AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
[Jt'I.Y, 
15)4 
uted, this may bo safely done. Heavy grass, 
when it has had one day’s sun, may be kept in 
cock two or three days, and improve by the 
process. Hay is best secured in the barn in 
large mows. We trust the day is not distant, 
when farmers will have barn room enough for 
all their fodder, as well as for their cattle. In 
the barn the hay remains undisturbed until it is 
fed out, and retains all its sweetness. In the 
stack, there is a loss in the quality of the hay, 
and still greater loss in feeding. 
- .» --- ♦ «- - 
Calendar of Operations for July, 1881. 
[Wo note down sundry kinds of work to be done during 
the month, to call to mind the various operations to be at¬ 
tended to. A glance over a table like this will often suggest 
some piece of work that might otherwise be forgotten or 
neglected. Our remarks are more especially adapted to the 
latitudes of 3S° to 45°; but will be equally applicable to points 
further North and South, by allowing for latitude. 
Explanations.— /indicates the first; m, the middle; and l, 
the last of the month— Doubling the letters (or mm, 
or U,) gives particular emphasis to the period indicated.— 
Two letters placed togetu... as fin or ml, signify that the 
work may be done in eitnc or in both periods indicated; 
thus, work marked/m, indicates that it is to be attended to 
from the first to the middle of the month.] 
Farm. 
It is of great importance tliat corn, potatoes, and 
other hoed crops be put in the best possible condi¬ 
tion before haying and harvesting—the main work 
of this month. When the grass and grain 
claim attention, all other operations are put aside, 
and if the weeds have not been subdued, and the 
6oil left properly loosened, corn must suffer. An 
additional hoeing early this month, may make five 
or ten bushels per acre difference in the yield. 
It is poor economy to attempt the severe labors 
of the season with insufficient working force. Over¬ 
working during the oppressive heat of Summer is 
oven more injurious than at other times. There 
may be scarcity of help in some sections, owing to 
the large numbers engaged in the war, but the 
absence of men should be supplied, as far as may 
be, by using labor-saving implements. 
Barns and Sheds—If not in order to receive the 
hay and grain, no time should be lost in repairing 
them. Where there are not buildings enough to re¬ 
ceive the crop, erect temporary coverings for stacks. 
Buckwheat—A good crop will add much to the 
supplies for the house and the feed bin, and will 
command a ready market, if not wanted for home 
use. Sow, ff, m. Read article on page 203. 
Butter—To produce a good article at this season, 
a cool well ventilated dairy room is indispensable. 
Exclude flies from the premises with frames cover¬ 
ed with millinet, placed in the doors and windows. 
Observe scrupulous neatness in every operation. 
The tub or barrel for the reception of sour milk 
should he kept at a distance from the dairy, and 
convenient to the pig pen. The effluvia from a fer¬ 
menting swill tub will injure the flavor of butter. 
Cabbages for the latest crops may be planted, ff. 
Set them between rows of early potatoes, which are 
soon to be gathered. Manure the ground well. A 
good dressing of ashes and salt is often useful. 
Cheese can be made successfully where there are 
not necessary conveniences for making good but¬ 
ter in hot weather. Read articles on page 206. 
Draining—If there be leisure between haying and 
oat harvest, employ it in improving open ditches 
which may need it. The work is better done dur¬ 
ing the dry weather of Summer. Lay tile or other 
drains where needed most. Tiff- improvement may 
be introduced gradua—j. Read the articles on the 
subject now in course of publication. 
Fences—Keep in good repair, particularly around 
fields where young cattle are confined, and adjoin¬ 
ing corn and grain lots which tempt animals to 
break from the pasture. 
Grass and Clover Seed—Select the best growth of 
elover, timothy, etc., and leave it to ripen for seed. 
Choose a piece as free from weeds as possible, 
and pull out foul stuff before gathering the seed. 
Haying will commence in this latitude early in 
July. Commence with clover, if not already se¬ 
cured, and cut as the different fields are just passing 
from bloom. Put up the hay in small cocks before 
it is entirely dried, and cover them with hay caps. 
This should be done early in the afternoon if practi¬ 
cable, while the hay is heated by the sun; much of 
the heat will be retained, and greatly assist in curing 
the hay. Banish the whiskey jug from the field, 
and allow ample noon rests. If hay must be stack¬ 
ed, lay a good platform of rails or slabs to keep it 
from the ground. In stacking let the successive 
loads be thrown on from different sides, to pre¬ 
vent uneven settling and leaning of the stack. 
Iledge-rows and bushes in pastures or other fields, 
if cut repeatedly during hot weather, may be final¬ 
ly destroyed. Follow it up in July. 
Hoeing should be completed before haying is 
commenced; but an occasional day of poor hay 
weather may be improved by going through parts 
of the cornfield where weeds are encroaching. If 
severe drouth should occur, it would pay to use the 
horse-hoe or cultivator to loosen the surface of the 
ground. Deep tillage should be avoided after the 
corn roots have extended across the rows. 
Ladders—Much time and trouble will be saved by 
having convenient ladders for ascending to sheds, 
lofts, and upon hay stacks. Make them in rainy 
weather in the farm work-shop, if you have one. 
Manures—Large additions may be made to the 
compost heaps by cutting coarse swamp grasses, 
and weeds which are unfit for fodder. Cut them 
before the seed is formed, otherwise many will ripen 
and be scattered over the farm with the manure. 
Decomposition goes on rapidly aided by the heat of 
Summer, and sink slops, contents of privies, etc., 
will be offensive unless plaster, muck or other ab¬ 
sorbents are used to retain the escaping gases. 
Remember that every ounce of ammonia lost, is 
equivalent to the loss of perhaps a bushel of grain. 
Oats—Cut at earliest maturity as directed for 
wheat and rye. If they be too short to bind well, 
use rye or wheat straw. Store them where there 
is good ventilation. Clean bright oat straw is very 
valuable for fodder. 
Pastures—Do not allow them to be fed too close¬ 
ly. H the roots of grass are unprotected from the 
scorching heat of Summer, it will die out rapidly. 
A plot of early sown rye, sorghum, or corn, to be 
cut and fed this and the next month, will aid in 
keeping both pastures and stock thriving. 
Poultry—Keep them from the grain fields until 
after harvest, then allow them to glean. Collect 
the eggs daily, and allow no hens to sit at this late 
season. Fall chickens are seldom worth raising. 
Potatoes—Do not disturb them after blossoming. 
If the potato fly (Cantharis vittala) is injuring the 
vines, many may be destroyed by two persons sweep¬ 
ing the field with a sheet held by the four corners, 
in the form of a bag. Destroy the insects when 
collected, by scalding. When dried, they are medi¬ 
cally useful for drawing blisters. Dig early varieties 
as they mature, and sow turnips or set cabbages in 
their place. 
Rye—Cut as soon as the grain is passing from the 
milk state, or when it is sufficiently hard to bear 
moderate pressure with the thumb nail. 
Seed Rye, Wheat, etc.—Leave the best parts of 
the field to ripen fully for seed. Remove all weeds 
before gathering, and thresh as soon as practicable 
after harvesting. Read article on page 208. 
Sheep—Keep in thriving condition by good range 
of pasture. They may be used to advantage in sub¬ 
duing fields overgrown with briers. Visit and salt 
weekly. Watch against the appearance of foot rot 
and other diseases. Read article, “ Rot in Sheep,” 
page 205. 
Soiling Crops—Sow millet and corn, to be used 
for soiling late in the season. What is not needed 
for feeding green, may be cured for winter fodder. 
Swine will find abundant feed in the harvest field 
after the crop is removed. Let them glean what 
has escaped the rake. Insert rings in their noses if 
needed, to prevent injury from rooting. Those con¬ 
fined to the pen, should have access to clear water 
in addition to the wash of the dairy, and grain 
enough to keep them in good condition ; they will 
fatten more readily in the Fall. 
Timber cut during this and the following months 
is generally considered more durable than when 
felled in Winter, particularly those kinds which 
abound in sap. If practicable, secure enough for 
next season’s wants for fencing and building. 
Tanner’s Bark—Hemlock and oak bark will “ run” 
during most of July, and may be peeled at any time 
unoccupied by other labor. 
Tools—Before commencing work with reapers, 
mowers, threshers, etc., see that every part is in 
good order; a little neglect may cause vexatious 
delay. Keep all bearings well oiled, and knives 
properly sharpened. If the mower is left in the 
field over night, cover it with tarpaulin, oil cloth, or 
other protection from dew and rain. Improve 
rainy weather by repairing implements needing it. 
Turnips—Sow largely, /, m, before the 20th if 
practicable, but later if necessary; a good supply of 
these and other roots will be appreciated by stock 
next Winter, and will save hay and grain. 
Weeds—Canada Thistles, Snapdragon, and other 
persistent weeds should be taken out by the roots. 
Cultivating a field with buckwheat will aid in sub¬ 
duing them. If nothing more can be done, mow 
them before they pass from bloom. If left after 
this period, many seeds will ripen on the stalk after 
cutting. Any weed may be destroyed by repeated 
cutting close to the ground, but it must be followed 
up through the season to be-effectual. In the case 
of thistles in pastures, a little salt dropped on each 
stem after cutting, will attract animals to work 
about them, and keep down the young shoots. 
Wheat—Cut as directed for rye. If for seed, pick 
out weeds from the grain as it lies in the swath. 
The market price of this grain is much injured by 
the presence of cockle or other foul stuff. 
©I’cSaai’d and i^aai’scry. 
Though July is a busy month with the farmer, 
yet the orchard should not be neglected. There is 
comparatively little to do in this department, ex¬ 
cept pruning the trees, but whatever requires at¬ 
tention should be done at the proper time, here, as 
elsewhere. The trees should now be growing rap¬ 
idly, and it is important that nothing obstruct this 
growth. Keep grass and weeds away from the 
trunks, and if they are inclined to barrenness en¬ 
courage the development of fruit buds. This may 
be done in several ways. One is judicious root- 
pruning ; another method is to bend down the outer 
branches and tie them to stakes. This compresses 
the sap vessels, and tends to the formation of fruit 
buds. A third method is to bind a rope or strap 
firmly around the trunk or main branches of the 
tree to stop a portion of the returning sap and force 
it into blossom buds. Shortening in the extreme 
growth of the present season tends to the same 
end, and improves the appearance of the tree. 
The regular annual pruning should now be at 
tended to. If this has been properly performed 
each year, the labor will not be heavy, nor will any 
other instrument than a good pruning knife be 
needed. If, however, the orchard has been neglect¬ 
ed, a fine tooth saw, sharp knife, and coating ce¬ 
ment should be provided. We esteem the early 
part of this month the very best time to remove 
large limbs. Pare the sawed portion with a knife 
and coat the wound with gum shellac dissolved in 
alcohol to the consistence of thin molasses. 
The ripening cherries are now furnishing the first 
tree fruits of the season. Unfortunately the severe 
Winter and late Spring frosts injured the trees so 
that the crop is light in most places. Bottle a por¬ 
tion of the fruit as recommended on page 215. 
Save pits for nursery planting and put in boxes of 
earth at once. 
Thin the choice apples and pears, especially if 
grown on small trees. Better pluck all hut one 
or two specimens from trees set last Spring. 
The nurseryman will begin to bud plum, cherry 
