1871. 



NEW ENGLAND FAP^IER 



15 



For the New England Farmer. 

 THE GARDEN IN JANUARY. 

 Again are we permitted to greet the ever 

 attentive readers of the New England Far- 

 mer's Garden Calendar -with a "Happy New 

 Year." Although the past summer was one 

 of extreme heat, and in some sections, of 

 drought, yet the good gardener received abun- 

 dant reward for all his hibor. Like all others, 

 the past season has its lessons. What lessons, 

 you ask ? Have your eyes been shut, that 

 you have not been able to draw any lesson 

 from your experience in the garden ? Have 

 you not received a lesson on the economy, in 

 a domestic point of view, of a good garden ? 

 A kind Providence has bestowed upon you 

 health of body and peace of mind, the greatest 

 blessings we are permitted to enjoy here be- 

 low. Did you ever think what a prominent 

 part the culture of and the supj^ly from the 

 garden had in bringing these about ? Let us 

 then look over the experiences of the past sea- 

 son and profit from their teachings. If we 

 have had a good garden, with a fair supply of 

 fresh vegetables, let us not be satisfied short 

 of a very good garden and an «6»/K/r/H/ supply 

 of all it has heretofore produced, with the ad- 

 dition of some other choice and desii-able pro- 

 duct. 



Having always been accustomed to farm 

 life, I am well aware of the too general feel- 

 ing of farmers in relation to the care of a gar- 

 den. They highly enjoy the products of a 

 good garden, but there is too much of the 

 feeling that its care is "knitting-work busi- 

 ness." The comparison is not bad, for a large 

 share of the work in a garden can be done — 

 like woman's knitting — at odd spells ; it can 

 be taken up and laid down as circumstances 

 require. Now we know that after having 

 been in the field and tired otu'selves with its 

 heavy work, or before going to a hard day's 

 work, we are reluctant to occupy any spare 

 time, which we desire for rest, in doing any 

 kind of labor, however light. But should all 

 the lalior for the garden be thus filched from 

 that of the field P If the garden claims a fixed 

 portion of the territory of the farm, may it 

 not also claim a fixed portion of its labor P 

 Admitting that on the farm we work for profit, 

 the question arises, what is profit? A penny 

 saved is two pence earned, says the proverb ; 

 and we all know that it is rather what we save 

 than what we earn that constitutes wealth. On 

 this pi'inciple, I urge farmers to cultivate a 

 garden. Its productions relieve us largely 

 from dependence on the market or field ; it 

 saves us from eating too freely of meat or 

 flesh, at a season when other food is more con- 

 ducive to health, and meat is less required to 

 sustain strength and animal heat. 



Not only should every farmer have a veget- 

 able garden, but there should be space devoted 

 to small fruits, such as strav.berries, raspber- 

 ries, currants, gooseben-ies, grapes, and if 



possible a few blackberries. No one of these 

 need occupy much space in order to furnish a 

 family supply, if well cultivated. 



If the present garden is not of sufficient size 

 to produce the necessary vegetables and other 

 desirable products, enlarge it, no matter if it 

 does take in a little of that best piece of mow- 

 ing. Any time during the month, when the 

 ground is free of snow, will be a good time to 

 cart out barn yard manure, and spread over 

 the surface of any new garden spot, to be 

 ploughed under as soon as the frost is out and 

 the ground can be worked. 



If water stands on the surface of the gar- 

 den, drain it off by surface ditches, but drain 

 it on to your own land, not into the street, if 

 possible. Often a short cut of a few feet will 

 drain a considerable garden and save a large 

 amount of injury. 



See that the fences are all up and the gates 

 shut, to keep off stray animals. If you have 

 not already a good fence about the garden, 

 now is a leisure time to get the stuff together 

 ready to build in spring. Seasoned posts will 

 last longer than unseasoned. Stakes, bean 

 poles, pea brush, &c., that may be needed the 

 coming season, are much better prepared dur- 

 ing the winter than when wanted. 



See that the manure pile and compost heap 

 keep on increasing in bulk, as well as in rich- 

 ness. A great saving may be made, in the 

 aggi'egate, from saving in little things — the 

 world is made up of atoms. Save the wood 

 ashes, bones, slops and wash from the house, 

 wash room, »S:c., hen house and roost, which, 

 composted with barn soil, muck, &c., w^U go 

 far towards fertilizing the garden. So also 

 the privy, managed on the deodorizing princi- 

 ple of the "Earth Closet." 



Look over the garden seeds and see if they 

 are all safe and in good condition ; make a 

 note of any that may be wanted, ready to or- 

 der front seed growers at the earliest day, as 

 early orders are best served. 



Bright, pleasant weather, as well as extreme 

 cold or changeable, will necessitate a close 

 watch and care of cold frames and their con- 

 tents. The great object is to keep the plants 

 in a dormant condition, and to do this we must 

 keep the temperature miiformly low, by shad- 

 ing, ventilation and covering the glass and 

 plants. 



Look after the fruit and ornamental trees, 

 to see that the mice are not girdling them. 

 Any girdled trees may be saved by an imme- 

 diate covering of the wounds with a solution 

 of gum shellac in alcoliol, or you may take a 

 thick coat of clay, in a plastic state, and bind 

 on with cloth. I have known valuable pear 

 trees thus saved, when girdled by rabbits. 

 Should there be snows or ice to load down 

 young trees and shi-ubs, carefully shake it off. 

 Great care will be necessary not to break the 

 trees or branches, as they are Acry brittle 

 when frozen. W. H. AVhite. 



South Windsor, Conn., 1870. 



