202 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



April 



a money rental half-yearly, and liable to be noticed 

 out by a six months' notice, buys com brought 

 3000 miles to fiitten animals, cliiefly for the sake of 

 the manure. An American yeoman, owning his 

 land and possessing capital to invest in other spec- 

 ulations, and in some instances living in first-class 

 style, sells his hay and feeds no animals lor the 

 purpose of ciiviching his own property." 



For the Kew England Farmer. 

 THE GARDEN UST APBIL. 



Again we are brought to the commencement 

 of busy out-door operations in the garden. 

 Our first operation is the preparation of the 

 hot-bed, and planting a few seeds of such 

 plants as we desire to forward against the 

 time of open-air culture. There is usually 

 very little gained in hurrying seeds into the 

 ground, except those of the most hardy vari- 

 eties of plants, till May. Potatoes, peas, and 

 one or two other varieties of similarly hardy 

 seeds may be saft^ly planted earlier, and a lit- 

 tle time be gained, but for most varieties, 

 seed planted when the soil and weather are 

 such that germination instantly commences 

 and goes steadily forward to maturity, gives 

 us much more sati.-^factory results than when 

 we have to wait a slow germination, and the 

 young plants, after they reach the surface, 

 stand, as if undecided which way to go. But 

 if we wait till this time for all varieties, we 

 may deprive ourselves of some that, with a 

 little extra trouble, we might enjoy. It is 

 possible for us to change the climate of a suf- 

 ficient portion of our soil to supply a few de- 

 sirable green vegetables which will afford us 

 a very agreeable, healthful, a- d appetizing 

 change, after our long season of stale vegeta- 

 bles and meat. 



Asi'AKAGUs. — This fine vegetable is worth 

 much more than the trouble it costs to pro- 

 duce it in abiuidance, in any of our gardens. 

 Rake off the coarser part of the winter covering 

 of manure, and fork into the soil the finer por- 

 tion, using great care not to injure the crowns. 

 Spread on a sjirinklingof salt, or sprinkle the 

 bed over with refuse brine. A portion of the 

 bed may be forced to produce cuttings some- 

 what in advance of the season by setting a 

 hot-bed frame over it and banking closely all 

 around it, and covering with the sash. New 

 beds may be prepared and planted out as soon 

 as the soil can be well worked, using good 

 strong one-year-old roots, if to be had ; if not 

 two-year-old ones. The ground cannot be 

 made too rich, or be worked too deeply for 

 asparagus. The smallest variety may be made 

 to grow large, rank shoots by extra high cul- 

 ture on deep rich soil, and any variety grows 

 more tender and rich with such care. Plant 

 so as to cover the crowns not less than four 

 inches deep. JMany otherwise good beds are 

 much less valuable; than they should be on ac- 

 count of jilauting too near the surface. 



Bkan-poles and Pea-brush. — If not got 



together and prepared for use, it should be 

 done now, as cut later they are liable to leave 

 out. Don't think that anytiung will answer 

 for bean-poles and pea-brush, but select them 

 with some reference to good looks as well as 

 durability. The writer procured a lot of yoimg, 

 shm white pine trees, two to three inches in di- 

 ameter at the but, cut them about eight feet 

 long and sharpened them, after trimming the 

 branches off neatly, and some of them are 

 good and in use now, after having been an- 

 nually used a dozen years, but they were taken 

 up in the fall and cared for till the following 

 spring. Pea-brush may be made to do ser- 

 vice for two or more years ; but we prefer to 

 have them made of white birch, and jjrocured 

 new annually. 



Beets. — The Early Bassano may be planted 

 as soon, as the soil can be well worked. The 

 seed is slow in germinating, and will stand a 

 considerable degree of cold while in the 

 ground. Later sowing may bring as early 

 plants by soaking and sprouting the seeds be- 

 fore planting. It is better to break open and 

 separate the cluster of seeds, previous to 

 planting, and then there will not be those little 

 bunches of plants so frequently seen, as com- 

 monly planted. 



Cabbage. — Sow seeds in the hot-bed ; hard- 

 en off, ready to transplant, as soon as safe in 

 the open ground, the plants wintered in cold 

 frames. 



Cold Frames. — These will be found quite 

 advantageous for starting tender seedlings, 

 after being cleared of those already in them ; 

 also for pricking plants, from the hot-bed 

 into. 



Cress or Pepper Grass. — Sow in rows 

 six inches apart. Sprinkle the young plants 

 with ashes to keep olF insects. This makes an 

 agi-eeable salad, warming and appetizing. 



Egg Plants. — Sow the seed in the hot-bed 

 at once. Pot off or prick out into cold frames 

 as soon as the plants are large enough. Va- 

 rieties were named in J'ebruary. 



Horse Radish. — New beds may be planted, 

 using the crowns or pieces of roots. Make the 

 bed where it can remain, in rich, rather moist 

 soil, as best. Liberal manuring and good 

 culture will be rewarded by increased size of 

 the roots. 



Onions. — Seed may be sown soon as the 

 ground may be worked. Sow in rich, clean 

 soil. Peas, potatoes, radishes, lettuce, pars- 

 nips and salsify may be planted soon as the 

 soil can be worked well. Prepare for plant- 

 ing all other vegetables as soon as the season 

 will admit, in May. W. II. White. 



South Windsor, Conn., 1871. 



|^° The Maine Legislature is offering such 

 liberal inducements and making such definite 

 arrangements for immigration of Swedes to 

 New Sweden, Aroostook Co., that a large in- 



