THE COMPLETE GRAZIER. BOOK xn. 



FEBKUARY. 



Arrears of ploughing for spring crops may be cleared tip as far as 

 possible. If the month proves dry enough, the sowing of beans, hardy 

 peas, and spring tares, should be carried on, and when the land will 

 work well, spring wheat, barley, and oats also may be sown. Attend 

 once more to outlets of drains. Manure and roll grass lands. Attend 

 to the cleanliness and warmth of lambing ewes, and do not keep them 

 in damp or wet yards. Give sheep oil-cake, &c. Attend to water 

 meadows. If not attended to sooner, see that implements are in good 

 order for the work of the season 



MARCH. 



Feed off the roots on land intended for barley, or it will be late for 

 sowing by the time the seed-bed is prepared. Turn sheep into old 

 watered meadows. Shut up meadows and pastures for grass crops. 

 Watch cows near calving and ewes near lambing. Geld lambs. Finish 

 sowing beans, peas, and oats ; and sow white oats and barley, flax and 

 hemp. Top-dress wheat with soot, ashes, lime, or salt, and nitrate 

 of soda if required. Watch sows about to farrow, especially young 

 ones. Buy lean beasts for grazing. Dispose of fat beasts and wethers 

 fattened in winter. This is the principal month for sowing spring corn 

 crops when the land is in good condition, including late peas and beans, 

 the spring varieties of rye and tares, barley, oats ; also parsnips, early 

 carrots, onions, lucerne, and sainfoin. Clovers and other seeds may be 

 sown in corn crops towards the end of the month, or left to be done in 

 April. Potatoes may be planted when a good tilth can be made. 



APRIL. 



Finish the sowing of spring corn and seeds and the planting of 

 potatoes as soon as practicable, and sow mangel on well-prepared land. 

 Attend to cows calving and ewes lambing. Have a careful eye to the 

 sheep-keep, as it is often a hard matter to carry sheep during the 

 coming month before the pastures are ready. Castrate lambs and pigs. 

 Soil cattle. Sell fat lambs and porkers. Put stallions to mares. Turn 

 cattle into pastures, if the season be forward. Put sheep into water- 

 meadows. Attend to mares foaling. Destroy ant-hills and mole-hills. 

 Eoll and chain-harrow grass land. Horse- or hand-hoeing should be 

 done in early crops. 



MAY. 



Put bulls to cows and boars to sows. Wean young pigs of the first 

 litter. Sow buckwheat, lucerne, sainfoin, and Swedish turnips for 

 winter use. Clear up arrears of April sowing. Watch mares foaling. 

 Early this month cross-work fallows. Hoe early planted potatoes and 

 wheat ; clean drilled peas and beans, and finish planting potatoes early 



