166 
AMERICAN AGRICULTUBIST. 
[Mat, 
Contents for May, 1866. 
Barn Plans— Groesbeck Prize.. ..4 Itlustrations.. 180-lU 
Beef Steak— How lo Cook 190 
Bees— Apiary in May 169 
Bees— Comparative Industry of Black and Italian 178 
Boys and Gills' Columns— Checkers— Puzzles for 
Sharp Eyes— CouiagGous Minister — Witty Ferry- 
man — Whistles that Imitate Birds— Prize Puzzles — 
New Puzzlesand Answers— After Dinner — An Easy 
' Lesson— Gold Leaf and Gold Beaters 5 /H.. 191-192 
Broom Corn Cultuie 178 
Cattle— Plea for Alderney Cows 181 
Cliemical History— A Few Facts 183 
Clover— Late Sown 182 
Cooking Hints and Recipes— Queen of Puddings— 
Nice Gingerbread — Corn Pudding— Justice's Pud- 
ding — Mince Pie without Meat— Boiled Flour — Bos- 
ton Crackers— Stale Bread Fritters— Boiled Pars- 
nips T .' 190 
Corn— Early Planting— Preparation 179 
Corn— Field Culture 176 
Corn— Manuring in the Hill 174 
Evergreens for Wind-breaks — Willows 187 
Farm Work in May 166 
Fertilizalion by Insects 5 Illustrations.. 186 
Flower Garden and Lawn in May 168 
Flower — Side-Saddle (.Sarracenia purpurea).. . .3 ///..1S5 
Flowers— Something about Annuals 188 
Foliage, Ornamental— Group of Plants. . Illustrated.. I8i 
Fruit Garden in May 167 
Garden — Kitchen in May 167 
Grapes— Cold Grapei-y in May .* 169 
Grapes— Notes on Native 183 
Grass Land— How to Improve 179 
Green and Hol-Houses in Blay 168 
Harness -How to Keep in Order. ... 179 
Household Hints for Men Folks 189 
Household Hints— Written List — Sunshine— Hiring 
Girls— Bills of Fare — Paring Nails — Strawberry 
Pin Cushion— Chapped Hands— Position in Sew- 
ing, etc 169 
Insects and Fertilization 5 IUustration$..lS6 
Insects— Peach Tree Borer 2 Illustrations.. \il 
Markets 170-194 
Manuring Corn in the Hill 174 
Mouse Trap— Safe and Sure '..2 Illustrations . .18^ 
Orchard and Nursery in May 167 
Peas and their Names 187 
Peat Swamps— Value for Fuel * 179 
Poultry— French Varieties of Fowls. 5 Illustrations. .176 
Pride and Humility lll-iistrated..K5 
Premiums for One Subscriber 170 
Premiums — Choice of Four Sewing Machines 169 
Premiums — Open for Two Months 169 
Propagating House over a Kitchen 188 
Raspberry— The Flowering Illustrated.. ISi 
Sheep Breeding— In1ere.'=ting Fact 182 
Teazles— Notes on Cultivation 3 11 lustrations.. Ill 
Walks and Talks on tlie Farm, No. 29 174-175 
Weevil — Destroying in Barns Illustrated.. Ill 
Wood— Seasoned vs. Unseasonfed for Fuel 182 
Yards — Decoration of Front 184 
INDEX TO " BASKET," OR SHORTER ARTICLES. 
Agents, Beware of 170 
Book on Manures 170 
Book on Peat 170 
Book, Record of Dead.. 171 
Book, Soiling Cattle.... 170 
Book, Vineyard 170 
Books, Valuable 170 
Bristles, Save them 171 
Carrot, Early Horn 171 
Carrot for Stock 171 
Hort. Soc. III. Trans.... ni 
Hours at Home 171 
Humbugs Matched 172 
Humbugs. Sundry 170 
Lime Wash. Out-door. ..171 
Lotteries, Working of. .. 172 
Medical Ativertisement. .172 
Milk for Children 173 
Music Statistics 173 
Names, How Found..., 171 
Coal Tar on Walls 173 Notts, Starting Rusty.. 171 
Corn Markers 173 Plants for Shade 171 
Cows, Soiling 172 Plants Named 171 
Curculio Remedy 173 Reno Oil Co 171 
Ditching Plows 1 1.3 Seeds. Not in Mails 171 
Doctors. Advertising 173 Sheep Tick Remedy 172 
Engines, Caloric 173 Strawberry Culture 171 
Entomologist. Practical. 173 Tomato Culture 173 
Eye Sharpeners 171 Tool Sled, Good 173 
Fish for Manure 172 Trichina in Pork 178 
Hay Stacking Gear 173 Whitewash, In-door ....171 
Baek Volniues Supplied.— The back volumes 
of the Agrirulturist are very valuable. They contain 
infoi'mation upon every topic connected with rural life, 
out-door and in-dooi-. and the last nine volumes make up 
a very complete library. Each volume has a full index 
for ready reference to any desired topic. We have on 
hand, and print from stereotype plates as wanted, all the 
numbers and volumes for nine years past, beginning with 
1857— that is, Vol. 16to Vol. 24, inclusive. Any of these 
volumes sent complete (in numhei-s) at $1.75 each, post- 
paid, (or $1.50 if taken at the office). The volumes 
neatly bound, are supplied for $2 each, or $2.50 if to be 
Bent by maih Any single numbeis of the past nine 
years will be supplied posSpaid, for 15 cents each. 
AMERICA\ iGRICULTFRIST. 
NEW-YORK, MAT, 1866. 
Our date comes unfalteringly, though the bhind 
.airs and sunshine of spring were this year so tardy 
in their .advent. This lateness of the season crowds 
the labors of the past month into this one, mnlcing 
its duties, which .ire always responsible, unusually 
arduous. There is need of system and definite- 
ness of plan to accomplish any thing well. 
Hard work alone will not do it, and it will break 
down both man and beast. System will enable the 
fanner to give his hands and his teams a full hour 
a day of rest more than they would otherwise hare, 
to get more labor and better labor from men and 
animals, and to maintain in himself and his family 
those cheerful tempers which promote good di- 
gestion and health in .ill respects. It is easier for 
every body, if only one works with system, .and if 
the farmer himself will not, this need not prevent 
others systematising their work. Thoroughness 
should especially characterise the woik done this 
month ; poor plowing, slack preparation of the 
ground, or of the seed, imperfect sowing, or neglect 
of crops that need early hoeing and weeding, may 
be fatal to any thing like remunerative husbandry. 
If an average crop just pays expenses, (as in fact it 
very rarely does), then it is the few bushels of grain 
or roots, or the few pounds of hay or straw above 
the average in which any profit lies. The labor to 
secure an average crop is about all that most farm- 
ers calculate to lay out, and they hope that Prov- 
idence will do so much better by their crops than 
they do themselves, that they will h.ave a better 
than average returns. They are disappointed, of 
course, except in some rare cases. Those who 
show a better faith by their better works are " in 
luck" almost all the time. Their disappointments 
are few, .and are then usually traced by them to 
faults of their own judgment, plans or execution. 
Hints about >Vork. 
The Stock.—" Between hay and grass " is a pro- 
verbially hard time for cattle and stock of all kinds. 
One's calculations are so apt to come out a little 
short in regard to how much it will take to carry 
the stock well through the winter, that it is the ex- 
ception rather than the rule that farmers can feed 
hay, grain and roots as liberally in the spring 
months as the needs of their animals demand. 
Milch cows th.at have just come in, or that drop 
their calves during this month, before they can be 
turned to pasture, need first-r.ate care and feeding, 
or the flow of milk for the whole season may be 
essentially diminished. Young cows especially 
should be fed in a way to develop as much as pos- 
sible every milk-producing quality, for this will in- 
fluence their value throughout their lives. The 
renew.al of their coats is a great tax upon the vital 
force of neat cattle and horses, and at this season 
they are more benefitted by regular and thorough 
carding than at any other. When a supply of roots 
has been kept through till now, feed them ont, so 
that the transition from dry fodder to gr.ass will 
not be too sudden and produce scouring. When 
cows are first turned to pasture, give them a little 
less than their usual feed morning and evening, 
putting them in the p.asture a few hours only in 
the middU of the day. They w-ill do much better 
for it. The same is true of beeves, which will fat- 
ten rapidly as warm weather comes on, If gradually 
accustomed to grass, their me.al and h.ay being kept 
up just as usual. Otherwise they are apt to scour 
and fall off considenably. Calves if kept in warm 
comfortable and clean quarters and fed regularly, 
will increase in weight very fast. All their food 
should be cooked, even the hay ; at least all the 
meal shorts or bran which is mingled with the 
sidmmed milk, should be thoroughly cooked. 
When calves are firttened upon the cow, it is a fact 
worth remembering that it is not the cows which 
give the richest milk, that will bring up the most 
calves or fatten them the most rapidly. When 
milk cannot be sold, it is often very economically 
disposed of by putting two calves to a good cow, 
and " messing " them twice a day besides. Calves 
will seldom quarrel, so it is best to allow a week or 
fortnight's difference in their ages. 
Sheep. — We are strong advocates for shearing 
sheep unwashed. They may thus be sheared much 
earlier; there is little danger of their taking cold ; 
the coolness of the weather is supposed to in- 
fluence a more napid renewing of their covering, 
and by the time the summer's sun beats down hot 
and scorching upon their backs, they are sufficient- 
ly protected not to be blistered, as sometimes hap- 
pens in late shorn flocks. All flocks ought to be 
dipped (see directions in Basket item, p. 172) after 
shearing. Unless the ticks or lice are very thick, 
the dipping should be postponed till warmer 
weather than we usually have in May. The gradu.al 
accustoming of sheep to grass is quite as impor- 
tant as the same treatment for neat cattle. Do not 
withhold the grain, but keep it up until after the 
flock is well established upon grass. They should 
also be turned to grass gradually, two or three 
hours a day, in addition to their full regular feeding 
of hay, etc. No one should overlook the great 
value of his stock as manure makers. This will in 
many parts of the country make it very remunera- 
tive to have the cows alt yarded or stabled at night, 
and the sheep folded. The farmer narely classifies his 
Switte as Beasts of Labor ; yet when the best use 
is made of them, they do an immense amount of 
hard work in the course of the summer in rooting 
over and mixing the manure and compost heaps, 
converting weeds, etc., into manure. Corn scat- 
tered over the heap now and then will encourage 
dilligence, and a few handfuls dropped here and 
there into holes 30 to 30 inches deep, will secure a 
great upturning and mixing, which would other- 
wise have to be done by the fork. 
ByuUrij. — All kinds of young poultry should have 
good care, especially when very young. One of the 
best attachments to a poultry yard is a low shed 8 
feet wide, open to the south, and closed by light 
lattice work that will not keep the sun out. Here 
y onng turkeys and chickens may safely spend a few 
weeks. The hens being cooped under the sheds. 
The ground should of course be dry, and covered 
with ashes, and the surface shoveled off and the 
ashes renewed frequently. One secret of success 
with chickens is, keeping them dry ; this, in con- 
nection with cleanly quarters, scalded or cooked 
food .and pure water always before them and always 
fresh, will secure fine healthy flocks. 
Grass atid Grain. Fields may receive top-dressings 
of liquid manure .and other fertilizers, if applied 
early. See items in last number. Little, however, 
can now be done, even upon spring grain, on 
which timely manuring, and sometimes rolling after 
the ground has settled after hard rains, may be of 
great service. The attention of the farmer must 
however be chiefly directed to his 
Soed Orop.?.— No hurry or lateness of the season 
should be allowed to cheat the crops out of well 
prepared and manured soil. There are several ar- 
ticles on corn in the body of this number, to which 
we refer the reader. Sorghum and Broom Corn are 
cultivated on the same general principles. Pota- 
toes should be put into the ground as early as pos- 
sible. Late sorts for the main crop and for winter 
use should not be planted with rank fermenting 
manure, it induces a succulent growth and a pre- 
disposition to the blight and rot. Leached ashes is 
excellent manure for potatoes. As a rule, plant 
three or four inches deep, and harrow thoroughly 
when the tops first appear above ground. This 
kills a crop of weeds, docs the potatoes good, and 
saves work. 
Sitgar Beds and Mangel Wurtzels. — Every good 
farmer ought to plant some of one or the other of 
these roots for his milch stock. Sow when the 
ground is warm, in deep rich soil in good tilth, 
putting the drills 34 to 30 inches apart. They may 
be thinned out during the summer, and afford ex- 
cellent green fodder to any kind of stock " kept 
up." Other root crops. Parsnips, Carrots, may be 
sowed in the same way, the drills closer, however. 
0niO7is. — Old onion raisers will have looked out 
