74 
AMERICAN* ^AGRICULTURIST. 
be no doubt, that in this state of things, 
farmers ought to deny the importunity of 
the butcher, and raise more calves. But if 
this be done, let not the meanest samples be 
saved for this purpose. Too many adopt 
the miserable policy of raising only what 
the butcher leaves, and thus their herd is al¬ 
ways depreciating in quality. Select the 
best heifers, in form and color, and do not 
turn them off from the cow until they have 
got a good start. They may be taught to eat 
slops at five or six weeks old, as well as 
earlier. There is no substitute for the 
mother’s milk, that will meet all the calf’s 
want. A great point is gained, when a 
calf comes to the fat pastures of June, strong 
and healthy. The animal can then make 
the best use of its food, and develop what 
is in it. A heifer calf generously treated 
the first year, brings a calf at two years old, 
and begins to pay a profit to her owner. 
This is much better than to stint calves in 
their first year and get no profit from them, 
until they are three years old. 
There is another point in connection with 
stock raising, that ought to have more con¬ 
sideration. As a rule, in the older states, 
we do not keep stock enough for the man¬ 
ufacture of our own manures. We believe 
the maxim to be a sound one, that the ani¬ 
mal products of a farm ought to exceed its 
vegetable products. Where this is the case, 
all the manure necessary to keep the farm 
constantly improving can be made upon the 
premises. Without this, one must either 
purchase manures, or diminish the capacity 
of his soil for future production. Most of 
our eastern farmers could increase the stock 
upon their farms, to great advantage. It is 
far better for the farm, and we think for the 
farmer in the end, to purchase food for his 
cattle, than to purchase manures. Either 
should be regarded as a temporary resort, 
to bring up the farm to its full working 
capacity. 
MORE LABOR WANTED. 
We are persuaded that farmers make a 
great mistake in supplying so little help in 
Spring, and Summer. There is too little 
faith in the capacity of the soil to reward all 
the labor, that is expended upon it. Many a 
man, with three hundred acres of land, em¬ 
ploys but a single hired man and boy. He 
has work enough to employ a half dozen, 
and the work would pay as well for six men, 
as for one. He expects to be constantly in 
the field with his men, and could as well di¬ 
rect the labors of many as of a single labor¬ 
er. Yet he lets full one half of the capital 
invested in his farm lie idle, and dooms 
himself to a life of hard toil, for want of 
efficient help. It is time this penny-wise 
policy were changed for something better. 
With the multitudes of able bodied emigrants 
landed upon our shores every year, no farm¬ 
er upon the sea board need go without a full 
supply of labor. 
TREE PLANTING 
is principally attended to this month. With 
all that is said upon this subject in our 
journals, far too little of this work will be 
done. If you have not a good orchard 
plant one this spring. Plant trees by the 
road side, plant trees around your home, in 
belts, and groups, so as to shelter it from the 
heat of summer, and the fierce cold winds of 
winter. When this is well- done, every 
passing season will lend new charms to the 
homestead, and bind parents and children to 
the loved spot with stronger ties. 
PARSLEY. 
All sensible people upon the farm, who 
have got beyond the inevitable salt junk and 
potatoes, like an occasional boiled dinner, 
with only a tinge of the saline element. 
There is a theory about Lot’s wife, which 
makes her sad doom a judgment upon her 
cookery in the days of her prosperity, which 
we will not repeat here. If such a connec¬ 
tion were to be established between dirt and 
destiny, we should expect to see many pil 
lars of salt about rural grave-yards that we 
wot of in certain parts of the country. 
But without the apprehension of this des¬ 
tiny, many people affect a fresh leg of mut¬ 
ton in the pot with only just enough fat pork 
to diffuse a wholesome relish through the 
contiguous leg. Now to crown this leg prop¬ 
erly, when served up, parsley is indispensi- 
ble among all cooks who have once tried it. 
Chopped fine and diffused in the drawn but¬ 
ter, it gives flavor to both meat and dressing, 
and makes the boiled leg a very popular in¬ 
stitution wherever it is once introduced. 
A bed of parsley then, is quite as desirable 
in the garden as a flock of sheep upon the 
hill-side of the farm. Parsley is a biennial 
plant, and is said to be a native of Sardinia, 
though it now grows wild in various parts 
of Britain. There are three varieties in com¬ 
mon cultivation, the Hamburg, the curled 
leaved, and the single leaved. The curled 
leaved is the best, and most ornamental, and 
has this advantage, that it is readily distin¬ 
guished from the poisonous plant Aethusa, 
which it very much resembles. 
The seeds are very small, and require a 
fine garden loam. The surface should be 
very thoroughly raked, and the seed sown in 
drills one half inch deep, as soon as the 
ground is ready for working. The drills 
should be a foot apart, if the plant occupies 
a bed by itself. The curled parsley is quite 
ornamental in the garden as well as upon 
the table, and forms a pretty border for the 
beds of other vegetables. It is a hardy 
plant, and when in good soil requires no oth¬ 
er attention than to be kept free of weeds. 
Plant a row or two of parsley, and with a 
mutton leg break up the monotony of salt 
meat dinners. 
FORCING RHUBARB. 
This is easily done by taking up old roots 
and setting them in a hot bed the first of 
this month. The frame should be high 
enough above the bed to give the leaves a 
full chance to develop themselves. Sound 
strong roots will start almost immediately, 
and in a few weeks give leaf stalks a foot 
long or more. In this way you may antici¬ 
pate the season of rhubarb pies, a month or 
more. Nothing is more inviting in the 
early spring, than this delicious vegetable. 
CALENDAlt OF OPERATIONS. 
APRIL, 1857. 
[We put down here a summary of various operations, 
many of them very common ones, it is true, but a simple 
catalogue like this will often suggest a piece of work that 
would otherwise be forgotten. The Calendar is adapted 
to the latitudes of 41 u to 42°. A little allowance must be 
made for each degree of latitude—later north—earlier 
south. This table will be made out anew every month 
and adapted to the season of each year. It will also be 
greatly enlarged at the planting and sowing seasons. 
Explanations.— The letters f. m. 1. refer to first, mid¬ 
dle , and last of the month. 
Doubling the letters thus : If., mm., or 11., gives emphasi- 
to the particular period indicated.] 
FARM. 
Agricultural Journals—Run over these afresh, now that 
the planting season is near at hand, and note whatever 
will be of assistance in future operations. Preserve all 
these journals with care, and if not bound have them 
stitched together with the index and laid away for refer¬ 
ence. 
Cattle—Continue to feed until the grass has a good 
start in the pastures. If allowed the range of grass lands 
very early, they injure them much more by trampling 
and pulling up the young roots than after the ground has 
become settled and firm. Give cows with calf extra feed 
and care. 
Cellars—Cleanse, ventilate' and whitewash early. 
This will promote not only comfort but health. 
Clover—Sow ff. if omitted last month. 
Draining—Reclaim heretofore worthless lands by thor¬ 
ough draining and thus make them the most variable 
portions of the farm. 
Fences—Make and repair ff. m. clearing grounds from 
stone and putting them in substantial stone-fence. 
Grain—See that sufficient is provided for seed, and that 
of the best kind. 
Horses—Have in good working order. 
Manures and Compost—Cart out for use and turn ove 
heaps already in the fields if needed. Continue to mak 
all possible both in the hog pens and cow yards. Don 
let them be washed by rains, or the golden stream flow 
forth to waste. Look under the hen-roosts for some good 
home-made guano. 
Meadows—Keep cattle from trampling over. A penny 
gained in feed is a dollar lost in the crop. 
Oats—Sow f. mm. 
Plowing should be industriously followed whenever the 
ground will admit. Do not turn over clay soil in a wet 
state as it will “ bake ” by so doing. Gage your plows a 
little deeper than last season. 
Potatoes—Plant mm. 1. on warm soil. Select varieties 
not subject to decay. 
Poultry will require feeding less animal food and more 
grain this month. If allowed the range of the garden, 
they will collect vast numbers of worms and grubs which 
will both afford food to themselves and benefit the gar¬ 
dener. See article on “ gapes in chickens,” on another 
page. 
Seeds—See page 61, last month. 
Sheep and Lambs—Do not turn off too early. Give 
grain or roots to those with lamb. 
Swine—The pens should now show a lively increase of 
young “porkers” which require care and protection. 
Give their dams plenty of liquid food with salt and a little 
meat occasionally. Continue to keep their yards and 
pens supplied with material for manure. 
Tools—See that all are in good working order and new 
ones provided where necessary. This applies to the 
working gear of horses and oxen, including carts, wagons, 
mowing machines, rakes, <5tc. 
Wheat and other Winter grain—Studiously keep cat¬ 
tle and sheep from them during this month. Look over 
and if any bare spots occur sow spring grain. See article 
on page. 
ORCHARD AND NURSERY. 
The Nurseryman wjll find this a busy month, in fac, 
his principal “harvest time,” nor should the Orchardist be 
idle if he has planting to do this spring. Early plant¬ 
ing of deciduous, ornamental and fruit trees is 
desirable as the spring rains are highly beneficial in set¬ 
tling the earth closely about the roots and fibres, besides 
giving the trees a good start before drouth sets in. A tree 
that is to last a whole life time should not be planted in 
a hurry or carelessly, as you would set a post, but take 
that time which its importance demands and it will pay- 
more than “ ten percent” upon the extra labor bestowed. 
Almonds—Plant ff. m. 
Apples—Plant standards and stocks f. mm. 1. grafting 
ff. Seed may still be planted ff. if not already in. 
Apricots and Nectarines—Plant ff. m. 
Cherries—Complete grafting ff if it was not done last 
month. Plant ff. m. both seeds, stocks and standards. 
Currants and Gooseberries—Plant and strike cuttings 
of ff. m. 
