Work for. jtjne, south, etc. 
171 
allowed to arrive at a riper state. The white 
varieties should stand somewhat longer than the 
red before they are cut. 
Witn respect to the color of the straw, as a sign 
of maturity, experience has shown, that, if in a 
healthy state, the ear generally ripens before the 
straw ; the yellowness of the chaff and upper parts 
of the straw indicates that the crop is fit to cut ; and 
the uniform yellow color of the straw shows that 
the crop has arrived at maturity, and, if suffered to 
stand in the field, the kernels are liable to be shaken 
out by the wind. 
Threshing is usually done among extensive 
farmers, with large machines taken into the field 
and driven by horse power. If the grain cannot 
be threshed soon after cutting, it should be carefully 
stacked, or stored away in barns so as not to mold. 
Making Butter. — For full directions for making 
and curing butter, see pp. 184, 252, and 316, in our 
fifth, and pp. 173, 207, 214, 226, 228, and 269 in 
our seventh volume. 
Furnishing Stock with Salt. — All cattle, horses, 
and sheep, living remote from the sea, should be 
furnished weekly with salt ; or what would be bet- 
ter, procure some lumps of mineral salt, weighing 
several pounds each, and place them in their man- 
gers, or in the pastures, where they can lick them 
at pleasure. By this means there will be no dan- 
ger of their eating too much. 
Kitchen Garden. — The main point in this month 
is to preserve the garden free from weeds, which 
may be done by keeping the surface of the ground 
clean and loose. Potatoes, (sweet and early,) 
must now be hoed ; cabbages for autumn and win- 
ter use may be planted out, and celery transferred 
into trenches. This should be done in time of rain, 
or, if in dry weather, late in the afternoon, accom- 
panied with a plentiful watering before and after the 
plants are removed. Lima and kidney beans may 
now be sown for a late supply. 
Fruit Garden and Orchard. — During this month, 
and other times, destroy all noxious insects in your 
power. Prune grape vines, apple and pear trees, 
but not cherries and other stone fruits. If your 
peach and apricot trees bear in too great profusion, 
thin out the fruit, and give what remains a better 
chance to grow. 
Flower Garden and Pleasure Grounds. — Plant 
out in the borders perennial and herbaceous plants 
from the seed beds. Box edgings and ornamental- 
trees may now be trimmed. 
WORK FOR JUNE, SOUTH. 
Cultivation of Sugar Cane. — By the first of this 
month, the cultivation of a greater portion of the 
plant and rattoon cane will have been completed. 
Continue to plow among the cane in old land until 
July, but not too deep, for there will be danger of 
wounding the roots. 
Cotton and Tobacco. — Keep your cotton and 
tobacco fields clean, and frequently stir the earth. 
This will not only keep down the weeds, but 
greatly aid in resisting drought. The cotton will 
require the hoes to be passed through it, so as to 
clear away the weeds left by the plow. Draw the 
earth lightly around the plants, but do not leave 
any ridges as thrown up by the plow. 
Harvesting Grain. — All grain crops, not yet 
harvested, will now claim attention. After oats are 
I cut and stacked, it would be a great benefit to the 
field to plow under the stubble and sow down with 
peas, at the rate of a half bushel to three pecks to 
the acre. 
Gathering Hops. — These may be clipped and col- 
lected for drying before they begin to turn yellow 
or brown. ■■ 
Kitchen Garden. — Sow cabbages, cauliflowers, 
shalots, dwarf and pole beans, mustard, lettuce, rad- 
ishes, carrots, cucumbers, melons, squashes, pump- 
kins, roquet, tomatoes, okra, peppers, Indian corn, 
and the slips of sweet potatoes; and 
" This rule in gardening never forget — 
Sow when dry, and plant when wet." 
Fruit Garden, Shrubbery, fyc. — Commence the 
inoculation or budding of your roses and fruit trees. 
Clip evergreens if they have made a good growth, 
but not otherwise. Prune ornamental trees and 
shrubs. 
POINTS TO BE CONSIDERED IN THE CHOICE AND 
ERECTION OF LIGHTNING- RODS. 
The most important things to be considered in 
the choice of lightning rods, are, that they should 
consist of good conducting materials ; good capa- 
city ; and a good connexion with moisture in the 
earth. In addition to these, the area, or extent, of 
their protecting influence should be regarded ; the 
number of rods required for each building; their 
position when erected ; and the mode of arranging 
them. 
1 . They should consist of copper rods, or cop- 
per tubes, one half of an inch in diameter when 
rather short, and three fourths of an inch in diame- 
ter when very tall, terminating, in all cases, in a 
single point at the top, covered with palladium by 
means of acids or fire. 
2. Copper has at least 5k times more conducting 
power than bright iron, and palladium nearly 9 
times as much. Rusty iron rods or those covered 
with varnish, or paint, have but feeble conducting 
powers, probably less than those made of several 
kinds of well-seasoned wood. No lightning rod, 
whether composed of copper, iron, or wood, should 
be painted, or varnished, as that would diminish or 
destroy their effect. 
3. They should penetrate the earth sufficiently 
far to reach the moist subsoil ; or what is better, 
let them enter a sunken bed of well-burnt charcoal, 
wood ashes, spent tan bark, or soot, to a depth of 
three or four feet. 
4. In all cases, they should be elevated above 
every other point of attraction, at least, four times 
the diameter of the area, or extent, they are design- 
ed to protect ; say, in a common-sized house, which 
is 40 feet in length, 10 feet above the top of the 
highest chimney or other object extending above 
the roof. 
5. They must be in one entire piece, united by 
brazing, if necessary, and should invariably main- 
tain, as near as possible, a perpendicular position, 
particularly avoiding all abrupt angles, and short 
turns. 
6. They should be confined to the buildings, at 
a distance of about four inches from the walls-, by 
means of iron staples or wooden supports, but not 
by those covered with copal varnish, nor insulated 
by means of glass. 
