1878. J 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST, 
83 
kets, few crops pay better than early potatoes, and 
in the Northern States, early planted potatoes may 
be harvested and sold in time to take a crop of 
corn fodder, corn, or millet, from the same land. 
Homing .—In the northern part of the country we 
are only as yet thiuking about plowing and sowing. 
Here we find it best to be careful about putting the 
plows to work too soon. The soil should be dry 
enough to crumble before it is turned. Where a 
fallow is to be plowed for corn, it may be done as 
soon as may be; but sod ground should be left as 
long as possible, so as to get a good growth of 
clover to turn under. Steel and equally hard, 
chilled-iron plow's have become so cheap and com¬ 
mon, that every farmer may procure one. They are 
of easy draft, and scour perfectly in any soil. 
Spring Cultivation.—In time, no farmer will fail to 
cultivate the fall-sown crops, just as corn or roots 
are now cultivated. We greatly need a machine for 
hoeing wheat and rye, by which the product will 
be much increased. At present only comparatively 
few farmers harrow these crops in the spring, while 
every one could, and should, do so. The ground 
should be dry on the surface before this is done, 
although the frost may not be out of the sub-soil. 
The object is to break up the crust and mellow the 
ground; this is done perfectly by either of the 
slopiug-tooth harrows illustrated in Jan., pp. 18,19. 
Spring Wheat .—A new' variety of spring wheat, 
which would be as good in its way as the Claw'son, 
and some other new fall wheats, would be an ac¬ 
quisition. Two new varieties are offered by B. K. 
Bliss & Sons which, as far as can be judged by the ap¬ 
pearance of the grain, seem to be well worthy of a 
trial. This crop needs early sowing, and a liberal 
dressing of Nitrate of Soda will help it amazingly. 
Oats are hardy, and may be sown as soon as the 
frost is well out of the soil, if the seed is well cov¬ 
ered. It will be found preferable to drill in the 
seed, rather than to sow broadcast. We always 
sow clover with oats, if it is convenient, and have 
never found the crop to shade the ground too much. 
Clover Seed is cheap, and although it may not be 
sown until next month, a sufficient supply should 
be secured at once. No one knows how soon an 
advance in price may occur. Where there is no 
danger that the ground may wash by heavy rains or 
melting snow, clover seed may be sown towards the 
end of the month upon the snow. It will not 
sprout until the ground becomes warm.—The best 
time is on a still morning, after a little night freez¬ 
ing, which opens cracks all over the surface. The 
seed drops into these, and is covered as the 
ground thaws. 
Meadows and Pastures are frequently injured by 
pasturing as soon as the snow is off. Nothing is 
gained, but damage results from such a course. 
As soon as dry enough, roll the surface thoroughly. 
Sod heaved by frost is restored by rolling, and 
stones or lumps are pressed down smoothly. The 
good effect will be appreciated when the mower is 
used. Walk behind the roller and pick up and 
throw into the box stones that may project enough 
to catch the mower blade. 
Live Stock .—Although spring begins this month, 
for 6toek it is practically winter for some weeks 
yet. As warmth increases, some exercise in a dry 
yard is useful. When the melting snow or rain 
floods the barn-yard,the animals should be removed. 
It would be advisable to keep the yards dry if pos¬ 
sible, by drains leading to a field where the liquid 
manure will be serviceable. By some means the 
feet of animals should be kept out of half frozen 
slop or mud in wet yards. 
Feeding Young Stock .—It is often but wrongly 
considered that anything is good enough for young 
stock. On the contrary, nothing can be too good 
for growing animals. Coarse, indigestible, and es¬ 
pecially musty food, is very injurious to them. It 
disorders the digestion, and produces diarrhoea, 
red-water, and impacted rumen ; or paves the way 
for an attack of “ black-leg,” or other anthrax dis¬ 
eases, when the change to green food comes. Plants 
affected by smut, rust, and other fungoid diseases 
are, when used as food, most dangerous in their ef¬ 
fects, and should be most carefully avoided. 
Horses .—The breaking up of winter brings heavy 
roads and severe work for teams. When extra ex¬ 
ertion is called for, it should be done deliberately 
and with caution. Chains and harness should be 
strong; sudden jerks are dangerous to the teams, 
harness, and wagons. Above all things a driver 
should be patient and gentle. Willing animals 
should never be fretted by the obstinacy or stupidi¬ 
ty of ignorant hired men. Just now let the farm¬ 
er keep a sharp eye on his horses. 
Cows .—For the management of cows at this 
season, see hints for the past two mouths. 
Sheep and Lambs .—Upon warm days the ticks will 
be active, and the sheep may be noticed rubbing 
themselves against walls and fences. For ticks, a 
pint of a solution of Buchan’s “ Carbolic Dip ” may 
be poured on to the sheep through the spout of a 
common kerosene oil can. Part the wool along the 
back, and pour the dip so that it runs down the sides. 
Swine .—Sows that have not been bred, may be 
coupled this month. This will bring the pigs in 
June, and give time to have market pigs for the 
holidays, or fine store pigs for wintering over. 
Vermin .—As the sun gets warm in the middle of 
the day, lice will become troublesome upon calves, 
pigs, and fowls. Nothing is so fatal to lice as grease. 
A mixture of lard and kerosene oil is very disagree¬ 
able to these pests. Put the mixture wherever it 
will do the most harm to the parasites and the 
most good to the infested animals. 
Poultry .—It is now that the early layers will be¬ 
come broody. March or April chicks are very 
profitable, and every broody hen should be set at 
once. Give clean nests of oat-straw or hay, and 
put a handful of feathers under the eggs to keep 
them warm when the hen is off of the nest to feed. 
Catarrh and Roup .—We have never seen so much 
disease amongst poultry as in the present season. 
There are many half blind hens whose sight might 
have been preserved by a little care. When the 
eyes become gummed up and the nostrils discharge, 
it is first catarrh, and then follows roup. Wash the 
heads and eyes with warm water and vinegar, and 
then touch the nostrils and the throat with a 
feather dipped in a solution of a pinch of chlorate 
of potash in a tablespoonful of warm water. 
Notes on Orchard and Garden Work. 
There is no month of all the twelve, for which it 
is more difficult to write these Notes, than March. 
It is on the border between winter and spring, and 
while in the northernmost localities winter still 
lingers, our readers in the Middle aud Southern 
States are fairly in the midst of their spring work. 
As in other months our Notes are a little in advance 
of the season, as it is very easy for the reader to 
look back, should he find what we have indicated 
for March is with him practicable only for April. 
Those who have neglected to order trees, plants, 
seeds, etc., until now, should lose no time in pro¬ 
curing their supplies ....“ Where shall I buy? ” is 
a question frequently asked by correspondents, 
especially by those who have had no experience in 
purchasing. As We do not, knowingly, admit the 
advertisement of any one, from whom we would 
not purchase ourselves, we decline recommending 
one dealer in preference to another. The mail fa¬ 
cilities allow seeds and small plants to be sent to 
remote localities. With regard to more bulky ar¬ 
ticles the matter of transportation is to be con¬ 
sidered, and one will naturally purchase near home, 
if he can be well served, but if there is any doubt 
as to this, no consideration of saving of freight 
should prevent ordering from a nurseryman of good 
reputation.In the hurry of spring work do not 
be tempted to plant, plow, or work the soil in any 
manner, until it is sufficiently dry, and will crumble 
as it is moved by the spade or plow. 
Orchard and Nursery. 
Injured Trees should be looked to at once. If 
limbs have been broken by accumulations of snow 
and ice, make a smooth wound and cover it with 
melted grafting wax or thick paint. Trees that are 
Girdled by Mice or Rabbits, if the inner bark is not 
destroyed, will recover if well earthed up, or by the 
application of a thick plaster of cow dung and loam, 
bound on by a coarse cloth, the object being to 
keep the parts from drying until the wound can be 
healed. Where the girdling is complete, and the 
inner bark quite removed, the only chance of sav¬ 
ing the tree is to insert 
grafts between the bark 
above and that below. 
Pieces of the shoots of the 
same tree are sharpened at 
each end, and cuts made 
in the bark by a chisel, 
pointing downwards be¬ 
low the wound, and point¬ 
ing upwards above it; 
the cions, as we may call 
them, are then inserted 
as in the engraving, and the wound covered with 
clay or grafting wax. 
Planting need not be hurried. When trees arrive 
from the nursery, unpack them, keeping a sharp 
eye to the labels, and “ heel-in ” at once. This is 
done by opening a trench aud placing in the trees 
in a sloping position with their roots well covered 
with fine soil. This should be done if only a day is 
to intervene betw'een their arrival and their plant¬ 
ing, and when thus cared for, they remain for days 
or weeks without harm. 
Pruning before Planting is of great importance. 
No matter how carefully a tree may be taken up, a 
large share of its fibrous roots are lost, and the top 
should be cut back in proportion. The tree as re¬ 
ceived from the nursery will probably have four or 
five branches, and if planted as it is, only a few of 
the uppermost buds on each branch will start. It 
should be cut back to leave but three or four buds 
on each branch. Novices hesitate to do this, but 
it is all important to the future welfare of the tree. 
At the same time all bruised roots should be ,cut 
back to sound wood. 
Laying out the Ground may be done in squares, 
the trees in rows, and opposite each other, a com¬ 
mon plan for small orchards, but where the ground 
i3 to be used to the best advantage, the quincunx 
method is adopted, in which each tree stands at 
the corner of an equilateral triangle, and is equally 
distant from six others. For any plan, the ground 
should be measured and staked out beforehand. 
In Planting, recollect that the tree is not a post, 
but a broad and shallow hole is needed, in which 
the roots can be spread to their greatest extent. If 
the soil is poor, some good compost may be added, 
but no fresh manure. Set the tree so that it will 
be just as it stood before removal. Spread the 
roots equally, and work the soil in among them, 
and especially under them with the fingers, and 
cover gradually. When the roots are well cover¬ 
ed, the soil may be pressed down gently with the 
foot, not stamped down, and the filling finished. 
Stakes, where trees are properly planted, are not 
needed, unless in exposed localities where there are 
strong winds, and in such cases the orchard should 
be protected by a screen of some quick-growing 
trees that will serve as a wind-break. 
Mulching newly planted trees is often highly im¬ 
portant, whatever will prevent evaporation from 
the soil will answer. In some localities stones are 
the most available mulch. Use bog-hay, pine- 
needles, straw, or whatever will cover the surface. 
Recording the Orchard should not be omitted. La¬ 
bels soon become obliterated, and are unreliable, 
but a map, or a record by rows, is permanent. 
Grafting is best done just as vegetation starts. A 
tree that produces poor fruit is easily converted in¬ 
to a profitable tree. The operation is a simple one, 
and any intelligent boy can perform it. It is not 
practicable for us to repeat these instructions every 
year. A very full and detailed account was given 
in April, 1877, which may be procured for 15 cents. 
Old Trees may be renovated by cutting out the 
crowded branches, manuring, and giving the trunk 
and larger branches a wash of ley or soft soap, and 
scraping, as recommended last month on page 51. 
Crops in the Orchard .—A young orchard may be 
cultivated with manured crops, such as potatoes 
and root crops, but when the trees come into bear¬ 
ing, they need all the soil to themselves. 
Insects .—See for these, and other timely matters, 
last month’s Notes. 
