1877 .] 
AMERICAN AGRICULT CRIST. 
8R 
without heeding occasional night frosts. When 
the potatoes appear above ground, an inch of 
earth thrown over them with the hoe, or a light 
furrow, will be sufficient protection, and if the 
tops are nipped, the plants will sprout again. 
The Colorado Beetle.— Where this pest, has been 
around for years past, it is not feared. No one 
thinks of being much troubled about it. Yet we 
hear farmers ask, “ shall we plant any potatoes this 
year or not ?” Potatoes must be raised, even if the 
beetle has to be fought, and Paris green is a safe 
and effective remedy when properly used. Every 
potato grower should read Prof. C. Y. Riley’s book 
on Potato Pests. 
Winter Wheat and Rye. —These crops are much 
improved by harrowing. If the ground is dry, the 
plants will not be harmed, but the crust will be 
loosened, earth will be drawn over plants that have 
been heayed, and the just starting weeds will be 
killed. The Thomas harrow, having light, slanting 
teeth, is admirable for this work, but the common 
harrow may be used instead of it. 
Meadows. —Grasslands and pastures will be much 
improved by harrowing with a heavy harrow. Spread 
any fine fertilizer, that may be needed, before har¬ 
rowing. Old pastures may thus be renewed by the 
help of fresh segd upon the weak spots. 
Clover Seed may be sown upon the snow, or when 
a frost has hardened the surface. One great ad¬ 
vantage of sowing upon the snow is, that a very 
even spread can be made, as the seed can readily 
be seen, and the foot marks remain as a guide for 
the next breadth sown. The most inexperienced 
need make no lapse or misses. A good quantity of 
seed for each cast, is as much as can be held be¬ 
tween the first and second fingers and the thumb. 
Walking at an easy gait, this will use up about 8 
quarts of seed per acre. If the wind is blowing, 
walk so that it blows across the path ; the effect is 
then equal both going and returning, but it is not 
so if it blows first on the face and then on the back. 
Horses that were hard worked during the winter, 
should have a little rest before the spring work be¬ 
gins. The loose coat should be well brushed out, 
and some linseed meal given in the feed, to help 
the shedding of the hair. If at night the feet are 
muddy or wet, wash with warm water and some 
soap, and rub dry with a piece of woolen blanket. 
It will prevent cracked heels. As the days grow 
warm look out for galls, and wash the shoulders 
with cold salt water. Scrape the inside of the col¬ 
lar, and keep it smooth and hard. 
Cows. —Pure water, slightly warmed, with a quart 
of bran stirred into it, is an excellent drink for 
cows that have recently calved. Garget may be 
prevented by milking, before calving, a cow that 
has a very full bag. If the udder is hard, and hot, 
give two drams of saltpeter daily; and directly 
after calving a drink of bran gruel, with 8 ounces 
of Epsom Salts, and sweetened with molasses. If 
the cow will not drink this, give it through the 
drenching horn. Prompt remedies are required for 
parturient troubles at this time ; but prevention 
is safer and easier than any remedy. 
.Sheep. —Cold rains are very injurious to ewes and 
lambs. The spinal regions are remarkably sensi¬ 
tive to cold. If “brats,” (see page 98), are used 
in cold, wet weather, there will not be so much 
danger in giving exercise. Provide some small 
separate pens for lambing ewes, and separate rams 
and wethers from the ewes and lambs. A warm 
j bath is the best restorative for a chilled lamb ; after 
the bath, wrap the young creature in a woolen 
cloth, and put it behind the stove for a few hours, 
j For a large flock, the shepherd should have a place 
with a stove in it, in which to treat weak lambs. A 
few pens around the room, where the weak lambs 
could be nursed with the ewes for a few days, 
would be very useful. 
Biys. —The high price of pork has greatly stimu¬ 
lated the breeding of a good class of pigs. With 
the prevalent diseases, which now destroy so many 
hogs in the West, there will be a premium for good 
management. It is very clear that cleanliness, and 
a variety of healthful food, will prevent diseases. 
Make a good start npw, with the young pigs. Pro¬ 
vide warm, clean pens for the brood sows, as a be¬ 
ginning, and so arrange that they may have a clean 
pasture lot to run in ; not a bare, muddy piece of 
waste ground, but a good piece of clover or grass, 
in which they may procure the bulk of their food. 
Breed only from thoroughbred boars ; keep the 
best stock, and keep them healthful and growing. 
Poultry. —Cleanse the poultry-houses and nest- 
boxes from lice. We have lined our poultry-house 
with Johns’ Asbestos roofing, at a cost of a few 
dollars only, and there is no fear of vermin of any 
kind in it hereafter. The smell of carbolic acid from 
the tar is very strong, but not disagreeable, and will 
thoroughly disinfect the house. Provide a warm 
corner in the stable for the earliest brooding hens, 
and give extra care to the young chicks. March and 
April chicks will give a plenty of eggs next winter. 
Notes on Orchard and Garden Work. 
So far as relates to the Orchard and Fruit Garden, 
our Notes in January were so full that but little re¬ 
mains to be said on preliminary work in these de¬ 
partments, and the Kitchen and Market Garden 
were treated with equal fullness last month. There 
will be few localities, except in the Southern States, 
in which the Notes for January and February, will 
not be applicable now. These Notes are very full, 
upon the preliminary work of selecting and order¬ 
ing varieties of trees, plants and seeds, a work too 
often put off until the last moment, to the incon¬ 
venience of the dealer, and sometimes to the dis¬ 
appointment of the purchaser. Trees, plants of all 
kinds, seeds, fertilizers, implements, and for those 
engaged in marketing, packages should be thought 
over and purchased or made, well in advance. 
Where to Purchase. —It is not our custom to re¬ 
commend one dealer in preference to another. Our 
advertising columns are closed to all suspicious 
parties. Do not, because you do not see the par¬ 
ticular thing you want advertised, write to us to 
ask where you can get it—unless some unusual ar¬ 
ticle. Recollect that each nurseryman has all the 
well tested fruits ; each seedsman all the standard 
varieties of seeds, and so on. Write to one or more 
for catalogues—which they will gladly send, and 
make purchases where it seems most desirable. Do 
not infer that we are not willing to answer ques¬ 
tions, but so many come, involving a letter in reply, 
and often a waste of time when that is precious, 
that the catalogue of any respectable dealer would 
answer, that we give this suggestion. 
Two things to he avoided. —Do not let the season 
always be hurrying you, as will always be the case 
with those who start a little late. The other ex¬ 
treme is about as bad: do not try to push the sea¬ 
son. Working the soil before it is in a proper con¬ 
dition, and putting in seeds before the soil is warm 
enough to germinate them, are among the costly 
mistakes often made by the inexperienced. 
Orchard and Nursery. 
Consult the January Notes. Setting new orchards 
and caring for those already set, whether new or 
old, will be in order in many localities. 
Injuries to trees should be repaired as soon as dis¬ 
covered. Limbs broken by snow and ice must be 
sawed off to make a smooth wound, and this cover¬ 
ed with paint, varnish or wax. Barking by mice or 
rabbits often looks more serious than it really is. 
The majority of cases will recover if the wound is 
protected by a thick poultice of cow-dung and 
clayey loam, bound on with a piece of coarse mate¬ 
rial. In very severe cases the tree may be saved by 
connecting the bark, above and below the wound, 
by means of twigs of the same tree ; the ends are 
chamfered, and inserted under the bark above and 
below, to bridge over the wound ; covering the ex¬ 
posed parts with grafting wax. 
Protecting cut Surfaces is well done by the cow- 
dung and loam plaster above mentioned, but it is 
not so neat or so easily applied as some other. 
Something for this use should be always in readi¬ 
ness. Either thick white-lead paint, tinted by a 
little umber or other color ; grafting wax, melted, 
but not too hot, or shellac varnish, may be used. 
Grafting Wax used in grafting is made of Wax 
8 parts, Rosin 3 parts, Tallow 2 parts. These ar& 
to be melted together in an iron vessel, kept for 
the purpose, at as low a temperature as will serve. 
It may be applied with a brush to wounds. When 
used in grafting it is more convenient on cloth ; old 
cotton, calico or other fabric, that will tear readily, 
is torn into strips, made into rolls, soaked in the 
hot wax until thoroughly penetrated, drained of 
the excess of wax, and when cool is ready to use. 
Varnish. Place shellac in a wide-mouthed jar, 
use strong alcohol enough to cover it and set in a 
warm place until dissolved; or set the bottle in a 
saucepan of cold water, with some sticks to keep 
it from the bottom, and set on the stove to gradual¬ 
ly heat; it will dissolve in a short time. Be cautious 
of fire. If too thick, add alcohol. Keep the brush 
in the varnish, with the handle through the cork. 
In planting, trim broken roots, cut the top back 
from one-third to one-half. Spread the roots equal¬ 
ly, working fine, rich top-soil well in among them. 
A tree properly set needs no stakes. 
Manure is hauled to the orchards much more 
readily when snow is on the ground than later. On 
old orchards manure the whole surface. Close 
around the trees is where the manure is least needed. 
Root-grafts.— Set in nursery rows, when the soil 
is ready. See that the earth is pressed down firm¬ 
ly and in close contact with the whole root. 
Other Nursery Matters. —Cut back stocks budded 
last year, within 3 or 4 inches of the bud, if that 
has taken... .Those in which the bud is dead may 
be grafted, except peaches and cherries_Cut- 
back young nursery trees to form a properly shaped 
head before vegetation starts. 
Various Orchard Matters. —Cut cions before the 
buds swell... .Do not graft until the buds begin to« 
swell... .Necessary pruning should be done before 
vegetation starts .. .Washing the trunks of trees is- 
best done in a damp spell; scrape if need be.... 
Soft soap, thinned with water to work well with a. 
brush, we prefer to lye or solution of soda or pot¬ 
ash. Apply thoroughly to the trunk and larger 
branches, and leave the rains to do the rest. 
THe Fruit Garden. 
See January Notes. After suitable varieties are 
selected and planted, success here will depend large¬ 
ly upon three things—manure, mulch and water. 
Manure. —Well decomposed stable manure, or 
any good compost maybe forked in at the spring 
dressing. Bones are better for grape vines, in 
which stable manure causes too rampant growth. 
Ashes are good on most plants, especially where a 
growth of wood is desired. 
Mulch. —A few inches of straw, marsh or bog hay, 
or leaves on the soil will often save a crop, and 
is always useful. It keeps the soil moist, and 
especially important if you can not apply 
Water without great expense. Few fruit grow¬ 
ers but have felt that a sufficient watering at the 
right time would have saved the crop of straw¬ 
berries. In time no one will attempt to grow them 
without irrigation. In many cases water can be 
carried from the cistern or well by a system of 
Y troughs, and the results warrant the outlay. 
Blackbe>~ries and Raspberries start very early and 
should be set early. When hard frosts are over 
take up and tie up to stakes or trellises the tender 
kinds of Raspberries that were laid down last fall. 
Currants and Gooseberries need early attention. 
If cuttings were not put in last fall do it now. 
Grape Vines, if not already pruned must have 
immediate attention. How to prune depends so 
much upon the present condition of each vine that 
but few general rules can be given. The fruit of 
the year will be borne upon new shoots which will 
come from the buds now to be seen on the old 
canes. There is more danger of leaving too many 
than too few. In setting new vines prefer those 
one, or not over two years old. There are few 
yards so small that have not room for one vine, and 
few large farms on which are raised all the grapes 
the family should have. 
Strawberries.— Open the mulch over the plants. 
