1863.] 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
131 
Poidtry will now begin to get their own living if 
permitted to go at large. Continue to feed them 
liberally, but allow them to range if practicable. 
A few hens confined in coops in the garden or 
frtiit-yard, with their chickens suffered to go in and 
out at pleasure, will aid in destroying insects. 
Where poultry must be confined, give them plenty 
of chopped meat, grass, and other green food. 
Collect eggs daily, and introduce new breeds, if de- 
sired, by exchange, or purchase of eggs. 
Pumpkins. — A few seeds planted here and there 
in the corn-field, or elsewhere, will, in a favorable 
season, yield a large amount of food for stock, 
without much injury to the corn. 
Roads. — Keep free from loose stones aad other 
obstructions, and in general good repair. Open 
ditches to convey the wash to adjoining fields. 
Root Crops. — Parsnips, carrots, mangel-wurzel, 
and sugar-beets, are of value to afford change 
of diet for stock in Winter. Manure ground 
thoroughly, till deep, and sow in drills about two 
feet apart. Read article on growing carrots, p. 143. 
Sheep. — See Care of Sheep and Lambs, page 137. 
Sorghum can be grown with profit in other lo- 
calities as well as at the West, where it was a 
highly remunerative crop last year. It would be a 
good arrangement for several cultivators to unite 
and secure the erection of a mill to work up all the 
cane grown in the vicinity. Good seed is difficult 
to be procured. Sorghum is preferred to Imphee 
for Northern latitudes ; the latter succeeds best at 
the South. Plant from May 20th to 25th, thickly in 
drills 3) ■.< feet apart, to be thinned out to 6 or 8 inches. 
The seed starts very slowly, and germination may 
be hastened by soaking. Pour boiling water upon 
it until it swims, stirring it to heat all equally. Al- 
low it to remain one and a half minutes, then cool 
to lukewarmness by adding cold water. Plant the 
same day the seed is prepared. Put in the seed the 
same as for corn, which it resembles in its general 
requisites and manner of growth. 
Swine. — Keep them in good condition by liberal 
feeding with bran, shorts, or meal mixed with sour 
milk, or water, and allowed to ferment. Prevent 
them from rooting by a ring in the nose, and give 
them the freedom of a pasture, but do not allow 
them the privilege of the highway. 
Tobacco. — Read Prize Essay page 108 last month. 
The pamphlet published at this office is the best 
work on the subject ever issued. See advertisement. 
Water. — Provide plenty for all stock, where they 
can have free access to it. 
Weeds. — Take them in hand in time. Close feed- 
ing with sheep will finally eradicate daisies. 
Orchard and Nursery. 
The unusual backwardness of the first half of 
the Spring will crowd some of the work over into 
the beginning of May. Planting should have been 
finished in April, but if the trees have been 
properly kept back it may still be done. Trees 
on which the buds have swollen should be handled 
with great care. It sometimes happens that those 
sent from a distance, in very warm weather, will 
start while in the package, and push out shoots 
several inches long. Such should be cut back very 
severely, to induce the dormant buds on the lower 
part of the limbs to start. One of the English hor- 
ticultural journals publishes detailed directions for 
killing a tree ; beginning with the advice to let it 
lay out so as to well expose the roots to the sun 
aud air, and then put it out without trimming off 
broken roots or cutting back the top. Many who 
plant trees with a view to make them live seem to 
follow very much the same plan. 
Budded Stocks. — Where the buds appear to be 
alive, the stock worked last year may be cut back. 
The cut should be made a few inches above the 
bud, which will leave a support to which the new 
growth may be tied. It can be cut away afterward. 
Evergreens.— This is the great month for planting 
these favorite trees. Nursery stock is vastly to be 
preferred to trees from the woods and swamps. Be 
careful of the roots ; if once dried the tree will not 
live. Have the holes well prepared beforehand, 
and if the soil is sandy, add peaty earth or muck. 
It is difficult sometimes to stake an evergreen ; a 
few large stones laid over the roots will serve to 
hold it. The term evergreen is so generally con- 
fined to the Pine family that many forget that there 
are several desirable kinds not of this family. 
Among these are the Holly, Laurel, Rhododendron, 
etc. These are worthy of a place in every collec- 
tion. The Pine family is so large that there is a 
range for selection. The Norway Spruce and Ar- 
bor Vitoe, from their easy culture and rapid 
growth, will always be popular; nothing is better 
for screens. Our common White Pine is a most 
desirable tree. The Dwarf Pine is fine for the lawn, 
as it retains its deep green throughout the year. 
Grafting. — There is no mystery about grafting. 
If farmers only knew how simple au operation it 
is, they would not continue their orchard of natu- 
ral fruit until they can afford to employ a pro- 
fessional grafter. Try it on one tree, and your 
success will probably give you confidence to 
operate more extensively another year. All that is 
needed is some cions, a strong knife, a pocket 
knife, a mallet or hammer, a wedge of hard wood, 
and some grafting clay. Full directions are given 
on page 83 of March Agriculturist, 1860. If the 
cions were cut early, and have been well kept, 
grafting may be done Until the trees are in blossom. 
Insects. — The eggs which have escaped destruc- 
tion will soon produce broods of caterpillars. As 
soon as their nests appear, destroy them with a 
brush made for the purpose, or wipe them out by 
means of a cloth wound around the end of a pole, 
and saturated with kerosene oil. If slugs appear 
on pear and cherry trees, syringe with solution of 
whale-oil soap, or dust the trees with lime or 
ashes. Look out for borers. 
Layering. — Last year's shoots of grapes, quinces, 
and many ornamental shrubs, may be laid down 
and covered with 3 or 4 inches of earth. They will 
root more readily if a sloping cut be made about 
half through the branch, where it is to take root. 
Mulch all newly-planted trees with straw, refuse 
hay, leaves, chips, or other covering. 
Orchards. — But little work will be required here 
if pruuiug, manuring, and other operations were 
attended to at the proper season. Do not crop any 
but a young orchard, and that only with plants the 
raising of which will leave the soil in better con- 
dition than before. 
Pears. — These may still be 6et out, cutting the 
head well back. Allow no fruit the first season. 
Quinces. — Plant out in good soil, and give the 
trees as much care as any other fruit trees. 
Seed-beds. — Peach and other pits, and apple, pear, 
and other seeds to produce stocks for grafting, 
if not out already, should be sown at once. 
Stocks and Cuttings,— Apple and pear stocks, 
grape, currant, and other cuttings that have been 
kept in the cellar, are to be planted at once. 
Weeds. — Hoe out the nursery rows as soon as 
weeds appear, and keep all clean and in neat order. 
Kitchen Garden. 
At the present writing the season promises to be a 
late one; frosts and snows still liuger — they will 
depart suddenly, and then the work will come with 
a rush. It is in late seasons that the advantage of 
well matured plans will be most appreciated. The 
work being laid out, everything will follow in prop- 
er succession. If late frosts occur, tender plants 
will need protection. A board turned over rows 
of early peas and beans as noticed on page 115, 
April Agriculturist, will be found serviceable. It 
will be found advantageous to prepare frames of 
boards about a foot square and 8 inches high, and 
cover the top with cheap muslin. These serve to 
protect hills of cucumbers, melons, etc., both from 
early frosts and from insects. In sowing, avoid 
covering the seeds too deeply. If long cold rains I 
come on, it will be necessary to re-sow as soon as 
the weather becomes favorable. In small gardens 
space should be economized in every possible way. 
See note on page 140. A succession of crops can 
be taken from the same soil, but in this case the 
ground should be kept well manured. Cabbages 
aud Kale may be put between rows of early pota 
toes. Cucumbers may be grown between Lima 
beans. Cress, lettuce, and radishes, may be sown 
in every vacant spot, and carrots and beets occupy 
the space between rows of beans and peas. 
Artichokes. — See directions for culture on p. 145. 
Ashes. — A good supply of ashes should be saved 
for the garden. Mixed with an equal bulk of plas- 
ter, it forms the ash compost which is of great use, 
not only as a fertilizer, but to dust over young 
plants to repel insects. 
Asparagus.— In most places the beds will be pro- 
ducing their tender shoots. Cut as soon as large 
enough for the table aud remove all over-grown 
and unfifr shoots. In cutting be careful not to in- 
jure the forming buds. Aspargus knives are used 
in England for the purpose of cutting. We have 
used a kind of chisel fixed to a handle like a cane. 
Always cut from the root and as near to it as pos- 
sible. If there is a surplus to be sent to market, 
tie it up in neat bunches about six inches in diam- 
eter, putting two ties of bass matting, one near the 
butts aud the other about two inches from the top. 
Wash in clean wafer before making into bunches. 
Beans. — These are very easily killed by frost, and 
it may be necessary to repeat the early sowing. 
The Valentine is the earliest, bnt the Six-weeks ia 
more prolific. For pole beans, put out the poles 
before sowing. For Lima beans see page 145. 
Beets.— Those sowed last month should now be 
up. They may still be sown. The Bassauo and 
Early Turnip are best for Summer use. See last 
month's Calendar. The winter sorts may be put in 
the last of the month. Deep worked soil, where 
there was a well manured crop last year, is best. 
Borecole or Kale. — Treat precisely as cabbages. 
Broccoli. — This is somewhat like cauliflower, but 
is much inferior to it; as it is considered a surer 
crop, it is cultivated by many who do not succeed 
with cauliflower. The same cultivation for both. 
Burnet. — Much used in salads by the Europeans. 
See page 145 for sulficient directions. 
Cabbages. — Those in hot-beds should be hardened 
off ready for transplanting. See full directions in 
Farm Calendar, which though given for field cul- 
ture, are equally applicable in the garden. Sow seed 
in open ground for main crop of winter cabbages. 
Capsicum or Peppers. — These are very slow in th,eir 
early growth and need the heat of a hot-bed to 
give them a start. When the season is long, they 
maybe sown in the open bed. Plant out when the 
weather gets settled, and give them the warmest 
place in the garden. Set 18 inches or 2 feet each 
way, aud hoe frequently. The Squash Pepper is 
best for plain pickles ; the Large Mountain for stuf- 
fing; the Cayenne for vinegar, or medicine. 
Cardoon. — Sufficient directions are given on p. 145. 
Carrots. — The early crop should have been put in 
last month, but if the weather prevented, loose no 
time in sowing. The seed is slow in coming, and it 
is a good plan to put a few radish seed with it, 
whice will serve to mark the rows. See page 142. 
Cauliflowers. — Do not let a single failure deter 
you from attempting to grow this-choice vegetable. 
Get seed from reliable sources and follow the hints 
given on page 146. Those in hot-beds should be 
planted out, or if the weather is unsuitable put 
them in small pots, and keep in a cold frame. 
Celery. — Follow directions given on page 146. 
Chives. — Put out sets early. They make a nice 
edging to small beds. 
Cold Frames.— Get the plants out as rapidly as the 
weather will allow. Those where plants still re- 
main, should be uncovered every fair day. 
Compost Heaps.— Begin the season with the deter- 
