AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
167 
1875.] 
weaning. Wean the lambs gradually during a week 
or ten days. 
Sundry Matters .—If the spring clearing up has 
been delayed, it should no longer be put ofF. All 
earth, manure, or waste that may lie against build¬ 
ings, should be removed from about the sills. Iu 
whitewashing, the sills should have a double allow¬ 
ance ; lime is a preservative of timber. Make 
everything around the dairy as sweet as possible, 
plant vines or climbing plants for shade, and use 
plenty of whitewash inside and out. Don’t forget 
the stock. Now is their harvest season, and they 
must repay the cost of their winter’s keep. Clean¬ 
liness everywhere should be made imperative. See 
that no drain discharges, or any cesspool or filthy 
matter of any kind exists within fifty feet of the 
well. Rise early and go to bed early, and wash the 
body every night with tepid water, before retiring. 
Work in the Horticultural Departments. 
Spring work has come with a rush this year, and 
he is fortunate who has everything in readiness to 
meet it. March was so cold and stormy that in the 
northern states very little out-door work could be 
done before the first week in April. These notes 
will reach most of our readers as they are busy with 
plowing and planting, and as but little time can be 
spared for reading, such hints and suggestions 
must necessarily be brief and to the point. The 
careful manager will see that work is provided in¬ 
doors for rainy days, so that there will be no ex¬ 
cuse for hands to stand idle. 
©rcliard and Nursery. 
Planting, except in northern localities, should be 
finished by the first of May, but trees which were 
properly heeled-in last fall can be set until the mid¬ 
dle of the month, or later. Young trees will often 
he bent out of line by the strong winds which gen¬ 
erally prevail at this season ; if any are thus dis¬ 
placed, re-set if not too far advanced ; at all events, 
bring them into their proper position by the use of 
stakes, or what is better, one or two large stones 
placed over the roots, which will hold the trees in 
place, and besides answer the double purpose of a 
mulch, and keep the soil under tnem moist. Small 
trees, such as should be preferred for planting, will 
seldom be blown out of position if properly set at 
first. Before dry weather comes, give a mulch of 
hay or straw to newly-planted trees ; this will pre¬ 
vent much loss. Young orchards should be culti¬ 
vated until the trees are of good size, and if crops 
are planted, use manure and keep up the land; 
many prefer to keep the soil plowed, even in bear¬ 
ing orchards. Seeding with clover and pasturing 
sheep is good practice. 
Grafting .—If cions were cut last month, they 
may still be set, but do not cut them after the buds 
have started ; rub off all shoots which start from 
the stock below the graft. 
Boot-grafts if not yet out, should be planted at 
once in nursery rows, allowing room enough be¬ 
tween the rows to cultivate with a horse. Press 
the earth firmly around the roots to exclude air 
and prevent drying. 
Tree Seedlings must be carefully weeded, and the 
soil around them loosened to encourage a quick, 
vigorous growth. Some need shading, especially 
during the first year of their growth , this is very 
necessary with evergreens, and may be done by a 
lattice work of lath, sufficiently raised from the 
ground to allow the air to circulate freely around 
the plants. 
Insects .—Constant war must be made upon all in¬ 
jurious insects, as they appear from week to week. 
See last month’s notes under this head. 
Fruit Garden. 
Strawberries .—Cultivate the soil between the rows, 
until the plants show signs of flowering, when a 
thick mulch of straw or hay ought to be given to 
keep the berries from contact with the earth. The 
few weeds which force themselves through the 
mulch can be easily hand-pulled. 
Currants. —Plant out cuttings if not already done. 
Pruning should have been done long ago, but 
rather than leave old bushes crowded, we would 
even now thin out to allow the sun and air to reach 
the center of the bush. If the “ worm ” appears, 
use powdered hellebore; a convenient tin box for 
applying it is given on page' 187 of this number. 
Grapevines are sometimes taken from the trellises 
in the fall, and left covered until late in the spring, 
after all danger of frost is over. With those treated 
in this way, great care must be used in replacing 
them not to break or injure the young shoots if 
they have started. Newly planted vines should 
have but one shoot allowed to grow. 
Blackberries and Raspberries. —Stop the growth of 
new canes when they are 5 feet high, and tie to 
stakes. All old fruiting canes ought to have been 
cut out in the fall. If any remain, remove them. 
A heavy mulch is of great benefit in keeping down 
all weeds and preserving the moisture of the soil. 
Biitclien Garden. 
So many little matters must be attended to, and 
so many kinds of seeds require sowing at the same 
time, that unless advantage is taken of every favor¬ 
able day, the work will soon ran behind. If labels 
or stakes were prepared during the winter, and 
seeds were provided early, the foresight will tell at 
this busy season. Proper attention should be given 
to planting for a succession: with a little care a 
good variety of fresh vegetables may be had 
during the entire growing season, from the early 
spinach to the latest tomatoes, sweet corn, etc. 
Asparagus. —When gathering, cut from the crown 
or stool in order not to injure other buds'. Cut 
clean, leaving no shoots large or small to grow un¬ 
til the cutting season is over. 
Beans. —Plant bush sorts after all danger of frost 
is past. Leave Limas until the soil is well warmed. 
Beets. —We give the plants of the first sowings 
a partial thinning, and a final thinning when the 
young plants are large enough to use as “ greens.” 
Cabbage. —The early crops require the hoe and 
cultivator to be kept freely at work ; it will tell in 
the extra fine heads. Set out plants from the hot¬ 
bed and cold-frame wherever there is room for 
them. Sow seeds in open ground for late crop. 
Carrots. —Thin out as soon as up and large enough 
to handle. Sow seeds for wiuter crop. 
Cucumbers. —Set out plants which have been 
started in hot-bed, and protect at night with boxes 
or glass hand-lights. Sow seeds in the open ground 
when it becomes warm and dry. 
Corn. —This is one of the most popular of all veg¬ 
etables, care should be taken to plant so as to 
have a succession throughout the season. Plant 
as soon as all danger of frost is over. 
Egg Plants. —Do not set in the open ground until 
settled warm weather. Plants raised iy hot-bed 
should be transplanted to other frames or potted 
off singly where they can be sheltered at night. 
Sweet Herbs. —For directions about sowing, see 
last month’s notes. 
Leeks ought to have been sown last month, but if 
omitted, sow at once ; thin out the plants if well 
up to two or three inches in the row. 
Lettuce. —Keep the plants already set well cultiva¬ 
ted ; set out from hot-bed for a succession, and sow 
in open ground for late. 
Martynia. —Sow seeds in hot-bed and transplant 
when the weather is warm. The green pods of 
this make a fine pickle, but they must be taken 
when very young. 
Onions. —The hoe must be kept in frequent use, 
and hand-weeding follow, or else the weeds will 
choke out the young plants. Thin if too thick. 
Melons and Squashes must be treated as recom¬ 
mended for cucumbers. 
Parsley. —Sow' seeds in open ground, and trans¬ 
plant those sown in liot-bed. The seeds require 
several weeks to vegetate. 
Peas. —Sow for second early ; see March notes. 
Give brash as soon as two or three inches high, and 
before the vines fall down. The dwarfs need uq 
brush, and may be planted in single rows two feet 
apart, wherever there is room. In hoeing, earth up 
a little.around the plants. 
Peppers are of the same character as egg plants 
in requiring plenty of sun and heat, and should 
not be set out until both can be had. 
Potatoes .—Hoe and cultivate the early plantings, 
and plant for late crop at once. 
Radishes .—Sow every week or oftener for a suc¬ 
cession. If insects appear, dust with plaster or 
road dust, while the dew is on. 
Rhubarb .—Plants set last spring should have all 
their leaves to strengthen the root for next season. 
Keep the flower stalks cut as often as they appear. 
Salsify should be sown early this month, if not 
already attended to, and the rows kept clean. 
Spinach .—Sow seeds for the second crop. Keep 
the early planting well weeded and hoed. 
Tomatoes. —Plant out when all danger of frost has 
passed, and give some support to the plants as soon 
as large enough to require it, and always before 
they fall over. A drawing of a trellis is given in 
the April number of the Agriculturist, which is both 
cheap and durable. If no trellis is used, brush for 
the vines to lie upon is better than nothing, and 
put down a mulch of hay or straw to keep the fruit 
from contact with the soil. 
Turnips.— Sow seeds for second crop. The early 
sowings must be kept clear of weeds, and the 
young plants dusted with lime or plaster to pre¬ 
vent the attacks of insects. 
Tools .—A full supply of the best made tools is 
indispensable in a garden, and they should be 
ahvays in order. A sharp spade or hoe makes the 
work easier, and it is better done than with a dull 
one. If the steel parts are kept free from rust, 
they will last longer, and be much more servicable. 
Always see that each man puts his tools in their 
proper places when he stops work, and also that 
they are properly cleaned. 
Flower Garden and Lawn. 
Lawn .—This ought, to be put in order at once, if 
not already done. Top-dress with finely ground 
bone, ashes, or other fertilizer that is free from 
w r eed seeds. The best time to apply guano or 
nitrate of soda, is just before a rain. Sow grass- 
seed in spots where the turf has been winter killed. 
Well established lawns should be mowed every 
w'eek, and the grass left to protect the roots from 
the hot sun. For more specific directions, see last 
month’s notes. 
Flower Beds should not be planted with things 
from the greenhouse until the weather is warm and 
dry. Plants should be gradually hardened off be¬ 
fore they are set in the open ground ; this may be 
done by leaving the ventilators of the greenhouse, 
or sashes of the hot-bed, open at night, unless it is 
too chilly. Some of the hardier varieties of an¬ 
nuals may be sown or set out now. 
Perennials should be divided before much growth 
is made. Seedlings raised in boxes, should be 
transplanted early, so that they may become estab¬ 
lished before the warm dry weather of mid-summer. 
Keep established beds free from weeds, and the 
soil loose around the plants. Many seedlings can 
usually be found around plants which flowered last 
season ; these can be easily transplanted into rows, 
where they will soon make good flowering plants. 
Climbers .—The woody sorts like Wistaria, Akebia, 
Clematis, Loniceras, etc., should be trained to their 
trellises or other supports, before the buds start. 
Sow annual sorts—Sweet Pea, Cypress Vine, Canary 
Bird Flower, etc., where they are to remain. 
Tuberoses, in northern localities, must be started 
in the greenhouse or hot-bed before planting out, 
or else they will not flower before frost. 
Dahlias should be started the same as Tuberoses, 
and when the buds push, divide the clumps. 
Bulbs of Lilies, Gladioluses, etc., maybe set in 
rich soil now. 
Cannas do better if started before planting. 
They are most effective when planted in a mass on 
