1879.] 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
125 
will become general as soon as the advantages are 
well understood. The cultivator or horse-hoe made 
for this purpose may be used for corn, roots, and 
potatoes, as well as for the small grains. 
Plowing for Mangels or Beets. —Mangels and sugar 
beets should be sown next month. But the ground 
needs such thorough preparation that this work 
should be begun in April. A corn or potato stubble 
may be chosen, manure spread and plowed in and 
the ground harrowed and rolled if needed, until 
perfectly mellow. Two plowings are advisable, the 
first, deep, if the soil is stiff. 
Potatoes. —Experience with the Colorado beetle, 
should prompt the early planting of potatoes ; also 
abundant manuring and good preparation of the 
soil. The latter often doubles the crop. An extra 
100 bushels of potatoes per acre is well worth work¬ 
ing for. It does not pay to plant large seed. Small, 
well-ripened seed will be the most profitable when 
Its cost is considered. After much observation, the 
writer finds no difference in the crop from small 
and large seed. Of course there is a limit, and po¬ 
tatoes as small as hickory nuts are not referred to. 
Carrots and Parsnips, as field crops, are not to be 
recommended, unless for sale, when we can grow 
sugar-beets and many varieties of mangels with 
half the trouble of cultivating and harvesting. If 
carrots are desired by dairymen for special pur¬ 
poses, they might try as a substitute, the yellow or 
orange-globe or egg-shaped mangels, the red beets 
or the early blood turnip beets which come in for 
early fall and winter feeding. 
Flax. —This crop promises to become a staple, 
East as well as West, as flax manufacturing is be¬ 
coming established. Low. moist ground, newly 
cleared swamp or meadow-land suits flax exactly. 
In the West, fresh prairie is suitable. 1 bushel of 
seed per acre should he sown this month. 
Raising Calves. —To purchase improved stock, re¬ 
quires much money. But the same result may be 
gained by keeping a well selected bull and raising 
the heifer calves with care. Calves will thrive 
well when taught to drink from the pail the third 
day. It is well for them to suck the cow and 
soften the udder, for three or four days. 
Sheep. —Lambs and sheep intended for sale should 
be pushed as fast as possible with safety. But most 
haste in this respect often secures least speed. 
Ewes that have raised lambs and that are to be sold, 
should be fed so as to be out of the way by June. 
Cows. —There is no better feed as a steady diet for 
cows, than grass; but there may be cases in which 
some stimulating food may be used with benefit. 
Early grass is not healthful, being immature and 
too laxative. It would be better to follow the old 
English practice in this respect, and not turn cows 
to grass until May. May-day is an ancient farmer’s 
holiday on this account in England, and we might 
well follow their practice. This, of course, refers 
to localities with the same seasons—earlier at the 
south, and even later at the far north. 
Horses.— As the coat begins to loosen, the skin is 
often irritable. This may be corrected by giving 
in the food daily one ounce of an equal mixture of 
sulphur and cream of tartar for a few days. Good 
grooming with a soft brush and a blunt curry-comb 
should not be neglected. If the gums are swollen, 
rub them with a corn-cob dipped in powdered 
borax. Cleanliness is a great preventive of disease. 
As the weather becomes warmer, more oats, rye, or 
barley, and less com may be fed. An occasional 
feed of cut ruta-bagas will be useful. 
Brood Mares.— As foaling approaches, brood mares 
should be turned into a loose box. The extra ex¬ 
ercise is beneficial and they rest more at ease. 
Their work should be lightened. The most gentle 
treatment should be exercised ; the temper ctf the 
colt often depends upon this. 
Pigs. —Pork is looking up, and pigs are worth 
more than they were a few months ago. While 
prices are low, the cost of feeding should be 
reduced. Pigs can be kept most cheaply upon 
grass in summer, and an orchard is a good place 
for them; they will do service in destroying insects. 
Sundry Matters. —Poultry should be kept free 
from vermin; dig up the ground in the runs and 
clean the houses and so escape gapes. Provide 
good coops for young chicks, and let them ran in 
the garden or orchard. Clean up everything about 
the house and barns and burn the rubbish ; numer¬ 
ous eggs and chrysalids of insects will be burned 
with it. Put all the tools and implements in order, 
and whitewash pig-pens, poultry-houses and sheep- 
pens. Look well to fences before cattle find the 
weak places; if these are once found, they are 
always dangerous. Pile up all loose manure ; it 
may thus be made into good condition for corn or 
roots next month. As the weather becomes warm, 
use plaster freely to deodorize yards, stables, and 
pens ; it does a double duty when thus used. Clear 
the outlets of drains, and repair washed roads. 
The Orchard and Garden. 
Not having space for the few general Notes on 
the work of the horticultural departments usually 
given here, we commend the readers to those 
of last month. They are quite as timely now 
as then, and have lost none of their importance. 
Orchard and Nursery. 
The preliminary work as indicated in these col¬ 
umns for the last two or three months, will, in 
many localities, be yet in order. We have advised 
ordering trees early, and if they came to hand be¬ 
fore the proper time to plant, it was advised to 
heel them in, i. <?., to set them temporarily in trenches, 
where they will be safe for some time, until they can 
be planted... .In many eases trees have to make a 
long journey from the nursery to the purchaser, and 
Trees in transportation are liable to injury, in spite 
of the skillful packing of the nurseryman. If de¬ 
tained on the road, they may dry out and, when 
opened, present a dead and shriveled appearance. 
No matter how unpromising they may look, they 
can probably be restored. First look to the labels, 
and see that they are all well fastened ; then open 
a trench in a dry sandy place, and bury the trees 
root and branch, taking care that the moist earth 
comes well in contact with the branches and twigs 
to the very top. A week or less of this treatment, 
unless the trees were absolutely dead, will com¬ 
pletely restore them. Be very careful, in taking 
them out, not to lose labels or break the twigs. 
....Another danger is overheating, causing the 
Buds to start into growth. —The uppermost buds 
may have weak white shoots some inches long, the 
lower ones shorter shoots, while farther down on 
the branches the buds will still be dormant. In 
this case, the branches must all be cut back to a 
sound bud. The needed severe cutting may not 
leave much of the tree, but it is the only remedy. 
Cutting Back at Planting.— The novice at tree¬ 
planting can not see why he should not set all that 
the nurseryman gives him. So he might, did the 
nursery give him, all that belongs to him. Even 
with the greatest care, some roots must be cut off, 
but in hurried work the tree is deprived of one- 
third to one-half of its roots. It then becomes a 
matter of necessity to cut back the top, that there 
may be a proper proportion of root and branch. 
Bo not Hurry tree-planting. If the ground is 
not dry and mellow, let the trees wait. The land 
being marked out, and the place for each tree 
staked, take sufficient time to plant each tree prop¬ 
erly ; this means spreading the roots; covering 
them gradually with top soil, working this well in 
among the roots, finning the soil gently with the 
foot—not trampling it—then when the filling is 
completed press down the soil firmly again. 
Stakes are not needed if a tree is well set, unless 
it is of very large size. Many water the roots at 
planting, but this is unnecessary except late in 
spring when the ground has become somewhat dry. 
Mulching is always needed, to keep the soil 
around the roots moist. Straw, poor hay, stable 
litter, chips, or whatever will prevent evaporation. 
Grafting succeeds best with perfectly dormant 
cions set upon stocks, the buds of which have com¬ 
menced to swell. Full details are given in the num¬ 
ber for April, 1877, which may be had for 15 cents. 
The Cankerworm, in localities where it is trouble¬ 
some, appears as soon as the ground thaws. The 
female, being wingless, can not fly, and when she 
leaves the ground has to climb up the trunk to lay 
her eggs. All “ remedies ” consist in presenting 
some barrier to the ascent of the female. Con¬ 
trivances are numerous ; the simplest is a band of 
heavy brown paper around the trunk, smeared with’ 
tar or printer’s ink, and looked to every few days. 
The Tent Caterpillar. —Before the trees leave out, 
they should be carefully inspected for the eggs of 
this insect. They are in a band about an inch long 
near the ends of the small twigs, and are readily 
seen against the sky. Cut and burn. 
Mounds of Earth that were made around young 
trees last fall to keep off mice, should be leveled. 
The Fruit Garden, 
The fact that one has not a plot of land to set 
apart for a fruit-garden, should not prevent his 
having an abundance of small fruits. While it is 
better on many accounts to have separate gardens 
for the vegetables and the small fruits, cultivate 
them together rather than be without either. Last 
month we noted the standard varieties. Nearly all 
of the small fruits start early, and should be planted 
as soon as the soil is in good condition. Distances 
apart to plant the kinds were given last month. 
Strawberries. —Uncover them, merely separating 
the straw over the plants, and exposing the leaves 
to the light and air, leaving the soil covered. Set 
plants early, that they may get well established be¬ 
fore hot weather. Plants set now will give a full 
crop next spring, but not before. They are some¬ 
times used for an edging in the vegetable garden. 
Currants. —If not pruned last fall, do it at once, 
cutting out branches where they are crowded, and 
shortening the new wood. Manure abundantly. If 
the soil is light and dry, cover it with coarse litter. 
Gooseberries,- —Give same treatment as currants. 
Grapes. —If any were left unpruned last fall, prune 
at once. Plant vines early. See article on page 145. 
Raspberries. —If tender kinds were covered last 
fall, take them up and tie to stakes or trellis. 
Kitchen anal Market Garden. 
Hants Wintered in Cold Frames. —These are set 
out just so soon as the soil can be worked, as de¬ 
scribed last month, and the sashes from the frames 
are used upon other frames, to hasten forward a 
crop of lettuce. As soon as the lettuce is cut, cu¬ 
cumbers come on in the frames, and their early 
growth much forwarded ; thus the sashes pay. 
Plants under Glass. —Those from seeds sown this 
spring, whether in hot-bed, cold-frame, or window 
boxes already described, need care to prevent them 
from being drawn up and weak. This is done by 
transplanting and giving more room, and by expos¬ 
ing the plants every mild day. Tomatoes that have 
been transplanted into flats or boxes, are helped by 
root pruning. This is done by drawing a knife 
through the soil, midway between the rows of plants 
each way. If this is done two or three times, each 
plant will have its compact little ball of roots. 
Window Boxes containing vegetable plants, may 
be set out during mild days, and when it may be 
done without risk of frost, be left out all night. 
Sowing Seeds— The distinction given last month 
between Hardy and Tender Vegetables should be 
kept in mind. It is very easy to remember whether 
a given vegetable belongs to one of two classes. 
Hardy Vegetables can be sown everywhere so soon 
as the soil is dry enough and heavy frosts are over. 
Tender Vegetables should wait until the soil is not 
only dry but warm , and the danger of all frosts is 
past. This is fixed for every neighborhood by the 
observations of farmers who have learned at what 
date it is, on the average, safe to plant Indian corn. 
As corn is a tropical plant, and quite as tender as 
any other of the garden, it makes a very safe guide. 
Garden Implements.—On page 143 we have set 
forth the advantages of having, in even a moderate- 
sized garden, a seed-sower and weeder, as they not 
only save time, but do the work much better than 
