166 
AMERICAN AG-RICULTURIST. 
Contents for May, 1866. 
AMERICAN AGEIC-CLTURIST. 
Barn Plans—Groesbeck Prize....4 //iMsiraitons..180-181 
Beef Steak—How to Cook....... .190 
Bees—Apiary in May.......169 
Bees—Comparative Industry of Black-and Italian.... 178 
Boys and Girls’ Columns—Checkers—Puzzles for 
Sharp Eyes—Courageous Minister—Witty Ferry¬ 
man—Whistles that Imitate Birds—Prize Puzzles— 
New Puzzles and Answers—After Dinner—An Easy 
’ Lesson—Gold Leaf and Gold Beaters.. ..5 711.. 191-192 
Broom Corn Culture.......178 
Cattle—Plea for Alderney Cows.....181 
Chemical History—A Few Facts........182 
Clover—Late Sown .... 182 
Cooking Hints and Recipes—Queen of Puddings— 
Nice Gingerbread—Corn Pudding—Justice’s Pud¬ 
ding—Mince Pie without Meat—Boiled Flour--Bos¬ 
ton Crackers—Stale Bread Fritters—Boiled Pars¬ 
nips.... ._ ... . ..........190 
Corn—BSrly Planting—Preparation. 179 
Corn-Field Culture. 176 
Corn—Blanuring inlheHili.. 174 
Evergreens for Wind-breaks—Wiliows.;.187 
Farm Woyk in May.....166 
Fertilization by Insects..'......5 Illustrations. .166 
Flower Garden and Lawn in May......168 
Flow'er—Side-Saddle {Sarraoenia purpurea)... .Z III..166 
Flowers—Something about Annuals .....188 
Foliage, Ornamental—Group of Plapts. .IHastrated.. 184 
Fruit Garden in May....167 
Garden—Kitchen in May...167 
■ Grapes—Cold Grapery-in May..169 
Grapes—Notes on Native ...............183 
Grass Land—How to Improve .. 179 
Green and Hot-Houses in May.. . ..... 168 
Harness—How to Keep in Order...179 
Household Hints for Men Folks .. . 189 
Household Hints-Written List — Sunshine—Hiring 
Girls—Bills of Fare — Paring Nails — Strawberry 
Pin Cusliion—Chapped Hands—Position in Sew¬ 
ing, etc........ .. .1S9 
Insects and Fertilization......5 Illustrations. .186 
Insects—Peach Tree Borer..2 Illustrations.. 187 
Markets....... 170-194 
M anuring Corn in the Hill.. ...174 
Mouse Trap—Safe and Sure....2 Illustrations. .169 
Orchard and Nursery in May.... ....167 
Peas and their Names........ 187 
Peat Swamps—Value for Fuel.... .179 
Poultry—French Varieties of Fowls.5 Illustrations. .176 
Pride and Humility... ..Illustrated... 165 
Premiums for One Subscriber.. .170 
Premiums—Choice of Four Sewing Machines.169 
Premiums—Open for Two Montlis.............169 
Propagating House over a Kitchen... ....188 
Raspberry—The Flo wering.. Illustrated .. 188 
Sheep Breeding—Interesting Fact. _...........182 
Teazles—Notes on Cultivation..3 Illustrations. .111 
Walks and Talks on the Farm, No. 29.174-175 
"VVeevil—Destroying in Barns... .Illustrated. .177 
Wood—Seasoned vs. Unseasoned for Fuel....I82 
Y ards—Decoration of Front.... 184 
INDEX TO “basket,” OB SHORTEB ABTICI.E.S. 
Agents, Beware of... 170 
Book on Manures. '. .170 
Book on Peat.......... .170 
Book, Record of Dead.. 171 
Book, Soiling Cattle... .170 
Book, Vineyard .........170 
Books, Valuable..170 
Bristles, Save them ....I7I 
Carrot, Early Horn.... .171 
Carrot for Stock......... 171 
Coal Tar on Walls ......173 
Corn Markers........... 173 
Cows, Soiling.......172 
Curculio Remedy_... 173 
Ditching Plows ... ....173 
Doctors, Advertising.... 173 
Engines, Caloric.173 
Entomologist, Practical.173 
Eye Sharpeners.17I 
Fish for Manure.172 
Hay Stacking Gear.173 
Hort. Soo. III. Trans....Xfl 
Hours at Home.171 
Humbugs Matched......172 
Humbugs, Sundry.......170 
Lime Wash, Out-door.. .171 
Lotteries, Working of... 172 
Medical Advertisement.. 172 
Milk for Children.......173 
Music Statistics.173 
Names, How Found..., 171 
Nutts, Starting Rusty...171 
Plants for Shade....171 
Plants Named.171 
Reno Oil Co.171 
Seeds, Not in Mails.... .171 
Sheep Tick Remedy....172 
Strawberry Culture.171 
Tomato Culture.173 
Tool Sled, Good........173 
Trichina in Pork..172 
Whitewash, In-door ....171 
Slack 'Volumes Supplied,—Tlie back volumes 
of the Agriculturist are very valuable. They contain 
information upon every topic connected with rural life, 
out-door .and in-door, and the last nine volumes make up 
a very complete library. Each volume lias a full index 
for ready reference to any desired topic. We have on 
hand, and print from stereotype plates as w.amtcd, all the 
numbers and volumes for nineyeai-s past, beginning witli 
1857 that is, Voi. 10 to Vol. 24, inclusive. Any of these 
volumes sent complete (in numbers) at $1.75 each, post¬ 
paid, (or $1,50 if taken at the office). The volumes 
neatly bound, are supplied for $2 each, or $2.50 if to be 
sent by mail. Any single numbers of the past nine 
years will be supplied pos'-paid, for 16 cents each. 
NEW-TORK, MAT, 1866. 
Our date comes unfalteringly, though the bland 
airs and sunshine of spring ivere this year so tardy 
in their advent. This lateness of the season crowds 
the labors of the past month into this one, making 
its duties, which are always responsible, unusually 
arduous. There is need of system and definite¬ 
ness of plan to accomplish any thing well. 
Hard work alone will not do it, and it will break 
do'wn both man and beast. System will enable the 
farmer to give his hands and his teams a full hour 
a day of rest more than they would otherwise have, 
to get more labor and better labor from men and 
animals, and to maintain in himself and his family 
those cheerful tempers which promote good di¬ 
gestion and health in all respects. It is easier for 
every body, if only one works with system, and if 
the farmer himself -will not, this need not prevent 
others -systematising their work. - Thoroughness 
should especially characterise the work done this 
month; poor plowing, slack preparation of the 
ground, or of the seed, imperfect sowing, or neglect 
of crops that need early hoeing and weeding, may 
be fatal to any thing like remunerative husbandry. 
If an average crop just pays expenses, (as in fact it 
very rarely does), then it is the few bushels of grain 
or roots, or the few pounds of hay or straw Above 
the average in which any profit lies. The labor to 
secure an average crop is about all that most farm¬ 
ers calculate to lay out, and they kope that Prov¬ 
idence will do so much better by their crops than 
they do themselves, that they will have a better 
than average returns. They are disappointed, of 
course, except in some rare cases. Those who 
show a better faith by their better works are “ in 
luck ” almost all the timg. Their disappointments 
are few, and are then usually traced by them to 
faults of their own judgment, plans or execution. 
Hints about Work* 
The iStocfc.—“ Between hay and grass ” is a pro¬ 
verbially hard time for cattle and stocKof all kinds. 
One’s calculations are so apt to come out a little 
short in regard to how much it will take to carry 
the stock well through the winter, that it is the ex¬ 
ception rather than the rule that farmers can feed 
hay, grain and roots as liberally in the spring 
months as the needs of- their animals demand. 
Milch cows that have just come in, or that drop 
their calves during this month, before they can be 
turned to pasture, need flrsi>rate care and feeding, 
or the flow of milk for the whole season may be 
essentially diminished. Young cows especially 
should be fed in a way to develop as much as pos¬ 
sible every milk-producing quality, for this will in¬ 
fluence their value throughout theii’ lives. The 
renewal of their coats is a great tax upon the vital 
force of neat cattle and horses, and at this season 
they are more benefltted by regular and thorough 
carding than at any other. When a supply of roots 
has been kept through till now, feed them out, so 
that the transition from dry fodder to grass will 
not be too sudden and produce scouring. When 
cows are first turned to pasture, give them a little 
less than their usual feed morning and evening, 
putting them in the pasture a few hours only In 
the middle of the day. They -will do much better 
for it. The-same is true of beeves, which will fat¬ 
ten rapidly as ivarm weather comes on, if gradually 
accustomed to grass, their meal and hay being kept 
up just as usual. Otherwise they arc apt to scour 
and fall off considerably. Calves if kept in warm 
comfortable and clean quarters and fed regularly, 
will increase in weight very fast. All their food 
should be cooked, even the hay; at least all the 
meal shorts or bran which is mingled with the 
skimmed milk, should be thoroughly cooked. 
When calves are fattened upon the cow, it is a fact 
worth remembering that it is not the cows which 
give the richest milk, that will bring up the most 
calves or fatten them the most rapidly. When 
milk cannot be sold, it is often very economically 
[May, 
disposed of by putting two calves to a good cow, 
and “messing” them twice a day besides. Calves 
will seldom quarrel, so it is best to allow a week or 
fortnight’s difference in their ages. 
Bheep ,—We are strong advocates for shearing 
sheep unwashed. They may thus be sheared much 
earlier; there is little danger of their taking cold; 
the coolness of the weather is supposed to in¬ 
fluence a more rapid renewing of their covering, 
and by the time the summer’s sun beats down hot 
and scorching upon their backs, they are sufficient¬ 
ly protected not to be blistered, as sometimes hap¬ 
pens in late shorn flocks. All flocks ought to be 
dipped (see directions in Basket item, p. 172) after 
shearing. Unless the ticks or lice are very thick, 
the dipping should be postponed till warmer 
-weather than we usually have in May. The gradual 
accustoming of sheep to grass is quite as impor¬ 
tant as the same treatment for neat cattle. Do not 
withhold the grain, but keep it up until after the 
flock is well established upon grass. They should 
also be turned to grass gradually, two or three 
hours a day, in addition to their full regular feeding 
of hay, etc. No one should overlook the great 
value of his stock as manure makers. This will in 
many parts of the country make it very remunera¬ 
tive to have the cows all yarded or stabled at night, 
and the sheep folded. The farmer rarely classifies his 
Swine as Beasts of Labor; yet when the bqst use 
is made of them, they do an irnmense amount of 
hard work in the course of the summer in rooting 
over and mixing the manure and compost heaps, 
converting weeds, etc.,, into manure. Corn scat¬ 
tered over the heap now and then will encourage 
dilligence, and a few handfuls dropped here and 
there into holes 20 to 30 inches deep, wilh'Becure a 
great upturning and mixing, which would other¬ 
wise have to be done by the fork. 
F(yultry.—Ml kinds of young poultry should have 
good care, especially when very young. One of the 
best attachments to a poultry yard is a low shed 8 
feet wide, open to the south, and closed by light 
lattice work that will not keep the sun out. Hero 
young turkeys and chickens may safely spend a few 
weeks. The hens being cooped under the sheds. 
The ground should of course he dry, and covered 
with ashes, and the surface shoveled off and the 
ashes renewed frequently. One secret of success 
with chickens is, keeping them dry; this, in con¬ 
nection with cleanly quarters, scalded or cooked 
food and pure water always before them and always 
fresh, win secure fine healthy flocks. 
Qrass and Grain Fields may receive top-dressings 
of liquid manure and other fertilizers, if applied 
early. See items in last number. Little, however, 
can now be done, even upon spring grain, on 
which timely manuring, and sometimes rolling after 
the ground has settled after hard rains, may be of 
great service. The attention of the farmer must 
however be chiefly directed to bis 
Hoed drops.—No hurry or lateness of the season 
should be allowed to cheat the crops out of well 
prepared and manured soil. There are several ar¬ 
ticles on com in the body of this number, to which 
•tt’C refer the reader. Sorghum and Broom Corn are 
cultivated on the same general principles. Pota¬ 
toes should be put into the ground as early as pos¬ 
sible. Late soi;ts for the main crop and for winter 
use.should not he planted with rank fermenting 
manure, it induces a succulent growth and a pre- 
disposition to the blight and rot. Leached ashes is 
excellent manure for potatoes. As a rule, plant 
three or four inches deep, and harrow thoroughly 
■when the tops first appear above ground. This 
kills a crop of weeds, does the potatoes good, and 
saves work. 
Sugar Beets and llangel lYiirizels .—Every good 
farmer ought to plant some of one or the other of 
these roots for his milch stock. Sow when the 
ground is -ivarm, in deep rich soil in good tilth, 
putting- the drills 24 to 80 inches apart. They may 
be thinned out during the summer, and afford ex¬ 
cellent green fodder to any kind of stock “kept 
up.” Other root crops, Parsnips, Carrots, may he 
sowed in the same way, the drills closer, however. 
Ouiows.—Old onion raisers will have looked ouj 
