1871.1 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
83 
have a snug, warm, dry nest, where she can be 
easily watched. It must not be too abundantly lit¬ 
tered, and the straw should be placed in it several 
days beforehand. She should be fed bran and roots 
with her other food, in order to get her bowels in 
good order. It is well to always watch a farrowing 
sow, so as to remove any still-born pig at once, and 
to prevent a clumsy sow lying upon her pigs. If a 
pig is killed, the sow is very apt to eat it, and this 
may give her a relish for the entire litter. 
Sheep.- -Treat for scab, ticks, and lice. If ewes 
yean eat:y v take care that the lambs are not chilled. 
The careful shepherd bus hot water, and stones or 
bricks, ready to warm the little creatures. Often a 
mild milk-punch is excellent for them. A wSi’m 
bath, followed by friction with dry cloths, will often 
revive lambs nearly dead. 
Working-Animals should be gradually used to hard 
labor, and if exhausted by hard work, horses es¬ 
pecially, should have a good rubbing with straw 
and the brush over the bodies, and their legs should 
be hand-rubbed for an hour. This treatment is es¬ 
pecially applicable to high-bred horses ; but all are 
benefited by it. 
Poultry of all kinds will be commencing to iay 
this month. Geese may be allowed to sit as soon 
as they wish. Ducks’ eggs should be set under 
hens if early broods are wanted, at least until the 
first of May. The middle of April is early enough 
for the earliest broods of chickens or ducks, unless 
especially good houses and yards are prepared. 
Vermin must be looked to upon all domestic an¬ 
imals at this season. Sulphur given in small doses 
to pigs and poultry is a useful preventive. Flow- 
ers-of-sulphur iu hens’ nests, and kerosene upon 
their roosts, drives them away effectually. Carbolic 
soap, in strong solution, may safely be used to wash 
cattle and sheep with. 
--—--ia« — - 
Work in the Horticultural Departments. 
It is difficult to give hints for March work, as the 
month may bring us mid-winter or sunny working 
days. We write in the middle of February, while 
the heaviest snow of theyearlies upon the ground. 
Many things set down for last month probably re¬ 
main to be done. Every day of unfavorable weather 
this month will render work so much the more 
pressing, and everything that can facilitate opera¬ 
tions should be done during the stormy days. 
Orcl»ai*tl and Nursery. 
Planting should be done as soon as the ground 
will admit of being worked. The ground ought to 
have 'oeen plowed in the fall, and then thoroughly 
harrowed in spring before the trees are set. In 
setting out young trees, choose those of good, 
thrifty growth, and straight, smooth trunks. 
Pruning and Scraping may be done when the 
weather is mild. Old trees, which would be nearly 
worthless without this renovation, may, with a lit¬ 
tle digging and manuring around, produce a con¬ 
siderable quantity of fruit. 
Tent- Caterpillars' Eggs may be easily seen now, 
and removed, thus saving a great deal of trouble. 
Canker- Worms will ascend during the warm days, 
and means should be taken to stop them. Strips 
of tarred paper around the trunks are good, if the 
coat of tar is frequently renewed. A more expen¬ 
sive way is to encircle the tree6 with a trough of 
glass or tin and keep it filled with petroleum. Clear 
the troughs of the dead insects, for, if left to accu¬ 
mulate, they only serve as a bridge for others. 
Labels arid Tying Materials should be prepared. 
Manure can be carted out and spread upon the 
land, in order to save time during the busy season. 
Fruit-G ardeii. 
Strawberries set out in early spring, will bear a 
small crop of fruit the same season, but it is better 
for the vines to remove it. The strawberry is now 
so generally distributed throughout this country, 
and the plants are so easily obtained by mail, 
that no one need be without it. 
Raspberries and Blackberries. —Plant as soon as the 
frost is out of the ground. The last year’s canes 
should be cut back to four or five feet. 
Cuttings of gooseberries and currants ought to 
be made and planted as soon as possible. The old 
bushes, when thoroughly thinned out, produce 
much nicer fruit than when left to themselves. 
Crape- Vines do as well pruned early in March as 
at any other time, provided they are not frozen. 
Spade or Plow in a liberal dressing of manure 
between the rows of small fruits ; it will pay in 
the increased quality and quantity of the next crop. 
Kitclieii>Gar(leii. 
■ Our friend “ Walks and Talks,” has an article on 
gardening on page 102, which, as it is written by a 
farmer, should be read by every farmer. He gives 
the whole secret of success in gardening—abundance 
of good manure, and a persistent keeping down 
of weeds. We have a few general hints to add to 
his : Never sow a seed of doubtful identity ©r qual¬ 
ity. Purchase seeds early, and order them of per¬ 
sons of good reputation. The seeds sold at country 
stores may or may not be good. On page 91*, we 
notice the leading novelties of the season, and we 
enumerate here some of the good, old, standard 
sorts, which will give satisfaction, though there are 
others quite as good as those we mention. This is 
a busy month in this department, and arrangements 
for procuring seeds and plants ought to be finished, 
and everything in readiness for early planting. 
Hot-Beds. —These should be made in some shel¬ 
tered spot, where cold winds will not have access 
to the young plants. See article on page 103. 
Window-Boxes.— A few early plants may be raised 
in shallow boxes, filled with earth, and set iu the 
kitchen-window where there is plenty of sunlight. 
Lettuce, cabbage, and tomato plants, enough for 
the family-garden, may be easily raised iu this way. 
Asparagus must have a liberal dressing of manure, 
and also one of salt. If new beds are to be made, 
set out one-year-old plants, two feet by three, after 
the land has been properly spaded or plowed. 
Beans. —Plant in drills two feet apart, Valentine 
is one of the earliest, and Dwarf Wax the best bush 
for snaps. Giant Wax and Largo Lima, best pole. 
Beets will bear considerable cold weather, and a 
few rows should be sown for early use. Plant in 
drills a foot apart. Bassano and Early Blood Tur¬ 
nips are good early. Dewing’s, Hatch’s, and Egyp¬ 
tian, are new, and highly recommended. 
Broccoli. —Treat the same as cabbages. White 
and Purple Cape are good varieties. 
Cabbage Plants, from a liot-bed or cold-frame, may 
be set out in many localities. The Jersey'Wake¬ 
field and Wiunigstadt are excellent for early. Mar¬ 
blehead, Drumhead, and Flat Dutch for winter use. 
Carrots. —Sow the Early Horn iu 13-inch drills, 
Cauliflower. —Half Early Paris and Boston Market 
are fine. Treat same as cabbage. 
Celery. —Sow for early crops in hot-bed. Dwarf 
White Solid, and Boston Market. 
Corn. —Crosby’s Early, Mammoth Sweet, Stow- 
ell, and Mexican, are all good, reliable varieties. 
Cress. —Sow the Curled at intervals of a week. 
Cucumber. —Start on small pieces of sod under 
glass. Early Russian for early, White Spine for 
general crop; Green Prickly, for pickles, is sown 
later, in the open ground. 
Egg-Plant. —Sow in liot-bed. Long Purple for 
earl}’, and later, Purple, or Black Pekin. 
Horse-Radish. —Plant sets iu well-manured trench¬ 
es, and earth up as it grows. 
Kohl-rabi. —Sow Early White in two-foot rows. 
Leek. —Sow Flag or Musselburgh same as onions. 
Lettuce does well when sowed in the fall, and cover¬ 
ed slightly with leaves or brush. If this has not been 
done, sow in liot-bed or cold-frame, or open ground. 
Curled Silesia and Tennis Ball are good sorts. 
Melons. —Sow the same as cucumbers. Ward’s 
Nectar, Skillman’s Netted, are among the best. 
Onions. —Sow in drills 15 inches apart, in rich 1 
soil. Early Red and Yellow Danvers are good. Put 
out sets for early crops, and potato and top-onions. 
Parsley. —Curled is best. Soak the seeds, 
Parsnip. —Plant early, in drills fifteen inches 
apart. Hollow-Crowned is best. 
Peas. —See “ How to have a Garden,” on page 103. 
Peppers. — Start under glass, the Squash for 
pickles, and Sweet Mountain for stuffing. 
Potatoes. —Start a few early potatoes in the hot¬ 
bed. Cut in halves, expose a few days to a warm 
atmosphere, and then place in the hot-bed. 
Radishes should be sown quite thickly, at inter¬ 
vals of a week or ten days for a succession. Early 
Scarlet Turnip, Olive Shaped, and French Breakfast. 
Rhubarb should have plenty of manure dug in 
between the rows, to induce an early growth. 
Salsify. —Sow fresh seed, the same as parsnips. 
Some prefer the Scorzonera, or Black Salsify. 
Spinach. —That which was planted and covered 
over in fall will be ready to cut now. This excel¬ 
lent vegetable is not cultivated very extensively, 
except near cities and towns. It is excellent for" 
early greens. Sow in 18-inch drills. 
Sweet-Potatoes. —Start the same as recommended 
for potatoes, except that sweet-potatoes should have 
a layer of two or three inches of compost over 
them. Nan6emond is usually grown. 
Squash.- —Summer Crookneck is best for early, 
and Boston Marrow and Hubbard for general use. 
Tomato. —Sow in hot-bed. Early Smooth Red is 
the best of the older varieties. The Trophy Tomato 
is a new sort, very highly recommended. 
Turnip. —Flat Dutch for early use, red and white 
strap-leaf for late. Sweet German and white French 
are the best ruta-baga sorts for family use. 
Seeds. —Roots,-etc., which are to be planted for 
seed, should go out this month. Earth up around 
the crowns, to keep the roots from freezing, and 
remove it when all danger of frost is over. 
Flower-Garden and lanvii. 
Annuals. — The hardier annuals may be sown in a 
warm, sheltered spot. When it is desired to have 
them flower early, a few may be sown in a hot-bed. 
Asters, Balsams, etc., may be started in this way. 
Lawns should be raked, to gather up all litter, 
and then rolled to settle the soil. A top-dressing 
of fine compost spread upon it will induce a healthy 
and thrifty growth. Seed thin spots. 
Gravel- Walks must be raked and rolled. Where 
new ones are to be made, remove the earth to the 
depth of 18 inches, or 2 feet, and the trench nearly 
full of small stones : finish off with fine gravel. 
Greenhouse and Window Plants. 
Cuttings of bedding-plants should be started now, 
ready for planting out during the summer. Those 
cuttings already rooted must be potted off into 
small pots. Guttings of most bedding-plants are 
easily rooted in shallow saucers of wet sand. The 
sand should not be allowed to become dry. 
' Camellias and Azaleas are now in bloom, and care 
must be taken in watering not to wet or touch the 
flowers, as it renders them spotted and unsightly. 
Climbing Plants should be trained to trellises, or 
to the greenhouse rafters. 
Temperature. —The ventilators should be opened 
more now, being careful not to allow the wind to 
blow directly upon theplants. Close the ventilators 
by three o’clock, to prevent the heat from escaping. 
Insects. —Fumigate, once or twice a week. 
Roses should be brought forward as fast as possi¬ 
ble now. Give plenty of manure-water. If mildew 
makes its appearance, use sulphur, mixed with 
water, and applied with a syringe. 
Bulbs which have flowered should be gradually 
dried off, and then laid away in a dry place. 
Water should be applied more liberally, both to 
greenhouse and window-plants, as they become 
dry very soon in the bright sun. 
Seedlings. — Plant seeds of tender annuals,and when 
an inch high, prick out into shallow boxes of earth. 
