34 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
Calendar of Operations for Feb. 1859. 
Farm. 
Judicious planning and care in retaining are equally 
important with the more apparent efforts made in secur¬ 
ing successful resulis : thus, though the farmer has now 
neither fields to plow nor harvests to gather, he can do 
much this month that will “tell” before the year is 
ended. In addition to the various employments indicated, 
the thrifty cultivator will thoroughly mature his plans for 
the campaign before him—studying not only his own past 
experience, but that of others, and thus, with the aid of 
his journal and his books, he w ill be prepared to do the 
right thing, in the right way and at the right time. This 
will leave him no time to lounge away and worse than 
waste at the tavern or grocery. 
Buddings—If any are to be erected this Spring, fell and 
hew the timber now, unless it has been on hand season¬ 
ing the past year, which is preferable. Replace the nails 
which the frost or high winds may have started, and bat¬ 
ten up cracks through which cold and snow enter the 
.•tables. 
Cattle—Attend carefully to feediDg now. Remember, 
‘ well wintered is half summered.” Give roots, carrots if 
you have them, with hay. Do not let the straw cutter 
vust for want of use. Make feeding racks for the yard. 
For good patterns see pages 43 and 358 of last Vol. 
Cows about to calve, should be well fed, and securely 
housed m roomy stalls. 
Cellars—Look out for frost; examine and sort fruit and 
vegetables if decaying ; send rats and mice on a long 
journey ; and battle cider for Summer use. 
Drains—Examine frequently during thaws, and keep 
open. Much grain is lost by neglecting drain furrows in 
Winter. 
Fencing—Continue to prepare materials. Work out 
posts and rails under cover on stormy days. Put old 
fences in order and build new as soon as frost will allow. 
Read the prize articles in course of publication. 
Flax and Hemp—Finish dressing. 
Grain—Thresh out any remaining on hand, and guard 
bins from rats and mice. Keep an eye to the market re¬ 
ports, and improve a good opportunity for selling. 
Grain Fields—Keep all stock from grazing on those not 
covered with snow. 
Help—Engage for coming season, before choice hands 
are employed. 
Horses and Mules—Keep them sharp shod. Give roots 
with their feed as directed last month. Cut feed is most 
economical. Let them be well blanketed when not in 
use, and have plenty of bedding at night, also litter under 
them to absorb moisture when standing. 
Hogs—Feed liberally, with warm, cooked food, with 
which mix charcoal and salt occasionally, especially for 
breeding sows. Keep pens well littered with leaves or 
thort straw, to increase the stock of manure. 
Ice Houses—Secure a good supply of ice if not already 
tone, and see that the house is in good condition for pre¬ 
serving. Read Ice Houses in cellars, page 45. 
Manures—Follow up the manufacturing as directed 
'.ast month. The deeper the muck saturated with ma¬ 
nure droppings and ammonia, the higher the corn in the 
crib next Fall. It may be carted to the fields for use, 
during- the latter part of the month ; if so, cover the heaps 
With soil or muck to absorb escaping ammonia. Better 
leave it under cover if practicable, till wanted to spread. 
Maple Sugar may be made in some localities in the 
latter part of the month. Examine apparatus, put in-order 
and provide w hat is necessary. Read “ Hints on Maple 
Sugar making,” in this No. 
Plowing—Will commence this month in southern lati¬ 
tudes. Try the subsoilcr on one field at least, and make 
a note of its effects. 
Potatoes—Let seed be carefully selected. Keep differ¬ 
ent varieties from mixing. At tiie south, plant as early as 
the ground will answer, for northern market. 
Roads—Notice where drifts obstruct, and shelter with 
trees as soon as ground will answer. See “Planting 
trees for Shelter” on page 5. 
Sheep—Give grain and cut roots with hay. Shelter 
from storms, and keep separate from horses and cattle. 
Salt regularly, and supply with plenty of water. 
Tools—Look to steel or iron, and prevent rust by oiling 
■with lard having a little resin melted into it. Put all in 
thorough repair. Look over last year’s Agriculturist , and 
select new tools for the coming season. 
Wood—Read article on page 40 and complete the di¬ 
rections of last month. 
Orchard atsad Nursery. 
There is usually very little to do in these during the 
present month. Occasionally an early Spring will admit 
of planting during the latter part of February. Nursery¬ 
men having southern orders to fill, in their anxiety to get 
them off at an early date, should guard especially against 
the danger of freezing on the way. If the trees or shrubs 
chance to be frozen, unpack carefully, and bury the roots 
at once in earth or sand, leaving them until all the frost is 
out. 
Everything should be In readiness, especially with the 
nurseryman, for the first working weather, as early plant¬ 
ing is most desirable. 
Unless old orchard trees have been well scraped as 
heretofore directed, attend to them now while there is 
leisure. 
Grafting may be done at the South, and even in this 
latitude, during the latter part of this month, if the weath¬ 
er is open. Make no attempts while the limbs are frozen. 
March is the better month for grafting. 
Pruning—Many old orchardists still prefer this season 
for pruning. Our advice is, if you will prune in the 
Spring, do it now rather than wait until March or April. 
Select mild weather for the operation, when frost is out of 
the limbs. We greatly prefer Summer and Autumn for 
pruning, even though they are more busy seasons Hay 
must be attended to when it is ready, if a good article 
is wanted, and not when it suits your convenience, and 
if pruning is properly done, you must do this also at 
the right time even if there is a press of business. We 
have in mind several orchards whiph were nearly ruined 
by heavy Spring pruning. 
Scions—Cut at any time during this month when not 
frozen. Use every precaution against errors in varieties. 
Select well known or labelled bearing trees to cut from, 
as much as possible. Read articles on pages 50 and 51. 
Sn#w banks as they melt away in the Spring often do 
much damage to low branching standard and nursery 
trees. Examine such and shovel away the snow where- 
ever it is splitting down the branches in settling. 
Stakes, labels, tallies, packing bags, mats, etc.—Have a 
good stock in readiness for Spring use during the busy 
season of nursery sales and planting. 
Transplanting may commence as soon as the frost is 
out of the ground, and the soil is in working order. 
Mitclseaa aisd Fruit Gardena. 
The rapid communication with northern cities by steam¬ 
ers and railroads, has made gardening in many places at 
the South a very profitable business ; and as the first pro¬ 
duce in market commands the readiest sale and best price, 
the-southern gardener will be actively engaged this month 
in sowing his early vegetables or transplanting from the 
frames at the very first opportunity. At the nortli little 
more can be done than to get well prepared, by planning 
the garden, arranging for hot beds, securing abundance of 
food for the plants in the shape of manure, providing 
brush, poles, and other necessary apparatus, and putting 
tools in order. 
Cold Frames—Attend to as directed last month. When 
the weather is mild, those which may have been covered 
with snow can be cleared, and air admitted. Keep out 
frosts with suitable covering of matting, or straw. 
Cuttings of Currants, Gooseberries, grapes and quinces, 
may be taken any time this month, when the wood is not 
frozen. To preserve till wanted, pack them in sand and 
keep from the light. Some bury them in a snow drift ; 
they are, however, liable to be neglected and spoiled 
when the snow melts. 
Fences—Repairing them is always in order. “ A nail 
in time ” may save much vexation by keeping out ma¬ 
rauding pigs, fowls, etc. 
Grape Vines—If not trimmed, as they should have been 
last Fall, prune early this month. 
Horse Radish—May be dug for family use or marketing, 
when frost will allow. Save tops if needed for resetting. 
Hot Beds—To secure very early vegetables, make the 
latter part of the month.' See full directions on page 53, 
Vol. XVII. 
Manures-Collect and make at every opportunity. 
Have what is needed for the hot-bed properly prepared 
and in readiness. 
Prune Currants and Gooseberries early, if neglected at 
the proper season last Fall. 
Rhubarb—To bring forward early, when frost allows 
take up a few roots and transplant in boxes in the green 
house. A box say one foot high, open at top and bottom, 
or a barrel sawed in halves, with both heads out, placed 
over the roots and filled with stable manure, will give a 
good start. 
Seeds—Try these for yourselves in the house before 
sowing. Lay cotton in a vessel of water and sprinkle a 
few seeds of each kind upon it and place near the stove. 
They will germinate in a few days, if good. See article 
on page 51. 
Tools-Procure improved kinds that have been tested. 
Most tools look well on paper. An ingenious gardener 
will make many for himself. 
Trees and Vines—The bark, like the skin of an animal, 
should be kept free from parasites. Remove moss, and 
insects. 
Trellises and Arbors—Repair old ones, erect new, and 
in the latter have an eye to improvement in design. Slight 
embellishment even, adds greatly to the market value of 
your place. 
Flower Gas’tleaa and 1 L»wbb. 
There is little to be done here this month ; unless mild 
weather should admit of setting out additional trees, 
or shrubs. New grounds, however, can be plotted, and 
the plan accurately delineated on paper. The general 
effect can thus be pretty well judged of, and much time 
saved. If frost will permit, warm borders may be dug, 
manured, and even planted with perennial roots and some 
hardy annuals. But except at the south it is usually bet¬ 
ter to defer this untill next month. 
Evergreens—Should be preserved from injury by snow, 
which sometimes accumulates sufficiently to break down 
the outer branches. 
Hot Beds—Provide materials for and make during the 
latter part of the month for eariy annuals, cuttings, etc. 
Manures—Collect a good supply of muck and stable 
manure for Spring use. A free dressing will promote a 
vigorous growth and a free bloom. 
Prune Altheas. Roses, Honeysuckles, etc , during the 
•mild days of this month, unless they were attended to last 
Fall. Save the cuttings for propagating a new stock. 
Transplanting—Hardy trees and shrubs may be set out 
during the latter part of the month if the frost will permit. 
€Sirecsa“lS©ii§e§. 
The extreme cold of last month made artificial heat ne¬ 
cessary in these. The dampness from fogs also could only 
be effectually dispelled by’a stove or other apparatus to 
dry the atmosphere; but much heat should be avoided as 
it would push the plants into grow th—45° is the highest 
point the mercury should reach. 
During mild clear weather, open the upper ventilators 
to change the atmosphere and prevent a weak slender 
growth of wood. This is of great importance. 
Cape Bulbs in pots, such as gladioluses, ixias, oxalis, 
bsbianas, moreas, etc., are now growing finely and should 
be kept near the light to prevent a weak spindling appear¬ 
ance. 
Cuttings—Put in Fuchsias, Geraniums, Verbenas, IIy 
drangeas, Myrtles, Jasmines, etc., to furnish a good stock 
for out-door planting. 
Decaying leaves and branches should be removed at 
once to prevent any taint in the atmosphere. Cleanliness 
is also essential. 
Insects—Prevention is better than cure. Allow them 
no foothold. Mice are sometimes troublesome among the 
bulbs and small shrubbery. Entrap them or leave “ pussy” 
to do it at night. 
Top dress unthrifty plants, and give a little manure 
water from time to time. 
Water—Increase the amount as the plants push into 
growth, but avoid an excess. See that the drainage is 
good. 
II©t-ia<m§es awd Comscrvat©ri<?s. 
Great care will be requisite to maintain an even tem¬ 
perature during the changeable weather this month. In¬ 
attention to this particular, even for a few hours, may in¬ 
jure or even destroy the fruits of many days’ patient care 
The rapidly growing plants are very sensitive, and the 
successful culturist will now find some night work lie 
cessary to regulate the heating apparatus properly. The 
thermometer should often be consulted and every precau 
tion taken to guard against sudden changes of tempera 
ture. 
Many of the directions of last month are equally appli¬ 
cable for this. 
Air—Now that the plants are in a rapidly growing state 
they will need frequent changes of air in ciear mild 
weather, but cold currents should be avoided. 
Azalias should now show a fine bloom if they have been 
properly cared for. Syringe freely. 
Bedding Plants—Insert cuttings and make layers foi 
a good stock of Petunias, Pelargoniums, Verbenas, Dian- 
thus, Candytuft, Pansies, Dielytras, Daisies, etc., for early 
planting in the open border. 
Bulbs—Keep a succession of plants in bloom by bring 
ing forward those kept in a cool room, or the Green- 
House. Change the water of those in glasses, about 
twice a week. 
Camellias still show a fine bloom. Attend to as directed 
last month. 
Carnations—Make layers and cuttings for an increase 
of stock. 
Cleanliness will add very much to the appearance of 
the houses or rooms and the healthiness of the plants. 
Cuttings—A large number of growing plants now afford 
good shoots for cuttings. Plunge them at once into pre¬ 
pared pots of soil and cover with glasses. 
Grapes require much care in the early houses this 
month. Those beginning to color or about ripening, need 
