1874] 
AMKULCAN AGRIGULTUHIST. 
168' 
on the hills after planting, or dusted on the leaves 
of the young plants. If there is a manure attach- 
ment to your drill, it is a good plan to drop the 
plaster with the seed. 
Mangel-wurzel should be sown as early as the land 
can be got in good condition. We sow in drills 
about 30 inches apart, with an ordinary grain drill. 
The land should be rich, and then 300 lbs. of good 
superphosphate mixed with coal-ashes and drilled 
in with the seed will be a great help. Sow i lbs. 
of seed per acre. Thin out the plants to 13 or 15 
inches apart in the rows. If you sow by hand, 
soak the seed for 48 hours in rain-water, changing 
the water every 13 hours. Cover the seed from 
one to two inches deep. Roll the land before and 
especially after sowing the seed. 
Potatoes as a rale, especially Peachblows, do best 
when planted early ; but we have had a good crop 
of Flukes planted as late as the first of June. A 
clover sod on light loam is considered best for 
potatoes. If the land is dry and rich, it does not 
matter what the previous crop may have been. 
Mark the land carefully three feet apart each way, 
and drop one large potato or two sets in each hill. 
Cover two or three inches deep with a hoe. A 
spoonful of plaster dropped in each hill frequently 
has a beneficial effect. We have known it increase 
the crop 50 bushels per acre. If planted in drills, 
drop the sets 15 to 18 inches apart. We make the 
drills with a light steel plow, 3 feet apart for Early 
Rose and 3i feet for Peachblows. Cover with a 
plow three or four inches deep, and as soon as the 
weeds begin to start, or before, harrow the land 
with a Thomas or other light harrow. See Hints 
for last month. 
Beans are sown as soon as we are through plant- 
ing corn. They are usually sown on a clover sod. 
Rows :A feet apart, and four or five beans in a hill 
13 or 15 inches apart, or if drilled in with a grain- 
drill, drop the beans about two inches apart. Plow 
the land carefully and harrow very thoroughly, and 
roll before planting. Use the cultivator freely and 
keep the crop clean. If you can not do this do not 
go extensively into bean growing. 
Mowing Land should be got ready for the 
machine. Pick off stones. Put a stake by the 
side of any stone that can not be removed, so that 
you will not run the machine against it. 
Sow Plaster on clover and on dry upland mead- 
ows—say one to two bushels per acre. 
Pastures are frequently injured by turning stock 
on to the.n before the grass has got a good start. 
Keep the stock on grass land intended for corn, 
potatoes, or beans until the regular pastures afford 
a good bite. 
Young Clover, when the dew is on, is very apt to j 
produce hoven in cattle when first turned out to 
pasture. The green, wet clover ferments in the 
stomach. 
Milch- Cows will be longing for green grass before 
it is ready for them. We do not believe in the 
notion that if they once taste grass they will not 
eat hay afterwards. It is not true. Cut up hay, 
moisten it with water, sprinkle on a quart of eora- 
meal and a quart of bran to each bushel of the hay, 
and let the cows have all they will eat, night and 
morning. Contiuue this feed after the cows are 
turned out to pasture as long as they will eat any 
of it. It will pay. 
Calves should be fed liberally. Nothing, of course, 
is so good as new milk ; next fresh skimmed milk, 
with flaxseed tea or oil-cake tea, A little nice 
early-mown hay, bran, oatmeal, corn-meal, oil-cake, 
6liced mangels, carrots, or parsnips are all good 
for calves in addition to a run in a sunny, shel- 
tered pasture. 
Sheep. — Let ewes and lambs have the best of pas- 
ture, and give a daily feed of clover hay and sliced 
mangels if you have them. Dock and castrate the 
lambs when three or four weeks ,;d. Tag the old 
sheep, aud keep a sharp lookor for any symptoms 
of foot-rot. If any are affect eu pare and dress the 
feet ot* the whole Sock immediately with crude car- 
fa lie acid or a sattuuted solution of blue vitriol. 
Do the work thoroughly, and repeat in three or 
four days. 
Swine should have rings in their noses and be 
turned out to pasture every day. Clover is best 
for them, but they will do very well on grass. 
Young, growing pigs should have some grain in 
addition to the grass. Pork is likely to be high 
next winter, and it will pay to feed liberally. 
Work in tie Horticultural Departments. 
In all sections wherein gardening is carried on 
May will bring plenty of work. There will be the 
planting of the general crops, besides the numerous 
odd jobs of which every garden has its share. 
There will also be an abundance of weeds to con- 
tend with, which will give constant employment. 
Aim to always keep in advance of the work. If 
the weeds are once allowed to become established 
the labors of the coming season will be more than 
doubled. Keep the cultivators, hoes, and rakes 
moving rapidly. This will be all the more neces- 
sary should a loug season of drouth ensue. Then, 
watering is impracticable, and all that can be done 
is to stir the soil as often as possible. Keep a rec- 
ord of the daily operations. It will take but a few 
minutes each day, and will be of much value for 
reference in the future. Put down the date the 
different crops are planted, kind of manure applied, 
and any other items of interest. 
Orchard and Wsirsery. 
Boot- Grafts should be got out at once, setting 
them in rows four feet apart, and the grafts 
twelve inches in the rows, taking care to press the 
earth firmly around the lower part of them. 
Planting of all fruit trees must be completed as 
rapidly as possible. If properly heeled-iu, they can 
be set out a week or two after those in the nursery 
have started. If crops are to be raised between the 
rows, supply plenty of manure so that the trees 
will not be robbed of nutriment. In planting, 
have the trees set out in straight rows. Nothing 
looks more slip-shod than trees planted irregularly. 
Trees received from the nursery should be buried 
root and branch for a few days if their bark is 
shrivelled ; this will usually restore them. If the 
buds have started from too much heat and rrois- 
ture, cut back severely before planting. 
Mulch. — If orchardists would mulch their newly- 
planted trees as soou as set out, there would be 
less complaint that nurserymen send out poor 
stock. The mulch prevents the soil c ver the roots 
from drying, and insures a vigorous growth. 
Insects. — It is not yet too late t.:> look after the 
eggs of the tent-caterpillar. I" will require less 
time to destroy them now tnan wheu they are 
hatched. Wild-cherry trees serve as breeding 
places for caterpillars, aud i any are allowed to re- 
main they too should be kept clear of them. 
Seedlings should all be set out this month and the 
rows kept clear of w: 3ds. Seeds should be sown 
at once iu fine soil. Collect seeds of Maples, Elms, 
etc., as soon as ripe, and sow at once. Ever- 
green seeds require to be sheltered with lattice- 
work or brush; otherwise the sun will kill the 
young plants as soon as they get above ground. 
Grafting should he finished this month if not 
completed last. It is best to set the grafts just be- 
fore the leaves start, but where there are a great 
many to be set this can not always be doue. 
Fruit Warden. 
Planting. — The directions given above will serve 
in this department as well. 
Packages. — Where fruit is marketed, provide a 
supply of crates and baskets, and see that they are 
:.:: i;rder for immediate use and properly marked. 
Cuttings of currants and gooseberries buried last 
fall may be set out, and after one season's growth 
will be tine young plants. Press the earth firmly 
around thp ".uttings. 
Qrape-T. .«s.— Be careful not to injure the buds 
when working among the vines. Allow only one 
cane to grow on newly-planted vines the first year ; 
select the strongest, aud remove the others. 
Cur ants. — If borers have worked in the bushes, 
cut out all the injured portions and bum; then- 
work will be shown by the yellow, sickly ap] car- 
anee of the bush. Dust the leaves with powdered 
white hellebore if the currant-worm appears. 
Mulch both the old and newly-planted bushes. 
Strawberries must be set out as soon as the ground 
will allow. Use only strong plants from runners. 
Keep the beds, both old and new, clean and well 
mulched, to prevent weeds from growing, and to 
keep the berries from being soiled with earth. 
Cut off all runners unless plants are wanted. 
Raspberries and Blackberries should have been set 
out last month, but if not attended to then do it as 
early as possible. Tie up the last year's growth to 
stakes or trellises, and apply a heavy mulch. 
Kitchen Jji.rdeu. 
Such of the hardier vegetables as were sown last 
month will now be growing, and should he kept 
free from weeds, and, as soon as large enough, 
thinned. Iu most localities, all the varieties of 
vegetables, except perhaps tomatoes and egg-plants, 
may be planted iu the open ground now. 
Asparagus. — Do not cut until the plants are two 
years old, and if they can be left until three all the 
better for the future of the bed. Set new beds now. 
Beans. — Do not plant until all danger from frost 
is over ; then plant in rows three feet apart. Limas 
started on sods under glass may be set out when 
cool nights are over; and when the ground becomes 
dry and warm seeds may be put in. 
Beets. — Thin out the early plantings and keep 
carefully hoed ; the thinnings make greens, prefer- 
red by many to spinach. Plant for a succession. 
Cabbages, Broccoli, Cauliflower, etc., all need the 
same general treatment when young. Set out 
early plants from the hot-bed or frame, and keep 
well hoed. Sow for late crops in the open ground. 
Carrots.— Sow the main crop when the soil is 
varm, and keep clean from the start, or the weeds 
will soon exceed the carrots in size, and the crop 
be injured. 
Celery. — Sow seeds, if not '.lready done, in open 
ground. 
Corn. — Plant as soon as all danger of frost is over 
in drills 3i to i feet apart. Plant every week or ten 
days for a succession. 
Cucumbers. — Plants started on pieces of sod may 
be set iu the open ground and covered at night 
with frame or even a paper to prevent their becom- 
ing chilled. Sow seeds iu open ground as soon as 
warm, and dust the plants when up with plaster or 
ashes to prevent the "bugs" from working 
on them. 
JSgg-Plants. — Do not set out until cool nights are 
over and the ground becomes thoroughly warmed; 
then set in rich soil two f<:et apart each way. 
Lettuce. — Keep the soil around early-set plants 
loose and free from weeds. Set out new beds and 
sow seed for a later crop. 
Melons require the same treatment as cucumbers. 
When growing well, give liquid manure once or 
twice a week. 
Onions should have been sown last month to in- 
sure a good crop. Weed as soon as up and keep 
the soil stirred often. Ashes worked in between 
the rows, and worked in with a hoe, aud a dressing 
of salt are beneficial. 
Parsley. — Soak the seed in warm water and sow 
in open ground, patting down the earth well. 
leas. — Bush before they fall over Earth up a 
little when hoeing. Plant late soils > rows four to 
five inches deep, so that they will not dry out dur- 
ing iKira weather. 
Potatoes. — Finish planting for general crop, ana 
hoe the early sorts as soon as up. Just before the 
potatoes appear above ground draw a harrow over 
the rows ; this will dt .troy minieri.:.. weeds. 
Radishes. — Sow every week for a succession and 
keep clear of weeds. 
