as can be 

 Lad, but if these are not on hand add consid- 

 erable straw to take up the liquids and when 

 well saturated throw into the pile and see that 

 the whole is well mixed. 



. Pea Bkush and Bean Poles should be pro- 

 vided in supply, and these can be more readily 

 obtained while getting in the year's stock of 

 firewood, than in a more busy season. 



Tools. — Make all needed repairs on old 

 ones, and if new ones are needed be on the 

 lookout, when in market, and see the most de- 

 sirable patterns, and secure them. Do not buy 

 any poor ones, because they can be had a few 



cents cheaper, or you will pay several times 

 as much in extra labor in their use. Many 

 conveniences or implements that will assist 

 in the garden work may be made by any one 

 who is handy with tools, that will cost only the 

 material and a little time in constructing. A 

 few years since, wishing to plant some sugar 

 beets and have the seed at equal distance along 

 the row, I made a wheel and inserted in the 

 outer circumference pegs one and a half to 

 two inches long, and about an inch in diame- 

 ter, at the required distance ; to this I attached 

 a shaft and handle convenient for rolling, so 

 that by passing it over the ground, holes were 

 made deep and large enough ; and all that re- 

 mained was to drop a single seed in each hole, 

 and cover. The time taken to construct such 

 an implement will be more than saved in plant- 

 ing a small patch, and it is convenient for 

 marking off for transplanting peppers, cabbage, 

 &c. Give the wood-work of all tools a coat 

 of paint, and their extra durability will pay 

 expenses. In planting extended grounds a 

 seed drill will be often found economical. 



Seeds. — Good seeds are especially impor- 

 tant. It is best to procure well known and 

 tried varieties only, and leave the novelties to 

 the amateur cultivator, who can better afford 

 to experiment. Overhaul all seeds you have 

 saved and test their vitality, and procure ..oth- 

 ers from reliable sources only. As a guide to 

 the inexperienced, I offer a list of such varie- 

 ties of garden seeds as have been .proved and 

 are known as good. 



Beans, Dwarf or Bush. — Early Valen- 

 tine, and yellow six weeks for string or snaps ; 

 Dwarf Horticultural for early shelling. 



Pole Beans. — Lima, large, for warm local- 

 ities, small, for New England ; Case-knife ; 

 Cranberry ; Frost, or Mottled Lima. 



Beets. — Long Blood ; Early Bassano. 



Cabbage. — Early York ; Early Sugar Loaf; 

 Flat Dutch ; Red Dutch, for pickling ; Mar- 

 blehead ; Drumhead, very large ; Green Globe 

 Savoy. 



Carrots. — Early Horn ; Long Orange. 



Cauxiflowers. — Early Paris ; Early Er- 

 furt; Wellington, very large. 



Celery. — IncomparableDwarf; Dwarf Red, 

 Seymour's Superb. 



Corn; — Dwarf Sugar; Early Darling; 

 Stowell's Evergreen. 



Cucumber. — White Spined ; Early Frame ; 

 Early Cluster. 



Egg Plant. — New York Improved ; Long 

 Purple. 



Endive. — Green Curled ; Moss Curled. 



Lettuce. — Early Curled Simpson ; Green 

 Winter. 



MusKMELON. — Fine Nutmeg; Green Cit- 

 ron ; Skillman's Netted. 



Watermelon. — Mountain Sprout ; Black 

 Spanish ; Ice Cream ; Citron Watermelon, for 

 sweetmeats. 



Martynia. 



Mustard. — White, Black. 



