AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
163 
18*7.] 
bushels per acre, at $1.50 or $2 a bushel, than in 
many crops grown with greatly more trouble. It 
may be planted at the latter end of the month, or a 
piece of clover, to be mowed early next month, may 
be reserved for it. Make the rows 27 inches apart. 
Fodder Crops.—A succession of fodder crops 
should be planted this month, for dairy cows, 
horses, calves, sheep, and pigs. For all these ani¬ 
mals a green crop, to be cut when pasture begins 
to fail, is of the greatest value ; it must be some¬ 
thing that will grow quickly, will furnish a heavy 
cutting or two, and be agreeable and nutritious. 
The New Fodder Plant .—It might he well to try 
the new fodder-plant, Prickly Comfrey, that has 
been described in the American Agriculturist, (see 
January number, page 19), in a small way. It is no 
objection to this plant that it is a free grower, and 
may easily become a weed. So much the better 
for it. That is a great recommendation. There is 
no more common weed than clover, yet we do not 
object to clover because it finds its way everywhere, 
and keeps its hold. If this plant is useful, the more 
vigorous it is the better for our purpose. But 
let it be tested judiciously and sparingly at first. 
Brood Mares .—There is no need to keep brood 
mares idle when nearing their time. Slow farm 
work and gentle driving, will be useful rather than 
otherwise. Watch the mare well, and see that her 
health is kept perfect; give her a roomy, loose 
stall, where there is no possibility of injury, and 
she may be worked up to a day or two of foaling. 
Laxative food, such as bran, ground oats, with 
some linseed oil-eake meal, or a few chopped ruta¬ 
bagas, will be healthful. If a gentle purgative is 
needed, give one pint of raw linseed oil, but no salts. 
Cows and Calves .—It is well -to observe caution in 
changing cattle from dry feed to full pasture. The 
safe way is to feed on the usual dry fodder before 
turning out, and bring up the stock early in the 
afternoon, and feed again on dry feed with some 
roots. Another safe precaution is to dose the calves 
and yearlings with two ounces of Epsom salts for 
each one, for two days before they are turned out, 
and then graduate the feed as mentioned. A daily 
dose of half an ounce of sulphur and as much salt, 
given every night for a week or two, with the ob¬ 
servance of the above precautions, will prevent the 
fatal “ black quarter,” or carbuncular erisypelas. 
Sheep .—Watch carefully the ewes and lambs that 
are at all inclined to be loose, lest the fly should 
strike them. If they become fly-blown, shear the 
parts and smear copiously with linseed oil and tar. 
Newly shorn sheep should be kept under cover 
during cold rains. If this 'precaution is observed, 
early shearing is not objectionable. Feed lambs ex¬ 
tra food to push them forward. All that is gained 
in this way now, becomes a double gain by and by. 
Pigs .—Sows that are bred this month, will have 
pigs in September, an excellent time for those who 
can make small pork for Christmas. Those animals 
that come to market young, are the most profitable, 
and a 60 to 80 lbs. 3 months pig is good to have for 
sale at the holidays. 
Machines .—Mowers should be looked after; old 
ones put in good order at once, and new ones or¬ 
dered. In buying, look carefully into the claims 
of the leading kinds. It must not be forgotten 
that while novelties are worth close attention, an 
old reputation for undoubted excellence should not 
be lightly ignored in the search for new things. No 
farmer with more than five acres of grass, can af¬ 
ford to go without a mower and a horse-rake at 
least, and perhaps a horse-fork should be included. 
Notes on Orchard and Garden Work. 
There is no month in which it is more difficult 
than in May to so shape these Notes as to meet 
the wants of the greatest number of readers. 
Whether the season be forward or backwards, or 
one lives a degree or two north or south, the first 
of June finds vegetation about equally advanced, 
but in the present month, while many of our read¬ 
ers have their spring’s work well along, others have 
but fairly commenced. It seems like repetition to 
so often refer to the Notes of former months, but 
experience shows it to be necessary, and a great 
many who ask us about matters relating to the work 
of the season, would be saved the trouble of writ¬ 
ing, did they consult the previous issues of the 
present volume. This month thefe is a great deal 
of moving; those who live in towns and villages 
change their residences, and many go from cities 
and towns to try for the first time a life in the 
country, or at least in the suburbs of cities. Cus¬ 
tom has, in many sections, fixed May 1st as moving 
day, and as a consequence there is a great deal of 
Late work in tile Garden, 
whether it be in the way of fruits, vegetables, or 
flowers. It is much later than one would choose to 
begin gardening of any kind, but one who only 
now comes into possession of land which is to be a 
garden of some kind, need not be discouraged, for 
much can be done in all departments even at this 
late day, and we shall in good part shape the pres¬ 
ent Notes to meet the needs of those who are 
obliged to begin their gardening operations late. 
Orchard and Kursery. 
Planting is usually finished by this time. Trees 
that have been heeled-in may still be planted. If 
trees are sent late from nurseries, they may be 
Shrivelled or Started .—If the bark is dried and 
shrivelled, bury the trees, root and top in sandy 
soil, and at the end of a few days they will come 
out all right. If they have become heated in the 
transit, and pushed long white shoots, cut back 
each branch to a bud that has not so started. 
Mulch all late planted trees; it will be well to mulch 
all planted this spring, before the drouths come. 
Crafting may still be done, but more care is re¬ 
quired. When vegetation starts, the bark will slip 
very easily, and a careless operator, in sawing off a 
limb, may strip the bark and make a bad wound 
upon the stock. We have grafted apple and pear 
trees when in full bloom with perfect success. 
Full directions were given last month. 
Thinning the Fruit should begin as soon as it can 
be ascertained how much is “ set.” In the South¬ 
ern States, it is quite time that this was done, and 
it should be attended to everywhere as early as 
practicable. There is nothing of more importance 
to those who grow fruit for profit, than thorough 
and severe thinning. This is especially the case 
with peaches and pears, and we are very sure that 
it will pay with the choicer kinds of apples. In 
ordinary years, three or four times as much fruit 
sets as the tree can bring to perfection. Thorough 
thinning will give about the same bulk of fruit of a 
quality so much finer than when all is allowed to 
remain, that a single trial will show its value. 
Insects.—The Borers of fruit trees are not all alike, 
that of the peach belonging to a very different 
family of insects from that of the apple, but they 
agree in their destructiveness, and the methods of 
treating them are the same. Trees at planting 
should be carefully examined for the insect, and 
this cut out when found. Examine the trees in the 
orchard ; the saw-dust, or a depression in the bark, 
will show the presence of the borer ; cut it out, or 
probe it with a wire. Tent Caterpillars hatch as 
soon as there are any leaves. The proper time to 
destroy them is in the egg. If a web is seen—and 
they are most conspicuous when the dew is on in 
the morning—go for it. If you have gloves, well; 
if not, the caterpillars will not harm you ; pull 
away the nest with the caterpillars, and kill all. 
Curculios not only attack plums, but cherries, 
peaches, and other fruits. There is but one sure 
remedy ; jar the tree early in the morning, when 
they are inactive, and catch the insects on a cloth; 
crush or bum. They begin soon after the fruit is 
set, and continue for some months. Avoid vaunted 
cures, such as disagreeable stuff to be hung in the 
tree ; the curculio laughs at such. 
Tree Seedlings , whether of fruit or forest trees, 
need to have the soil stirred between the rows, and 
all weeds removed;' thin if over-crowded. 
Seedlings of Forest Trees, even of the most robust 
kinds, are exceedingly tender when young. The 
young trees, when they come up in the forest, have 
an abundance of shade, and in cultivation, more 
.are lost for want of this than from any other cause. 
Seed-beds, when small and few, may be shaded by 
a lattice made of laths, tacked on to strips, putting 
the laths as far apart as their own width. • These 
screens are to be supported above the beds by 
stakes. Large beds may have a screen high enough 
to work under ; this may be made of poles, cover¬ 
ed with evergreen or other boughs, and supported 
by crotched posts. In lack of either, sticking leafy 
twigs quite thickly in the bed among the seedlings, 
will be better than nothing. 
fi-Viiit Garden. 
Where circumstances make it necessary to plant 
late, it may be done, if plants and trees can still 
be had in a dormant condition. Useful hints on 
planting will be found in the Notes for January 
last. Plants set now will be likely to have the 
summer’s heat and drouth to contend with, before 
they have become fairly established, and unless 
care is given in mulching them, their growth will be 
seriously retarded if they do not die altogether. 
Mulching consists in covering the soil with a 
thickness of several inches of some material which 
will shield it from the direct rays of the sun, and 
prevent the evaporation of moisture, while it is 
sufficiently open to allow any rain that may fall to 
pass through to the soil. It is also of great service 
in keeping the soil loose and open, as the surface 
can not bake and form a crust after each rain, 
while at the same time it prevents the growth of 
weeds. Litter of any kind may be used that will 
not bring in the seeds of weeds. Near the coast 
“salt-hay,” or hay made on the brackish marshes 
is abundant, and a nearly perfect article for the 
purpose. Elsewhere hay from fresh marshes, straw, 
cornstalks or other available material may be used. 
Leaves, including “pine straw,” make a good 
mulch, and spent tan-bark and sawdust are some¬ 
times used. We have seen small stones used as a 
mulch with good effect. In case mulching cannot 
be done,some of its good effects may be produced by 
Working the surface, keeping the top soil open 
and light, so that it will conduct the heat less 
readily than when compact. 
Fruit-Picking and marketing will be in order, in 
some localities, and preparations must be made for 
the work in others. See article on page 178. 
Currants and Gooseberries are both subject to the 
attacks of a caterpillar, commonly called the “ cur¬ 
rant worm,” which, if neglected, will soon leave 
nothing but bare stems and shrivelled fruit. See 
last month’s Notes. It is there directed to use 2 oz. 
of the powdered White Hellebore to the pailful. A 
friend who has had much experience, says that he 
finds a tablespoonful sufficient. Two or three ap¬ 
plications at intervals of a few days,will get rid of 
them. Gooseberries are almost entirely marketed 
green; in some localities green currants are in de¬ 
mand, in this case pick so as to thin the crop. 
Blackberries and Raspberries .—Such suckers as are 
not wanted for next year’s canes should be treated 
as weeds. The growing shoots should be tied up 
when tall enough, and prevented from entangling 
themselves with the old canes. 
Grapes may still be set. The first year grow but 
a single shoot, and keep it tied up. The caterpillar 
which folds the leaves of the developing shoot, can 
only be managed by hand-picking, though it really 
does less damage than is supposed, as it stops the 
prolongation of the shoot just where those who 
follow close training would do it. The most trou¬ 
blesome of the early insects on the vine is the Kose- 
bug, which appears at blossoming time, making 
sad havoc. There is no remedy but catching and 
killing ; in early morning they may be shaken off 
and caught in a pan or cup in which is some water, 
to prevent flying. Whenever the first signs of mil¬ 
dew appear—grayish spots on the under side of the 
leaf—use the sulnhur-bellows. Each shoot sets 
three,or two,bunches ; market-growers claim that it 
pays in extra size and quality, to remove all but one. 
Pears .—Thin as soon as the young fruit begins to 
grow ; no fruit is more improved by thinning freely. 
Strawberries .—After blossoming, the sooner the 
