1871. 



NEW ENGLAND FARRIER. 



63 



slight fermentation allowed to take place, in 

 order to facilitate breaking it up. 



Some persons object to lianling out manure 

 iu the •winter, because it must be unloaded by 

 hand from a sled. This, however, is one of 

 the operations which tlie manure needs. It is 

 so much done towards making it fine. If the 

 heap is slightly covered with loam, after being 

 overhauled in the spring, little or no loss will 

 occur from evaporation. If the ground re- 

 mains bare, the teaming can be done on the 

 frozen ground easier than on the soft ground 

 in tlie spring. 



The wood pile, fencing stuff, hog stye, 

 house cellar, farm implements, poultry house 

 and many other things, require attention in 

 this month. 



St. Valentine's day will come on the 14th, 

 when, it was anciently supposed, birds began 

 to mate. If the day suggests to any party, 

 any exercises of that nature, it should be re- 

 membered that large latitude is allowable on 

 the old Saint's day. 



The suggestion of old Tusser, who worked 

 on his farui, and wrote about it, near 300 years 

 ago, is a good one with which to close this 

 homily : — 



"Good provendpr laboring horses woulil have, 

 Good hay and good plenty i)loiigh oxen do crave, 

 To haul out thy muck, and to plough up thy ground, 

 Or clue it may hinder thee many a pound." 



For the Kew England Farmer. 

 THE GARDEN IN" FEBRTJAHY. 

 Tliough, in our New England climate, little 

 other work can be done in the garden than to 

 see that no injury results from negligence, 

 there are a few things the prudent, thought- 

 ful gardener will do to antici[)ate Spring work. 

 But this is the season for planiiiug, study and 

 investigation, — a part of ga.'den work too 

 much neglected. Time that should be devoted 

 to reading and planning for the future may 

 be spent listlessly or worse. Tiuies and habits 

 change. A few years ago an "English Straw- 

 berry" was a novelty in many a New England 

 village and on most farms. Many vegeta- 

 bles and llowers have been ii'itroduced during 

 the past ten years, and a knowledge of their 

 names and uses is becoming a lu'ce'-sary part 

 of the education of a fanner's family. Oin- 

 tal)les are not well provided with vegetables, 

 J and we have eonsefjuently fallen into tiie habit 

 of eating too much meat. It would be more 

 healtliy, and less expensive to increase the 

 vegetable ])ortion of our diet. J\Ieat is costly, 

 and there ap|)ears to be a constantly increas- 

 ing advance in cost of some kinds. The best 

 antidote for this state of things is for every 



farmer, especially, to grow a greater variety 

 and quantity of vegetables ; and to do this the 

 most prolitably, advantage should be taken of 

 the experiences of others as recorded in hor- 

 ticultural books, and our farm papers. 



Cold Fhamks need good care to prevent 

 the plants from damping off or other injury. 

 Plenty of air must be given on mild days, and 

 protection from sudden changes of tempera- 

 ture at all times ; the great end is to keep them 

 in a dormant state, free from injury. 



Cuttings axd Scions. — Cuttings from cur- 

 Vants and gooseberries may be made, din-ing 

 a mild spell ; also scions for grafting may be 

 cut and preserved for spring use. 



Grate Vinks. — Neglected vines shotild be 

 pruned during this month, at the latest, be- 

 fore they come into full leaf. A. S. Fuller 

 says he prunes in December. 



IIoKSERADisir. — A tliaw may afford an op- 

 portunity to dig for family use or for market, 

 it may be kept fresh a long time packed in 

 moist sand, or earth ; grated and moistened 

 with water, with a httle salt added, and bot- 

 tled, it makes a very acceptable condiment with 

 boiled sauce. Vinegar destroys its life, if 

 kept in it. 



Seeds. — Overhaul all home grown and see 

 that their vitality is preserved. The vitahty 

 of seeds depends greatly njion the care they 

 receive in growing and preserving. Some are 

 sure to vegetate only one year, while others 

 will retain gerininative qualities ten or more 

 years. Send your orders to reliable Seeds- 

 men for any deficiency. The general garden- 

 er can ill afford to test many novelties. There 

 are enough well established varieties of all 

 kinds of vegetables, &c., frojn which to se- 

 lect. Let amateurs expeiiment in new kinds, 

 and if they prove desirable, a few seasons 

 hence will become plenty and cheap. 



For the guidance of the iuexpei^.nced, I 

 will here name a few of the difi'erent varieties 

 of vegetables, &c., desirable in every good 

 garden. 



Asparagus. — A bed of greater or less size, 

 according to size of family, of this very desi- 

 rable plant shotdd be fotuul in every garden. 

 Connover's Colossal is the most desu-able, 

 yet tlie older varieties shouhl not be rejectetl. 

 Good culture and hitrh matuwing will insiu-e si 

 corresponding good size and crop. 



Beans. — Uf these we want Bush, Dwarf, 

 and Pole, or Iviuming. Early Valentine, 

 Cliiua, and Dwarf Wax are desirable sorts 

 for snaps or string. Lima, Case Knife, lied 

 and White Cranberry and (liant Wax or 

 London Jlorticidtural, for poles. 



Beets. — Early Bassano, earliest; Long 

 Blood Turnip, late ; Swiss Chord, fine for 

 greens only. 



Carisace. — Jersey Wakefield ; Early and 

 Large York; Early Ox Heart; A\ inning- 

 stadt; Early Flat Dutch; these for early anil 

 medicun are the most desirable. J\Iarbh'Iiead 

 .Manunoth ; Stone Mason ; Common Ball ; 



