74 
WORK FOR KARCf£, NORTH AND WEST. 
Wi I r Wheat and Rye. — If your fields of winter 
wheat or rye are much killed by frost, let each acre 
be sown with 15 lbs. of clover seed, 1 bushel of 
plaster, and 10 bushels of newly-slacked lime, well 
incorporated together; then pass over the field a 
light harrow, and lastly the roller. Most of the 
^rain roots that will be torn up by the harrow the 
roller will restore to the earth, where they will not 
only grow again, but each joint, which may thus 
be pressed into the soil, will form new roots, send 
forth additional stalks, and contribute to an in- 
creased yield. 
Allotment, or Classification of Spring Crops. — 
This is the season when all plans should be ma- 
tured, and all arrangements completed for putting 
in spring crops. In the first place, do not attempt 
to cultivate more land than you can properly attend 
to, let it be ever so rich, nor to sow, or plant, more 
than you can well manure ; for, a few acres, judi- 
ciously tilled, will yield a more profitable return, 
and at the end of the season will be in a better 
condition for the succeeding crop. Particular re- 
gard, also, should be paid to rotation ; for, as a 
teneral rule, seeding the same ground for the same 
ind of crop, two years in succession, tends to the 
impoverishment of the soil. For reliable directions 
on this subject, see p. 76, of the present number. 
Spring Grain, fyc. — As soon as the frost is out 
of the ground and the soil is sufficiently dry, the 
lands intended for oats, barley, spring wheat, and 
rye should be well and deeply plowed, manured, 
thoroughly pulverized by the harrow and roller, 
and then sown. Any kind of grass seed, adapted 
to spring culture, may be sown with barley or 
wheat, but not with oats nor rye. 
Manures. — Lose no opportunity in hauling out 
manure, in order that there may be no hindrances 
in spreading and plowing it in, previous to planting, 
or sowing your seeds. Should it be necessary for 
it to lie in heaps in the field, or to be spread on the 
surface long before it is plowed in, it would be pre- 
ferable if a little plaster were scattered over it, in 
order to fix the ammonia and prevent its escape. 
Neither lime nor wood ashes should be applied 
with guano nor with any other animal manures, as 
they both will liberate the ammonia contained in 
them, and cause it to be lost : but the lime and 
ashes should always be mixed together, as the for- 
mer will disengage the potash from the latter, 
which will then be more prompt and energetic in 
its effects. Quick lime, caustic lime, or hot lime, 
ps it is sometimes called, should never be applied 
Gnj-^y to composts, manures, nor to the soil, ex- 
cept in cases where organic acids and much crude 
vegetable matter abound. Lime is best applied in 
composts having for their basis a large proportion 
of vegetable matter, as peat, or swamp muck, turf, 
rotten wood, decayed leaves, straw, &c. It should 
first be thoroughly slacked, and directly after incor- 
porated in the compost. 
Guano should not be applied at this season, ex- 
cept as a steep for promoting the vegetation of 
seeds. 
Care and Management of Stock. — All working, 
breeding, and store animals should still be carefully 
attended to, sheltered regularly, fed, salted, watered, 
&c, whenever required. Particular attention should 
be paid to milch cows, as well as those with young. 
See that they have, daily, a proper allowance of 
hay, and some kind of succulent food, such as beets, 
carrots, parsnips, cabbages, mashes of bran or In- 
dian meal, or browse from the woods when it can 
be safely and conveniently obtained. Should you 
have any cow you wish to bring into milk in De- 
cember next, it will be necessary now to induce her 
to take the bull; and, for this purpose, medicines 
of a stimulant nature may sometimes be advantage- 
ously used. These will seldom be necessary, how- 
ever, if the animal is well fed, though there are 
some constitutions so sluggish and torpid as to re- 
quire artificial aid. Among the provocative medi- 
cines employed for this purpose, the following has 
been adopted •with success ; — 
Grains of Paradise, (cardamoms.) % oz. ; cantharides. (Span- 
ish flies.) from J£ to % oz. 
To be boiled in two or three pints of strong beer 
or ale, and given, milk warm, to the animal, while 
fasting, not allowing her anything to eat nor drink 
for four hours after taking it, in order that it may 
have the more influence. If she takes the bull 
within the period of four or five days after, it will 
be unnecessary to repeat the dose. 
To those who have but a small number of cows, 
where a bull is not always kept with them it will 
be useful to know when they are inclined for coi- 
tion. This may be known by a general restless- 
ness ; a shifting about from place to place ; the tail 
in constant motion ; a frequent dunging, staling, 
and bellowing; a loss of appetite ; suddenly abating 
her milk ; and when in the yard or field, frequently 
riding oxen or other cows, or allowing them to ride 
her. In old cows, symptoms are known to con- 
tinue four or five days : but, in general, not more 
than twenty- four hours ; — sometimes, not more than 
five or six hours. Therefore, if a cow is intended 
for procreation, the earliest opportunity should be 
taken to let her have the bull ; for, if then neglect- 
ed, it will often be two or three weeks before the 
venereal appetite returns. If, after calving, a cow 
shows symptoms of coition sooner than four or 
five weeks, which is sometimes the case, she should 
not be permitted to have the bull sooner than a 
month from that period ; for, before that time, the 
womb is generally in so relaxed a state, as to be 
incapable of conception. 
A heifer should never have access to a bull be- 
fore she is at least two years old, at which period 
nature is ripe for propagation ; and when the time 
arrives for her calving, her parts will be strong and 
open, so as to enable her to give birth to her young 
with vigor and strength. 
Have coops in readiness for young chickens — 
early ones are best. 
Tobacco Beds. — These should be prepared and 
sown agreeably to the directions given last month, 
if not done before. 
Kitchen Garden. — Continue the directions given 
in January and February, according to the climate 
and latitude of your place. Transplant in new hot- 
beds the cucumbers, cabbages, lettuces, cauliflowers, 
&c, sown last month. Seeds of cabbage, cauli- 
flower, radishes, &c, may be sown in a warm bor- 
der, on the south side of a wall or close fence, as 
soon as the frost is entirely out of the ground. At 
the same time sow a full crop of peas, kidney 
