1882 .] 
AMERICA'S AGRICULTURIST. 
141 
Mammoth” (red), and “North” and “ Kinver’s 
Globe,” both yellow sorts. 
Turnips —A similar soil and treatment are re¬ 
quired for turnips. The Swedes or Ruta Bagas 
should be sown from the end of May until the last 
of June, and the strap-leaved sorts from July 1st to 
the middle of August. 
Carrots require well prepared land; they are sown 
from the beginning to the end of May, in rows two 
feet apart, and the plants thinned to six inches. The 
“Long Orange ” variety is among the best. One 
6trong offset to root crops has been the lack of 
proper winter storage, but now cellars and pits are 
easily provided and this should not deter any from 
making roots a part of the regular rotation of crops. 
Spring; Wheat. 
This first field crop to be sown in spring, should 
go into the ground as early as thorough and proper 
working of the ground will permit.. The “ thorough 
and proper working” of the soil means a good 
deal. The plowing should not be done when the 
furrow slices of sticky soil shine as they are turned, 
lest it afterwards dry into hard clods. Plowing the 
soil before it will crumble as turned is a serious 
mistake. Besides having a mellow soil, it should 
be naturally rich enough to grow at least 20 bushels 
per acre, or else enough manure used to secure 
this. Much time and strength are wasted in plow¬ 
ing and harvesting wheat which an application of 
manure would make profitable. This remark holds 
good in other parts of the farm than the wheat field. 
Seeding to Clover. 
Our best success has been in scattering the seed 
over growing wheat, on a cool morning early in 
April, when an inch depth of frost opens the 
ground in cracks into which the seed falls and is’ 
lightly covered by the thawing earth. Both this 
and the wheat, but especially the clover, are usually 
benefited by a broadcast sowing of ground plaster 
in May. So marked is this sometimes, that one can 
write his name in large letters with plaster sowing, 
and the letters will be distinctly visible in the more 
luxurious green, when the clover plants, at first 
protected from the sun by the wheat plants, have a 
chance for full growth, after the wheat is cut. The 
experience of many who raise much clover is, that 
a good catch is most certain, if the seed is not sown 
until J,he soil is warm and mellow. The clover 
starts into growth at once and strong plants arc 
quickly obtained. The chief danger of delay is 
that the still feebly rooted plants may be caught by 
dry, hot weather and killed. AVhile plaster is a 
good top-dressing for clover on most soils, if one’s 
own experience or that of his near neighbors does 
not indicate this, other light top-dressings may 
be useful—some soluble fertilizer, as superphos¬ 
phate or muriate of potash. Clover responds 
to any attentions of this kind, and makes a good 
return in the mass of foliage and rich material it 
gathers from the soil and air—material that, when 
plowed in, richly prepares the soil for other crops. 
Ttie MilcHa Cows. 
Those to “come in” soon should be watched, 
and the udder bathed with cold water on the first 
appearance of heat or hardness. If any trouble 
with the udder occurs at calviug, it is best to let 
the calf nurse—otherwise remove the offspring at 
once, and feed it by hand. The importance of 
raising calves from superior cows only can not be 
too strongly enforced. By a constant selection of 
the best the dairy may be greatly improved. It is 
not well to turn the cattle out to grass at the first 
appearance of green in the pastures. The change 
from dry hay to green food should be a gradual one. 
Take Good Clare of* the Morses. 
If at work, they need a regular allowance of 
grain. If worked hard, ten quarts of ground corn 
and oats mixed will not be too much. The hay 
may be cut and moistened, and the feed mixed 
with it. Such a ration is not over bulky, and con¬ 
tains sufficient nourishment to keep a working 
horse in good trim. At this season the coat begins 
to loosen, and the skin is irritable. When much 
so, it may be corrected by giving daily, for a week, 
an ounce of equal parts of Sulphur and Cream of 
Tartar. Good grooming with 6oft brush and blunt 
curry-comb is decidedly useful. Everything about 
the stable should be kept neat and clean, as the 
warm weather approaches. Turn brood mares 
loose into a box stall as foaling time approaches. 
They should receive gentle treatment, as this is 
likely to influence the disposition of the colt. 
Save and. Care for (Sue I’igs. 
For many years past no spring season has found 
60 few swine in the country in proportion to the 
coming wants. Owing to the scarcity and high 
price of corn, and the demand for hog products at 
figures far above average years, the last hog, grown 
and half grown, that could be got into anything 
near a tit condition to be slaughtered, has been sent 
to market. It is reported that a good many breed¬ 
ing sows have gone into the barrel and lard pans. 
This being the case, with the probability that the 
markets of this country and elsewhere will be 
cleared up and nearly bare of pork, bacon, hams, 
and lard before next winter, makes it important to 
look well after the pigs ; to see that not one is lost 
for want of care and protection until warm settled 
weather arrives ; also to give the young porkers a 
good start and continuous vigorous growth by lib¬ 
eral feeding; also to do all that can be done to 
multiply the number. The foreign demand for hog 
products is always large, and 10 lbs. of corn, when 
converted into 1 lb. of pork or lard, is transported 
at one-tenth the cost. 
The Slicep. 
As a good rule, it is safest to have lambs dropped 
after the weather is warm and settled in May. But 
the constantly growing demand for “ Spriug lamb ” 
in all cities and large villages, and the high price 
paid for it has led many farmers to provide ex¬ 
tra conveniences, warm yards, etc., and have lambs 
dropped as early as March, and even in February. 
The extra care required is usually fully repaid by 
the higher prices obtained. If the ewes dropping 
the early lambs are to be sold for mutton, it is best 
to push them forward by good feeding to be ready 
for the butcher in June; and the same of wethers 
designed for market. The carrying and growth of 
a heavy fleece make extra feediug necessary to 
their being in good flesh immediately after shear¬ 
ing. If the warmer weather produces many ticks, 
the sheep may need a dip in tobacco water, or in 
one of the “dips” sold by trustworthy dealers. 
Sundry Reasonable Mini*. 
Swine, despite their reputation, are clean ani¬ 
mals, and flourish best in clean pens. Give them 
pens large enough, and they will of their own ac¬ 
cord leave droppings by themselves, and not in all 
parts of the pen. Let breeding sows have “ nests ” 
of chaff or very finely cut straw. A board or any 
timber projecting 8 or 10 inches from the side of 
the pen, 6 or 8 inches up from the floor or ground, 
will prevent the pigs from being crushed to death 
against the enclosure when the sow lies down. 
Generous feed to the dam, adds to the nourishing 
milk for the litter, and gives them a good start. 
See item on “ Saving Pigs ” above. 
Poultry repay any corn given them. Layers must 
have material to make eggs out of—some meat or 
meat scraps are needed until they can find plenty 
of insects; sitting hens need clean nests. A spring 
white-washing of the whole interior of the poultry- 
house, and the roosts and nest boxes, is of great 
advantage. Supply the softest hay or straw in 
nests, and if infested by vermin, cleanse with 
kerosene or crude petroleum. 
Machinery of all kinds used upon the farm 
should be inspected and all repairs made before the 
time for spring work begins. An hour spent in 
mending in March saves a more valuable hour in 
the busy months that follow. 
'J'lie First TBiiii" to Do Now, 
And the very first, if not already attented to, is to 
secure all the SEED, wanted or likely to be wanted, 
before midsummer, for the field, or the garden, or 
flower bed. The plowing, and the harrowing, and 
the cultivating will be labor lost if there is not 
enough good seed. If on the average only three 
vigorous stalks of any crop grow well whore four 
might grow, that is, a loss of 25 per cent, as other 
work and expenses are the same for a full crop as 
for a 75 per cent one ; and this lost 25 per cent is 
where the real profit comes in, because 50 to 75 per 
cent of almost all crops is eaten up by the ex¬ 
penses. If one seed out of four is not healthful 
enough to send up the most vigorous plant, it helps 
the 25 per cent loss.—If one has all needed seed, 
let it be immediately tested, as noted on page 158, 
or by the simpler process noted on page 150, which 
was written before receiving Mr. Tracy’s article. 
If any seed is to be bought, order it now, 
not only to test it in time, as there is much 
poor seed this year, but especially because seed 
dealers will soon all be overcrowded with orders, 
and many will run out of the best quality 
of perhaps just the seed one may want. If 
uncertain where to get seed, turn to the adver¬ 
tising pages, and 6end at once for the catalogues 
of one or more dealers. The cards of a largo num¬ 
ber of the best seed dealers throughout the coun¬ 
try will be found ; we admit no one we would not 
buy of ourselves. Finally, no one is now living so 
remote, that he can not get pretty good sized lots of 
seed by mail, at small expense. One cent an ounce 
pays the carriage 4,000 miles or more, if there be 
any point that far distant from any other point. 
What I* to l»e done in tJ»e Orchard? 
The hints given on page 93 last mouth, are for 
the most part equally applicable now r . On many 
farms there are old trees, the fruit of which is only 
fit for the pigs, that by grafting would in a few 
years be productive of excellent fruit. There is 
nothing about grafting that a man or a boy who can 
use a jack-knife without cutting his fingers, can 
not perform. There is no secret about it, though 
those travelling grafters who go about the country, 
would make one think so. The various works on 
fruit culture describe the operation ; those who 
have the back volumes will find it described in April, 
1877, and that number can be purchased separately 
at this office. Grafts can be had by mail from any 
of the leading nurseries. Having the stock (the 
old tree), and the grafts, the work may be done 
without other tools than those at hand. The wound 
must be covered with grafting wax, directions for 
making which are given in the books and in the 
paper referred to. If any branches of fruit-trees 
have been broken by storms or the weight of snow, 
saw off the stub that may be left close to the trunk 
or to the branch from which it starts, and cover 
the wound with paint, unless grafting wax is at 
hand. There are many places about the farm, es¬ 
pecially near the barns and out-buildings where a 
fruit tree may be planted ; such a tree may often be 
of use in affording shade to the poultry-house, ice¬ 
house, or dairy building, and at the same time af¬ 
ford acceptable fruit. Peach trees may occupy 
such places. See article elsewhere on fruit culture. 
Grape Vines sus<l Currant SSstalir*. 
There is not a farm on this broad continent upon 
which there might not be an abundance of grapes 
or, except in the extreme South, currants in plenty. 
By “abundance” and “ plenty ” we do not mean a 
dish at dessert now and then, but as many as are 
desired three times a day and all that the children 
want when they are hungry between meals. Weeds 
occupy the fence rows, just where vines might 
grow, and if the cost of trellises is an item of im¬ 
portance, there are on every farm, slie-ds and other 
buildings against which many vines can be trained. 
Pruning is the great bug-bear. Nothing is simpler, 
when once explained, than the proper pruning 
