94 
THE SOUTHERN CULTIVAl'OR. 
ilXaiTtl)lp Calendar. 
Altered from the Amercm Agriculturist's Almanac for 
1814, and arranged to suit the Southern States. 
CA JFOift JUAK. 
[The following brief hints lo the farmer, planter and 
gardener, will be found to apply not only to the month 
under which they are arranged, but, owing lo diversity 
of seasons, climate and soils, they may frequently an- 
swer for other monihs. This precaution the consider- 
ate agriculturist will not fail to notice and apply in all 
cases where his j udgmeiit and experience may dictate.] 
In the north, this is me most active month 
for vegetation of the whole year. It becomes 
the farmer, therefore, to be stirring with the lark, 
and watch attentively the whole circle of his 
fields. Nothing should be neglected. The po- 
tatoes designed lor winter should now be plant- 
ed ; ruia-baga? sowm, and if any vacancies oc- 
cur in the sugar-beet and mangel-wurtzel beds, 
they should be filled up by transplanting. The 
ruta-baga is one of the most important crops of 
Great Britain, but though a useful one in this 
country, the uncertainty of it compared with 
many others, and its far inferior value to In- 
dian corn, to which our climate and soil is per- 
fectly adapted, render it but of secondary con- 
sequence. By many, who have tried each, the 
sugar-beet is much preferred for feeding stock; 
and it is certain ihe latter will keep longest 
without injury ; and in most pans of ihe coun- 
try, it is a much surer. crop, suffering less from 
drought, and vastly less from insects. Davy, 
w'ho analyzed them, gives for ruta-bagas, only 
64 parts in 1,000 as nutritive matter, while he 
found 136 in mangel-wurtzel, and 146| in 1,000 
in the sugar-beet. Where an early crop is ta- 
ken ofifthe land, ruta bagas, and even the com- 
mon white lurnep, may be raised lo advantage, 
as they may be sowm after any other crop, and 
s'illhave time to insure a good growth. Ground 
bones are a most excellent manure for every va- 
riety of lurnep. as is also lime. The last may 
be used to great advantage with almost all crops 
and soils w'hen notalready found in them in abun- 
dance. The plow, harrow, cultivator and hoe 
ought lo be plied constantly, the surface kept 
finely pulverized, and all weeds exterminated. 
It will frequently save a vast deal of labor to 
the farmer, to go through his fields of wheat, 
oats and barley, and pull up all the noxious in- 
truders, chess, cockle, charlock, red root, &c. 
The garden requires particular attention during 
this month. Keep liie weeds out and the useful 
vegetables in. As soon as the early yadishes, 
lettuce, &c., are taken off, supply Iheir places 
w'ith cabbage plants, turneps, late beans and 
peas. Leave no nook or corner Hnoccupied, 
and remember that it will require fifty times the 
labor to extirpate the progeny the following 
year, that is necessary for extirpating the w'eeds 
that are suffered to seed this. Weedy fields and 
hard sods intended for wheat in the fall ought to 
be plowed during this month, cross-plowed in 
Julv, and it necessary, again before sowing. 
Land intended for buckwheat, should be pre- 
pared, and though the old rule is to sow when 
the chestnut blossoms appear, it is a safer one, 
lo get it in somewhat earlier, especially on 
lands subject to early frost. Sheep ought to be 
carefully looked at after shearing. Cold, 
drenching rains are peculiarly hurtful lo them 
at such times. In 184-3, large numbers, in the 
State of New York, were chilled to death in 
June. Unless they have dry, well-sheltered 
fields to run in, and are Mout, well-fleshed and 
hardy, they should be driven home for the night 
at least, and provi led with a little grain, beans 
or roots. A supply of salt in troughs, where 
it is not liable to waste from rains, should at 
all times be within their reach. Always have 
tar at the bottom of the trough. This last pre- 
caution preven's worms in their heads, and has 
a general healthful effect. Some of the early 
grasses and clovers may be cut, and when put 
up add salt to the extent required by thesinimal 
while feeding: animals like salt with their food 
as well as man. Renew vour fields of broad- 
cast or drilled corn for soiling. Look well to 
your bees. Use some of the improved hives, 
so as to secure your share of the honey with- 
out endangering the lives of the bees. Watch 
the moths closely, and kill them as they are 
found; and when they have made their way 
into the hives, get at ihem there and extermi- 
nate them as soon as possible. 
Kitchen Garden. — The main point in this 
month is to keep the garden entirely clear of 
w-eeds, as their growth will now be very luxu- 
riant, and if thoroughly subdued, will be much 
more easily kept out the succeeding monihs. 
This is especially requisite with cucumbers and 
melons, around which keep the ground entirely 
clean and loose. Sweet potatoes cultivate well, 
and draw the earth up about the roots. Cabba- 
ges lor autumn and winter use can be planted 
out, and celery plants be transferred into trench- 
es. Peas may be sown for late crops, although 
they do noi bear so abundantly as those sown 
earlier in the season. Sow lettuce, and trans- 
plant every week, in order to insure a regular 
succession through the season. This should be 
done in moist weather, or if in dry weather, I 
late in the afternoon, accompanied with a plen- 
tiful watering. During the month sow kidney 
and other beans, for successiwe crops, and in 
the early part of the month a few Lima beans 
may be planted for a late supply. Turneps for 
late crops may also be sown in this month. 
Fruit Garden and Orchard, — During this 
month apple and other fruit trees can be trim- 
med. For this work, the present season is pre- 
ferable to the winter, for the reason, that the 
sap being in full circulation, will exude, and 
covering the wound, neal it in a short lime. On 
ihecontrary, in lij|: wintei, nosapean exude, and 
the branch will frequently be quite dead for 
some inches from the wound. A-ll useless 
limbs and upright shoots cut away, and let the 
tree be trimmed to an open head. In plum 
trees, all black knots formed by the insect must 
be taken off and burnt, or thedisease will spread 
rapidly. Cherries will not bear much pruning 
and it is generally best to allow them to grow 
naturally. Stone fruits frequently bear in such 
prolusion, that the tree is unable lo mature them 
all, and they are thus of comparatively small 
size. To remedy this, the cultivator should 
thin out the fruit by hand, leaving only a mod- 
erate crop; the nourishment of the tree being 
thus devoted to a limited quantity, will produce 
a larger and more delicious fruit. When trees 
are allowed to bear too abundantly, the great ef- 
forts made to mature all their fruit, will some- 
times exhaust them to such a degree as to in- 
ducediseases, from which it will often take them 
several years to recover. During this month, 
insects will f equenlly attack fruit trees in great 
numbers. For some of these, as the slugs and 
others of the same nature, a sprinkling of ashes 
or lime is the most immediately destructive. 
For the aphis and smaher insects of the 
sam.e habits, a solution of whale-oil soap, ap- 
plied with a syringe, is the most efficacious. 
Caterpillars can be destroyed while they are 
yet in small clusters, by means of burning sul- 
phur. 
Flower Garden and Pleasure Grounds,— VX&wt. 
out in the borders perennial and autumnal her- 
baceous plants, which have been sown in seed 
beds. This should be done near evening, and 
always accompanied with watering, unless the 
weather be moist or wet. Box edging can still 
be trimmed during moist weather, as also hedg- 
es of privet, hawthorn, &c., although for these 
latter, earlier in the season would have been 
preferable. The turf in the pleasure grounds 
and lawns keep well mowed; the oltener this is 
done, the more rich and velvety appearance it 
will assume. The gravel walKs and carriage 
drives keep cleaned, and free Irom weeds and 
grass throughout the summer. 
It is in this month that the numerous wild 
flowers ol our fields and woods abound in the 
greatest beauty and luxuriance; many of these 
are exceedingly beautiful, and well wmrthy ol 
cultivation in the private garden. The lobelia 
cardinalis, which abounds in the swamps, is 
one of the most splendid of these, and with ma- 
ny others has been transferred to our owm gar- 
I den with entire success. To insure their liv- 
ing, a portion of the natural soil should be 
transplanted with the roots, and a moist day, or 
late in the afternoon, selected for the purpose. 
Apply frequent watering for some days alter. 
There are lew who have not admired these 
gems, which so thickly cover Nature’s carpet; 
and when they can be so easily transferred to 
the parterre, neither the botanist nor amateur 
should be willing to deprive himselfof socheap- 
ly purchased a pleasure. In case ol drought 
it would be advisable to make frequent use of 
water in the flower borders, and also in the 
strawberry beds, by w'hich this fruit will be ena- 
bled more fully lo develop itself, and the plants 
produce a more abundant crop. 
Plantation. — Warm weather will now have 
commenced in earnest, and it is a ^'merciful man 
loho is merciful to his beast.” Call all hands at 
noon, and after having fed and curried all the 
working animals, let them be allowed to rest 
I until 3 o’clock; for they can do as much work 
1 in the remainder of the day as though they 
were at work the whole lime. 
By the first of this month the cultivation of 
a greater portion of the plant and ratioon 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 hurting the 
roots. 
Keep cotton and tobacco clean — stirring the 
earih often; this not only keeps the weeds down 
but greatly assists it in resisting drought. The 
cotton will require the hoes to be passing 
through, so as to clear away grass and weeds 
left by the plow. Dra'v earth lightly around 
the plant, but leave no ridges as thrown by the 
plow; for there will be less surface exposed to 
the sun’s rays. 
Early corn will be forward enough to give the 
last plowing, which should be just before the 
time that the tassel makes its appearance. 
Plant peas between the corn as directed last 
month. 
The grain crop not yet harvested now claims 
attention. Afte.r oats are cut and slacked, it 
would be a great benefit to the field and stock, 
to plow in all stubble and sow down with peas, 
at the rale of a half bushel to an acre and even 
more. 
The first planting of sweet potatoes will now 
require the last working. Lay the vines on 
the ridges, and start the shovel plows to run 
three or more furrows between them. Draw 
the earth with hoes to the top of the ridges, and 
be careful the ends of the vine are not covered. 
Continue to plant out drawings of the vine all 
this month, whenever the weather is suitable. 
The vines make the best seed, and may be plant- 
ed as follow's : Cut them about a foot long; 
have a hole made in the ridge with a dibble ; 
then either with a stick with a notch cut in one 
end, or with the finger, thrust down a vine or 
two doubled; press the earth well around, leav- 
ing an inch or two out of the earth. For win- 
ter’s used fresh potatoes, procure the long red 
variety, and plant in rich low ground. They 
are great yielders and ripen fully in a southern 
climate, and consequently prove a much better 
variety than at the north. They will make a 
good crop if planted by the middle of this month. 
Clip hopsfordrying, and evergreens if they are 
much growm, but not otherwise, as the heat will 
be liable to dry them too much. Begin to sow 
carrots in drills, to facilitate the weeding of 
them. Sow endive for fall crop, and black run- 
ner beans. Soon after sowing w’aler and shade 
the drills if necessary, until they have come 
up and are strong enough to bear the heat of the 
snu. 
Organic Improvement of Domestic Aiii- 
mals« 
Sheep and other animals were subdued and 
domesticated, long before their biped captors 
and masters w'ere able to keep a record of their 
doings for the benefit ol their posterity. Hence 
we know little of the original stock from wfl.ich 
our domestic animals have descended, and less 
of the early treatment they received, at the 
hands of our own progenitors. Nor is this in- 
