9 
0 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
6tf 
now, at home f-nd aoroad, amounts to millions of 
dollars annual 
The sewing machine could hardly have been in¬ 
vented. in any other country. Whether man or 
woman first suggested the idea, it was the utter 
impossibility of sitting still and sewing in our cli¬ 
mate, that fostered the invention, and brought it 
to its present perfection. How amply have our 
inventors avenged the past wrongs of woman, in 
this respect. Already two hundred different pat¬ 
ents are in the field, and the end is not yet. The 
sewing machine is a good type of the young Amer¬ 
ican woman. She is very fast, and goes with a 
buzz. 
It will be Seen that we are a little out of pa- 
stence, owing to the weather perhaps, with the 
stereotyped complaint of our Spring climate. 
What other wind is so invigorating and nourishing 
:>f heroic deeds as this north-west wind, which 
prevails so extensively this month 1 It comes to 
dry up the superabundant moisture from the fields 
to prepare the soil for the plow, and to nerve man 
for his Summer toils. It is sometimes keen and 
frosty, but always healthful. It is a safe tonic for 
young and old, and unlike other tonics, large 
doses do not harm the patient. Under Allopathic 
treatment from our youth up, we have always 
thriven upon these bleak winds,and counted them 
among the blessings of life. 
--0--4— wa o ei —» <*■ . - 
Calendar of Operations for March 1858. 
[We note clown sundry kinds of work to be done during 
the month, not so much to afford instruction to practical 
men, as to call to mind the various operations to be at¬ 
tended to. A glance over a table like this will often sug¬ 
gest some piece of work that might otherwise be forgotten 
or neglected. Our remarks are more especially adapted 
to tlie latitudes of 38° to 45° ; but will be ecpially applica¬ 
ble lo points further North and South by making a little 
allowance for each degree of latitude, that is, later for 
the North, earlier for the South-1 
E xplanations.—/ indicates the/rst; m the middle; 
and l the last of the month.—Doubling the letters thus;./' 
or mm or U, gives particular emphasis to the period indi¬ 
cated.—Two letters placed together, as/m or ml, indicates 
that the work may he done in either or in both periods in¬ 
dicated ; thus, work marked fm indicates that it is to be 
attended to from the first to the middle of the month. 
FARM. 
Up to this time (Feb. 13,) the Winter has been so entire¬ 
ly different from anything in our experience that we are 
at a Toss to know how to fill out this Calendar. Of snow 
we have scarcely seen enough to keep one in mind of 
how it looks, or what are its effects. We are, however, 
even yet looking for a parting glimpse of Old Winter’s pecu¬ 
liar features. Supposing that tins will be the case, there 
is work enough on hand that needs attention. - There is 
timber to be got out of the woods for farm purposes; 
wood, bark and timber to take to market; and the year’s 
supply of fuel to be looked after, Ac , Ac. The farm ani¬ 
mals need as much care in the sleety chilly w eather as 
in the coldest season. At the South actual field and gar¬ 
den operations are at hand, and our last year’s Calendar 
ior Apt ii and May w ill furnish appropriate hints. Here 
we may look after the following: 
Bees—Return those which have been inverted to an up¬ 
right position, and arrange them in the-ir Summer quar¬ 
ters. Trim off any decayed or moldy comb, and feed 
stocks which are short of food, guarding against robberies. 
See “ Apiary,” on the following page. 
Cattle—Give plenty of feed at stated times. Look well 
to cow6 “ corning in.” Young stock should not fall away 
in flesh at this season. Have working oxen in good con¬ 
dition for the heavy labors approaching. Continue to give 
roots with cut hay, or straw, and ground feed. 
Cellars—Cleanse from any accumulations of dirt or de- 
saying vegetables, and sort over fruits, potatoes, Ac. 
Clover— Sow, m 1, on fields which received timothy seed 
last Fall. If sown upon a light snow a more even seed¬ 
ing can be had, and the melting of the snow will carry the 
seed in Hie ground. From six to twelve quarts per acre, 
according as the ground is a loam or clay soil,'is a suitable 
quantity for sowing. 
Corn—Procu'e and test seed by sprouting a little. 
Flowing for, manuring and planting will be in order, m 1, 
at the South. 
Cotton—Prepare grounds and plant, l m. Two or three 
different plantings w ill extend the period of ripening. 
Draining—Commence as soon as the frost will permit, 
and thus make the swales and bog lands the most produc¬ 
tive portion* of the farm. 
Fences—Procure materials and build where the frost is 
out. Employ the stormy days in making gates to supply 
the place of bars. Set Osage Orange, evergreen Thorn 
and Ciierokee rose hedges at the South. 
Fodder—Use as last month, remembering that cattle 
require feeding at the North until May. 
Forests—Look to their future prowth, in getting out the 
yearly supply of wood. Cut down the old and decaying 
rather than the thrifty young grow th. With judicious 
thinning and an occasional cutting off a few acres of 
thrifty w oodland will keep up a constant supply for fami¬ 
ly fuel. 
Fowls—Have coops in readiness and set hens, m 1, for 
early chickens. Read the chapters on poultry raising in 
this and the February Agriculturist. 
Grain—Procure a supply of good seed for Spring sow¬ 
ing. Keep live stock of all kinds from the growing fields. 
The crops will need putting in, m 1, at the South. 
Harrow out the corn roots of last year’s growth, as soon 
as the frost will permit. 
Hedge Rows—Clear briers, bushes, &c., from the fences 
that the plow or scythe may make clean work close to 
them. A worm fence with every angle filled witlibushes 
has an unsightly and slovenly look. 
Hogs—Keep them employed in composting muck, loam, 
and other manurial agents. If properly managed hereto¬ 
fore an increase of stock will now be looked for. Give 
breeding sows charcoal, salt and a little animal food. See 
that sufficient bedding is provided. 
Horses and Mules—Prepare and harden them with suit¬ 
able feed for Spring plowing and other heavy work. Try 
a peck of carrots a day to each animal, giving a less quan¬ 
tity of oats. If they refuse them at first, cut and mix them 
with Indian meal. 
Ice Houses are now (Feb. 19,) being filled in this local¬ 
ity. Fill them with the first freezings if not done. 
Laborers—Now is the time to procure help for the sea¬ 
son. With a large farm it is poor economy to employ the 
smallest possible number of hands. The proprietor can 
direct the labors of several as well as a single person. At 
the same time no idlers should be permuted upon tbe 
farm. The lowest price men are by no means always the 
cheapest. The cheapest general farm hand we ever em¬ 
ployed, we paid $30 per month, he boarding himself. 
Manures—Cart to the lots where they are to be applied; 
dump in large heaps and cover with muck or plaster. 
Keep the manufactories at work, from the horse and cow- 
stables to the hog pens, privies and hen roosts. A little 
time spent among these daily, adding muck, house slops, 
Ac., and throwing into heaps under cover will pay a good 
interest in the next corn crop. 
Maps of the Farm may profitably be made by the chil 
dren during the evenings. Let them mark off the differ¬ 
ent lots, locate the buildings, represent the orchard and 
woodland, on a large sheet of paper, ar.d on this mature 
your plans for the„co>.ning season. Records may be kept 
within the different inclosures and the maps filed away at 
the.end of each year as instructive references. It will also 
create a taste foi drawing on the part of the children. 
Meadows—Keep stock of all kinds from treading up and 
gnaw ing off at this season. 
Plow when the frost is out and the ground is dry. Avoid 
turning over clayey soils in a wet state unless you want 
to make bricks. 
Potatoes—Have seed in readiness. If raised for many 
years on the same farm, try an exchange with those of a 
different locality. Both the common and sweet varieties 
should be planted South during this month. 
Sheep will perhaps be dropping their lambs during the 
latter part of the month. Provide warm quarters for them. 
Feed roots or grain to those with lamb, and keep separate 
from other stock. 
Sugar Maples—Tap when freezing nights are followed 
by thawing days. Have everything in readiness and boil 
down as fast as it can be collected from the trees. Read 
minute directions on pages 37 and 38 of last number. 
Tobacco—Prepare and sow beds at the South, ff m. 
Transplant former sowings, 11. 
Tools of all kinds, working gear for horses and oxen, 
wagons, carts, Ac., should be procured or made at once. 
Turnips, Carrots, Ac., are, we trust, still in sufficient 
quantity to furnish a daily supply to milch cows, sheep 
and horses. They will not come amiss for young slock 
or working oxen. 
Wood—The favorable Winter has been a good season, 
to collect the “ down stuff ” in the forest. Finish obtaining 
the year’s supply early and have it cut up at the door and 
housed or sheltered from rain, for seasoning and use. 
ORCHARD AND NURSERY. 
As comparatively a light business was done last Fall 
both by the Orchardist in planting new grounds, and by 
the Nurseryman in his sales, each should arrange early 
for more extensive operations this Spring. Let those 
about planting an orchard read attentively the series of 
articles on this topic commenced in the January number. 
Note particularly what is said about “ varieties ” on page 
50oft.he February Agriculturist, and instead of selecting 
25 or 30 kinds, confine themselves to 10 or 12. A few c 
the best early, Fall and Winter varieties known lo suc¬ 
ceed in your locality is far better tnan a large number of 
reputed choice kinds. 
Planting can usually be done in this latitude durinsr the 
latter part of March. Where the ground is in suitable con¬ 
dition this early planting is to be recommended. 
The Nurseryman should arrange to fill all orders with 
dispatch by having labels, and packing materials at hand, 
and as soon as the frost w ill permit take up a quantity of 
each variety of fruit and ornamental trees, and set them 
thickly and loosely in a trench dug for the purpose, filling 
in earth sufficient to cover the roots. Use every precau¬ 
tion to keep the varieties distinct, and plainly labelled. 
The space allotted to these trees may be called the mark¬ 
et from which selections can be made and lists made up 
with expedition. 
Apples, pears, plums and other fruit trees may be set, 11, 
where the ground is prepared and free of frost. 
Evergreens—These may be transplanted, 11, but April 
and May at the north are preferable months. 
Grafting—Cherries may be grafted 11. Next month will 
be the proper season for grafting most fruits. Full direc 
tions will then be given. 
Insects—See that no scale or other insects are left upon 
newly planted trees. Let both orchard and nursery be 
examined and all the affected trees washed with soap 
suds, or potash and water. 
Manures—Grounds should be made rich both for or¬ 
chard and nursery purposes. Procure according to your 
necessities and cart to a convenient spot near tire plant¬ 
ing grounds. Manure can be applied lo nursery grounds 
far better before than after planting. 
Mice—Girdled Trees—if any are found cover, ff, with 
grafting w ax or clay, and bank up w ith earth. Sun and 
air should be kept from the wounds. 
Ornamental Trees of deciduous, or leaf shedding kinds— 
Plant early, or as soon as the ground is in working order 
Packing Trees for Transportation—Use great care, ar¬ 
ranging the limbs so as to cross each other as little as pos¬ 
sible Pack the roots with moss or short litter and straw 
up the bodies and branches. A mat or bag should be 
sewed around the roots lo retain Hie packing and keep 
them moist. 
Plums—Cut away any warty excrescences, or remove 
the branches containing them 
Pruning—Omit mostly tins month, save removing de¬ 
cayed branches and small shoots. 
Seeds or Pits—Plant apple, pear, quince, cherry, peach, 
plum, walnut and chestnut seeds, or pits which were put 
in boxes last Fall. 
Scions—Secure a full supply for grafting before the buds 
swell. 
Shrubs—Transplant as directed foi ornarnenta. or fruit 
trees. 
Stakes and Labels will soon be w-anted. Provide them, 
ff, that there be no delay when needed for use. 
Stocks budded last season—Cut off the head twoorthree 
inches above the bud w here the latter has taken. 
Transplanting and Planting out— Commence as early 
as may be, only do not work the ground when too wet 
and heavy. 
Trench or subsoil new grounds, 11, both for orchard and 
nursery. If inclined to moisture put in drain Hie three 
feel below the surface. 
KITCHEN AND FRUIT GARDEN. 
March is a busy month witli Southern gardeners. In 
the Southern tier of States they are already thinning, hoe¬ 
ing and weeding, and a little farther North, plowing, 
planting and sowing, are going on. At the North manures 
may be carted out, and plowed or trenched in the soil. 
Hot beds ami cold frames will require daily care. Except 
for early use or marketing, it is not desirable to be in 
haste to get seeds in the ground. Belter let the tempera¬ 
ture of the soil reach the vegetating point before sowing. 
Artichokes—Plant and dress, 11. 
Asparagus—Uncover, manure and fork over beds, II. 
Blackberries—Plant New-Rochelle or Dorchester, 11, 
or as soon as the ground can be worked. 
Borecole and Kale—Sow, 11, where the ground will per¬ 
mit. 
Cabbages and Cauliflowers—Sow in Hot-beds, ff, m, and 
in Hie open ground, II. Set out slumps and heads for 
seed, II. 
Cold Frames require similar treatment to last month, 
except to give more air as the plants commence to grow. 
Sow cabbages, lettuce, radishes, Ac., to take the placesof 
plants which will soon be removed. 
Compost—Prepare for Hot-beds, ff. Provide a good 
quantity for general use. 
Currants—Plant roots and cuttings, 11, if the ground is 
not frozen. 
Cuttings—Make, ff, and plant out those of currants, 
gooseberries, quinces, grapes, Ac., II. 
Drain soils which incline to moisture. 
