and frosts may assist in pulverizing the soil; then with a mattock dig up the 

 bed without turning it over, and pulverize thoroughly with a hoe and rake. 

 Remove all the roots, spread a light coating of stable-manure, chop it in, rake 

 again, and the bed is ready for sowing. A large tablespoonful of seed to the 

 ten yards square is enough to. sow. This should be carefully mixed with sifted 

 ashes, about half of it sown one way, and the other half by walking across 

 the first sowing. By this the seed will be more regularly distributed. After 

 seeding, the land should be rolled or trodden until it is smooth. Xow is the 

 time to manure. We consider horse-manure collected under cover (and free 

 from litter or grass-seed) to be the best for this purpose. Chop it fine, and 

 spread a coating (say half an inch or more) evenly over the bed. This should 

 be the last manuring unless the spring is very dry, when a light top-dressing 

 occasionally will be beneficial. 



As to the use of guano on plant-beds, we are not prepared to recommend 

 it as highly as stable-manure. We will add that, in the absence of this manure. 

 a light dressing of plaster will be of service; but if you have good stable- 

 manure, "let well enough alone; "for if these directions as to land and manage- 

 ment are followed, there is about as much chance to fail in plants as to fail of 

 going to sleep at night after a hard day's work burning land. 



About three weeks after sowing, the bed should again be rolled or trodden. 

 and covered with fine brush-twigs to prevent its drying up, and protect it from 

 the frost. The brush should not be removed until the plants are large enough 

 to nearly cover the ground. 



There are few circumstances under which a plant-bed in the right locality, 

 well burned and manured, should be watered. We are disposed to think that 

 watering is useless unless the spring is very dry. 



PREPARATION OF NEW LAND. 



First take up every growth not too large to grub, and throw them into heaps. 

 Then cut the small trees, the brush of which throw on the grub-heaps; then 

 cut and remove the larger timber. After the ground has been cleaned off, it 

 should be coultered at least three times; then harrow and rake it to pulverize 

 the soil and remove the roots. It should now be laid off at a distance of three 

 feet each way and hilled. The hilling is very important, as a plow in new land 

 will not prepare it right, and "whatever is worth doing is worth doing well." 

 The manuring of new land, though troublesome, pays well. 



We would recommend it to be applied in the hill if the land is rough, as 

 broadcast will waste much of it the first year. Thin ridge-land will produce a 

 beautiful crop with a tablespoonful of guano to the hill. The second year it 



