98 
AMKIUOAN AUlilCUJLTUBlS'X'. 
GRAFTING 
if not. already done, should be finished the 
first of this month. This process has been 
so often described in our pages, and is so 
well treated in the manuals on fruit trees, 
that we need not describe it here. It is so 
simple, that an intelligent boy of a dozen 
summers can successfully perform it, with 
a very little practice. And the boys should 
be early taught to graft, and to inter¬ 
est themselves in fruit growing. There is 
nothing better to bind them to the old home¬ 
stead, or if they leave it for other callings, to 
make them fruit growers in the small gar¬ 
dens of our cities and villages. Almost every 
long cultivated farm, has its old apple and 
perry trees, that only need new tops to make 
ihem very valuable. They are still vigor¬ 
ous, but produce nothing but small sour 
fruit. These trees, if judiciously grafted 
will yield fruit much sooner than young 
trees, and in a few years, will bring large 
returns. A sound well grown apple tree 
near home is worth fifty dollars, for the pur¬ 
pose of grafting. It can be made to pay the 
interest on a much larger sum for a genera¬ 
tion to come. We know of a large seedling 
pear, standing near our premises that we 
would gladly give a hundred for, if it could 
be set down uninjured in our fruit yard. In 
a few years it could be made to produce 
bushels of fine Bartlett pears, which always 
bear a high price in the market. 
THE GARDEN. 
Let not the pressure of full work tempt 
you to overlook the garden. A man who 
works hard should be well fed with the best 
vegetables and fruits, the earth affords. 
The feeders of the world should patronize 
their own art, and spread a good table, upon 
the same principle that a tailor wears good 
broadcloth, in the most fashionable style. 
It is his best advertisement. A farmer who 
raises fine vegetables in his garden, and 
knows their value by use—will soon carry 
them to market, and lead others to try them. 
If he cultivate squashes, cabbage, cauli¬ 
flowers, tomatoes, salsify, and egg-plant, he 
will not be long in finding a market for them, 
in the neighboring village or city. Men who 
tabor want a variety of food, and the farm¬ 
er’s garden should abound with every thing 
good to eat, from the asparagus bed due on 
the first of May, to the tap roots that are 
harvested with the frosts of Autumn. The 
moral influence of a garden upon the house¬ 
hold is most happy, and we have rarely met 
with a vicious child, whose earlyyears were 
familiar with his father’s vegetable beds, and 
his mother’s flower border. The garden 
comes next after the church, and the school 
house, and is a worthy co operator with 
those institutions. It beautifies home won¬ 
derfully, and kindles emotions which newer 
die out of the heart. 
Now is the time to put in the seeds, and 
provide the raw material for the numerous 
tempting dishes, which every good housewife 
knows how to prepare, from parsley, and 
celery, from salsify and egg-plant, from okra 
and beans, from cucumbers, melons and 
squashes, from the tap roots, and from corn. 
Improve the seed time of these plants, and 
rejoice in the harvest. 
CALENDAR OF O PERATIONS. 
MAY, 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° 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. 
Explanations,— The letters f. m. 1. refer to first, mid¬ 
dle , and last of the month. 
Doubling the letters thus: ff., mm., or 11., gives emphasis 
to the particular period indicated.] 
FARM. 
We suppose every farmer is not only “ read up,” but 
has fully matured his plans for the season, and is now 
vigorously prosecuting them. This is a month of toil, 
during which the husbandman casts his seed into the 
earth, and with confidence awaits the springing blades. 
It is of the first importance that the soil be properly pre¬ 
pared, by manuring and plowing, and that good seed be 
carefully put in. Inattention to these matters will often 
cause a failure of the crop no matter how thorough the 
after treatment or how favorable the weather. 
Barley—Sow ff. m. 
Beans—Plant by themselves, or among corn f mm. 1. ■ 
Beets—Sow for market and feeding stock, m. 11.; for 
early table use ff. if not already done. 
Broom Corn—Plant f. m. See page 57 March No. 
Carrots—Sow ff. m. on deep, well manured ground. 
Cattle—Do not turn out to pasture too early—Partial 
dry food with their early grazing is best. 
Cellars—If not already attended to, then at once 
cleanse from decaying vegetables and other impurities, 
scrubbing and white-washing the walls. Ventilate freely. 
Health as well as comfort demands immediate thorough 
attention to this point. Remember the National Hotel, 
at Washington, and the great numbers still sick owing to 
the impure drains and cellars there. 
Clover should haver been sown last month upon fields of 
winter grain. It may still be sown with spring grain and 
for plowing under. At the far North, it may yet be sown 
upon frozen fields in the morning. 
Com—Plant f mm. 1. for field crops, and drill or sow 
broadcast for soiling-11. Prove your seed if any doubts 
exist as to its germination. Forty-eight hours, under fa¬ 
vorable circumstances will test its vitality. 
Draining—Continue as opportunity offers. Read arti¬ 
cles on, and see Work far the .Month in this number. 
Fences—Complete any unfinished, and see that all are 
in good order, especially around grain fields “ A stitch 
injtime saves nine.” 
Flax—Sow ff. m. 
Harrow all grounds to be sown or planted until they are 
of a fine tilth 
Hemp—Sow f. m. 
Horses and Mules—Take good and kind care of w'ork- 
ing teams, graining with Indian meal and oats now that 
their labor is heavy. If turned out to pasture at any time, 
give them free access to a warm stable or shed. Working 
animals can “ catch cold” and have the “consumption” 
as well as human beings. 
Lucern—Sow ff. in. This crop should be more exten¬ 
sively raised. 
Manures—Collect and use if. m. exposing as little as 
may be to sun and air ; evaporation takes place rapidly 
in. warm weather. If large heaps are exposed in the 
fields cover them with plaster, muck, or earth from head 
lands. 
Meadows—Keep fenced, and do not allow cattle to 
trample them. Top dress poorer fields with any thor¬ 
oughly rotted manure, or with well pulverized sifted 
guano, or fine bones. Plaster is generally good, and 
almost always so upon clover. 
Millett—Sow f. m. 1. 
Oats—Sow ff m. if not done in April. 
Pastures—Do not rely upon these too early, but give full 
or partial (Try feed at present. 
Peas—Sow f. in. scalding them to destroy bugs, by a 
brief soaking in hot water. 
Plowing—Turnup the soil a little deeper than at the 
last plowing. 
Potatoes—Plant ff. m. if not already in. Early planting 
is much preferable. Select varieties not subject to decay, 
even if not worth as much by a few cents per bushel, 
Remember that “ like produces like.” See remarks in 
April number, middle of first column on page 78. 
Pumpkins—Plant f. mm. 1. among corn, potatoes and 
in patches by themselves. Raise a good supply for cattle 
and hogs No crop pays better especially on new land. 
Rye—Sow Spring varieties ff. m. 
Salt Meadows—Ditch ff. m. 1. using the mud for com¬ 
posting next fall. 
Sheep—Give extra feed to ewes with lamb. Wash 
m. 11. Do not shear too early. After shearing be sure to 
give them access to warm dry sheds at night and on cool 
or damp days. This is important. 
Sorghum—Plant ff. m. and 1. according to directions 
given in iast number. 
Swine—Attend to the increase of. both at this season 
and in Autumn among those to be wintered over. Cleanse 
yards and pens using charcoal dust or plaster. Cart In 
muck, scrapings, or head lands as soon as the manure Is 
all out. Remember that it costs but little more to get a 
litter of good pigs than a poor one, therefore secure the 
service of good males as well as females. Do not let 
sows run in the street to every wild, ill-bred male that 
chances in their way. 
Timothy—Sow ff. with Spring grain or clover. 
Tobacco-Plant out f. m. See chapter on culture, 
page 54 of March number. 
Tools of the most approved varieties are doubtless 
purchased and in daily use House them at night. 
Turnips—Sow flat and stone varieties ff. m. for early use. 
A few Russias may be sown 11. for fall use. 
Wheat—In the more Northern, or cold localities, where 
not already done, sow Spring varieties ff. m. and keep 
cattle from Winter fields. 
ORCHARD AND NURSERY. 
The preparation of the ground and completing of or¬ 
chard planting, renders the present a busy month. Trans¬ 
planting not already done should be performed as early 
in May as possible, and that too in the most thorough 
manner. Dig large holes and spread out the roots and 
fibres, filling in carefully with rich mold or compost 
mixed with earth. 
Apples—Plant standards and stocks in Orchard and 
Nursery ff. m. 
Budded Trees—Remove suckers 11. from trees budded 
last season. 
Cherries—Plant trees ff if not already done. Put out 
stocks at once. 
Evergreens—Transplant f. mm. 1. We regard the 
time ol their first growth for the season as the best period 
to plant evergreens. Keep the roots from the sun during 
the operation. See articles on Evergreen Trees and 
Shrubs. 
Grafting—May be done ff. on some late growing 
varieties, provided the scions were cut at the proper sea¬ 
son and have been carefully preserved. 
. Hoeing of Nursery rows—Attend to f. m. 1. 
Insects—Destroy ff. m. 1. especially caterpillars in the 
first stages of their growth. See article on “ Borers.” 
Mulch newly planted trees in orchard and along fences 
to keep the ground moist and free from weeds. 
Orchards—We advise keeping these plowed for the 
most part. Young orchards can be laid down to grass 
provided a good space around each tree is kept dug up. 
Hoed crops, especially potatoes and turnips, are very 
suitable for an orchard, if a good manure dressing 
is yearly applied. Buckw'heat is perhaps, the best grain 
crop. Do not plow too closely to the trees, although no 
grass, weeds, or grain should grow about the trunks. 
Lime or ashes applied in moderate quantities about each 
tree will essentially benefit it. 
Ornamental Trees—Complete planting the different 
va^eties as early in the month as possible. 
Peaches, Apricots and Nectarines—Finish planting fl. 
any that were neglected last month. Shorten in or train, 
as espalier ff. 
Pears—Plant ff. both standards for field, and dwarfs for 
garden culture. Select as dwaifs only those varieties 
known to succeed well upon the quince. We do not 
recommend planting many of these even in a garden, pre- 
fering the pear on its own roots, with very few exceptions. 
Dwarfs are very good to sel in alternate rows with stand 
ards, the former come sooner to fruit and ten to one will 
be out of the way by the time their room is wanted. 
Plow or use cultivator between nursery rows, and turn 
up the sod of old orchards. 
Plums— Plant ff. if not completed. Cutout all warty 
or diseased branches. 
Pruning should be restricted this month to removing 
diseased or mutilated branches, and shortening-in and 
shaping the heads of standards. 
Quinces—Plant ff. m. 
Seed Beds of Trees—Weed and hoe f. m. 1. 
Shrubs—Plant ff. especially early blooming varieties 
that were not put in last month. 
Transplanting of trees and shrubbery both deciduous 
and ornamental— Contiue ff. m. and evergreens mm. 1. 
Vines—Read article on grapes. 
Wall Trees—Train and regulate. 
KITCHEN AND FRUIT GARDEN. 
Mavis emphatically a busy month in the garden, even 
though a portion of the labors were in April. Seeds of 
nearly all kinds require planting during this month—many 
of them in the early part of it. The after labor being the 
same, it is very important that the ground be thoroughly 
prepared by deep plowing or trenching, and heavy ma¬ 
nuring, that good seed be used, and that it be put in in the 
best manner. In no department does extra care and 
labor pay better than in vegetable gardening. 
