AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST, 
131 
Turnips—Sow for Summer and Fall use, f, m, 1. Early 
Rowings will need thinning and weeding, m. 
Weeds—Keep them dow r n or they will keep the veget¬ 
ables down. 
Winter Cherry (Physalis)—Plant out, f, m, as tomatoes. 
Seed may be sown, ff, m. 
FLOWER GARDEN AND LAWN. 
A favorable and forward Spring has given an opportuni- 
t> to prepare and plant grounds some two weeks earlier 
than last year. We suppose the operations calendared 
for April are nearly all completed. If these and former 
directions have been followed, such as planting out bulbs 
liberally last Autumn, the grounds appear inviting on this 
lovely May-day. Rich and delightful, both in color and 
perfume, is that pride of the gardener, the bed of choice 
bulbs. The snowdrop and crocus have passed away and 
the narcissus has a faded look, but hyacinths, tulips, fri- 
tillanas, crown imperials, &c., still make a line show. 
The early blooming shrubs are also in flower, and Green 
Houses and Conservatories are lending their supply of 
showy plants to enrich the borders with a variety of 
colors. 
Annual^—Continue to sow, ff, ni. Transplant from 
hot beds and green houses those previously sown. 
Asters and Balsams—Sow, f, m. 
Bedding Plants—Put out, f, m. We prefer a small bed 
of each of the different varieties, rather than massing them 
indiscriminately together. 
Biennials and Perennials may still be divided and reset, 
ff. sowing seed, f, m. 
Holders and Lawn Beds-Keep neat and clean, often 
raking the ground among the flowers. 
Box and G rass Edging—Set out, ff. Clip old borders at 
the same time. 
Bulns— Beds of these still make a rich show. By keep¬ 
ing them shaded from the hot sun they will continue in 
bloom for two or three weeks longer. , Keep down if 
needed. 
Carnations—Plant out and also sow seed, ff, m. Tie 
up flower stalks, and slit the sheath of those blooming 
upon the s de. 
D lilias—Plant out, f, m, those started in houses and 
boxes last mouth. 
Daisies — Divide and reset or plant out, ff, m. 
Omnibus and Delphinium—Sow seed and set roots, ff m. 
Dieutra— Divide and reset, ff. See description and il- 
I •>' ral ion on paf e 152. 
Evergreens — This is the best month for planting them. 
S,-i out, ff. m, i. If this pleasant weather continues, 
planting may we ;1 he done, ff. See chapters with illustra- 
I iuo> in our last i umber and on pages 144 and 145 of this. 
Fuchsias and f'eraniums—Bring from houses, f, m, and 
plant in thebord rs. Keep well staked. 
Gravel Walks Renew old and make new, ff, m. Keep 
well ho,d. 
Hedges— S’e.' < rgreen.ff, m. Norway Spruce and Ar¬ 
bor Vnai are th most desirable trees for this purpose. 
Deciduous one on Id have been put out last month. If 
not done, sinal i ■ res may be planted with care. 
Hoe often, oi ti'- Ihe rake to loosen the earth among 
tender plants and i< keep down weeds. The ladies gar¬ 
den fork illustrat il i page 149. is a useful implement for 
th s purpose. 
Honeysuckles :nd other Climbers—Train to trellises or 
over arbors, keep ug well tied. They may still be plant¬ 
ed. ff. although w \h less safety than last month. 
Hoi Beds, Fra iris and Pits—Plantout, ff, m, anything 
remaining in then . 
Labels, Slakes and Dahlia Poles—Have in readines 
against the time tl-ey are needed. 
Lawn—Sow wi*h plaster, guano or bone sawings, or 
water with liquid tianure if not done last month. Mow, 
m, I. and roll smor Mi. 
Mignonette—Sow, ff, m. 
Mulch newly p'anted trees, especially evergreens. 
Leaves, sawdust, 'an i ark, old hay or straw spread around 
these, prevent from dying, and furnish a gradual supply 
of manure to be washed down to the roots. 
Pansies— Plan 1 out, f, m, sowing seed for a new stock. 
Petunias—Plaul out in masses, ff. m. Sow seed at the 
same tune. 
Port ulaccas—Sow, ff, m. 
Roses-Plant. ff. Bring from houses, f, m, and turn in¬ 
to a deep rich soil. Train climbing and pillar varieties. 
Destroy slugs preying upon the leaves by the mixture of 
w hale oil soap spoken ofelsew here. Layer old wood, f, m. 
Stocks and Wall Flowers—Sow seed and plantout, f,m. 
Tuif-Renew, ff, any bare spots on the lawn or in the 
grass edging and walks. 
Verbenas -Set out a good assortment, ff, m. See the 
list given on page 51. 
Water newly plan'ed trees and shrubs, especially ever¬ 
greens, n the Spring proves drv. 
Weeds are in the wrong place, if among flowers “ Put 
them out.” 
Zinnias—Sow, ff, m. 
GREEN AND HOT HOUSE. 
Fire heat may now be nearly suspended, except in col¬ 
lections of tropical plants, and during damp, foggy, or 
cool weather. Abundance of air is required to harden 
the plants for a removal to the open ground. Some of 
them may be taken from the hot-house to the green-house, 
and afterwards to the open air, rather than carry them 
from a high temperature to exposed situations at once. 
Towards the middle of Ihe month, the work of removal 
may begin, carrying out the more hardy first. Arrange 
them in a convenient, tasteful order, and screen from 
high winds. Some of them may be turned into the bor¬ 
der for Summer blooming, relying upon younger plants 
for flowering next Winter. Where the pots are placed on 
the ground it is well to put ashes under them to keep away 
worms and other insects. 
Achimenes and Gloxinias—Keep m a warm situation, 
partially shaded. 
Azalias—Water and syringe freely now that they are 
growing rapidly. Cut back straggling branches to form a 
compact head. 
Bulbs-Plant out any still remaining in pots or glasses. 
Cactuses—Syringe insects. Strike cuttings, ff. 
Callas—Water freely while in flower. 
Camellias are now in a fine growing state, and need fre¬ 
quent waterings. Syringe the foliage, to keep down in¬ 
sects. Give them an airy situation. 
Carnations—Take to borders,f, m; stake those in bloom. 
Chrysanthemums—The stock may still be increased by 
cuttings, suckers and division of roots. 
Cinerarias—Late ones are out in bloom, and need fre¬ 
quent waterings. 
Cuttings of Cactuses, Euphorbias and other succulents— 
Make these, f, m, partially drying them before striking, as 
they will be less liable to rot. 
Fuchsias—Plant out in borders, m,'or shift those intend¬ 
ed to bloom in pots. Water freely. 
Grapes require care according to the degree of forcing 
they have received. Some vines may now show good 
sized berries or nearly ripe fruit and require little water, 
especially among the bunches. Others are later and need 
frequent syringings and pinching back. A portion may need 
thinning with scissors. 
Inarching—May be performed on woody plants that do 
not root readily by cuttings, such as oranges, lemons, &c. 
See description and illustrations in last volume, page 184. 
Insects—Allow no strongholds to become colonized at 
this season. It will be more difficult to dislodge them 
afterwards. Water and tobacco fumes will usually free 
the houses. 
Japan Lilies—Shift or plant out. Tie up flower stalks. 
Layer, ff, woody and herbaceous plants to increase the 
stock. 
Oranges, lemons, oleanders and myrtles—Carry to open 
ground and water frequently. Plant seeds for a stock. 
Pelargoniums are beginning to bloom. Watch the ap¬ 
pearance of the green fly and fumigate to destroy them. 
Roses may all be removed to the open grounds, f, m. 
Increase the stock by cuttings, ff. 
Water freely, both before and after removing plants from 
the houses. Evening is the best time to apply it. 
THE APIARY IN MAY. 
BY M. QUINBY. 
Continue to examine the hives, daily if possible, to de¬ 
stroy what worms may be found. As soon as the bees 
cover the bottom of the combs on a cool morning, 
the front side of the hive may then be raised half an 
inch for the hot weather, unless they again get 
weak, when they should be let down. Where but few 
stocks are kept, it is quite important to continue the de¬ 
struction of worms by all available means. Split elders, 
with a few notches cut across, and the pith removed, and 
laid flat side down under the bees, are very effectual. The 
worms will spin their cocoons in these, where they are so 
easily destroyed that it is almost no trouble. If neg¬ 
lected much over a week, till the moth matures, the bees 
are worse off than ifyou had not tried to help them. 
Where stocks are strong, and the weather favorable for 
most of this month, swarms may beexpected a little before 
June. Everything should be in readiness to hive them as 
soon as consistent after issuing from the hive. The unmel- 
odious sounds ofthe tin-pan, are alluseless tocharm them 
into a cluster —that is a natural consequence. All washes 
for the hive, to make the bees like it, are unnecessary, 
Let the hive be clean, and put nothing but bees in it: it 
should be rough, rather than smooth inside. It is imma¬ 
terial by what manner the bees are got into the hive, pro¬ 
viding they are all made to go in before they are left. It 
is much the best way to car- y it to the stand, at once and 
raise the front ride ofthe hive half an inch, and put up a 
s-hade to keep off the sun through the middle of the day for 
nearly a week. In operating about them, avoid all quick 
motions —a moderate movementis unnoticed, but a quick 
one resented. 
Convention of Agricultural Editors. 
[The circulai below was put in type and a proof slip 
sent to our exchange s April 10, to give opportunity for an 
expressive opinion in the May issues of those Journals 
published monthly To this date (April 20th) letters have 
been received fiom Frank G Ruffin, who will be unable 
to attend in June, owing to a large harvest lhen coming 
on ; and from H. P. Byram, cordially approving the plan, 
and preferring New York city, and middle of June. 
Emery's Journal of Agriculture, Chicago, says of the pro¬ 
posed Convention : “We are in favor of it, go in for it, 
will be on hand, do not care a fig where it is, provided it 
is previous to the first of September, and we vote for Ro¬ 
chester as the place for it. Why ’ Sou n.i ns want to visit 
Niagara, Canada will cross the line that far. New-Eng- 
landers want to see some good soil, ami Western men are 
too independent to go more than half way to meet any 
body." 
CIRCULAR 
We have recently conversed with several of our breth¬ 
ren of the Agricultural Press, all of wnom concur in the 
opinion that very much good would result, could the Edi¬ 
tors of the several Agricultural Journals meet together, 
and spend a week or so in a discussion of some of tha 
more important questions connected with Soil Culture. 
Th ere is at present a wide diversity of views upon the 
subject of Chemistry as anplied to agriculture ; of the val¬ 
ue and mode of applying seteral of the leading fertilizers 
before the community ; of the comparative meritsofpromi- 
nent agricultural implements, books. &c It is believed that 
these and other topics might well be canvassed hy those 
to whom the community are loo king for the most reliable 
information. Perhaps a majority ofthe News and Political 
journals are now devoting more or less spare to giving 
agricultural intelligence and instruction, and the Editors 
would gladly embrace an opportunity to consult with those 
who make a speciality of this topic. 
We speak in behalf of. and at the request of severaloth- 
ers, in proposing that during the present season, (here he 
held at some convenient point a general convention of all 
members ofthe press who are interested in the subjects of 
Agriculture and Horticulture. 
Those we have conversed with, have indicated about 
the middle of June, as the most convenient, season on sev¬ 
eral accounts. At that time a number of those residing at 
the South will be visiting the North.and it is a season of gen¬ 
eral traveling. Our several readers will be then so much 
occupied that a little less attention to our reading columns 
will not be so much regarded as at other times 
We have, personally, no partiali’y for any particular 
time or place. New-York city has been indicated as a 
central point, but we, for one, will gladly go to anv place 
in the Union which will be the most convenient to 
the greatest number of those interested. If this city is 
selected, we will undertake to secure a suitable Hall for 
the convention, without expense to those attending, and 
further to provide as far as possible for the entertainment 
ofthe visitors, and we doubt not similar provisions would 
be made elsewhere. 
It is proposed to bring this matter to a focus in the fol¬ 
lowing manner : Let each editor of the agricultural or 
semi-agricultural press, in his next issue, express his 
views upon the proposition, and if favorable to it, name his 
preference for the time and place of holding such a con¬ 
vention, and at the same time nominate several gentlemen 
to act as a committee of correspondence and to make ar¬ 
rangements for a first meeting 
At an informal meeting of gentlemen accidentally 
brought together in this city recently, the following per¬ 
sons were named as such committee, the nomination to 
be subject to ratification or alteration, by the general 
expression of the Press. 
Simon Brown, Ed. New-England Farmer. 
Luther Tucker, Ed. Country Gentleman. 
D. D. T. Moore, Ed. Rural New-Yorker 
Thomas Brown. Ed. Ohio Farmer 
Jas C. Medill, Ed. Prairie Farmer 
II. P Byram, Ed Valley Farmer 
J Jay Smith, Ed. Horticulturist. 
Samuel Sands, Ed. American Farmer. 
Frank G. Ruffin, Ed. Southern Planter 
Daniel Lee, Ed. Southern Cultivator 
If this arrangement appears to meet with general favoi 
these gentlemen will doubtless at once open a corres¬ 
pondence with each other. 
To save time ant'.correspondence, it is proposed that the 
above named gentlemen, and others, forw ard at the earliest 
convenience their views on the subject to the editor of 
the Agriculturist, New-York, who will act as temporary 
secretary and embody in a circular the suhst«anee of the 
letters and editorials received, and send an early copy to 
all interested. 
New-York, April 8, 1858. 
