96 



GENESEE FARMER. 



April- 



age are still sadly neglected in all parts of the 

 United States. As an ounce of copperas, alum, 

 or other salt will spoil an otherwise good meal 

 for a hungry man, so a compact subsoil that col- 

 lects moisture and the salts of iron, alumina and 

 othor minerals in excess, may truly poison the 

 otherwise nutritious food of your crops. Too 

 much of a good thing, like too much heal ap- 

 plied to the body in a cold day, may be more 

 suddenly destructive than none at all. 



We don't know a farmer in the Union who 

 makes the best known use of lime, ashes, bones, 

 gypsum, stable manure, night soil, marl and 

 • other fertilizers, such as green sand, forest 

 leaves, salt, and swamp muck. The food given 

 to each plant, not being adapted to its wants — 

 having some elements in excess, while deficient 

 in others — a large share of it is wasted. If a 

 tanner wastes his hides and bark with which he 

 makes leather, every body calls him a dunce ; 

 but an agriculturist may A'aste any quantity of 

 the substances required to form bread, meat and 

 wool, and yet pass for a wise farmer. Nearly 

 all night soil, in every part of the country, is 

 thrown away. But a small portion of the liquid 

 excretions of man and his domestic animals is 

 ever restored to the fields at the proper season, 

 and in due quantity per square roc!. 

 Augusta, Ga., March, 1848. 



Hints for April. 



Now begins the battle of life, in which the 

 tiller of the soil has to marshal his host, and 

 commence the onset for the means of existence 

 — against frost and hail, storm and wind, insects, 

 birds and beasts. Winter's icy fingers now be- 

 gin to relax their hold, and the howling blast is 

 subdued to the gentle winged zephyrs. The 

 sombre tints of the field, and the gray haze of 

 the forest blush into roseate hues, and all inani- 

 mate nature puts on the robes of beauty and glad- 

 ness. Humanity starts from its drowsy period 

 of hybernation, and awakes with all organic life 

 — entering the lists for the blessings of heaven 

 with a joyful hope, that the laborer's toil shall 

 not be unrewarded. Blessings, saith the preach- 

 er, only come by means, and the price of suc- 

 cess is eternal vigilance, industry and economy. 

 So hearken to the words of the Prompter, whose 

 head is whitened by the bleaching suns and 

 snows of sixty summers and winters. 



See that your stock is kept in good heart this 

 month, above all periods, particularly your 

 oxen, horses, and in-coming cows ; don't be- 

 grudge them an ear of corn a day, nor salt to 

 give them an appetite. Sow your clover and 

 grass seed before the spring frosts are past, and 

 plaster the youngclover at any time af\er it is up, 

 when the weather is so dry that men say "a good 

 shower would do a deal of good." Look to and 

 regulate the fences; stake and rider, or stake and 



yoke them, which is preferable, as it saves land 

 and hindrance. Time is money — so down with 

 the bars, and up with the gates. 



See that the wheat fields are properly drained., 

 and, if hove out by frost, roll them down the 

 moment the soil is dry enough. Make the yard 

 manure into heaps, before the drenching rains 

 send its virtues to the tombs of the Capulets ; 

 and don't draw it on to plowed land, until you 

 want to use it. If for top dressing old meadows, 

 do it at any time, giving a thorough harrowing 

 with a double team ; it not only loosens the hide 

 bound turf, but allows the grass seeds of the ma- 

 nure, to catch and renew. 



Cut scions immediately, if not done before, 

 and graft cherries and plums as soon as the buds 

 swell on the stock. Cut up and house your fire 

 wood ; one cord seasoned under cover is worth 

 two in the weather. 



See for the last time, that every implement is 

 in order and in its place ; harness sound and' 

 well oiled, plows, harrows and trimmings re- 

 paired, and ready for work. The moment the 

 soil and weather are favorable, put in oats, bar- 

 ley, spring wheat and peas. 



Plant same early variety of the potato, by 

 the middle of the month for family use, and to 

 prevent disease — this is the only specific — the 

 Mercer or Meshonic, Early June, Ash-leaved, 

 Kidney, &;c. Plant with from one to two inches 

 of earth, and as soon as they break ground, 

 throw on half a shovel of fresh manure anij 

 cover with about she same depth of soil. This 

 process is the ne plus ultra of potato cultivation. 

 Sow some lettuce in a warm exposure the mo- 

 ment the frost is out of the ground. Onions 

 cannot be sown too early — neither carrots and 

 parsnips. 



If you have not trimmed your grape vines^ 

 do it immediately, and cut away all the last 

 year's wood, to from three to five eyes, and 

 thin out thoroughly. Never mind the bleedings 

 in garden culture a little depletion does them 

 good ; the greatest trouble is a redundancy of 

 new wood and foliage. 



Now my young reader — for it is no use to talk 

 to the old coveys who know it all, and don't 

 believe any thing they read but their Bibles, 

 and that sometimes is a mooted point ; — I say 

 young reader arm yourself for the conflict. A 

 good beginning makes a good ending ; for you 

 will often meet chapparals and cane brakes, and 

 Guerillas in your road, but put your shoulder to 

 the wheel, and say with old Rough and Ready, 

 '' Gen. Taylor never surrenders." * 



Thk author of our monthly hints — who, bj- the way is a 

 veteran contributor to the agricultural press, as well as an 

 experienced farmer— informs us that he is gratified to find 

 his essays considered worthy of being re-published as orig- 

 inal by many p.ipers throughout the country. His Hints 

 for March have been published in over a dozen of our ex- 

 changes, with no credit whatever — and the same may be 

 said of several other valuable articles, in the same number, 

 from our correspondents. "A word," &c. — Editor. 



