66 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
[Makch, 
Sheep.— Separate breeding ewes, and follow hints 
given on the preceding page, and also on page SO. 
Tools.— Repair broken implements, get duplicates 
of parts liable to break In ordinary usage— 
plow-points or shares, cultivator and harrow teeth, 
wkime-trees, ox-yokes and bows, and the like. 
Orchard and Nursery. 
The intense eold at the beginning of the year has 
severely- injured the trees in many localities. 
Wherever the bark is black and dead, cut the 
branches back to a good healthy bud at once, tak- 
ing care that the bark does not strip while pruning. 
Cherry Trees. — Plant ao early as possible. Graft 
the last of this month or the first of next. 
Callings of Quince, Currants, etc., put out early. 
Girdled Trees. — Trees injured by mice or rabbits, 
as soon as discovered, should have a plaster of 
cow-dung and clayey loam, well beaten together 
and bound on with an old cloth. 
Grafting — Read the detailed description on page 
81. Cions may be cut. Get the necessary tools 
and materials ready. Cherries may be worked this 
month, but it is best to leave Apples until later. 
Insects.— Examine trees received from the nursery 
to see that they do not contain scale or bark louse. 
Better burn up the trees than introduce this pest. 
Nurserymen should send out no affected trees. 
Scale may be removed from small trees by apply- 
ing soft soap by means of a brush or swab. 
Manures. — Stable manure may be spread liberally 
over the roots of trees. Cart out compost in 
heaps where it will be needed in spring planting. 
Nursery Trees. — In taking up, preserve as many of 
the root fibres as possible. If to be packed for 
carrying far, put damp moss around the roots. 
Planting. — Prepare the land by deep plowing, fol- 
lowing the common plow with a sub-soiler. If the 
land is inclined to be wet, drain it. As soon as 
trees are received, unpack them and bury their 
roets. If the tops are at all dried, bury the whole 
tree in moist earth for a few days. Make the holes 
wide enough to spread the roots to their full length. 
Pare off smooth all wounds upon the roots. Cut 
back the last year's growth to two or three buds. 
Set the tree so that the upper roots shall be three 
or four inches below the surface. Extend and sepa- 
rate the roots and fill in with surface soil, taking 
care that no cavities are left. Work in the earth 
between the roots with the fingers. When the 
roots are covered with several inches of earth, 
press it down with the foot, then fill up the hole. 
Put a mulch of old straw, coarse manure, or 
chips, around the tree as far as the roots extend. 
Pruning. — Remove only small or injured branches. 
Old Orchards will be benefitted by scraping loose 
bark and moss from the trunks ; wash with soft 
soap in water enough to apply with a brush. 
Seeds. — Plant out fruit tree seeds kept over winter 
in boxes of earth, as soon as the soil is ready. 
Stocks. — Cut back those budded last season to 
within 3 inches i .f the bud. Set out those root-graft- 
ed during winter, as soon as the ground is settled. 
Kitchen Garden. 
In following the suggestions given in the Agri- 
ctdlurist calendar, regard must he had to the for- 
wardness of the season and the peculiarities of the 
location. Many will find them more suited to April 
than to the present month. In general, nothing is 
gained by working before the ground has become 
settled, and danger of severe freezing is passed. 
Asparagus. — Fork in the covering of manure 
gently. Strew salt over, and use old brine upon 
the bed. Make new beds, using one or two-year- 
«H plants ; set one foot apart each way, in ground 
thoroughly manured, at least 18 inches deep. Sow 
■seeds early, in drills one foot apart. See page 75. 
Beans. — A few may be started in hot beds for 
•early use by sowing in sods, as directed on page 82. 
Ashes will be very useful throughout the sea- 
son. Preserve a supply under cover. 
Beets. — As soon as weather admits, sow Early Tur- 
nip or Bassano on rich ground, in rows a foot apart. 
Cabbages. — Sow in hot-bed Early York and other 
early sorts, and Wiuningstadt for second early. 
Sprinkle with ashes and plaster at the first signs of 
insects. Put out cabbage stumps for greens. 
Carrots. — Sow the Early Horn, as directed for 
beets. Cover lightly, and water if the weather be dry. 
Cauliflower. — Sow in hot-bed same as cabbage. 
Early Paris is good; also Extra Early Erfurt, 
Celery. — Sow in a gentle, hot-bed or cold-frame. 
Shade from hot sun and water as needed, till plants 
are up. Early White Solid is the best early sort. 
Compost. — The heaps made last season should be 
turned over; break the lumps, pick out all rubbish 
and make uniform. If not sufficiently decompos- 
ed, add stable manure to start fermentation. 
Cress, or Peppergrass. — Sow early in light, rich 
soil; cover lightly; apply ashes to keep off insects. 
Cucumbers. — Sow seeds of Early Russian, and 
White Spined, in sods, as described on page 83. 
Drains. — These will pay. If not able to do 
more, at least put tiles in the wettest places. 
Egg Plant.— Put seeds in the hot-bed6. Long 
Purpl? for earlyi Improved New-York for main crop. 
Fences and Qates. — Make pig and poultry proof. 
Horse Radish. — Dig for use and market. The 
roots may be kept a long time buried in sand. 
Start new beds by planting pieces of root one inch 
long at the depth of a foot, 10 inches apart, in rows 
two feet distant, A rich, moist soil is best, 
Mot-Beds. — See description and notes on page 82. 
Leeks. — Sow early, an inch deep, in rows a foot 
apart, in rich soil. 
Lettuce. — Sow in hot-bed or cold-frame, very thin 
and shallow, and in the open ground as soon as 
practicable. Curled Silesian, and Butter, are best. 
Manure. -Cart out. to where it is to be used, and 
cover with earth if it is to remain for any time. 
Save hen and pigeon manure under cover. 
Melons.— Start a few as directed for cucumbers. 
Onions. — As soon as the ground is thawed, put 
out potato onions 4 inches apart, in 15-inch rows. 
Cover with a little straw till the leaves appear. 
Parsley — Sow in a gentle hot-bed and in open 
ground in 1-foot drills. Soaking the seed a day in 
tepid water will hasten germination. 
Parsnips. — Use or market, leaving finest for seed. 
Peas. — Plant as early as the ground can be work- 
ed, and at intervals of two weeks, in a dry, warm 
place, occupied the year before by some well ma- 
nured crop. Numerous new; early kinds are in the 
catalogues. Daniel O'Rourke and Prince Albert 
need brush, and are good — Tom Thumb and Bish- 
op's Long Pod are dwarfs, and need no brush. 
Peppers. — Sow in hot-beds for planting early. 
Plow, Subsoil and Trench as soon as the soil is dry. 
Potatoes.— Put in early sorts. Start the sprouts 
in a warm room before planting. If cold weather 
has not passed, cover the rows with litter. The 
Dykeman is most grown around New-York — 
Early Sovereign and Ash-leaf Kidney are good. 
Radishes. — Sow in hot-bed, and put in open 
ground as early as may be, at intervals of two 
weeks. Strew ashes and plaster to keep off insects. 
Give a rich and rather sandy soil. The Scarlet 
Turnip, Olive Shape, Early Frame, and Long Scar- 
let Short Top are among the best. 
Rhubarb. — Put out roots as soon as the ground 
can be worked. Give plenty of manure and muck. 
Salsify or Vegetable Oyster. — Dig as soon as the 
earth is thawed, leaving the finest for seed. 
Seeds. — Order early. Use none of doubtful vi- 
tality. See basket note. Parsnip, carrot, onion, 
and salsify especially, are not safe if over a year old. 
Spinach. — Uncover that wintered over, and stir 
the soil. Sow the round-leaved sort early. 
Squash. — Pat seeds of the early kinds in the hot- 
bed, as directed for cucumbers. 
Tools. — If old ones have not been repaired and 
new ones bought, do it as soon as possible. 
Tomatoes. — Start in hot-bed. Early and Large 
Smooth Red are the earliest, Fejec for succession. 
Turnips. — Sow for early family use, in a warm 
spot, the Early Dutch, or Red and White Strap-leaf. 
Winter Cherry. — Treat this the same as tomatoes. 
Fruit Garden. 
A deep, rich and well drained soil is essential, 
and in making new plantings this should be secur- 
ed. Order new stock early, as there is a scarcity. 
Blackberries. — The Dorchester is the earliest, and 
the New Rochclle the standard sort. Plant early, 
6 feet each way, cutting old canes back to 6 inches. 
Cherries.— Dwarfs' may be planted in the fruit 
garden, but standards require too much room. 
Currants. — Plant out cuttings made in autumn. 
If the buds have not started, make cuttings now. 
Gooseberries. — Make and set out cuttings. Plant 
the American and Houghton's Seedling early. 
Grapes. — Put out cuttings and rooted plants, as 
soon as the ground is ready. See article on page 
84. Plant vines in rich, but not a close or wet soil, 
which has been worked at least 18 inches deep. 
Hartford Prolific, Concord, and Delaware are the 
hardy varieties. Diana good with protection. 
Creveling, Allen's Hybrid, Adirondac, Iona, Isra- 
ella, and several of Rogers' Hybrids are promising 
and worthy of trial. Catawba and Isabella succeed 
in certain localities only. Do not be in a hurry to 
put up vines laid down in autumn. If not manur- 
ed last fall, give the vines a good surface manuring. 
Raspberries. — Do not uncover until danger of 
frost is over. Make new plantations. Franconia and 
Hudson River Antwerp are the best red. Brinck- 
le's Orange for yellow is a standard sort. The 
Black Caps are very prolific. See article on page 85. 
Strawberries. — If new beds are to be planted this 
spring, prepare ground early, spading in a good 
supply of well decomposed manure or compost. 
Pears. — Plant dwarfs early. If we "could have 
hut one pear, it would be the Bartlett; for two, 
add the Duchesse d' Angouleme, and for three, the 
Vicar of Winkfield. 
Flower Garden and Lawn. 
Operations here will depend much upon the for- 
wardness of the season. Clearing up can be done, 
new walks made and old ones repaired. 
Annuals — Sow in a gentle hot-bed or cold frame. 
Cold Frames. — Give free airing on mild days. 
Edging. — Reset box as soon as it gets unsightly. 
Lay grass edgings, and trim and repair old ones. 
Hedges. — Thorn, Privet, Buckthorn, and other de- 
ciduous hedge plants may be set. 
Hot-beds. — Make for starting early annuals and 
cuttings as directed on page 82. They pay. 
Lawn — Remove dead leaves and fallen limbs, top- 
dress with fine compost, and reseed bare spots. 
Perennials. — Take up, divide and reset. 
Roses. — Plant as early as the ground can be 
worked. Tie up climbiug roses. 
Shrubs. — Plant and thin out hardy kinds. Those 
protected during winter should not be uncovered 
until the weather is settled. 
Bulbs. — Partially remove the covering of hya- 
cinths, or remove it wholly if the weather is warm 
keeping it near by to throw over in case of frost- 
Green and Hot-Houses. 
Sudden changes without will require care in watch- 
ing the fires. "Ventilate freely whenever admissible. 
Abutilons. — Propagate by cuttings. The striatum 
and venosum are desirable for borders. 
Acacias in bloom need light, but little water. 
Annuals. — Pot off all that are large enough, and 
sow others if an inciease of stock is needed. 
Azaleas. — Prune as soon as out of flower. Give 
plenty of air and sun while growing. 
