20-4 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
[Juke, 
Fruit Carden, 
What is said under “ Orchard ” about mulching, 
insects, etc., applies also to the fruit garden, and 
much in last month’s Notes should be heeded now, 
and we refer to them to avoid repetition. 
Marketing begins with the strawberry, and the 
harvesting will be done this month in northern 
localities. We gave last month, on p. 178, so full 
an article on the ‘‘Berry Season,” that nothing is 
to he added. 
Blackberries and Raspberries .—Next season’s fruit¬ 
ing is to he provided for by the shoots or stalks now 
growing. Tie up, to prevent accidents, such of 
these as are to remain, and hoe up all others. In 
picking, raspberries require delicate handling, as 
they crush easily. When the picking is over, cut 
out the cancs that have fruited. 
Black-Caps do not sucker, but throw up new 
stems from the base of the plant; these should not 
he allowed to become too crowded ; remove all the 
shoots not wanted while they are young. 
Thinning is even more necessary on dwarf than 
©n standard pears, as they are more apt to overbear. 
Grape Vines will need frequent attention. As 
the shoots grow they must be tied to the trellis, or 
a high wind will either break or entangle them. 
Remove all shoots that start where canes are not 
wanted, and in case of double buds, take out one 
shoot, taking the weaker one. In close pruning, 
the shoots are stopped (by pinching off their ends) 
just above the uppermost cluster. Some leave but 
a single leaf, and think it better than two, three, or 
more. We are governed by the form of trellis, pre¬ 
ferring to keep that filled with foliage, to following 
any set rule_Treat rose-bugs and mildew as 
noted last month... .Soon the large beetles and the 
large caterpillars will appear ; they are never very 
numerous, and the only remedy is hand-picking. 
fiitchen and .Ilarket Garden. 
The lively time with the weeds fairly sets in this 
month. It is well to bear in mind that a weed that 
to-day has so slight a hold on the soil that it is 
killed as easily as a tender exotic, in a few days will 
he so well established, as to be difficult of removal. 
Some one has said that “ the time to kill weeds is 
just before they appear,” and if taken to mean, 
“just before they make much show,” it is true. 
The use of 
The Bake is not half understood or appreciated. 
A heavy steel rake, with long and sharp teeth, is 
one of the most effective weed-killing implements 
we have. It gets over the surface rapidly, and 
If run over the surface, will uproot the young weeds 
and leave them where the sun will soon finish 
them. The rake is not a complete substitute for 
ffiose that stir the soil more deeply and thorough¬ 
ly, but it is an indispensable aid to these if one 
would keep the garden clear. 
Succession crops should be looked out for. The 
season of many vegetables, which remain for but a 
short time in their best condition, may be greatly 
prolonged by proper forethought, in sowing at inter¬ 
vals. For example, we make it a point to have 
green com daily, from the first picking until frost 
puts an end to the season. If there is a surplus, it 
Joes not come amiss, as the ears, allowed to get 
harder than their table condition, are a great treat 
to the pigs, and the fodder is cured for the cows. 
Unoccupied soil should never be. seen in the gar¬ 
den. As soon as one crop is off, give the soil a 
freshening up with manure, and put in something. 
Recollect that weeds will have to be killed at any 
rate, and it is better to have the work of doing this 
turned to account of some crop. Judgment must 
be used in the choice of things to occupy the land. 
The plants will have to endure the hottest part of 
the season, and lettuce, radishes, spinach, peas, 
etc., would fail, while beans, and all of the cucum¬ 
ber and squash family will be suited. It is well to 
have extra cabbage plants for this use. 
Asparagus should have a rest when peas are ready. 
When cutting is stopped, the plants soon so shade 
the ground that few weeds will grow. 
Beans. —Plant hush sorts in succession, and in 
northern localities it will be early enough for Limas. 
Beets. —Thin and weed; sow succession crops of 
early sorts, for beet greens, as well as the roots. 
Cabbages.— As soon as the crop of early is off, pre¬ 
pare the ground for celery or other late crops. Set 
out plants of medium late sorts. 
Carrots sown early in the month will usually make 
a good crop. Stir the ground whenever the plants 
begin to break through. Thin and weed in the rows 
as soon as large enough to handle, leaving at least 
4 in. between them. 
Celery.— Keep the seed-bed free of weeds; some 
for early use may be set from the middle to the end 
of the month. 
Cucumbers. —Hurry their growth. To keep off 
the striped bug, some put a rag on a stick which is 
so stuck in the ground that the wind will flutter it 
over them, and scare off the bugs. White hellebore 
has been used with success. Plant for pickles the 
last of this or the first week of next month. 
Egg Plants. —In view of the great fondness of the 
potato-bug for these, it is well to grow in pots until 
of good size, and then put out in a rich spot. Hand¬ 
pick the insects or poison them. 
Melons. —Plant, if any have failed. They need 
the same care as cucumbers. 
Okra may be sown where it is to stand. 
Onions. —Weed and keep the soil clear between 
the rows; some give a dressing of salt, thinking it 
prevents the smut. 
Peas rarely do well when planted late. If tried, 
sow them six inches deep in the coolest part of the 
garden, using the early kinds. 
Potatoes. —The early sorts in the garden require 
the same care as those in field culture. Poison 
must be used, or there will be no crop ; see hints 
for farm-work, and items in the “Basket” pages. 
Bhubarb. —Cut away the flower-stalks, and pull 
but little for use. . 
Spinach.— Sow the New Zealand in well-manured 
hills. It is slow at first, but soon grows rapidly. 
Squashes may still be sown. For striped bug see 
cucumbers. Hand-pick the squash-bugs, and crush 
their eggs, which are laid on the under side of the 
leaf. For the borer it is recommended to cover 
the stem with earth for two or three feet from the 
root. In working the soil do not disturb the vines, 
but allow them to root. 
Sweet Potatoes. —Plant on well-manured ridges. 
See a full article on culture in March last, page 100. 
Tomatoes. —Set out for late crop. In garden they 
should be kept trained to a trellis, to stakes, or in 
some way, to keep them in order, and the fruit from 
the ground. 
Turnips of the ruta-baga sorts may be sown at the 
end of the month. 
Odds and Ends.—A pig seems an almost neces¬ 
sary adjunct to a garden, or perhaps it would be 
better to say that a garden is necessary to the pig. 
At any rate, with a little care in gathering it, the 
refuse of the garden will go far towards the sum¬ 
mer support of the pig.Root crops, beets, car¬ 
rots, parsnips, salsify, and scorzonera are rarely suf¬ 
ficiently thinned ; the larger kinds should have at 
least 4 in., and 6 in. space between them would be 
better. Salsify, by thinning, may be had of twice 
the usual size, and make a great saying of time in 
preparing_If seeds are to be saved of any vegeta¬ 
bles, select beforehand the earliest and best for this 
purpose, and allow none to be used from it..... 
Herbs.—Have a supply of the seasoning articles pro¬ 
vided for the kitchen.Weeds are to be fought 
first, last, and all the time—except when the ground 
is wet. The lance-headed hoe described last month 
cannot be too highly recommended; it doesn’t look 
like much, but we could hardly do without it. 
Indeed, we have them made by the half dozen. 
Flower Garden and Lawn. 
The Notes of last month will be just as applicable 
now, and may be re-read with profit. 
The Lawn-Mower should be used in well-estab¬ 
lished lawns at least once a week. 'If the grass has 
been allowed to get too long forthe clippings to be 
left on the grass, rake them off. 
A Grass-Book or sickle will be needed for places 
inaccessible to the machine. This should be kept 
sharp by the use of a scythe-stone. 
Trees and Shrubs. —What has been said under 
“ Orchard ” about shaping trees by the early re¬ 
moval of shoots not needed, and pinching, may he 
applied to ornamental trees and shrubs.All the 
Bedding Plants should be out now. Where there 
are lines of different colors they must be kept dis¬ 
tinct by pinching back those disposed to interfere 
with their neighbors. 
The Tender Plants from the greenhouse that are to 
be used outside, should be placed where winds 
will not injure them ; they often suffer from these. 
Odds and Ends.—I Whether a place be large or 
small, neatness should always be regarded before 
show.A well kept kitchen-garden is more pleas¬ 
ing than a neglected flower-garden.If the orna¬ 
mental grounds can not be kept in order with the 
force that can be afforded, they are too large. 
Good keeping is made up of little things. Have all 
margins, where the grass borders a walk, or a 
flower-bed, carefully trimmed.Every scrap of 
paper, chip, or other matter should be kept off of 
the lawn as carefully as from the best carpet. 
Stakes are often required to hold tall-growing weak 
plants and flower-stems; they can be used and be 
out of sight. Avoid the horrible green things, with 
white, pine-apple-6haped tops ; one doesn’t wear 
gaudy crutches.When a plant goes out of flower, 
cut away the clusters, unless seeds are wanted ; in 
that case it is better to have the seed-bearers in a 
reserve ground.See last month’s Notes about 
insects on roses.Many shrubs may be propa¬ 
gated from cuttings of the ripening wood. 
Weeds come among flowers as well as among cab¬ 
bages and must be treated in the same manner. 
Sharp-toothed rakes frequently run over the soil 
among the plants, will both keep the surface light, 
and uproot the young weeds. It is well to have 
rakes of at least two different widths, as a thickly 
planted border will need a narrow one. The lance¬ 
headed hoe described and figured last month under 
“ Kitchen Garden ” is quite as useful in the flower 
garden, and saves a great deal of hand-weeding. 
Greenhouse and Window Plants. 
The last cold storm is generally over—at least in 
the latitude of New York—by June 10th, and the 
weather at that time may be regarded as settled 
warm. By that date whatever plants are to be 
taken from the greenhouse, may come out, and the 
house put in its summer dress.With a little 
care it is easy to provide a set of plants of the 
Gesneria family that will keep the house a blaze of 
flowers. Gesnerias, Gloxinias, Tydseas, Achimenes, 
etc., are all brilliant. Some of the double Gerani¬ 
ums, and all of the Tricolor class are much better 
in-doors ; these, with Fuchsias, and other summer¬ 
flowering plants, will make a well-shaded and well- 
ventilated greenhouse an attractive place.Shad¬ 
ing must now be increased, unless put on heavy at 
first.Insects will be rather more active than in 
winter, and the same means must be taken to sub' 
due them.See last month’s Notes. 
Commercial Matters-Market Prices. 
The following condensed, comprehensive tables, care¬ 
fully prepared specially for the Ameiican Agriculturist , 
from our daily record during the year, show at a glance 
the transactions for the month ending May 12th, 1877, 
and for the corresponding month last year: 
20 i 
1. TltANSAOTIONS AT TUB NKW TO UK M A JIK KTS. 
Rn<ncti*TS Flour. Wheal. Corn. line., Harley. runs, 
this m’l,)i237,100 201,000 1,570,000 51.000 198,000 578.000 
last m’lli263,000 289,000 1,711,000 47,000 801,000 614,000 
Finite Wheat. Corn. Hue. Harley. Oats. 
21 <]’< this m'thSIS 0«0 1.072,000 7,149,000 62,000 9:',000 1,570,000 
26 d’s last m’IIiS34,0C0 1,265,000 2,807,000 53,000 257,000 896,(00 
•i. Comparison Willi same pe.rind at this time. Iasi. year. 
IIkckiut* Flour. Wheat. Corn. Rye. Harley. Oats. 
27 davs 1877. .237,100 254.000 1.570,000 54.000 198.000 573,000 
26 davs 1876. ^OOO 1,136,000 1,334,000 83,000 221,000 961,000 
s ^I Flour. Wheat. Horn. line.. Harley. Oats. 
07 davs 1R77 319,000 1,077,000 7,140,006 62,000 93,0:>0 1,570.000 
26 (lays 1876..337,000 2,623,000 1,211,000 117,000 41,000 816,0,0 
