1872.] 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
the pea-beetle, or what is improperly called "the 
bug," that their culture is almost entirely aban- 
doned. There is at present no known remedy. 
Getting seed entirely free from bugs, or dipping 
the seed for a minute in boiling water, are popular 
remedies, but are not based on any satisfactory 
reason. Late sowing is to a certain extent a rem- 
edy, but the crop is almost invariably a poor one. 
Better sow as early as possible, and try to raise a 
great crop, and feed out the crop to piirs before 
the bug eats out much of the substance of the 
peas. This is killing the bugs and convertingthem 
into pork at the same time. If geuerally adopted, 
and our seed obtained from sections free from 
this insect, we should in time get rid of the trou- 
ble. We drill iu the peas at tlie rate of 3 bushels 
per acre, or 2}{ of peas and 1% bushel of oats. 
See Hints for March. 
Potatoes with the writer do better on a rich clover 
sod than on 6tubble laud. It is time we paid more 
attention to enriching the soil for this crop. The 
labor of digging an acre yielding only 90 bushels, 
is nearly or quite as great as digging an acre that 
will yield 280 bushels, aud if the soil is iu good 
condition, the latter yield can safely be calculated 
on, with a good variety, and good cultivation. At 
average prices, few farm crops pay better than po- 
tatoes, provided a maximum yield is obtained. 
Manure, if thoroughly rotted and well worked into 
the soil, does not increase the disease. Planting in 
hills, three feet apart each way, saves seed aud labor 
in planting, hoeing, and digging, and where land is 
cheap, is undoubtedly the better plau ; but planting 
in drills, three feet one way, and sets dropped from 
13 to 15 inches in the row, will, provided the land 
is rich enough, produce a greater crop per acre. 
Clover Seed on winter wheat should be sown early. 
But we have sown it as late as the middle of May 
and had a good catch. Much depends on the season 
anil the condition of the land. We prefer to delay 
sowing until the ground is dry enough to harrow. 
A Thomas smoothing harrow is best for harrowing 
the wheat immediately after the seed is sown but 
an ordinary heavy harrow may safely be used to 
break the crust on the soil before the seed is sown. 
The most thorough harrowing with a common forty- 
tooth harrow, early iu the spring, provided the soil 
is dry, will not pull up the wheat to any injurious 
extent. Such a harrow may be used before sowing 
the seed, and a Thomas harrow after sowino-, with 
excellent effect. 
Grass and Clover Seeds should not be covered more 
than half au inch deep. Far more seed is lost from 
covering too deep than from being left wholly ex- 
posed on the surface. A fine mellow soil is the 
great essential condition. 
The Holler is not used as much as it should be in 
the spring, though it is sometimes used where it 
does more harm than good. It is easier to break 
clods when wet than when dry, bat if you can break 
them when dry, the pulverizing effect is far greater. 
Clayey land rolled when wet, forms a hard crust. 
Sandy soil that needs compression, may be rolled 
when quite moist. No amount of rolling will in- 
juriously pack cr consolidate a perfectly dry soil 
See Hints for last Month. — We hope every reader 
of the American Agriculturist preserves the num- 
bers. Mauy of the hints given last month may be 
found useful now. 
Horses, after their winter's rest, should be worked 
only moderately at first. Look to their shoulders, 
and wash them frequently with cold water. Poor- 
fitting collars are the chief source of galls. 
Working-Oxen shoud be well carded every day, 
and be liberally fed. They have a much larger 
stomach than a horse, and do not need as concen- 
trated food, but they require more time to eat. 
Cut the hay into chaff, moisten it, and mix a little 
corn-meal with it— say one quart of meal to a bushel 
of chaff. Horses may have two quarts (and at noon 
three quarts) of meal to a bushel. 
Cows need much care and extra feed this month. 
They arc longing for green grass, and he is a for- 
tuuate farmer who has plenty of mangolds for 
them. But bran and good hay, with a good card- 
123 
ing every day, to keep open the pores, will keep a 
milch-cow iu good condition, aud prepare her for 
giving a large mess of milk when grass comes. 
Raise your own Calves, and let them have good 
care, nutritious food, and plenty of it, with the 
kindest treatment. Cows will be high again in a 
year or two. Good cows are always scarce. 
Poultry. — Clean the house, sprinkle with crude 
carbolic acid aud water. Carbolic soap, rubbed on 
to the roosts, finds Its way on to the feathers, aud 
kills the lice. Whitewash all the woodwork, and 
if a little carbolic acid is added, so much the better. 
Absolute cleanliness is one great secret of success 
in keeping poultry. At this season of the year 
farmers 6hould see that their fowls are regularly 
fed. There is not much for them to pick up%nd it 
is impossible for them to furuish an abundant sup- 
ply of eggs without food enough to manufacture 
them. When the ground is frozen, so that thry 
can not get worms, they should have fresh meat, 
bones, etc. See that they hive plenty of fresh water.' 
Sheep. — Sec Hints for last month. Nothing is 
better for sheep than clover hay. Let the breeding 
ewes have all they eau eat. And those with their 
lambs at their side should have a pound of bran 
each per day, in addition, aud a few roots, if they 
can be spared. Make a small pen in the yard, with 
slats about ten inches apart, or just wide cuou"li 
to allow the lambs to go through, and put in a few 
small troughs, and keep the lambs supplied with 
oats, corn-meal, bran, and sliced roots. This is one 
secret of raising good lambs. See that the ewes 
and lambs also have an abundant supply of fresh 
water. The ewes will drink nearly twice as much 
water when giving milk as before lambing. 
rigs. — Last fall's pigs should have a liberal allow- 
ance of corn-meal and mangolds, to keep them 
growing rapidly till they can get clover. Breeding 
sows should be kept in K ood thriving condition. 
Succulent food, and bran or fine middlings, are 
better than corn. It is desirable to keep the bowels 
somewhat relaxed. Daily exercise is very desirable. 
The yonng pigs should be taught to eat from a 
small trough, separate from the sow, as early as 
possible, or at any rate when three weeks old. 
Rainy Days are usually numerous this mouth, 
and there is also abuudauce of -work to bo done iu- 
doors, such as oiling harness, picking over potatoes, 
painting implements, machines, wagons, ete. 
Clean out the Cellar.— As health is the greatest of 
earthly blessings, cleaning the cellar from all de- 
caying vegetables and other impurities is the most 
important work to be done in the spring. Give not 
sleep to your eyelids until it is done. 
Whitewash the cellar walls, pig-pens, sheep-sheds, 
horse and cow stables. 
lick up the old Iron.— There has been a great ad- 
vance iu the price of iron, and it is a good time to 
dispose of all the old plow-points, horseshoes, etc. 
Make the whole Premises clean. — We have " house- 
cleaning" every spring; let us have stable, barn, 
and barn-yard cleaning also. Leave not a particle 
of manure scattered about the yards. Either apply 
it to the land at once, or pile it iu a heap. 
Orchard and Nursery. 
We will take it for granted that the ground has 
been properly plowed and prepared for early spring 
planting, and that trees have been ordered in time. 
Planting can be performed as soou as the trees 
arrive, but if this is not done at once, see that the 
roots are properly protected from winds and sun. 
When the trees are set, trim the mutilated roots, 
shorten the branches, and remove all useless ones. 
Take care not to plant the trees too deep, but 
make a broad opening and spread the roots in a 
natural position, then cover with fine soil, well 
pressed down. When trees arrive in poor order, 
resulting from improper packing, and the bark ap- 
pears shriveled, bury entirely in the soil, and in a 
few days they will look fresh and plump if not too 
far gone. Trees that have started into growth 
during their journey must be cut back severely. 
Grafting.— As soon as the buds commence to 
swell grafting may be done, but do not commence 
too early. 
Cions.— Cut at any time before the buds start, 
and preserve iu sawdust or earth until needed. 
Root-grafts. — Plant iu nursery rows as soon as the 
ground is iu proper order. 
Seeds of fruit and ornamental trees may be 
planted in nursery rows or in beds, but it is better 
to wait until next mouth before planting any tree 
seeds, except nuts, peach-stones, etc., which were 
buried last fall. 
Insects.— Continue to destroy all injurious insects 
wherever found, both in the egg aud larva or grub 
state. If the trees have not been washed with 
soapsuds, they should be gone over with a mod- 
erately stiff brush as soon as convenient. 
Transplanting.— Transplant trees from the nur- 
sery rows and set where they arc to grow, or else 
make them, into rows where they will have suffi- 
cient room to grow for several yean. 
I'i-nil Garden. 
Work in the Horticultural Departments. 
• ■ 
In most of the Northern States April will be the 
earliest moutli for out-door work, and all gardeners 
will find plenty to do iu preparing the soil aud 
sowing seeds for early crops. If seeds aud tools have 
beeu provided and everything prepared for early 
work, no delay need occur. Work should always 
be planned before actual operations commence, so 
that if a rainy day comes once or twice a week, the 
work need not bo behindhand. Some in-door labor 
should be arranged for the workmen during rainy 
days, such as mending tools, making labels, 
etc. Procure tools of the best description, as men 
take more interest in their work when provided with 
suitable tools. A stock of duplicate handles for 
hoes, rakes, etc., will often save trouble when 
work presses, and every gardener ought to have 
a supply of these ready for an emergency. 
Almonds.— In some parts of the country consider- 
able attention is being paid to the cultivation of 
this fruit, and it will thrive wherever the peach 
will, and the culture is the same. 
Figs.— This fruit is not cultivated profitably in 
the open ground north of Maryland, but a few trees 
may be grown for the sake of variety, aud during 
the winter may be taken up and stored in the cel- 
lar, or laid down aud covered with earth. 
Quinces. — Most persons fail to secure a good form 
for their quince-bushes, and instead of a handsome 
pyramid is usually seen a long-branched, unshapely 
tree, which is far from being ornamental. If prop- 
erly pruned, they may be trained into very hand- 
some pyramids. 
Currants.— A good supply of currant-bushes 
ought to be found in every fruit garden, and if 
given proper care, they may be made to yield large 
crops of fine fruit. The Versailles aud White 
Grape are the best varieties. Cuttings ought to be 
planted in rows two feet apart, and the cuttings 
six inches iu the row, and iu two or three years 
these will produce bearing bushes. 
Gooseberries.'— Houghton and American Seedling 
are two valuable varieties, and arc quite tree lrom 
mildew. Give thorough cultivation and plenty of 
manure between the rows. 
Grapes.— Plant ouc-year-old vines iu well-drained 
soil, enriched by ashes and bones; heating manures 
are not proper for a vineyard. A good selection of 
varieties, combining the early and late sorts, 
should be set out for home use. 
Raqibcrries and Blackberries.— Set out new plants 
of these valuable fruits, allowing four feet each 
way for raspberries aud six by eight feet lor the 
blackberries. 
Strawberries.— Set out new beds as soon as fnc- 
ground will allow and give the rows a good mulch. 
Hill culture is the neatest, and the plants ought to 
be set out in rows eighteen inches apart, and the 
rows two feet apart. No fruit should be allowed 
to set the season the vines are planted. 
