1873 .] 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
123 
as for the facility of gathering the crop at harvest. 
The barley can be rolled at any time until it is two 
or three inches high. 
Clover and Grass Seed may be sown with the 
barley. There is no better crop to seed with. 
Oats can be sown later than barley. They will 
also do f.ir better than barley on sod land, or on 
low, mucky land. It is desirable to get them in as 
early as the land is dry enough to work property'. 
If possible, drill them in 2% to 3 bushels per acre. 
Seeding with Oats is somewhat risky. The crop 
grows so thick near the grouud that it smothers 
the young grass or clover plants. The only remedy 
is to sow the grass and clover seed thick and the 
oats thin—say 1)4 bushel per acre. 
Peas do well on sod land. Sow as early as possi¬ 
ble. Drill in two to three bushels per acre. 
Oats and Teas can be sown together on rich land 
with advantage, say two bushels each per acre. 
Oats , Peas , and Barley are sometimes sown toge¬ 
ther. Tiie straw is excellent for fodder, and the 
grain, ground together, makes a strong food for 
horses. There is nothing to be gained, however, 
unless the land is very rich. Sow the two-rowed 
barley—say bushel of barley, oats, and peas 
each per acre. 
Gypsum or Plaster usually proves beneficial on 
peas and clover. Where it is cheap we would also 
sow from one to two bushels per acre on the barley 
and oats. 
Sow Plaster Early ; but if you can not sow it 
early, or neglect to do so, sow it late—only sow it. 
When plaster costs less than ten dollars per ton, 
it almost always pays to sow it on dry upland for 
clover, peas, corn, potatoes, barley, and oats, and 
sometimes it is very useful on timothy meadows 
or pastures. Some farmers think half a bushel per 
acre is enough. 
Harrowing Winter Wheat is a practice we can con¬ 
fidently recommend. 
Clover Seed on winterwbeat should be sown early 
—the earlier the better, unless you intend to har¬ 
row the wheat. Six quarts per acre of clover and 
four quarts timothy is none too much seed. 
Old Pastures are improved by a good harrowing 
in the spring. Let the harrow-teeth be sharp. Put 
on three or four horses, and weight the harrows. 
There is no danger of pulling up too much of the 
sod. Sow on a little fresh grass seed and three or 
four pounds white clover per acre. 
Potatoes. —As a rule, it is better to plant potatoes 
as early as the ground can be got in good condition. 
For an early crop, of course we must plant early. 
For winter use, the late varieties, such as Peach- 
blow, should be planted early. Cover them three 
or four inches deep, and harrow the land as soon 
as any weeds appear, or before, with a Thomas 
harrow. It will not pull up any of the potatoes, 
and will break the crust, stimulate the growth of 
the potatoes, and kill thousands of weeds. For 
late planting, the early varieties are best. 
Live-Stock. —In the hurry of spring work, do not 
negleet the animals. See Hints for last month. 
Horses that have been at rest during the winter 
should be worked only moderately at first. See 
that the collars fit, and that the parts that tome in 
contact with the shoulders are clean and soft. 
Wash the shoulders with salt and water. If the 
skin becomes inflamed <x sore, bathe it with petro¬ 
leum ( not kerosene), or wash with warm water and 
'.carbolic soap. Keep the feet aud legs clean. Wash 
them if necessary, aud rub them dry. At noon re¬ 
move the harness and clean the horses. Feed cut- 
hay moistened with water and sprinkled over with 
meal or bran. This can be eaten quicker than 
long hay, aud the horses have more time to digest 
it before going back to work. At night always clean 
the horses thoroughly and make them comfort¬ 
able. This is more important than cleaning in tbe 
.morning. Let them have all the salt they will eat. 
Cows .— Feed according to circumstances. A far- 
-row cow that you are milking and fattening at the 
.-same time should have three or four quarts of corn- 
meal per daj\ A new milch-cow should have 
abundance of food, but it should not be too stimu¬ 
lating, or what farmers call “ heatihg.” There is 
nothing better than good early-cut hay. This is 
grass deprived of its water. Chaff such hay, aud 
soak it in water for 12 or 24 hours, and sprinkle on 
a quart of bran and a pint of corn-meal, and give 
the cow a bushel of the mixture three times a day. 
If she will eat more, let her have it. If she does 
not eat it up clean, remove what she leaves. She 
will eat all the more for not having food before her 
all the time—and the more she eats the better. A 
few roots or small potatoes in addition would be 
an advantage. Give all the water she will drink. 
Do not turn out to grass until there is a good bite. 
And after you turn out, give cut hay and meal in 
the stable night and morning. 
Sheep .— See Hints for last month. Damp, dirty 
yards and sheds are an abomination to sheep. 
During dry, warm days the sheep will do better on 
a dry, old pasture than in the yards, but during 
storms they must be provided with shelter from 
the rain. Feed all the hay the sheep will eat up 
cleau. If the sheep have had grain during the 
winter, continue to feed it moderately. It will en¬ 
able the ewes-to give more and richer milk. Let 
them have access to fresh water, and give salt daily. 
Swine. —If you have a good breed of pigs, take 
good care of them ; feed the young growing stock 
all they will cat—corn-meal, bran, mangels, small 
potatoes, and milk. Nothing comes amiss. Vary 
the food. Keep the pens clean, dry, warm, and 
comfortable. If you have not a good breed, now 
is the time to order a pair or two of spring pigs 
from some responsible breeder. In regard to the 
management of breeding sows, see Hints for last 
month or “ Harris on the Pig.” 
— -—_— 
Work in the Horticultural Departments. 
In all but the more northern latitudes April will 
find the horticulturist busy with the early spring 
work. The hot-beds aud cold-frames will not need 
so close attention by the middle of the month, 
and time can be given to preparing the soil for 
early crops, and to the many little jobs which 
require doing. 
Do not, however, commence plowing before the 
soil has had time to dry off. If it is not dry the 
earth becomes lumpy, and prevents successful 
working afterwards. Do not attempt to cultivate 
more land than can be well taken care of by the 
amount of help one is able to command; better 
cultivate a little well than a great deal poorly. 
When the rush of spring work comes, there is often 
a liability to neglect the many little jobs which 
ought to be done, and care must be exercised to 
see that all the time is so used as to secure the 
best results for the amount of labor employed. 
Orchard, and Nursery. 
Planting. —The ground should be properly pre¬ 
pared for tress, so that they may be immediately 
set out as soon as they arrive from the nursery. 
Trees ordered last fall, and which were properly 
heeled in at that time, can be set out until quite 
late, as such trees do not commence their growth 
so early as those recently taken from nursery rows. 
Directions have been given iu previous numbers as 
to the treatment of trees which arrive with the 
bark shriveled. In planting, be sure and prepare 
a good-sized hole for the roots, as one of the most 
fruitful sources of loss of trees in young orchards 
is due to their roots being crowded into a small 
hole. In selecting trees for an orchard, do not 
take those which have long naked trunks, but 
prefer those with low and well-shaped heads. 
Grafting. —Graft cherry and plum stocks before 
the buds have started. Other trees may be left 
until the buds have swelled, provided the cions 
were cut before the sap had started. 
Root-Grafts may be set out in light, mellow soil 
as soon as the weather will permit. 
Cuttings of currants, gooseberries, and grapes 
not planted last fall must be put in early ; set them 
in trenches about four inches apart, and pound the 
soil down firmly around the base of the cuttings. 
Seeds for nursery stock should be planted early 
in beds of finely prepared soil. If the soil is dry 
when they are planted, roll the bed so as to com¬ 
pact the soil firmly around the seeds. Seeds of ever, 
greens will need shading with evergreen boughs,, 
or, what is better, lattice-work made of laths. 
Manure .— Draw out manure to the orchards in. 
which crops are to be planted, and be sure to sup¬ 
ply enough so that the trees need not suffer by thv 
growth of the extra crop. 
Insects .— Sufficient directions have been given it» 
previous numbers as to methods and means for 
destroying them. It will be well to bear in mini> 
that every cluster of Tent-Caterpillars’ eggs de¬ 
stroyed now will save a great deal of time. 
Fruit Garden. 
If the farmers in this country only knew the 
comparatively small cost that would enable them, 
to supply their tables with an abundance of the 
finer fruits, and the health and contentment which 
the use of these fruits would bring, many of them 
at least would engage in their culture. Half an 
acre of ground near the house planted with some 
of the best varieties of small fruits would be suffi¬ 
cient to give an ordinary family a bountiful supply. 
A piece of ground should be selected which has a 
good soil, which can be enriched by manure, and 
the lighter work may be done by children. 
Strawberries .— Set out beds of these as early as 
the ground can be worked. See directions for 
planting given last month. 
Currants and Gooseberries. —Prepare cuttings of 
these early, and plant in good soil well manured. 
Set out plants from cuttings which are already 
rooted. Cut out the old wood from bu.-hes which 
have grown out of shape front neglect of pruning. 
Grape-Vines. —Uncover those which were laid 
down last fall and tie to the trellises. Plant out 
new vines wherever there is room for one. With 
a little care, one can get a good supply of grapes 
with but little expense. 
l&itclieia. Garden. 
The preparation of the soil, planting of early 
vegetables, etc., will occupy the chief part of the 
gardener’s time. If the ground was plowed last 
fall it will be ready to work much sooner than if 
not plowed until spring. 
Asparagus beds need some care in manuring in 
order to secure an early crop. Attend to them at 
once, and see that the mauure is properly forked 
in between the rows. 
Beans. —Do not plant in this latitude before the 
first of May, as the late frosts are sure to kill them. 
Beets and Carrots. —Sow very early this month, 
as they will bear a good deal of frost. Make the 
rows two feet apart, and sow a row of radishes be¬ 
tween them; they will be out of the way before 
the beets or carrots will interfere with them. 
Cabbages. —Transplant from the liot-bed or cold- 
frame to a light, rich soil, and keepwell hoed to 
encourage an early growth. Plants under glass 
should be gradually hardened off before transplant¬ 
ing, so that the growth will not be checked. 
Celery. —Sow in seed-beds in drills eight inches 
apart. 
Chives. —Divide the large clumps and make new 
plantings, setting the plants eight or ten inches 
apart in well-manured rows. 
Cress seldom succeeds in our hot climate, on ac¬ 
count of its going to seed so quickly. A few rows 
may be sown early in drills ten inches apart. If 
insects attack the leaves dust with air-slaked lime. 
Cucumbers —Wait until the soil is warm for 
planting out of doors. A few hills may be covered 
with glass if wanted early, or a few may be sown 
iu pots or on pieces of turf in the liot-bed. 
Egg-Plants —Sow in hot-beds, and protect the 
frames with shutters aud mats during frosty nights. 
