194 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST, 
[July, 
Calendar of Operations for July, 1860. 
[We 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 sug¬ 
gest some piece of work that might otherwise be forgotten 
or neglected. Our remarks are more especially adapted 
to the latitudes of 38° to 45° ; but will be equally applica¬ 
ble to points further North and South, by making due 
allowance for each degree of latitude, that is, earlier for 
the South, later for the North. 
Explanations.—/ indicates the first ; m the middle ; 
and l the last of the month.—Doubling the letters thus:./', 
or mm ,. or It, gives particular emphasis to the period indi¬ 
cated.—Two letters placed together, as fm or ml, signify 
that the work may be done in either or in both periods in¬ 
dicated ; thus, work marked fm, indicates that it is to be 
attended to from the/rst to the middle of the month.] 
Farm. 
Now the laborer in the field must indeed “ eat bread in 
the sweat of his face.” The vertical sun, with wilting 
force, reminds the mower that the grass falling before his 
stroke is a fit emblem of his own frailty. At no season is 
there greater danger of overtaxing the strength, and lay¬ 
ing the foundation of disease, even if immediate prostra¬ 
tion does not result. The hay must be secured, the har¬ 
vest waves impatient for the reaper, and other operations 
will soon press for attention. It is well if the culture of 
hoed crops has been completed, and nothing but the ap¬ 
propriate work for the month remains to be done. 
The husbandman may learn wisdom from the birds. 
They are astir with the earliest light, busy with work 
and with song, filling the fields with life. As the day ad¬ 
vances, and the heat increases, they seek the shade, and 
remain quiet until the sun declines. Let the farmer im¬ 
itate them. Lead the mowers to the field at break ofday, 
and when the heat becomes oppressive, leave the sun to 
■work for you, upon the mown grass. Then, when the 
afternoon breeze tempers the air, the work of securing 
will be performed with renewed vigor from the long mid¬ 
day rest. 
Barns and Sheds—Complete preparations for receiving 
Ihe hay and grain crops. Shelter, however rude, is pref¬ 
erable to stacking. Have the barn-yard cleared of ma¬ 
nure, and platforms leading to the barn floor in order, that 
the heavily loaded carls may be run in easily. 
Bees — Watch for second swarms, guard against bee 
moths, and follow other directions given under” Apiary” 
in this number. 
Buckwheat—Sow, ff to m, a half bushel to three pecks 
per acre on well worked soil. A crop may be secured from 
fields where corn has failed. It may be sown also where 
clover or grass has run out, to be followed by rye or oats, 
and reseeding next Spring, if the land is in good heart. 
Butter—Greater care is needed to produce good butter 
during the hot season, but with a cool, well ventilated 
dairy room, and the use of ice when necessary, it can be 
made. Exclude flies from the milk-room. — Frames cov¬ 
ered with wire gauze or millinet and placed in the doors 
and w indows will do this, and allow free passage of air. 
Cabbages for a late crop may still be planted. Set them 
IT, between rows of early potatoes, and other crops soon 
to come off, or on unoccupied ground. 
Cheese—As warm weather renders butter making more 
difficult, cheese making will profitably take its place. Do 
not attempt to make butter and cheese from the same 
milk. “ White-oak” stock is too plentiful in market. 
Corn, sorghum, or other crops for soiling will be ser¬ 
viceable if put in, ff. That earlier planted should be en¬ 
tirely freed from weeds before haying commences. If 
they are kept down until the ground is well shaded, there 
will be little further trouble. 
Fences—Keep in repair at all seasons. 
Haying should commence with the proper maturity of 
the grass. By the use of the mower, horse-rake, and 
horse-pow er pitch fork, the greater part of the yield may 
be secured while in the best condition. If left until the 
seed ripens, the stalk becomes woody and loses much of 
its sweet and nutritious properties. Immediately after 
the blooming when the seed is just forming, is considered 
the best pondition for making superior hay. If possible, 
allow no dew to fall upon hay in the swath, except that 
cut late in the day. Hay cured in the heap is better than 
when left exposed to the sun until perfectly dry. Cock 
it up when sufficiently dry not to ferment. Secure from 
rain with hay caps. Salt sprinkled on the mow occa¬ 
sionally as the hay is stored, will assist in keeping it in 
good condition, and render it moro palatable, especially 
if of inferior grass, or not in good order when stored. In 
stacking, lay a good platform of rails and slabs to keep 
the bottom layer sweet. 
Hoeing will need attention if not thoroughly completed 
last month. Improve poor hay weather by tilling plowed 
ground, and thus making good corn weather. 
Manures—Weeds, coarse wild grasses cut from swales, 
etc., should not be left to rot on the ground. Cart all such 
refuse to the barn yard, and keep the pig pen supplied for 
increasing the manure heap. Apply plaster, chloride of 
lime, or copperas, one lb. to three gallons of water, to privy 
sinks, around sink spouts or other places where rapid de¬ 
composition of waste matter now gives out noxious gases. 
This will convert them inio valuable manure. 
Oats—Cut before ripe enough to waste by shelling. 
They w ill weigh heavier if gathered before dead ripe. 
Pastures, if fed too close, suffer greatly from the scorch¬ 
ing sun upon the almost unprotected roots. If too much 
stock is on hand, reduce the number, or make up defi¬ 
ciency of feed with cuttings from the soiling patch. 
Poultry—Keep from grain fields, confining them to 
their enclosure if necessary. If left to run at large, the 
abundant supply of insects will incline them to lay freely. 
Collect eggs, and allow no hens to sit at this late season. 
Potatoes—Dig early varieties as they mature, and sow 
turnips or plant out cabbages in their place. 
Rye—Cut as soon as sufficiently ripe, and secure before 
injured by dew and rain. 
Seed—Select the best parts of the fields of wheat, rye, 
or other grain, and leave to mature fully before being 
gathered. Remove all weeds before binding up, and 
when gathered, store it separate from the general crop. 
Sheep-Keep in thriving condition by good range of 
pasture. Secure against dogs—visit and salt at least 
weekly. Read article “ Sheep Raising ” in this number. 
Swine—Follow directions of last month. 
Timber cut during this and the following months is gen¬ 
erally considered more durable than when felled in Win¬ 
ter, particularly those kinds which abound in sap. If 
practicable, secure enough for next season’s wants for 
fencing and building purposes. 
Tanner’s Bark—Hemlock and oak bark will “run” 
during most of July, and may be peeled at any time un¬ 
occupied by other labor. 
Tools—Keep all cutting instruments well sharpened, 
and gearing of mowers, reapers, etc., well oiled. Repair 
implements needing it in the workshop, on rainy days. 
Turnips—Sow for full crop, f, m, before the 20th if prac¬ 
ticable, but later if necessary. Newly reclaimed land is 
most favorable for their culture. Make the soil rich, mel¬ 
low and dry. 
Wheat—Cut and secure the same as rye. 
Orchard aiad Misrsery, 
Success in fruit raising requires first, a vigorous grow th 
of the trees, and then a regulation of growth to induce 
bearing. The work of previous months, enriching the 
soil, loosening and keeping it in proper mechanical con¬ 
dition, and subduing weeds or other growth interfering 
with that of the orchard, if properly performed, will se¬ 
cure the first requisite. Attention should now be given 
to directing the energies of the trees to forming fruit buds 
for next year’s bearing. This can be done by judicious 
pruning. If left until late in Autumn or next Spring, the 
benefits of removing superfluous wood are but partial, as 
we then take away that upon which the strength of the 
tree has been wasted. The orchardist needs, in this and 
other operations, to work at least a year in advance ; and 
he may do this with reasonable expectations of seeing and 
enjoying the fruits of his labors. 
Birds are taking toll from the ripening fruit. Where 
they are very troublesome, choice trees will need some 
kind of protection. Small windmills, with a rattle at¬ 
tached, placed near the trees, will be of some service. 
Budding young stocks of the plum, cherry, and pear 
will need attending to in the nursery during the middle 
and latter part of July. This operation will be found 
preferable to grafting, and is more rapidly performed. 
Cherries—Pick later varieties now ripening, for market 
and for putting up in cans or bottles as described on page 
214 of this number. Secure a good supply of pits for 
planting, and pul them in earth before they become dry. 
Fruit Stealers—Prevent their depredations by judicious 
liberality with fruit. Where this means fails, apply 
watch-dogs, and the force of the law. 
Grafts—Examine occasionally, and keep coatings of 
cement in place, renewing if needed. Rub off superflu¬ 
ous shoots from the stock. Give support to rapidly grow¬ 
ing shoots that need it, by tying to adjoining branches. 
Hoe as often as necessary to keep down weeds, and 
loosen the soil. If severe drouth prevail, plow frequent¬ 
ly between the rows. 
Inarching may now be performed on both deciduous 
and evergreen trees. 
Insects—Caterpillars, millers, slugs, aphides, the cur- 
culio tribe, and other depredators must be met willi syr¬ 
inging with whale-oil soap, dustings with lime or ashes, 
hand picking and other appropriate means of destruc¬ 
tion. The birds are busy paying for the fruit they take, 
by assisting in keeping lliem in check; 
Layering can now be done with the growth of the pres¬ 
ent season on stools kept for propagation and on grape 
vines, flowering shrubs, etc. 
Manure, ff, trees bearing a heavy burden of fruit to pre¬ 
sent exhaustion and consequent barrenness in succeed¬ 
ing years. Improve dry weather by securing an abundant 
supply of muck to be composted for future use. 
Plow between nursery rows whenever needed to loosen 
the soil and destroy weeds. Avoid disturbing the roots. 
Prune out limbs that crowd and chafe, and those that 
interfere with a well shaped head. Clean out all useless 
suckers around the trunk or upon the limbs. Make all 
cuts close to the stock and pare perfectly smooth. When 
large limbs are taken off, cover the wound with grafting 
cement, or gum shellac dissolved in alcohol. To induce 
fruit buds on trees growing to wood, pinch off the ends 
of the rampant shoots. If this be judiciously done year 
by year, and superfluous growth is removed in the same 
manner when first formed, there will be little need of fur¬ 
ther pruning, and less injury will follow than from the 
excision of large limbs. 
Thin fruit oil overbearing young trees, and prop up the 
branches of older growth when heavily loaded. Byre- 
moving part of the fruit, the remainder will be of finer 
size and quality. Trees reset this year should not be al¬ 
lowed to fruit, save, perhaps, a few specimens. 
Weeds are out of place above the surface, return them 
to the place whence they sprang. 
Mitclsesa asad Fruit tSardeia. 
The previous labor bestowed here is now rewarded 
with an increasing variety of delicacies of the season. 
To make the most of the ground and bring ripening veg¬ 
etables to early maturity and highest excellence, require 
watchfulness and pains. Weeds and insects are ready 
to cut off the gardener’s plants and hopes ; crowded 
roots are struggling for room ; and tender plants droop for 
water if there be drouth. There are also early vegeta¬ 
bles to be gathered and their places to be supplied with 
seeds for late Fall use. 
Asparagus—Make no more cuttings, but allow it to ma¬ 
ture and thus strengthen the roots for the following year. 
Keep down all weeds. 
Beans — A few of the quick growing kinds, as Early 
Valentine, Refugee, and China, may still be planted, ff. 
Such as are not sufficiently hardened in the Fall to keep, 
may be preserved in cans. 
Beets for winter use will come on in season, if sown ff, 
and well cultivated. Continue to weed and thin former 
plantings. Leave them standing eight to ten inches apart 
in the rows. 
Blackberries—Keep the canes tied to stakes or trellises, 
and support branches heavily loaded with fruit, to keep 
from splitting down. As the new shoots push forward 
train them to the trellis. 
Cabbage and Cauliflower—Set out, ff, m, for latest crop. 
A little care in transplanting will save the growth of one 
or two weeks. In gathering early cabbages for table use, 
cut them off and leave the stumps in the ground ; the 
new growth of sprouts will furnish excellent greens. 
Celery—Plant out for late crop, ff, as directed last 
month. Hoe former plantings frequently. 
Corn—Plant ff, for latest use, and for drying and pre¬ 
serving in air-tight vessels. Iloe lightly around that 
grown two feet high or more, to loosen the surface and 
destroy weeds, but not to disturb the roots. 
Cucumbers for pickles may still be planted, ff, m. Con¬ 
tinue to hoe former plantings and destroy insects. 
Currants—Gather for making jelly when first ripened. 
If left too long, much of their gelatinous principle, (vege¬ 
table albumen), changes to sugar, and jelly is formed with 
difficulty, and will “ candy ” when kept for a few months. 
Leave those intended for preserving whole, until fully 
ripe. To increase the size of specimens, pinch off the 
ends of the shoots an inch or two beyond the fruit. 
Egg Plants—Though rather late now for setting out, if 
transplanted, ff, on good soil, and hastened forward by 
frequent hoeing, and occasional applications of liquid 
manure, they may succeed. 
Endive—Set out, ff, for late use, and sow seed at same 
time for winter crop. 
Gooseberries — Thin out the berries if the bushes are 
well filled, using the first pickings for cooking. The re¬ 
mainder will be of superior size and quality. 
Grapes—Remove all superfluous growth, and continue 
to pinch off the ends of bearing shoots, leaving four or 
five leaves beyond the clusters. This will save future 
cutting of the vine, and allow the strongth to go to the 
fruit, and to promote vigorous growth of wood for future ■ 
bearing. 
Herbs contain most of their valuable properties when 
in flower. Cut when first blooming, and dry them in the 
