158 



NEW ENGLAND FAR]\IER. 



April 



of accomplishing this, which have been greatly 

 overlooked. 



1. The working of the soil. Growing 

 plants have many roots, and as they increase 

 in vigor are constantly throwing out new 

 fibres in every direction. These fibres are in 

 search of food. If the food lies in masses, 

 only a few of the roots find it and the plant 

 does not grow. But if the food is scattered 

 about and thoroughly mingled with the soil in 

 a finely pulverized condition the roots will 

 find it wherever they may go. A peck of 

 ashes may lie in the centre of a square rod of 

 ground, and a few plants near it may be much 

 improved, while those on the outer portions 

 of the square would receive no benefit at all. 

 Sctatter the peck of ashes over the whole 

 square and mix thoroughly with the soil, and 

 the probability is that every plant on the 

 square will be essentially benefited by it. 

 Working and mingling the soil, is absolutely 

 manuring it, because, first, it enables roots to 

 find the food, and secondly, because it places 

 the soil in a condition to be fed by the atmos- 

 phere. If three-fourths of all the substance of 

 plants comes from the air, as is asserted by 

 many scientific men, it can readily be seen how 

 important it is that the soil be free from stand- 

 ing water, is fine, and all mingled together. 



2. The next point greatly overlooked is the 

 imperfect condition in which manure is applied 

 to the soil. It is altogether too coarse and 

 too unevenly distributed. A mass of one 

 pound weight, finely divided and mingled with 

 the soil, would probably exert more influence 

 than two or three pounds Ijing in lumps. 



Plants do not feed upon substances In solid 

 form as cattle do upon hay or roots, but upon 

 nutriment In the form of a liquid, and this 

 liquid must come from matter dissolved from 

 innumerable small particles which are lying 

 about the roots of plants. 



The way then to increase the manure, is by 

 a more thorough breaking a.ud mingling of the 

 soil and of the fertilizing agents from the 

 stalls. 



The next important Item in profitable farm- 

 ing is to have good seed. To accomplish this 

 we must have a home-grown product ; raise 

 the seed ourselves or procure that grown In 

 our own neighborhoods by persons who under- 

 stand the business. Mr. Gregory, of Marble- 

 head, in his excellent report upon Vegetables 



to the Essex County Society says: — "There 

 can be no good vegetables without good seed, 

 and earnestly urges raising among ourselves ; 

 says it will "annihilate the vast intervals that 

 usually exist between the producer and the 

 planter, and keep a wholesome responsibility 

 within easy access of the purchaser." 



We would caution all, however, not to en- 

 gage In raising seeds, even for the use of a 

 single farm, without first consulting those who 

 know what good seeds are, and are skilful in 

 producing them. 



The next step to success in the April work 

 is to sow early. Spring wheat and oats ought 

 to be put upon soil that can be handled so as 

 to get the crop in by the middle of the month, 

 certainly ; by the 10th or 12th would be 

 better still. They need April influences in 

 order to secure the fullest influences of May 

 and June. And so of grass or any other 

 seeds. Whatever the period of sowing la 

 that is best adapted to them, sow them early 

 in that ptrlod, whether It be April, May or 

 July. 



Many a crop is puny and unsatisfactory, 

 even on tolerably good land, because It was 

 not seeded in season to receive the peculiar 

 influences it needed during Its early growth. 



For the New England Farmer, 

 THE QAKDEN IN APKIIi. 



April brings us, here in New England, to 

 the commencement of active out-door opera- 

 tions on the farm, and it is well if we have in 

 the past months remembered the garden, and 

 have done what we could by way of prepara- 

 tion for the planting season ; and it will be 

 well if in the press of other spring woik, the 

 garden is not neglected. Labor judiciously 

 laid out in the vegetable garden returns a 

 greater profit than a corresponding amount 

 expended on other portions of the farm. Not 

 only does labor In a vegetable garden pay, but 

 labor righ'ly directed In ornamenting the home 

 of the farmer and rural resident, also pays, — • 

 if not directly In dollars and cents, the same 

 as a frae crop of corn, oats or potatoes, — in- 

 directly by adding to the money value of a 

 firm or place, by increasing its attractiveness. 

 Not only this, it also imparts to rural liti some- 

 thing of that attractiveness which draws so 

 many to the more thickly settled communities, 

 villages and cities. But how few farmers look 

 upon gardening and home attractions In this 

 light. Their good wives and families would 

 appreciate the products of an early, good gar- 

 den, and the handsome and neatly kept sur- 

 roundings of the house. It is for the benefit 



