Q26 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
Calendar of Operations for August 1859 
TWe 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 North, later for the South. 
Explanations,—/ indicates th e first ; m the middle ; 
arul l the last of the month.—Doubling the letters thus:#', 
or mm, or U, 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 botli periods in¬ 
dicated ; thus, work marked fm. indicates that it is to be 
attended to from the first to the middle of the month.] 
Farm. 
August is a hot month, and is usually considered the 
most unhealthy season of the year ; but with moderation 
and temperance in all things the hard working farmer 
has little to fear. He should, however, pay strict atten¬ 
tion to the sanitary condition of the dwelling, cellar, 
sink drains, cess-pools, compost heap, stagnant water, 
etc., using plaster, muck and charcoal dust, or some other 
absorbent or disinfector to fix the noxious and unhealthy 
gases. In fever and ague districts avoid the dampeven- 
mg air, and if the weather be inclined to “chilly,” build 
a little fire in the room towards night to purify and dry 
the atmosphere. 
The heaviest labors of the hay and harvest field are 
now over and a little relaxation may be enjoyed, although 
there is still enough to employ one’s time in clearing up 
waste land, getting out stones, stumps and roots, drain¬ 
ing wet places, building permanent fence, getting out 
swamp muck, etc., and especially in preparing the ground 
for Winter grains. 
Barn and other manure yards should be examined to 
see that no rich wash finds its way into the road. If wa¬ 
ter must run from them during rains, let it be filtered 
through a muck heap or through a lump of soil before it 
passes away. As much as possible provide sheds or oth¬ 
er covering for the manure, so that it be neither washed 
by rains nor burned up by the sun. Let no noxious weeds 
ripen seeds in the yards to be spread over the farm. 
Buildings, Door Yards, etc.—Continue the directions 
of last month. 
Bushes, briers and weeds along hedges and in pasilires 
or meadows should now be cut or grubbed up. B ishes 
‘ whipped ” this month will not sprout readily. 
Butter and Cheese Making are still the heavy labors of 
the dairy department. Many useful hints are to be found 
in our regular articles on these tonics. 
Cattle—See that the pasturage is sufficient. If the grass 
is short have recourse to the early soiling crops of millet, 
corn and sugar cane, especially for milch cows. In pro¬ 
viding a male for the cows and heifers, bear in mind it 
costs no more to raise a grade of Devon, Durham, Ayr¬ 
shire, or Alderney, than the most common highway stock. 
Cellars should be kept sweet, and clean, and well venti¬ 
lated at this season. 
Cisterns and Wells—Now is a good time to dig these, 
since water reached during this month will usually be 
permanent. If the barn is not already provided with wa¬ 
ter, build a large cistern without delay. It will pay. 
Corn—Keep the fields free from weeds, but do not plow 
or cultivate so deep as to injure the roots at this season. 
Early plantings for forage may be gradually cut and fed. 
Draining—The usual dry weather of this month affords 
a good opportunity to drain wet lands. There is gener¬ 
ally a little leisure time now which can- profitably be de¬ 
voted to this purpose. Use tile, stones or wood in blind 
drains rather than leave open ditches. 
Fences—Keep in good repair. Do not invite youreat- 
tle to become unruly by leaving a bar down here, a rail 
or board off there, and a broken down wall in another 
place. As feed becomes short in the pastures, they are 
apt to examine closely the fences which separate them 
from belter pickings, especially the corn fields. 
Forests—Now is a good time to cut away the forests to 
increase the tillable land. After felling and trimming up 
the trees, draw out the heavy wood with oxen and spread 
and burn the brush, m, 1, to prepare the ground for Win¬ 
ter wheat or rye. 
Grain and Granaries—Thresh early and watch the 
market and speculators at the same time, not omitting to 
“ take the papers.” Cleanse granaries and put a little 
tar in the crevices, the offensive odor of which is frequent¬ 
ly a preventive of the attack of weevils and other insects 
in the bins. Soe that everything is mice and rat proof. 
Ilay—Cut salt marsh and sedge, m, 1, or during the 
neap tides of this month, so that it may be removed with¬ 
out being flooded with water. Stack upon high ground, 
or cart it to barns or hovels. 
In-door—Ventilate the rooms freely, especially in the 
morning, during hot weather. By opening the chamber 
or garret windows, and leaving the doors open an up¬ 
ward draft will almost always be created. Keep rooms 
and cellars clean and sweet, and allow no accumulation 
of filth or drain deposit about the premises, as August is a 
month in which every precautionary measure to preserve 
the health should be observed. Wage war against the 
tribes of insects which are frequently troublesome at this 
season. Scalding water used freely about the haunts of 
roaches and ants will usually rout them. See also the 
Roach and Fly Traps figured on subsequent pages. 
Hoes should not be laid aside unless hand pulling of 
the w eeds is resorted to. Among late crops the ground 
should still be stirred with hoes. 
Manures—Collect all the material possible and keep 
up the manufactories to furnish a good supply which will 
soon be needed for Winter wheat and rye. 
Millet or Hungarian Grass—Continue to cut the suc¬ 
cessive sowings, ff, m, for milch cows, or for curing as 
hay. Secure the whole crop before the seed hardens un¬ 
less the grain is wanted for feeding or sowing. 
Mowing Fields—Whenever you have time, clear from 
stumps, bushes and stones, that the mowing machine and 
horse-rake find no obstruction. Now is a good time to 
cut under-brush and weeds 
Muck—We can not too strongly urge every one who 
has a deposit, or who can buy the privilege of digging 
upon a neighbor’s swamp, to get out a large stock of it 
while there is little water in the way. Remember that 
every load carted to the yards or stables, and saturated 
with urine, or mixed with manure, is worth as much as 
a load of clear manure. It will rarely cost half as much 
to obtain it. Use it freely about the sink drains and un¬ 
der the privies as a disinfector. 
Oats have generally done very well this season, and 
the remaining crops are now ready for the harvest. Se¬ 
cure with as little injury to the straw as possible. 
Pastures—See that the feed is sufficient for grazing ani¬ 
mals. A frequent change of ground is beneficial, and in 
some cases the cattle may be turned into the mowing 
fields where a good bite of rowen awaits them. 
Plowing for Winter grain will soon be in order. If the 
ground is clear of other crops, it may t-s manured and 
deeply plowed, subsoiled if possible, 11. 
Potatoes—Early plantings are now ready for market 
and the ground may receive a crop of cabbages, turnips, 
or be sown to wheat or rye in the early part of next 
month. 
Poultry—Those which are necessarily shut up during 
the day, should be let out about sun down when they will 
rarely stop to scratch much. They seldom do well un¬ 
less allowed some liberty. 
Root Crops—Keep the ground free f ;>m weeds and well 
stirred between the rows. 
Rye—Complete harvesting both V. nter and Spring va¬ 
rieties. Sow Winter crop, 11, or early next month, using 
one and-a-half bushels to the acre. 
Seed Wheat and Rye—Supposing that the foul stuff 
was pulled from the seed patch it will only be necessary 
to thresh and sift out the small shrivelled grain and any 
foreign seed which remains. It would be even better to 
only partially thresh the sheaves, .so as to get the ripest 
and plumpest kernels for seed. 
Sheep—Guard against the dogs as directed last month. 
Rub a little tar upon the nose, the odor of which is the 
best preventive against the fly now seeking to deposit its 
eggs in the nostrils of sheep. Give salt freely. 
Soiling Crops—Give cows and other stock a portion of 
the millet, green corn or sugar cane sown for fodder, 
now that the feed is getting short. 
Swine—Keep their pens and yards well supplied with 
materials for making manure. If convenient give a small 
range of pasture or orchard ; if not feed some green stuff, 
as weeds, grass, corn stalks or sorghum, daily. 
Timber—If it Is contemplated to erect buildings ot any 
kind another year, cut the timber now. It will last 
longer if cut at this season, and be seasoned when 
wanted. The same applies to fence posts and other tim¬ 
ber. 
Timothy—Sow by itself, m, for a full crop next year. 
Sow also with rye or wheat, 11, or early next month. Try 
12 quarts of seed per acre, and get a finer and better, as 
well as larger yield. 
Tobacco will need cutting, 11, in some localities. 
Turnips may still be sown, ff, m, among corn and po¬ 
tatoes, or after early crops. Flat or cow-horn varieties 
should be used instead of ruta bagas for such late sow¬ 
ings. Cultivate, hoe, and thin former plantings. 
Weeds—Make into compost, or feed to swine instead 
of raising for seed, particularly about the manure heap. 
Canada Thistles may be mainly destroyed by cutting 
them a few inches from the ground when in bloom. 
Wheat is mainly cut and stacked, except the late crops 
of Spring sown, at the north. The heavy yield in this vi¬ 
cinity, and fine weather for cutting and securing it were 
very cheering. Prepare grounds by manuring and 
plowing, and sow, 11, at the north, and next month in this 
latitude and south. 
©ffcliai’cl asMtl Nursery. 
Those who have paid due attention in former years, 
to the planting out and proper care of fruit trees find 
themselves well repaid this season. Excepting the peach 
crop, which is light in the northern peach growing 
States, most tree fruits have done, and are doing re¬ 
markably well this season, taking the country as a 
whole. Of course there are localities where the apple 
crop will be light, and in other places few pears are 
raised, but these are exceptions. While feasting on the 
blush colored peach, or mellow Bartlett pear, let tin, 
fruit grower reflect how fine it would be to enjoy them 
next Winter when there is little fruit, excepting apples 
to be had. By putting them up in bottles or cans as 
heretofore directed, they may be had in perfection dur 
ing the entire year. 
Some of the overburdened trees may need supports to 
prevent being split down by the weight of fruit. Crotched 
poles are about the best supports in such cases, using 
cloth or hay bands to keep the branches from chafing. 
Budding is in season now, and where much of it is to 
be done, no time should be wasted after the stock and 
bud are both in the proper condition. It is useless to 
bud when the bark will not peel readily, nor is it worth 
while to insert poorly ripened, or weakly buds. Pears, 
apples, cherries, peaches and nectarines, are about the 
order in which the different varieties should be budded 
Pay strict attention, to the genuineness of sorts, and 
make a record of where they are put in, in addition to 
the usual stakes or labels employed. If stalks budded 
last year have not been rounded off, attend to them ff. 
Fences require as much care around the orchard and 
nursery as elsewhere. Cattle are fond of the new growth 
of young fruit trees, and make havoc among the branches 
of standard trees loaded with fruit. 
Hoeing of Nursery grounds should not be neglected 
this month, nor should the soil about newly planted, or 
even other fruit trees nourish a crop of weeds or grass 
The plow or other horse instrument will greatly assist in 
hoeing. 
Inarching—This is the proper season for performing the 
operation upon many trees and plants. 
Insects—Destroy late caterpillars, search out borers, 
both in apple and peach trees, and wash nursery stock in¬ 
fected with scale, with a solution of oil soap, potash, or 
other alkaline substance. 
Layer stools and plants intended to be propagated this 
way. The growth of the present season may now be 
used. 
Peaches are now ripening, and should be picked and 
sent to market before they become soft, else they bruise 
in handling. The same may be said of pears and early 
apples. They should all ripen in the dealer's hands, oi 
market. See article on “ Preparing Fruit for Market," 
in the present number. 
Pruning — Continue both on large and small trees as 
recommended last month. We are strongly opposed to 
leaving large branches to be taken off next Winter, or 
what is worse, in the Spring. 
Seedlings of all kinds should be kept free from weeds 
Shade evergreens and other varieties liable to burn, 
by a partial screen, or place them under the branches 
of trees. 
Seeds of all kinds of trees now ripening, with the cher 
ries already gathered, should be placed in earth before 
drying, else they will vegetate poorly, or lie in the ground 
an entire season. 
Thin late fruit if not already done 
Water will probably be required on boxes, or beds ol 
tender seedlings. Apply it in the evening. 
Weeds are perchance eating and drinking what should 
be food for the trees. Let the hoes make slaughter among 
them. Clean tillage is as desirable in an orchard and 
nursery as elsewhere. 
MitcSacBi and Fruit Garden. 
With the exception of a little late planting where the 
early crops are coming off, attention to the growing crops 
will require most of the gardener’s care. If raising 
vegetables and fruits for market, he will now be able 
to send away blackberries, peaches, plums, cabbages, 
cauliflowers, potatoes, beets, carrots, onions, green co'n 
cucumbers, peas, beans, turnips, kohl rabi, etc . that 
no day need pass without having something for saie. The 
soil from which these crops are taken should not be al 
lowed to spend even the remainder of the season in idle¬ 
ness while there is an increasing demand for almost every 
cultivated vegetable production. A glance at the table 
below will call attention to most of the garden products, 
commencing with me 
Asparagus Led, which should not be given up to weeds 
now' that its season for usefulness is over. Keep it as 
clean as heretofore for the future benefit of the bed. Gath¬ 
er and clean out seed which may be sown now or saved 
till Spring. 
Beans—A few of tho early or quick growing varieties 
mav still be sown, ff. for string beans. 
