66 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
Calendar of Operations for March 1859. 
[We note down sundry kinds of work to be done during 
the month, not so much to afford instruction to practical 
men, as to call to mind the various operations to be at¬ 
tended to. A glance over a table like this -will often sug¬ 
gest some piece of work that might otherwise be forgotten 
or neglected. Our remarks are more especially adapted 
to the latitudes of 38° to 45° ; but will be equally applica¬ 
ble to points further North and South by making due 
allowance for each degree of latitude, that is, earlier for 
the South, later for the North. 
Explanations.— / indicates the first; m the middle : 
and l the last of the month.—Doubl'ing the letters tlius:^', 
or mm, or ll, gives particular emphasis to the period indi¬ 
cated.—Two letters placed together, as fm or ml, signifies 
that the work may be done in either or in both periods in¬ 
dicated ; thus, work marked/m. indicates that it is to be 
attended to from the first to the middle of the month-! 
Farm. 
March brings much appropriate work, chiefly of prepa¬ 
ration, yet important, and enough to break the monotony 
of the partial rest of previous months. As the careful bird 
provides her nest for the little fledglings she hopes will ere 
long employ her care, so the tiller of the soil should have 
every thing in readiness to receive and guard the tender 
offspring of the fields, which the advancing season will 
soon bring, to demand his supervision.—But let not too 
great eagerness for an early start lead to preparation of 
the soil by plowing before it would be a benefit. Many a 
field has remained “ lumpy ” through the summer from 
having a clayey soil turned up while wet. A brickyard is 
not a good place in which to grow crops. Nor are those 
plants healthy, which vegetate in a soil barely warm 
enough to start them, with an atmosphere but little re¬ 
moved from the freezing point to welcome their first ap¬ 
pearance. In farming, as in other things, “ haste some¬ 
times makes waste.” It will be found that deeply worked, 
underdrained soils are both warmer and dryer, than shal¬ 
low, undrained lands. 
Cattle—Continue the directions of last month, giving 
plenty of feed, but wasting none. Place coarse fodder in 
racks in the yards, rather than on the ground to be trod¬ 
den under foot. Let no animal fall away in flesh, though 
Winter is nearly over. Put working teams in good trim 
for heavy labors, and train steers to the yoke. Look well 
to cows about coming in, and provide suitable stalls for 
them at night. Keep the straw-cutter in use, and make 
judicious drafts upon the root bin. Let grain be ground 
or cooked before foeding, or much ofiis value is lost 
Cellars—Keep sweet and clean, removing all garbage 
and decaying vegetables. Sort over fruit, potatoes, etc. 
See that a good supply of all kinds of vegetables is pre¬ 
served for seed. 
Clover—Sow, m, 1. A light snow is beneficial to sow 
upon, both showing the breadths and carrying the seed in- 
lo the soil as it melts away. Scatter in the morning upon 
a smow which will melt before night. Use from 6 to 12 
quarts of seed to the acre. Usually about 8 quarts is suf¬ 
ficient. 
Draining—Commence early on lands dry enough to dig. 
A subsoil plow will greatly assist in loosening the soil in 
l he ditches. A cross drain at the head of a piece of land 
will sometimes cut off the flow from above, and render 
few drains necessary upon the piece, or field itself. 
Fencing should be put up early, as soon as the frost will 
permit. Hedges may be planted, m, 1, in many localities. 
Split rails, prepare posts, and make gates during stoimy 
w ealher. 
Forests—Remember they are yearly growing more val¬ 
uable. Preserve the small growth, and transplant a few 
locusts, chestnuts, etc., upon land which is now useless. 
Grain—Have a supply of choice quality in readiness for 
Spring sowing. Fields may be sown m, 1, at the South. 
Harrow out the corn roots of last year’s crop as soon as 
frost, will permit. It can be often done to advantage when 
only a few inches of the surface soil is thawed. 
Hedge rows and shrubby spots in the meadows 
may now be grubbed up to advantage. They should not 
be allowed to disfigure the farm, draw nourishment from 
the soil, and afford harbors for vermin. 
Hogs should be kept at work rootingover muck, leaves, 
or even sawdust in the yards and pens. An increase of 
slock ought soon to be expected. Give breeding sows 
charcoal and a little animal food occasionally. If in¬ 
clined to destroy their pigs, make them drunk with 
liquor. 
Horse and Mule Teams—Harden with suitable food 
and appropriate labor for the heavy work approaching. 
Cut feed with a few roots is belter than constant dry 
food. 
Ice Houses are filled in some localities, and only parti¬ 
ally so in others. See that a good stock is secured be¬ 
fore it is too late. Cover with sawdust and straw. 
Laborers— Engage, ff, if not already done as advised on 
page 36 of the February Agriculturist. 
Manures—Cart to the lots where they are to be applied ; 
dump in large hes.ne and cover with muck or plaster 
Keep the manufactories at work, from the horse and cow 
stables to the hog pens, privies and hen roosts. A little 
lime spent among these daily, adding muck, house slops, 
etc., and throwing into heaps under cover will pay a good 
interest in the next corn crop. 
Map of the Farm—Make, or rather have the younger 
members of the family do it, for a drawing exercise. It 
may be drawn to a scale, and all of your proposed season’s 
work indicated upon it. 
Meadows or grain fields should not be trampled over or 
gnawed down at this season. Open ditches to carry away 
standing water. 
Plowing will be in order during the latter part of the 
month in many localities. For most crops it is not enough 
that the land was plowed in the Fall; go over it again, 
using the subsoiler where practicable. 
Potatoes should be in readiness for planting. Read ar¬ 
ticles on another page relative to the best varieties for 
market. The planting season is at hand in the southern 
States. 
Poultry—Save eggs,m, 1, for setting early. A few may 
be set, 1, this month. Give freely of chopped meat, pound¬ 
ed oyster shells, boiled potatoes, raw cabbage, with some 
grain, and expect an abundant supply of eggs, if in addi¬ 
tion they have warm quarters with gravel and ashes to 
scratch in. 
Salt should be given to stock of all kinds once a week. 
Sedge or salt hay fed out occasionally answers the same 
purpose. 
Sheep will perhaps be dropping their lambs during the 
latter part of the month. Provide warm quarters for them. 
Feed roots or grain to those with lamb, and keep separate 
from other slock. See article “ How to raise every live- 
born lamb,” in this number. 
Sugar Maples may be tapped, f to m. See chapters else¬ 
where, both in this and the former number. 
Tools for Spring work are presumed to be in good re¬ 
pair, or new ones provided as necessary. 
Wood—Take another look at the pile, and see if there 
is sufficient to go through the year. If not, add a little, ff. 
Oi'eBtausl am! Msursery. 
As the nurseryman’s harvest time is now at hand, there 
will be no lack of employment in preparing to fid the 
orders which have accumulated, and which are, or should 
be now pouring in. 
Nor need the orchardist be idle. Unless all the moss 
and rough bark have been scraped from both apple and 
pear trees, attend to them at once. Many embryo insects 
will be destroyed at the same time. 
Planting can also be done in many localities, and the 
sooner the belter after the soil is in working order ; that is, 
free from frost, and dry. 
Apple Trees—Remove rough bark, moss and scale from 
orchard trees. Graft natural or poor fruit as directed be¬ 
low. Plant standards in the orchard and along lanes, 
avenues, about buildings, etc. 
Cherries, Peaches and Plums—Set out for orchard cul¬ 
ture, m, 1, or as soon as frost will permit. Cherry trees 
start early in Spring and require early planting to suc¬ 
ceed well. See if there are not vacant spots about the 
house or yards where a few trees may be both ornament¬ 
al and useful. 
Evergreen Trees—It is better to leave transplanting 
these until May. They can be moved now if done with 
care. 
Grafting—Begin, 11, on those kinds which start first— 
usually the cherry. Apple and most other fruit trees suc¬ 
ceed best in this latitude, earlier at the south. 
Hedge Plants—Plant seeds and set seedlings in nur¬ 
sery rows, m, 1. 
Insects—Allow no trees to go from the nursery covered 
with scale. It will soon injure a nurseryman’s reputa¬ 
tion. Neither should they be left to suck out the life 
blood of the young orchard. They are perfect vampires 
and should be extinguished at once by soft soap or potash 
and water. Apply with a brush or rag tied to a stick. 
Manures—Provide a full supply to use in both orchard 
and nursery. Make a compost of manure and muck and 
mix with soil for standard trees. A top dressing of lime 
or ashes will benefit the old orchard, also spreading stable 
manure liberally about the trunks. 
Mice-girdled Trees—Bank up with earth, or better, cov¬ 
er with grafting clay or cement to exclude the air. 
Pack with moss, trees that are to go far, covering with 
straw as shown on page 117 of last volume. 
Pear Trees—Plant standards, m, 1 A few dwarfs of 
proved kinds may be set in the garden—very few will 
suffice. Many varieties come into bearing young on their 
own roots, and are preferable. Don’t neglect the Barlletts. 
Planting seedlings and stocks should be followed up 
before the hurried season comes on. 
Plums—Cut away any black warts found on the branch¬ 
es. Plant trees, 11. 
Pruning—We prefer omitting this operation till mid¬ 
summer for reasons previously set forth, though small 
twigs may be removed 
Seeds or Pits—Plant, ff, m, apple, pear, quince, cherry, 
peach, plum, walnut and chestnut seeds, or pits which 
were put in boxes last Fall. Also put in, m, 1, evergreen 
tree seeds, and the various deciduous kinds, such as lo¬ 
cust, maple, birch, etc. 
Scions—The cutting of these should be attended to, ff, 
if more are wanted. Examine those cut heretofore to see 
that they are neither too dry or too moist. 
Stocks budded last season-Cut off the head two or 
three inches above the bud, where the latter has taken. 
Taking up Trees—Do it carefully, preserving as many 
of the roots and fibers as possible. Keep the roots from 
the sun. 
Trench or subsoil new grounds, 11, both for orchard and 
nursery. If inclined to moisture pul in drain tile. 
Mitclueaa am! Fi-aift Garden. 
In the northern States and the Canadas the weather ad 
mits of little active work, save preparing manures, and 
arranging for the approaching Spring. Our directions of 
last month are mainly applicable to such latitutes for the 
present month. In the middle States Spring work is in 
order, and manuring, plowing, spading, and planting are 
going on according to the calendar below, while our 
southern neighbors are hoeing, weeding, and thinning the 
crops we are just planting. 
For family use, especially during Winter, quick grown 
vegetables are much to be preferred. To produce such, 
do not sow until the ground is both warm and dry. Sow 
a portion for early use, as soon as the season will permit, 
and put in the balance later. 
Artichokes—Dress old beds and plant new, m, 11. 
Asparagus—Uncover beds, 11, and fork in manure, un¬ 
less the nights continue frosty. New beds may be made 
at the same time, both from roots and seed. 
Blackberries—Plant canes or roots of New-Rochelle, 
High Bush, or some other improved variety. 
Borecole and Kale—Sow, 11, where the ground will 
permit. 
Cabbages and Cauliflowers—Sow in hot-keds, ff, m, and 
in the open ground, 11. Set out stumps and heads for 
seed, 11. 
Caraway—Sow seed, II. 
Celery—Sow in hot beds, m, 1. 
Cold Frames—Watch them more closely and air freely, 
as warmer weather approaches. The sash should be re¬ 
moved every day, unless the weather is freezing. Sow 
cabbages, lettuce, radishes, etc., to take the place of plants 
soon to be set out. 
Compost—Prepare a supply for hot-beds, ff, if it is not 
now in readiness, and have a good quantity for general 
use. 
Cress—Sow, 11, in open ground. 
Currants and Gooseberries—Put in cuttings, and set out 
rooted plants, m, 11. If cuttings have not been taken off, 
attend to it at once, ff—it will soon be too late. 
Drain, f, m, soils which incline to moisture. The mar¬ 
ket gardener will find this a great advantage, enabling 
him to work his ground much earlier. It is bolh warmth 
and dryness to the soil. 
Egg Plants—Sow in hot-beds, m, 1. 
Fences—Construct or repair, making them poultry 
proof, unless fowls are kept in their appropriate places. 
Fruit Trees—Plant along borders, 11. A lew selected 
kinds of dwarf pears, peaches, cherries, quinces, and 
plums may be planted exclusively as a trait garden, among 
which raspberries or blackberries may be grown with ad¬ 
vantage, provided the ground is thoroughly manured. 
Grapes—Plant bolh roots and cuttings, 11. Do not 
prune at this season. Uncover any buried vines, 11, if the 
weather appears settled and mild. Fork in a good dress¬ 
ing of manure about the roots. See “ Profits of a Single 
Vine ” on a subsequent page. 
Herbs—Divide and reset roots, m, 11, sowing seed at the 
same time. 
Hops—Plant roots, 11, providing poles for, ff, m. 
Horse-radish—Divide and replant, m, 1. 
Hot Beds—Make ff, m, as per full directions elsewhere 
given. Give air in mild weather to beds previously 
planted. 
Leeks—Sow, 11. 
Lettuce—Sow, f, m, in hot-beds, and, 11, in open ground, 
scattering seeds in the cold frames at the same time. 
Manures—Heavy manuring and deep plowing or trench¬ 
ing are the secrets of success with market gardeners, 
Mustard—Sow, m, 1. 
Onions—Read “Prize article” in the present Agri¬ 
culturist. 
Parsley—Sow, 11. 
Parsneps—Dig as wanted for use or market. A few' 
may be left or set out for seed, 11. 
Peas—Sow on warm be* ders, 11, scalding in hot water 
previously, to destroy the weevil or bug. Provide brush, 
ff, m. 
Plow, subsoil, and trench garden soils, 11, if dry and free 
of frost. 
