122 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
into which the seeds fall, and when thawing 
takes place they are covered in a most per¬ 
fect manner. Clover seed is very dear this 
spring, but do not omit to sow it on that ac¬ 
count. A crop of clover plowed under (with¬ 
out feeding it down) when it is at its full 
growth, or just at the time of blooming, is 
one of the cheapest, and very best fertilizers. 
The great amount of leaf surface gathers an 
immense quantity of rich manurial elements 
from the air, than which nothing can furnish 
better nourishment to a poor soil. We have 
brought up poor land to a high state of fer 
tility, and that too while raising every alter¬ 
nate year excellent crops of wheat or rye, 
solely by applying a little plaster and turn 
ing under clover unsparingly. Farm ma¬ 
nures are growing scarcer, and Peruvian 
guano is going up, up—thanks (?) to the Pe¬ 
ruvian monopoly—so try clover. 
PLASTER 
also can be sown this month upon old pas¬ 
tures, to good advantage in most cases. In 
some localities, this fertilizer produces no 
visible effect. On soils that show its effects 
it is a profitable investment. Try a few bar¬ 
rels, on meadows, pastures and growing 
wheat, and give it a chance to speak for 
itself. 
IMPLEMENTS AND TOOLS. 
Let all these be examined again, and see 
if every thing is in order. If the cart ladders 
and haying gear want mending, do it now. 
You are upon your last days of comparative 
leisure; and all the little jobs that were put 
off last summer for waqt of time, should be 
done now. The whole force of the farm is 
often hindered days in mowing time, for 
want of a few hours attention in March. Il 
you lack any good tools for working the soil, 
buy them, and have them all ready as soon 
as the ground is settled. 
SHEEP 
will soon be dropping their lambs, and will 
need special attention. Let them always 
have a place of shelter to which they can 
resort in the cold storms of this month. If 
you have roots, give them an occasional mess 
cut fine. If you have not roots, give them 
a little grain. The profits of the flock depend 
very much upon the care they have this 
month. Emaciated sheep, and dead lambs 
will not pay. 
YOUNG STOCK 
should also have particular attention. Some 
farmers seem to think that a calf in the first 
year can live upon the refuse of the barn, 
moldy bog-hay or leafless cornstalks. The 
first year of an animal’s life is its most im¬ 
portant year. If starved and stunted then, 
it never fully recovers from the shock and 
makes what it would have made with good 
keeping. Do not turn them out into the 
woods or pastures as soon as the snow is 
off. There is very little nourishment in 
the shadow of a snow bank. 
milk cows. 
Do not dream of butter and cheese in June, 
unless you care for the cows now. Good 
food and plenty of it, brings fine large calves, 
udders, and brimming pails of milk in sum 
mer, meal and cut feed with roots will pay. 
BREEDING SOWS. 
If you have been wise in your arrange¬ 
ments, your pig-styes will present an ani¬ 
mating scene early this month. If you wpuld 
not be disappointed in the advent of those 
little snow white porkers, take care of the 
expectant mothers. Give them plenty of 
room, and keep in good thriving condition. 
They should not be allowed to fatten. A 
little animal food occasionally and a little 
salt in the feed is of advantage a short time 
before they drop their young. It makes 
some difference in your annual profits, 
whether you have twenty spring pigs to sell, 
or ten to buy for your own use. Look well 
to the styes. 
WORKING OXEN. 
“ Where no oxen are the crib is clean ; but 
much increase is by the strength of the ox,” 
is a saying of Solomon, and is as true in 
American as it was in Hebrew husbandry. 
They must have full feed in order to per¬ 
form the labors of plowing and getting in the 
crops which are just before them. We have 
just heard of a farmer whose oxen were 
found dead in the stable one morning last 
week. He doubtless thought it was a strange 
Providence that a poor farmer should lose 
his cattle, but all his neighbors knew that 
bog-hay and neglect killed his oxen. A pair 
of cattle in full flesh make light work of 
plowing. We fear working oxen will be 
scarce in these parts this spring. The snow 
shut off the usual supply of Western beef, 
and farmers hereabouts let the drovers have 
thousands of their best working oxen. This 
was bad economy, but can’t be helped now 
PLANTING TREES. 
This you have neglected too long. Plant 
that orchard, which you have been meaning 
to plant these five years, but have not quite 
got ready to plant. You can dig the holes 
this month, and get the bones and the com¬ 
post. Make your selection of fruits, and 
send your orders to the nurseryman imme¬ 
diately that you may have them sent in sea¬ 
son. You want a few more cherries and 
plums in the garden, a patch of strawberries, 
and a few shoots of raspberries. In prepar¬ 
ing the holes.jmake thorough work. A hole 
six feet across and two feet deep, will pay 
better than any smaller hole. If you can 
find bones readily, put in a bushel to a tree, 
scattering them in with the compost. They 
will pay interest for twenty years to come, 
^ouryard, and the road sides near the house, 
quite likely, want a few shade trees. Plant 
them this spring without fail. Make your plan 
now. If you do not decide upon tree plant¬ 
ing now, you will be likely to neglect it when 
the work of next month is pressing. A farm¬ 
er can not be expected to stop his plow to 
make plans. The head work should be 
done when you have time to look at your 
grounds, and to see where a tree can be put 
in to good advantage. Get a clear view of 
your whole season’s work, and carry out 
your arrangements with patient industry. 
HIRING LABOR 
is attended to this month, and it is a matter 
of great importance. Be sure and have 
enough of it. Farmers err in employing too 
small a force upon their acres. They do not 
see that if they have work enough, it is just 
as good economy to hire three .men for the 
season as it is to hire one. It takes no 
more time to direct the labors of three men 
than it does one. Secure the best labor, 
even if you have to pay more for it. An 
honest, reliable, industrious man, is worth 
more than a thievish, intemperate, profane 
laborer, at half the price.—E d. 
BOSES. 
SIMPLE [DIRECTIONS FOR THEIR CULTIVATION. 
In our last we gave plain directions for 
selecting a few of the best Roses for small 
plots. We now offer a few suggestions for 
planting and after culture. The two articles 
should be taken together. In this as in 
other departments we receive editorial as¬ 
sistance from the best and most experienced 
cultivators in the country. 
Roses require a rich deep soil, with a dry 
bottom, to insure successful cultivation. 
Before planting, the ground should be 
trenched (spaded) two spits deep, giving a 
liberal supply of well rotted manure—it 
matters little of what kind, providing it is 
well decomposed, although when it can be 
readily obtained, well rotted cow or pig dung 
would be best for a light, warm soil. For a 
cold heavy soil, horse dung, wood ashes, 
charcoal and soot would be most suitable. 
Leaf-mold or any decomposed vegetable 
matter may also be added in either case. 
Most of the French or Garden Roses, from 
their vigorous and hardy habit, will thrive 
in any good garden soil, but when it is 
desired to cultivate the choice sorts of 
Remontant (periodically blooming) and 
Bourbon Roses, a suitable soil is absolutely 
necessary. 
PLANTING. 
Having the ground properly prepared, the 
next thing is to procure good healthy plants. 
Always choose young plants, one or two 
years old, not’older. Have nothing to do 
with plants that have been forced in pots, 
as they are short lived. Have them taken 
from the ground early in Spring. Upon re¬ 
ceiving the plants, should they have been 
for a long time out of the ground, and appear 
shriveled and dry, it would be well after 
pruning to heel them in the ground for four 
or five days, covering them entirely with 
earth, which will recover them if not too 
far gone. 
Choose, if possible, a dull calm day to 
plant, which should be done as early in the 
Spring as the soil is in good working order. 
PRUNING. 
This is a part of their management which 
is but little regarded, and generally sadly 
neglected. It is quite hopeless to expect 
vigorous healthy plants, or a profusion of 
flowers, where pruning is neglected or only 
half done. The reason is obvious. The 
buds at the base of the shoot are the most 
vigorous; the terminal buds (at the end of 
the branches) the weakest. But the terminal 
or leading buds are those first excited into 
growth, and unless removed the base buds 
will remain dormant, and there is also devel 
oped a greater number of the former than 
the plant can sustain ; so that instead of two 
or three strong shoots bearing large clusters 
