254 



NEW ENGLAND FAKIVIER. 



June 



and to the girls too, who had not to enter the 

 water — this was rural felicity indeed ; and the 

 duckings, races after an escaped sheep, or — 

 the rogues, — perchance after one of the fair 

 spectators, and the songs and jokes of the oc- 

 casion, make our American scene vie with the 

 jollities of our English brethren. Then, 



"If Vfrd.int older spreads 

 Her silver flowers; if liumble daisies yield 

 To yellow crow-foot, and luxuriant grass, 

 Gay sheariiJtr-time approaches." 



June is a hot month, and if the season is at 

 all a dry one, more than usual attention will 

 be required by the growing plants. On 

 grounds that were wet in May, and where the 

 surface had become crusted and hard, the cul- 

 tivator and hoe ought frequently to be in use. 

 If some suitable implement could follow the 

 cultivator, on such land, that would break the 

 lumps and reduce them to a light and fine con- 

 dition, the plants would be greatly benefited. 

 The compact surface prevents the ready de- 

 scent of rain into the soil, so that too much of 

 it runs ofi from the surface, and its enriching 

 influences are lost. A hard surface also pre- 

 vents the airing of the soil. This airing is as 

 important to vegetable growth as the rain 

 water, and if the soil is deprived of it, its 

 plants will soon indicate it by a sensible change 

 in their color, and a feeble growth. Many 

 crops are materially diminished from this 

 cause. 



On higher and more dry lands, the same 

 implements ought to be in frequent use for 

 several reasons. If they are not of a highly 

 fertile character, it is still more essential that 

 their surface should be frequently moved. A 

 soil that lies lightly and fine has innumerable 

 open spaces for the admission of air, the de- 

 scent of rain water, and especially the capabili- 

 ties to take up the dews that rest upon it, and 

 are thus watered whenever dew is deposited. 

 All soils, also — excepting those of a decidedly 

 sandy character — need freqiu^nt stirring to 

 increase their depth. When they are porous 

 and light far down, all the atmospheric influ- 

 ences can act upon them, so that they become 

 fertilized beneath. Plants growing upon the 

 surface soon become aware of this, for they 

 certainly have the power of selection, and send 

 their roots down indefinitely in search of fer- 

 lilizing agents, and especially in search of 

 moisture, if the season is a dry one. 



In order to secure strong and thrifty crops. 



I it is all important that this special care should 

 be given them, especially during the latter 

 part of June. 



Plants or flowers in the garden may be greatly 

 helped in dry seasons, by watering them once 

 or twice a week. But when done, it should be 

 plentifully done. Use a watering pot, and 

 imitate nature as closely as possible, by pour- 

 ing on the water in small streams, and giving 

 it time to penetrate the soil instead of running 

 off into lower places. Continue the watering 

 tmtil the soil about the plant is tlioroughly 

 saturated, and then leave it for a week, unless 

 the drought is quite severe. Of course, this 

 cannot be done to any great extent, but a 

 favorite rose, a mass of portulaccas or a bed 

 of verbenas or heliotropes may be sustained, 

 and made to blossom in unusual profusion and 

 beauty. Where water is plentiful and at hand, 

 even the beds of onions, carrots, beets and 

 parsnips, may be kept thriftily growing, until 

 the heavens are opened and showers descend. 

 AVith the aid of a simple pump, short hose 

 and sprinkler, this watering may be profitably 

 extended to the pea patch, celery, young cab- 

 bage plants, tomatoes, cucumbers, lettuce and 

 beans. We have seen gardens thus preserved 

 in the highest luxuriance in the midst of 

 scorching drought all around them. But this 

 would be at too much cost, unless the water 

 were stored up in cisterns, or the garden were 

 located upon the border of some living 

 stream. 



As we may fairly count upon hot and dry 

 weather in our New England climate, it is 

 well to anticipate it, and make whatever pro- 

 vision is economical to prevent its destruction 

 of the crops ; just as we anticipate the com- 

 ing of the canker worm, and take measures to 

 prevent his coming too far. One of the best 

 preventives against the effects of heat and 

 drought, is that of 



Mri-CHiNG. — This may be done in various 

 ways. A coat of old, fine muck thrown over 

 the surface, around favorite plants, operates 

 finely. Refuse hay, straw, leaves, or small 

 bushes, will answer an excellent purpose. One 

 of the best illustrations of this occurred on 

 the farm of Asa Clemknt, Esq., a well-known 

 nursery man in Dracut, and at present a mem- 

 ber of the Massachusetts State Board of Ag- 

 riculture. On a piece of land where he found 

 it convenient that his cattle should run for a 



