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CALENDARIAL INDEX. 



Beans (5222.) aro In some dry situations planted in the last 

 week of the niuiith ; and also paas, and sometimes oats, are 

 sown. On the whole, however, it is better to defer the beans 

 and peas till the first and second weeks of Februarj, and the 

 oats till the two last weeks of that month. 



Spring tvliecU of the common kind (3025.) may be sown where 

 the soil is suitable. 



7. Fences (2960.), Roads (3523.), and Drains. 

 (4213.) 



Hawthorns may lie planted in fence-lines, in any of the dif- 

 ferent modes. (2972.) Uitche-;, wails, palings, and all other 

 fences of the common kind may be formed ; but none where 

 hollies or other eversveens are to be used. Repair by the dif- 

 ferent modes. (2987.) Roads and drains may be formed at all 

 times and seasons. 



8. Orchards (4079.) and Hop-grounds. (5997.) 



Prune fre* and free them of moss. Where diggin-; rourul 

 each tree is practised, this is a ^ood season. Stake and tie 

 newly planted trees. Plant orchards. Trench ground for hop 

 plantations. (6007.) 



9. Wood-lands and Plantations. (3906.) 

 Prepare Vie toil for planting. Plant deciduous hard-wooded 



trees in mild weather. Plant and sow the larger tree seeds, 

 whether in places where they are finally to remain, or in 

 nursery -grounds. 



Fell timber and coppice not valuable on account of its bark. 

 Stock up roots, stack them, and char them. 



Prune dtciduous trees ; fill up vacancies. Cut hawthorn 

 hedges. (2983.) Gather any tree seeds not before gathered. 



Drain wood-lands and cut paths or other openings required 

 through them, the leaves being now otf the deciduous sorts. 



FEBRUARY. 



1. Calendar of Animated Natm-e round London. 



In the first week : bees (A\ii mellffica) come out of their hives, 

 (jnats (Ciilex) play about, insects (Ins<5cta) swarm under sunnv 

 hedges, and the earth-worm (Lumbricus terr^stris) lies out"; 

 hen-chaffinches (Fringflla) flock, and the song-thiush, or 

 throstle (Tiirdus musicus), and common lark (^laada arv6nsis) 

 sing. 



Second rveek : the buntings (Emberlza ilba), and linnets 

 (Fringflla Lin6ta), appear in flocks ; sheep (OSris ^*ries) drop 

 their lambs; geese (/I'nas ^'nser) begin to lay. 



Third week : rooks iC'Cirvus frugflegus) begin to pair, and re- 

 sort to their nest-trees; house-sparrows (Fringflla dom<5stjca) 

 chirp, and begin to build; the chaffinch (Fringflla coeMebs) 

 sings. 



Fourth rveek: the partridge (T^trao P^rdix) begins to pair, 

 the blackbird (Turdus Morula) whistles, and the woml-Iark 

 (^laiida arvtSnsis et arbdrea) sings; the hen (Phasianus Giillus) 

 sits. 



2. Calendar of Vegetable Nature round London. 

 In the first rveek: the snowdrop (Galan thus nivalis), whin 



{Vlex europiE\i), white deadnettle (Lamlum dlbum), poly- 

 anthus (IMmula v^ris) flowers ; and the elder (S'ambiicus 



Second week : common crowfoot (Ranunculus ripens), dande- 

 lion (Lfentodon Tarjixacum), and the female flowers of hazel 

 (C(5rylus /Ivellkna) appear. 



Third meek : Verdnica agr&tis in flower ; many of the poplar 

 and willow tribe show their catkins ; and also the yew (Taxus 

 baccata), alder (/I'lnus commfinis), the tulip [Tiilipa), crown 

 imperial (Fritillkria imperialis), and various other bulbs, 

 boldly emerging from the ground. 



Fourth week: the firica'camea, wood strawberry (FragAria 

 v6sca), some speedwells (renf^ica), the groundsel, and some- 

 times the stocks and wall-flower (Cheirdnthus) in flower. 

 Home sorts of gooseberries, apricots, and peaches, beginning to 

 open their buds. 



3. Farm-yard. (2902.) 



See last month. In taking in stacks to thresh, destroy ver- 

 min as much as possible. (6632.) Clear away the bottoming of 

 straw, faggots, or other temporary matter, and leave the site 

 perfectly neat and clean : the poultry will pick up what grains 

 may have dro)>})ed. Ba vigilant in keeping stock of every de- 

 scription in order; wintering cattle by frequent supplies of 

 fresh straw and turnips, or other roots ; horses by sounil corn, 

 and good peas-straw, or clover-hay, dispensing as much as 

 possible with wheat and oat straw. The evening food should, 

 occasir.nally at least, be of carrots or potatoes. 



Poultry how lay freely ; and if some indicate a desire to incu- 

 bate, so much the better where an early brood is an object. 



Men's lodge. There are still a good many hours for mental 

 improvement. 



4. Live Stock. (6216.) 



Sheep generally begin to lamb during this month, ar.tl re. 



quire unremitting attention from the shepherd. (7112.) At- 

 tend to feeding lambs as before (7224.J, and to milch cows 

 C6S63.) and fattening calves. (6843.) 



5. Grass Lands. (.56 i3.) 



See last month. Manures, where applied to grass lands, 

 may be laid on at this season ; and such old mossy lands as are 

 to be broken up may now be pared with a view to burning 

 next month. 



The watering of meadows in warm situation, may be par- 

 tially left off towards the middle of the month, to encourage 

 the growth of the grass. (438.5.) 



6. Arable Lands. (4925.) 



I^ans should be put in during this month. (5222.) Peas for 

 podding, and for a ripened <;rop, rhay be sown at different 

 periods(5121.),andtaresforsoilingorseed. (5257.) Oatssown 

 from the middle of this month to the middle of March (5120.) 

 unless on very old turf, where they may be sown later. It is a 

 common but erroneous opinion, that old grass lands intendetl 

 to be broken up and sown with oats or beans, should be ploughed 

 as early as possible, so as the frost may have some effect on 

 the furrow before seed-time. But this, though most plausible, 

 is a most dangerous doctrine, it being found from experience, 

 that lands so ploughed and sown are always more subject to 

 have the plant of com destroyed by the grub, wire-worm, or 

 other larva;. The only safe mode with such lands, is not to 

 plough them till about the middle of March, and then to 

 plough, sow, and roll immediately afterwards. It would aj. 

 pear that by this practice the larvae of insects are buried so 

 deep, that they have not time to reach the surface before the 

 grain has germinated and grown out of the reach of their 

 attacks, or probably they may be so deeply buried as to be 

 obliged to remain another season under ground ; it lieing known 

 to naturalists, that the eggs, larvae, and chrysalidae of many 

 insects, like the seeds of many plants, will, when buried too 

 deep, or otherwise placed in circumstances not favourable for 

 their immediate hatching or germination, remain there, re- 

 taining their principle of life, till they can make their way, or 

 are by accident placed in circumstances favourable for their 

 development. The safest plan, how^ever, to break up old 

 grass land is to pare and bum. (5865.) 



Spring wheat of the common kind may now be advantage- 

 ousW sown (5004.), and barley is also sown in some warm spots 

 in the last week of the month. 



7. Fences (4213.), Roads (3523.), Drains, Ditches 

 (2960.), Ponds. (4467.) 



Hedges may lie planted (2978.), grown ones pruned (2981.), 

 old ones plashed or cut down (2987), and imperfcct ones re- 

 paired. Wails built (3056.), water fences and ponds I'orm- 

 ed. (4467.) 



8. Orchards (4079.) and Hop-grounds. (5997.) 

 See last month. 



9. Wood-lands and Plantations. (3906.) 



As in last month, WTiere there is a nursery store, nut and 

 kernel tree seeds may now be sown. 



MARCH. 



1. Calendar of Animated Nature round London. 



In the first week : the ring-dove (roliimba Paliimlms) coos ; 

 the white wagtail (JWotacilla ilba) sings, and the yellow wag- 

 tail (Jfotacflla flJiva) appears. The earthworm (Z-umbricus 

 terrfestris), and the snail Hdlix) and slug (//imax) engender. 



Hccotid week: the jackdaw (Curvus iUonedula) begins to come 



to churches; the tomtit Parus caeriileus) makes its spring 

 note; brown wood-owls (Strix l/'lula) hoot; and the small 

 tortoise-shell butterfly (Papflio urticse L.) appears. 



Third week : the marsh titmouse (Pkrus ))alustris) begins his 

 notes. Various flies (ilfuscae) appear. The fox (C'anis Tiilpes) 

 smells rank. The turkey-cock (il/el^agvis Gallo-Pdvo) strut* 

 and gobt^les. 



