AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST, 
FOR TUB 
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VOLUME XXIII— No. 7. 
NEW-YORK, JULY, 1864. 
NEW SERIES— No. 210. 
Entered according to act of Congress In Un year 1SG3, by 
Orahoi .t ii i>t>. in the Clerk's Office of the IHstrlct Court of 
the n uttrt sua. s for tlic Southern District of New-York. 
tw otiii-r Journals tire Invited to copy desirable nrttcles 
freely, (feach article be credited to Am& ; ■• > Agriculturist, 
American Agriculturist in German. 
Em'h number of this Journal Is published In hotli 
the English and German Laneiugcs. The two Edi- 
tions, are similar, and contain is nearly as possible, 
the same Articles and Illustration . The German Edition 
Is furnished at tlie same rales as tlie English, singly or in 
clubs. A club may be part English, and part German. 
Notes and Suggestions for the Month. 
In July we expect scorching hot weather, and 
very likely some weeks of drouth, with thunder- 
storms, varying the monotony now and then, 
and refreshing all nature. A week of rain we 
do not expect, but may get it. Hail storms may 
come too, as they did in June, and damage the 
fruits. The ravages of insects will of course 
continue, some kinds giving place to others, one 
corps relieving another ; and if perchance one 
army of eaters be withdrawn altogether from 
our immediate front, we shall soon rind the 
scents and pickets of another, with a new base 
of supplies ; not now depending upon the cu- 
cumbers and melons, but rioting upon the cab- 
bages or the carrot fields. July brings with it 
much that is grand, majestic, and destructive, 
and very appropriately the Lion (Leo) is the 
sign for this part of the zodiac. The constel- 
lation is marked by a beautiful group of stars, 
situated in the head of Leo, one being very 
bright; they form distinctly the outline of a 
sickle or reaping-hook, — very appropriate to the 
season. Man's labors are arduous, but he goes 
to the field with the clash of machinery, and 
with the strong muscles of horses and oxen, to 
lighten his toil. The careful drivers guide their 
teams with the rush of clattering knives and 
rattling gearing behind them, round and round 
thousands of fields of grass and grain. The 
tedding machine follows in many fields tossing 
the grass into the air, like the spray from a 
stem-wheel steamer. Horses rake it, horses 
may load it, horses lift, both hay and grain to 
the mow and stack. The corn and root crops 
are cultivated, the grain is threshed, the fodder 
is cut, and every thing possible is done by 
horse-power. To relieve the horses from the 
hardest drudgery of the farm the steam plows 
are multiplying upon the prairies, and the past 
season has seen the first really successful steam 
plowing and prairie breaking in this country. 
All this goes on, and at the very same time 
500,000 farmers face the enemies of their coun- 
try, and with bayonet and saber crowd the 
traitor host to their fens and fastnesses. In this 
field, too, the labor of the horse is indispensable, 
and they number 300,000. "When we consider 
the amount of labor thus withdrawn from the 
farms of the country, it is hard to frame words 
of advice to guide those who remain, their labors 
are so peculiar. The necessity of constantly 
planning to do with less labor, or to accomplish 
more by the same outlay, by the aid of ma- 
chinery, horse-power, and various other contri- 
vances, has been gradually increasing, till now it 
would seem to have reached a climax. It is the 
farmer's great problem this year, and many are 
manfully and successfully working it out. 
Work for tUc Farm, Barn, and Stock Yard. 
Always keep the entire "situation" in mind. 
This involves good generalship. The farmer 
must know his resources,— what crops will need 
labor, how much they will need, where they 
need it, how to shift his labor from one part of 
the farm to another economically, how to bestow 
his own presence and labor and attention where 
it will be of most avail, as presence and as labor. 
He must be prepared for emergencies, for storms, 
for sick animals, for hands failing, for his own 
necessary absence; he ought to be ever ready 
with devices to keep hands and animals oc- 
cupied,— not for the sake of keeping the men 
at work, but for the sake of having the work 
done; and this the' men must be able to see 
clearly. If the farmer grudges the men a spare 
half hour, just because they are enjoying his 
time, it will make the best of men eye-servants; 
but if the pressure of work previously laid out 
makes every man feel that there is no time to 
waste, he renders his service more willingly. 
Buildings. — If barn roofs need repairing, see 
to it when there is no hay in the bays. The 
nails that fall through, if they lodge in the hay, 
are very often swallowed by cattle to their 
serious injury. Clear out empty bays thorough- 
ly before putting new hay into them. Plan to 
make such a disposition of crops as they come 
into the buildings, as to save steps and labor in 
feeding out during the winter. 
Buckwheat. — Put in a good breadth if other 
grain crops are not promising. It will follow 
either winter or spring grains or potatoes, or 
occupy land where any crop has failed ; it may 
be put in any time this month. See page 200. 
Butter.— See notes for last month. Present 
and prospective high priees for good butter 
make pains-Inking pay. Poor butter is worth 
but little more than good lard— good butter 30 
to 45 cents per pound at ret nil. 
Callages. — There are few surer ano more 
profitable crops on new land. Unfortui ately 
this plant has so many enemies in old ground 
that its culture is often uncertain and attended 
with much annoyance, but on reclaimed swamp 
ground or on land recently cleared, or in soil 
which has been exposed to a good heat by 
burning brush or bogs, it is sure and remunera- 
tive. It is not too late to sow for transplanting 
Cattle. — Look to it that they have abundant, 
water in the pastures, a constant supply of salt, 
and feed enough. Cows and especially young 
heifers should have the service of the best hulls 
their owners can afford to own or hire. 
Cellars — Give thorough, constant ventilation; 
keep cleau and free from decaying substances. 
Cheese. — Aim to secure uniform excellence, and 
uniformity in size, weight and color. The market 
for good cheese can never be glutted ; it is not 
only a nutritious and favorite article of diet 
for home markets, but there is an increasing 
foreign demand. We counsel farmers to inform 
themselves of the benefits of associated dairies 
and cheese farl i iries by personal inspection. The 
field is so large and the markets so hungry, 
there is little jealousy, and should be none. 
Clover Seed.— Give the cleanest part of a 
clover field a top-dressing ot ashes and plaster, 
(and a little fine manure from the bnrn yard or 
compost heap will do no harm.) This will give 
the clover a good start and vigorous growth, so 
that it will blossom and go to seed before the 
grass and weeds show their heads above it. The 
more rampant weeds may be pulled, or cut with 
the "spud" (a chisel on a long handle), if neces- 
sary. If headed at tlie proper time it will fur- 
nish clean and neavy seed. 
Draining.— This is always on hand when other 
work is not pressing. It cures the evils both of 
drought and excessive water, and of both com- 
bined which often occurs on the same land at 
different periods of the same year. 
Grain..— Cut when the kernel is between 
" milk" and " dough." 
Grass.— Cut in the blossom for the best hay— 
a little later to save work in curing. See articles 
on haymaking in June number, and on manuring 
grass lands in this, page 203. 
Hay Mows. — Ventilate large mows of hay or 
grain by making perpendicular air passages 
through them, with openings below. 
Hedge-rovis and fence corners, those nurseries 
for weeds, ever encroaching on the tilled land 
should be kept clean with the hook and scythe. 
Sheep, when they can be used, make very 
clean work at exterminating brush. 
Hoeing.— Keep the ground loose and' open by 
