122 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
[April, 
Contents for April, 1872. 
Apple-Worm Trap, Thomas Wicr's.. Illustrated. .148,143 
Bee Notes for April 130 
Boys' and Girls' Columns— Something about Rebuses: 
— About those Picture Stories- What shall we Learn ? 
— Aunt Sue's Puzzle-Box— How He came to Pull 
her Nose 2 Illustrations. .Ul, 143 
Breaking up of the Ice Illustrated. . 131, 129 
Brick-Making 3 Illustrations . 136 
Bridge, Wooden Illustrated. .136 
Chinese Primroses Illustrated. . 144 
Duck, Mandarin Illustrated. .133 
Egg Farm 3 Illustrations.. 131, 133 
.Farm Work in April 121, 123 
Flower Garden and Lawn in April 124 
Flower-Garden Plans lllustraUd. . 141 
Fowls, Silver-spangled Polish Illustrated. . 133 
Fruit Garden in April ' 123 
Gate Hinge Illustrated.. 139 
Grafting the Chestnut 142 
Greenhouse and Window Plants in April 124 
Hay for Market, Raising Illustrated . . 138 
Household Department— Hints on House Cleaning — 
How to Paper a Room— Pot, Pan, and Kettle Scraper 
— Home Topics— Butter Molds and Stamps. 
7 Illustrations.. 145, 146 
Jersey Cattle Club, New Rules of*. 13S 
Jersey Cows for Butter 139 
Kitchen Garden in April 124 
Lady's-Slipper, White Illustrated. .141 
Meadows, Irrigating 2 Illustrations. . 137 
Ogden Farm Papers, No. 27— Personal Letters — Lec- 
tnring-Ayrshire Cattle 130, 131 
Onion Sets, New Plan of Raising 143 
Orchard and Nursery in April 123 
Our Forests— Great Waste 13S 
Potato, Thorburn's Late Rose 142 
Kack for Shoeing Unruly Animals Illustrated.. 139 
Bcport of the Department of Agriculture 130 
Sheap Shearing and Washing 2 Illustrations. . 140 
Stanchions and Stalls 4 Illustrations . .137, 13S 
Strawberries in Missouri 144 
Sulphur to Kill Vermin in Nests 100 
Tree Planting, Hints about it 143 
Uneven Pulling of Teams Illustrated.. 139 
Walks and Talks on the Farm, No. 100— Letters- 
White Mustard — Does Fanning Pay?— Wintering 
Stock— Selling Hay 133, 136 
Wi Id Tarn Illustrated. . 141 
INDEX TO "BASKET," OH SHORTER ARTICLES. 
A"ricultnral News Items. loSiHollow-Horn 138 
Apple-tree Borers 128|Honey . ± 125 
Artichoke, Jerusalem 126 
Ashes Wanted 127 
Barry's Fruit Garden 125 
Berkshires 127 
Berkshire and Essex Pigsl29 
Blue Lice 126 
Bones, Hen Mauure, and 
Ashes 135 
Canada Thistles 128 
Cattle Markets 124 
Cattle Show at Boston 
Proposed 128 
Cattle, Wood-eating 126 
Cheap Sewing Machine. .157 
Chinese Tarn 125 
Chinese Yam for Stock. .125 
Churn, Howto 12S 
City Boys that want to 
Learn Farming 129 
Clover-seed Straw, What 
to do with 125 
Colorado 127 
Corn Fodder 127 
Com in the Crib, to Mea- 
sure 133 
Corn, New 120 
How many Horses make 
a Team? 127 
Humbugged 126 
Humbugs, Sundry.. .125, 126 
Insect on House Plants. .125 
11 Items," See the 125 
Jersey Cow 127 
Kansas 126 
Lamps, Non-explosive. . .125 
Letters, Useless. 125 
Libel Suit, Our Great 129 
Liquorice 125 
Manure Advertisements. 125 
Manure for Grass on 
Drained Swamp Lands. 128 
Manure. Green Crops for. 128 
Maple, Ash-leaved 135 
Measurement of Poland- 
China Hogs 129 
Milk, To prevent Souringl27 
Kittens, To Tan Buck- 
skin for 136 
Mutton, Woolly Taste in 12S 
Northern Pacific R.R 125 
Norway Oats 128 
ODearL 125 
..126 
Cows, Spaying 126 Oil for Harness, Best 
Cranberries 126 Onion Sets— Correction . .127 
Cranberries on Hills 126 Onions, Todestroy Wild. 127 
Creamery. Deep Cans for.127 Our Basket 124 
Cure for 'Ringbone 126JOwls, Catching 126 
Cuttings, Inverted 125|Peaches and Frost 128 
Draining a Flat on High Peach, Plowdcn 125 
Land 129|Plaeter on Oak Openings.126 
Draining bySubsoil Plowl36 Raspberry Leaves, Scald- 
Earth-closet, Goux's Pat- | in™ 125 
cnt 125 Rats and Mice 127 
Egg-plants lSS^Roup or Cholera 129 
Calendar for April. 
Espa'rcettc 126 
Essex or Berkshire Pigs. 129 
Farm-gardening and Seed 
Raising 127 
Feed for Calves and Coltsl26 
Fruit-trees 126 
Gooseberries 125 
Grade Dnrhams as Milk- 
ers 127 
Grape, Eumelan 125 
Grapes in Michigan 127 
Grubs in Horses 127 
Hams in Ashes, Packing. 127 
Hay-caps 126 
Heeling in 126 
Hog Swindler 125 
Sal-Soda 127 
Sauerkraut 136 
Sheep, Scab in .,..127 
Spawn of Trout and other 
Fish 127 
Spring Wheat 127 
Spring-wheat Sections. . .126 
Sparry 126 
Tiles, Where Procured. .125 
U. S. Signal Service 138 
Variegated Japanese Ho- 
neysuckle 126 
Vineland 125 
Western Interests 126 
What Beets to Raise . . . .1 38 
Wheat, Touzelle 123 
-. 
■» 
$• 
-s. 
s. 
a 
q 
4 
1 
M 
'>. 
T 
W 
4 
T 
F 
6 
S 
7 
S 
8 
M 
1 
T 
in 
W 
11 
T 
12 
F 
is 
S 
11 
s 
15 
M 
16 
•1' 
17 
W 
IS 
T 
19 
H' 
m 
S 
21 
S 
n 
M 
23 
'1' 
"i 
W 
•Ai 
T 
26 
H' 
•u 
S 
28 
s 
n 
M 
m 
T 1 
Boston.S Eng- 
land, A. York 
State, Michi- 
gan, Wi/tcnji- 
sin, Iowa, and 
Oregon. 
n.M ' n -m 
5 43 r, 26 
5 42 6 28 
10 39 
5 3S6 30 
.i 30 6 31 
5 31 6 3; 
5 33 6 33 
5 31 6 34 
5 29 6 35 
5 27 36 
5 26.0 37 
5 24 6 3S 
5 23 6 40 
5 21 41 
5 19 6 42 
5 18 6 43 
5 16 6 44 
5 14 6 45 
5 13,13 47 
5 110 48 
5 10 I 6 49 
5 8,6 50 
5 6,6 51 
5 .V6 52 
5 .36 53 
5 2;0 54 
5 116 55 
4 59 6 50 
4 5S6 5S 
4 0616 59 
u. M. 
2 4 
2 58 
3 41 
4 19 
4 50 
5 15 
sets 
7 25 
8 32 
9 37 
10 40 
11 40 
morn 
30 
1 25 
2 9 
2 40 
3 19 
3 45 
4 12 
1 SO 
rises 
7 6 
8 21 
9 37 
10 51 
11 59 
morn 
50 
1 41 
.v. y.cui/. ci. 
Philadelphia, 
yew Jersey, 
Penn., Ohio. 
Indiana, and 
Illinois. 
n.M n.M 
5 45 21 
5 41 6 20 
5 42 1 B 2' 
5 40 6 2S 
5 3S 29 
5 30; 6 30 
5 31.0 31 
5 33i6 32 
5 31 6 33 
5 29 6 34 
5 2S|6 3". 
5 20 6 36 
5 25 6 37 
r, '.'I 3< 
5 23 fi 39 
5 21 ! 6 40 
5 1116 41 
!5 17 6 42 
5 16;G 44 
5 14 6 45 
5 13 6 46 
5 11 !l> 47 
5 10 16 48 
5 9 6 49 
5 7 6 50 
5 6 51 
5 5 6 52 
5 3,6 53 
5 2 6 51 
5 00 55 
£.2 
"^ i» 
n. m. 
1 57 
2 53 
3 Si 
4 15 
4 47 
5 14 
sets 
7 24 
8 29 
9 3! 
10 3"> 
11 35 
morn 
30 
1 19 
2 3 
2 42 
3 15 
3 43 
4 10 
4 35 
rises 
7 4 
8 18 
9 33 
10 45 
11 53 
morn 
50 
1 39 
Washington, 
Maryland, 
Virginia. Ken. 
tuck 1/. Missou- 
ri, and Cali- 
fornia. 
n.M n.M 
5 40 6 23 
5 45 6 24 
5 43 6 25 
5 41 6 26 
5 40 6 27 
5 3S 28 
5 3645 29 
5 35,6 S 
5 33 6 3 
5 31 6 3 
5 30,6 33 
5 2816 34 
5 27 6 35 
5 20 30 
5 24 6 37 
5 23|6 38 
5 22! 6 39 
5 20 6 40 
5 19 6 41 
5 1 
r> ig 
r. 11 
5 13 
5 1 
6 42 
43 
11 
1] V, 
6 46 
100 46 
9,0 47 
S,6 48 
6:6 49 
5 (', 50 
3 6 51 
n. M. 
1 51 
2 47 
3 S3 
4 13 
4 45 
5 13 
sets 
8 28 
9 28 
10 30 
11 29 
morn 
23 
1 13 
1 57 
2 36 
3 11 
3 40 
4 8 
4 35 
rises 
7 1 
8 11 
9 27 
10 39 
11 47 
morn 
44 
1 S3 
PHASES OF THE MOON. 
i- 
NewMoon 7 
1st Quart.. 15 
Full 23 
3tl Quart. '30 
BOSTON. IN. YORK. WASH'N. CTIA'STON ICUICAGO 
H. M. H. M. 
7 12 ev. 6 42 ev. 
4 51 ev. 4 21 ev. 
17 m. I 7 47 m. 
r. m. n. m. 
7 48 ev. 7 36 ev. 7 24 ev, 
5 27 ev. 5 15 ev. 5 3 ev 
8 53 m.| 8 41 ni.) 3 29 m 
3 37 m.l 3 2: 
a 111. 
3 13 m. 
3 1 m. ] 2 31 m. 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
NEW YORK, APRIL, 1872. 
At the present writing, it is impossible to form 
any definite opinion as to the condition of tlie win- 
ter wheat crop. So far as our observations extend, 
the indications are generally unfavorable. Through- 
out a large extent of our country the soil last 
autumn was remarkably dry, and when winter set 
in the wheat looked small and thin ou the ground. 
We are disposed to think, however, that the wheat 
had made a good root growth, and that the plants 
on good laud were healthy, hardy, and vigorous. 
On our own farm the wheat is apparently uninjured. 
The weather-wise people are telling us to look out 
for a wet summer. Of course tbey know nothing 
about it. But we will unite with them in advising 
the farmer readers of the AmerUxtn Agriculturist to 
look out for wet weather — and prepare for it. We 
do not base this advice on the fact that we have had 
and are still having a great drouth, and therefore 
that it is reasonable to expect a great rain. There 
is something in this; but we urge our readers to 
prepare for wet weather simply because we know 
that farmers suffer much loss every spring from 
failing to expect and prepare for raiuy days, muddy 
roads, and wet fields. 
We fear this advice will not do much good. 
Good, prompt, energetic, thinking, sensible farmers 
prepare for all kinds of weather and for all emer- 
gencies; but there are thousands who are constitu- 
tionally indisposed to do anything to-day that cau 
be put off until to-morrow. They never clean the 
leaves or other impediments from the gutters on 
the roof of the house until it rains; never plow 
until they are ready to /plant, and never get or 
clean up the seed until the field is prepared and 
waiting for it. Such farmers rarely get a new 
plow-point uutil the old one is worn out, and 
never get the teeth of the harrows sharpened 
until the day they want to use them. But why 
multiply illustrations ? Nothing that we can say 
will rouse such men. All that we can hope for is 
to persuade young farmers to cultivate the habit 
of promptness — of doing things at the best time, 
and especially of disciplining themselves to do first 
those things -which they like to do least. Indolent 
people often busy themselves in doing something 
that tbey specially like to do. We have known a 
farmer's son too weak to sort potatoes or milk a 
cow, but quite strong enough to break a colt or 
feed a thrashing machine. 
CI tuts about Work, 
Start the flows the moment the ground is dry 
enough, but not before ; and where it can be done, 
harrow and sow as fast as you plow. Do not wait 
to finish the field. We know there is 6ome loss of 
time in changing work so often, but it is nothing 
compared with the extra time aud labor required 
to prepare plowed land that has been exposed to 
heavy rains, and then had to lie for several days 
uutil the surface was crusted over before it was dry 
enough to harrow. Our springs are so short, and 
the weather so uncertain, that our rule should he 
never to leave the field until all the land that has 
been plowed is harrowed and sown. 
Sod L>ind can be plowed after a soaking rain ear- 
lier than fall-plowed or stubbles. And a steel plow 
will make a clean furrow slice where a east-iron 
plow will clog. But it is doubtful whether it is or 
is not advisable to avail ourselves of these facts. 
Sod land is just as wet as the stubble land, aud if 
one would be injured by plowing it is not easy to 
understand why the sod land would not be injured 
also. It is one of those points, however, ou which 
we need more light. Our own practice is based on 
the practical fact that we have a good deal of plow- 
ing to do and little time to do it in, rather than on 
any theoretical considerations as to what is the ab- 
solutely best condition for the soil to be in when it 
is plowed. A farmer must not be a "one-idea" 
man. He has many things to take into considera- 
tion, andhas need of experience and good judgment. 
A safe rule is to avoid running to extremes. 
Barleyls with us the first crop that we aim to sow 
in the spring. We say "aim," because, iu point 
of fact, it not unfrequently happeus that we are 
able to plow a clover sod, aud drill in peas or oats, 
before we can plow a corn-stubble aud prepare it 
for barley. But when the weather is favorable we 
should get in the barley at the earliest time possi- 
ble. So good a farmer as John Johnston, however, 
differs with us on this point. With him, later 
sown barley has frequently proved a heavier crop 
than that sown earlier. Aud in our own experience 
we have sown part of a field of barley the last day 
of March, and the remainder of the field a week or 
ten days later, and the one was as good as the 
other. But in this case both were "sown early." 
We have had two crops of barley in different years, 
one of which was over 50 bushels per acre, aud the 
other 49 bushels, and one was sown two or three 
weeks earlier than the other; but both were sown 
as early as possible. We have never had a good crop 
of barley that was not sown early. 
Oats can be sown on a great range of soils, from a 
black muck to the heaviest clays. Of all the small 
grains they will stand the greatest neglect, but well 
repay good cultivation. They are often sown on 
new plowed sod laud, and occasionally do well 
enough to induce farmers to continue the practice, 
notwithstanding the fact that in nine cases out of 
ten the result is anything but satisfactory. Better 
plant corn on the sod land, and sow oats after the 
com. We have seen great crops raised where the 
land is rich by fall-plowing a corn-stubble, and 
then sowing as early as the land could be harrowed 
iu the spring, and when the frost was not suffi- 
ciently out of the ground to plow. Sod land 
plowed late in the fall may be got into fair condi- 
tion for oats by the use of a Shares or Nishwitz 
harrow, when the sod is not sufficiently rotted in 
the spring to admit of cross-plowing. When the 
sod was plowed early, say iu August or September, 
and the land was what we call "fall-fallowed,'' the 
sod should be well-rotted, aud when plowed in the 
spring would be in excellent condition for oats, 
aud if the land is rich enough a great crop may be 
expected. From 1% to 3}£ bushels per acre is the 
proper quantity of seed, according to the condition 
and fertility of the soil — the richer the soil, the less 
seed is required. As a rule, we do not sow oats 
tliic'.c enough, or make the soil sufficiently fine and 
mell >w. When sown with a drill, which is by far 
the better plan, harrow the land thoroughly, and 
then roll before drilling, aud if there are still any 
clods roll again after the drill. 
Teas iu many sections are so much affected by 
