1870.] 
AMEBICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
43 
fection. Fallen or decaying trees should be cut. 
Crooked saplings, or those which have given up 
the effort to push through to the light, should be 
mercilessly removed. Amoug the young growth, 
encourage only timber trees or those best for fuel. 
Maple Sugar. — Make preparations betimes, and 
consult an article detailing the processes on p. 58. 
Manure. — Good sledding may well be employed 
to haul out manure, especially upon plowed 
ground. Work over manure that is liable to heat, 
and lay it in compact piles, over which water may 
be pumped, to check and equalize fermentation. 
Seeds, of all kinds, likely to be needed, both for 
the farm and garden, should be early provided, and 
tested in pots or boxes, to prevent disappointment. 
Work in the Horticultural Departments. 
Much is gained in taking advantage of occasion- 
al mild spells to advance the spring work. The 
early part of the winter, contrary to general ex- 
pectation, afforded several such, and doubtless 
others will occur in which preparation for planting 
maybe made, odds and ends cleared up, and several 
days gained which must otherwise have been taken 
from the busy season. We repeat that it is a 
great advantage to the purchaser and a convenience 
to the vender to order trees, seeds, and similar 
matters, well in advance of the time at which they 
will be planted aud sown. Seedsmen now have 
their catalogues ready and their stock in store. 
Most of the hints given in January are timely now. 
©i-ehard and Nursery. 
Planting. — The time for setting trees will be gov- 
erned by the locality. In the Southern States, 
planting will be done this month, but at the North 
nothing is gained by planting too early, even if 
the ground happens to be open for awhile. The 
cold, drying winds are very injurious to trees' that 
have not yet recovered the use of their roots. 
Varieties. — In plantiug for family use, the selec- 
tion should comprise varieties from the earliest to 
the latest. In orchards, for marketing, there should 
he hut few varieties, and those of popular market 
kinds, known to succeed in the neighborhood. In 
making a selection, local experience is the only safe 
guide. Do not buy from the extravagantly colored 
pictures shown by traveling agents. If unfamiliar 
with the sorts found to do best, make it a business 
to go about among those who grow fruit, aud learn. 
Young Trees, that are vigorous and healthy, are 
to be preferred to larger ones that have become 
cheeked in their growth by being crowded in nur- 
sery rows. Some planters prefer trees only one 
year old from the bud or graft. If trees are frozen 
in transportation, let them thaw very gradually. 
Old Trees, that have become established, may be 
treated,. during a damp, foggy time, to a wash of 
strong soft-soap, thinned with water enough to 
work, or a lye of potash. This destroys moss, 
loosens old scales, and leaves the bark smooth. 
Injured Trees, such as have been broken by 
storms or otherwise, should have the ragged wound 
pared smooth. Those slightly injured by mice and 
rabbits will recover if earth be drawn up to cover 
the wound. If the bark is completely gone, the 
only way to save the tree is to connect the hark 
below and above the wound by cions, inserted 
in the bark so as to span over the injured part. 
Grafting should be done only when the swelling 
of the buds shows that vegetation is starting. 
Cions may be cut and preserved in moss or sawdust. 
Pruning is to be done before growth begins. In 
pruning neglected trees, the object should be to 
get an open and well-balanced head. Take care 
that a bad wound is not made by the falling of the 
limb when partly sawed off. Pare wounds smooth, 
and cover them with melted grafting wax or paint, 
which maj be tinted, to be less conspicuous. 
Inseets. — Those which need particular atteution 
at this time are the Tent-caterpillar and the Canker- 
worm. The first named is still to be attacked in 
the eggs, which will be found attached in bunds to 
the twigs, near their ends. The Canker worm is- 
sues from the ground in spring, and often in warm 
days this month. The females are wingless, and 
can only ascend the trees to deposit their eggs by 
climbing. Some obstacle must be presented to 
their ascent. The simplest is a band of stout paper 
tied around the tree, to which tar i3 applied. This 
must be looked to every few days, and be renewed 
if the surface has become hard. There are a great 
many contrivances for surrounding trees with a 
gutter or harrier of oil or other liquid, impassable 
to iuseets, some of which arc given in back volumes. 
The success of all these depends upon frequent in- 
spection and care. See back volumes for details. 
Manure may be spread upon the surface of the 
orchard. It should never he put in a heap around 
the trunks, where it does no good, but harm. 
Fruit Garden. 
Trees, and there should be only dwarf ones in 
the fruit garden proper, will need pruning, wash- 
ing with soap or lye, protection against insects, 
etc., aud such other care as has already been sug- 
gested for trees in the orchard. 
Grape- Tines may be pruned when not frozen. It 
frequently happens that, in the pressure of fall 
work, the vines are left until now. If the coldest 
of the winter is over, go over those trimmed 
last fall, and remove the extra buds that were left 
as a precaution against the severity of the winter. 
Blackberries and Raspbemes should be set as 
early as the condition of the soil will allow. The 
underground shoots, which will form the canes of 
next season, start very early, and are likely to be 
injured if the setting is left until late. 
Strawberries may be planted in those localities 
where the frost is out of the ground. 
StitfcIieM <3riir«le«». 
Manure is the main question, and it will he 
needed in large quantities, not only to apply to the 
soil, but for hot-beds. The heaps should be so 
large that the generated heat will not allow them 
to freeze. When the heaps become heated, which 
is shown by the issuing of steam, or may be as- 
certained by thrusting a stake into them, they 
should be re-built; water if the interior is dry. 
Cold-Frames. — The plants will now bear full ex- 
posure during sunny days, but they must be cov- 
ered in the afternoon, even if the nights are mild, 
for fear of a sudden change and snow storms. 
Hot-beds should be started six weeks iu advance 
of the time for planting iu the open air ; hence 
they are now needed only in the warmer States, 
where Tomatoes, Egg Plants, etc., may be sown. 
Preparations should be made. The common size 
of sash is 3 x 6 feet, glazed with S x 10 glass. 
Straw Mats will also be needed to cover the sash, 
to protect plants from frost or too much sun. The 
mats should be 7 feet long, and 4J4 feet wide, so 
that two will cover three sashes. We have, in 
former volumes, given directions for making them. 
One of the simplest is to stretch five strands of 
strong twine or " marlin," of the proper length, 
to form the mat, then lay on straw, with the but 
ends towards the edges of the mats, and about an 
inch in thickness ; then put five other strings over 
the straw, and directly above the first ones, and 
take a large needle aud twine and sew through the 
straw, takiug care that the loop of the stitch 
catches both the upper and lower strings. The 
sewing should be done at each pair of strings. 
Brush, and Poles for peas and beans. Cut while 
there is leisure, aud before the leaves start. 
Potatoes. — A few for very early planting may be 
kept in a warm room to start the sprouts, and then 
be planted iu a warm place in the garden. A few 
days may be gained, as they may with 
Peas, by a little coaxing. Plant a row or two in 
a sheltered place, laying a board over the rows at 
night, and on very cold days. When the peas are 
up, raise the boards by means of bricks or some- 
thing else that will keep them clear of the plants. 
Two boards, nailed together like an caves-trough, 
are sometimes used for a cover at night. Thev 
may be placed, iu the day, near the plants, to break 
off the wind and reflect the suu's heat. 
Parsnips and Salsify.— Dig as soon as the ground 
is thawed, and before the plants start. 
Rhubarb.— Roots may be forced by placing them 
in ear'h at the bottom of a barrel iu a warm room, 
or, where there are cold-frames or green-houses, 
they may be forwarded easily. 
Seeds. — Test their vitality as directed last mouth. 
Trust to none that are of doubtful identity. 
Flow«r Garden and liavru. 
Plans for new improvements should be complet- 
ed before the working season begins. We give, on 
page 64, some suggestions about laying out flower 
beds, and shall probably have something to say on 
the subject next month. Whether the place be 
large or small, a considerable extent of unbroken 
turf should be secured, unless one's taste for 
flowers is so strong as to require that all the avail- 
able land be appropriated to them. 
Shrubs should be taken into account in the plan. 
Many of them are beautiful in foliage all the sea- 
son, and some of them produce exquisite flowers. 
Prune established ones if they have become over- 
crowded and out of shape. Let the trimming con- 
form to the natural habit of the plant, and do not 
try to make one with naturally curving branches 
grow upright. Those which flower only on the new 
wood, like the Rose of Sharon, need to be cut 
back, to induce a strong new growth, while shrub* 
upon which the buds for next year's flowering, are 
ready formed, as the Lilac, need only to be thinned. 
Ornamental Trees, if they need pruning, should 
be treated with the same care as fruit trees. Some- 
times it will be necessary to remove lower limbs 
which are in the way, but, as a general thing, it is 
better to lenvn tho troo to lake its natural form. 
Half Hardy Plants, which have bem eto,-«d for 
winter in pits or in cellars, will need looking to, to 
guard against their being started into growth by 
the warmth of the sun. Give air, and keep as cool 
as possible, without severe freezing, plants in cel- 
lars, if too dry, will need a little water. 
Dahlias, Cannas, and other roots, stored for the 
winter, should be examined occasionally. They 
are more apt to suffer from dampness than dryness, 
and should be removed to a drier place if there are 
any signs of decay. 
Wood-work, such as trellises, garden seats, rustic 
ornaments, etc., will need painting or oiling. 
At the South, where the climate permits it, trees 
and shrubs may be planted, perennials lifted and di- 
vided, lawns made, and other spring work executed. 
Green-hotisc and Window Garden. 
Air is to be giveu on mild days — a point much 
neglected by those who grow window plants. 
Dust should be removed from the leaves of wiu- 
dow plants by washing or showering. 
Insects. — Those which most commonly infest 
house plants are treated of on page 63. 
Bulbs should have the flower stalk cut away aa 
soou as out of flower. If in pots or boxes, the 
leaves may be kept growing until they can be 
turned out in the open ground. Bulbs that have 
flowered in glasses arc not. worth saving. 
Plants in Bloom will need shading during the 
middle of the day. Bring those about to flower 
near the glass. 
Propagation of bedding and other plants for sum- 
mer use may now be commenced. Verbenas, Ge- 
raniums, Heliotropes, and such plants, arc often 
needed in large quantities, aud by beginning early 
the stock may be multiplied extensively. The tem- 
perature of the air of the house should always be 
lower than that of the cutting bench. 
Seeds of annuals, for summer blooming, may be 
sowu in shallow boxes ; the seedlings, wben large 
enough to handle, may be pricked out into other 
boxes. Many of the herbaceous perennials, if 
started early in tbis way, will bloom the first year. 
