THE GENESEE FARIMER. 



205 



and " New Style " of reckoning time, few could an- 

 swer; nor could they name the time v,'hen ^larch 

 ceased to be the first month of the year in England 

 and in her American colonies, of which thirteen of 

 our present States formed a part. 



In 1752 (only 102 years ago), our present calendar 

 was adopted in England by the elision, or cutting olf, 

 of eleven days between the 2d and 14th of Septem- 

 ber; and in the same year the English statute changed 

 the commencement of the legal year from the 25th 

 of March to the 1st of January. A person born 

 before 1752, if he estimated his age by the "New 

 Style," would make himself younger by eleven days 

 than by the " Old Style " of reckoning, because that 

 number of days of his life would not be counted. In 

 the early part of this century we heard much about 

 "New Style" and "Old Style;" but of late the mat- 

 ter has lost its popular interest, excejjt as a part of 

 tlie history of the calendar. 



The Greek or Attic calendar distributed the year 

 into twelve lunar months, of alternately 29 and 30 

 days, and intercalated a lunar month, for the most 

 part, every two years, yet occasionally omitted the 

 intercalary month, so as to make the civil months 

 recur at exactly the same natural seasons. This 

 calendar also divided each of its months into three 

 decades. The original Roman calendar assigned only 

 304 days to a year, distributed these into ten months 

 of unequal length, and reckoned March as the first 

 month of the ten. The nomenclature of the last 

 four months of this calendar is still retained in our 

 own calendar — the names September, October, No- 

 vember and December signify simply the seventh, the 

 eighth, the ninth and the tenth months (septem, 

 seven; octo, eight; novem, nine; decern, ten). Nujia 

 reformed this ancient calendar by adding 51 days to 

 the year, and distributing it into twelve mouths, inter- 

 calating between the 23d and 24th of February in 

 every second year, a month of variable length. This 

 second calendar was still further improved by Juuus 

 C.«:SAR, and continues in use in Europe and this 

 country, with slight changes, at the present time. It 

 adds one day to February every fourth year, which is 

 called "leap-year." In 1582, Pope Gregouy XII. 

 adjusted the Julian calendar of 365 days to more 

 accurate astronomical observation ot the actual length 

 of the true year, by altering " the style," or throwing 

 out ten days of the year in which it was adopted, 

 between the 4th and 15tli of October ; and by or- 

 daining that in all time to come the intercalary, or 

 leap-year day, of the first hundredth, the second hun- 

 dreth and the third hundredth of every four hundred 

 years, should not be reckoned. By this arrangement, 

 three intercalary days are not reckoned in four hun- 

 dred years. This "New Style" was not adopted in 

 England, till 1752, or 170 years after its establishment 

 at Rome, when it was necessary to throw out eleven 

 days in place of ten. 



July being the fifth month from March (the latter 

 being the firet in the year), it was called in the old 

 Roman calendar Quintilis, derived from quinque, five; 

 and it received its present name by order of Mark 

 AitroxY, in honor of Julius Gi:sAR. The ancient 

 Saxons called it " Hay-month," because it was the 

 time of their hay-harvest, and " Meadow-month," be- 

 cause it was the season of their meadow grasses 



rushing up into flower. This fact shows that their 

 climate was nearly a mouth later than ours in West- 

 ern New York. 



The head of a fierce lion has been adopted as em- 

 blematic of the raging heat that sometimes prevails 

 iu the month of July — the hottest in the year. For 

 indefinite ages, Africa, with its vast oceans of burn- 

 ing sand, was regarded as " the dry nurse of lions." 

 The reader v.ill find in connection with this brief no- 

 tice of the calendar and the present month, a graphic 

 picture of the popular and poetic symbol of July. 



OPERATIONS FOR JULY. 



Mr. Editor: — The changeableness of our climate 

 has never been more clearly marked than during the 

 present season up to this time. The early part of 

 March was mild and pleasant — the buds of many 

 trees were almost fully expanded by the balmy air — 

 when, presto ! Old Boreas whistled among the open- 

 ing blossoms, and Crocuses and Daffodils were fain to 

 show their modest faces from beneath the snowy 

 mantle which covered the earth. Then a long period 

 of cold, wet and rainy weather followed, until about 

 the 20th of May, making the time for planting spring 

 crops one of excessive anxiety and labor. Next fol- 

 lowed very warm and dry weather, and most fields 

 not well drained and worked were baked and parched. 



It is especially necessary during the continuance of 

 drouth that the ground be often stirred. A finely- 

 pulverized soil permits the air to impart its moisture 

 to the Uttle spongioles or root-fibers that are seeking 

 it on every side, and enables them to absorb the re- 

 freshing dews of night. Ammonia, ever present in 

 the atmosphere, is absorbed by the condensed vapor 

 and deposited with the dew, thus contributing to fer- 

 tilize and in\igorate the hungry plants. 



If you have not an abundance of good pasturage 

 for your stock, do not fail of having one or more 

 acres of Indian corn sown broadcast or in drills, ex- 

 pressly to supply the deficiency. All who have triett'' 

 it speak in the highest terras of its value, particularly 

 during our summer heats. 



Ruta Bagas may be sown by the 10th of this 

 month, and common field turnips by the 20th. Sow 

 on freshly-tilled land, that is well supplied with the 

 mineral constituents of the plant. 



Planting generally will now have been finished; 

 ank keep, if possible, your plants in a healthy, grow- 

 ing condition. 



Cut off dead parts of trees and shrubs, and head 

 down those that have grown too tall and slender, that 

 the side shoots and lower branches may become more 

 vigorous and stocky. 



Laying of roses and grape vines, and budding of 

 roses, may be done this month. Cherries may gene- 

 rally be budded about the first of August; the exact 

 time depends upon the season. 



Strawberries may be transplanted as soon as they 

 have done bearing. The earlier they are set out the 

 larger will be the return next year. The following, 

 from the Albany Cultivator, tells the whole story of 

 the precautious to be observed in successful trans- 

 planting : 



" As soon as the plants are taken up, the leavea 



