1863 .] 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
99 
The same care should be exercised in selecting 
cions as in purchasing trees. Merely grafting a 
tree does not, as many suppose, improve it, unless 
the graft is of a good kind. Root-grafts may be 
planted in the nursery as soon as ground is ready. 
Insects .—The war on these should never cease. 
Crush the eggs wherever found, and kill every 
moth, no matter how beautiful and innocent it 
may appear. 
Manure pays as well in the orchard as anywhere. 
Some varieties which will not bear at all if neg¬ 
lected, are fruitful and profitable if properly ma¬ 
nured. Put it into a considerable area where new 
trees are to be planted, and on the surface around 
those already growing. 
Pear Trees .—For orchard culture the best growers 
advise standards; that is, the pear grafted on pear 
stock, and not on quince. There is no danger that 
the supply of late pears will equal the demand. See 
note on page 116, and list of varieties on page 17 of 
January Agriculturist. 
Seeds of fruit and ornamental trees should be 
planted as soon as the ground is ready. These 
should be sown in drills in good mellow soil. 
Stocks '!—Seedling stocks taken up last Autumn 
should be got into the ground. If neglected then, 
take up as soon as the ground is thawed, and cut 
back the root and top. 
Pruning .—Consult last month’s Calendar. 
Kitclicn Garden. 
When the Calendar for March was prepared, there 
was every prospeet of an early Spring—much more 
so than now, as a month later we make up these 
directions for April. The ground is frozen, and we 
have more snow than during February. Still, be¬ 
fore this paper reaches the readers, the spell of 
Winter will perhaps be broken, and the weather 
admit of active operations in the garden. Nothing 
is to be gained by “hurrying the season;” the 
ground must have time to thaw, settle, and be¬ 
come warm, and this will take place much earlier if 
the garden has been properly drained. In many lo¬ 
calities, especially at the North, the suggestions for 
last month will be appropriate now, while further 
South, and along the sea-shore, much other work 
may be done. To those who have a good garden, 
nothing need be said upon its importance. To 
those who have not given sufficient attention to 
this valuable part of the homestead, we would sa.y, 
it will pay to make one. A good warm, rich soil is 
best, but if that be not found near the dwelling, al¬ 
most any soil can be brought into good condition 
by draining, deep plowing, and plenty of manure. 
We know that the garden is almost always the 
most profitable portion of the farm. Keep a care¬ 
ful debt-and-credit account with it, crediting every 
item taken off at a fair valuation, and our state¬ 
ments will be proved. Should there be a slight 
deficit in the course of two or three years, it will 
be more than made up by the pleasure given. 
Have a good garden, even though it diminish the 
staple field crops by a few bushels. A wealthy 
farmer friend of ours always has early and choice 
vegetables upon his table, but to save trouble, be 
buys them in the market of a neighboring city. 
This may do for him, and others of like means, but 
not for the great mass. But every one may, with a 
little exertion, have most luxuries of the garden 
without going to market. It may be owing some¬ 
what to imagination, but we always think the 
vegetables of our own raising are better than any 
that can be bought. 
A Bit-bed or Cold-Frame Substitute . —In these 
hints we often refer to hot-beds and cold frames, — 
the former a glass-covered box with a bed of warm, 
fermenting manure under the plants; the latter 
the glass covered box without the fermenting ma¬ 
nure. Their construction has often been described 
in the Agriculturist, and they are so cheaply made, 
so easily managed, and so convenient, that they 
may well find a place in most gardens. But when 
they cannot be had, other methods may be adopted 
to secure early plants. Small earthen pots are the 
best, but one of the cheapest is the use of sods. 
Cut up good green turf three or four inches deep, 
and divide it into many little squares with a knife 
or spade. Pack these pieces closely together, bot¬ 
tom side up, in boxes, or on boards, and plant in 
the centre of each piece, one or more seeds, of any 
plant desired early—vegetable or flower—corn, 
peas, tomatoes, melons, cabbages, etc. Whole or 
cut potatoes may also be put in. Set in a warm 
place, as on the south side of the bam, house, or 
shed, but carry them to the cellar or a warm 
room, if a cold night or day occur. The more sun¬ 
shine they have the better. The only further care 
needed will be to always keep the sods moist, not 
wet. This may be done by -wetting on the under 
side along the bottom boards, or by occasional 
light syringing or sprinkling from above, as 
needed. The seeds will start and get two or three 
weeks’ growth—a clear gain of so much time. 
When the soil and season admit, separate the 
pieces, and set them out in hills or drills, as re¬ 
quired, putting the earth well around them. The 
plants will grow right on, all the better for having 
the sod decaying around the roots. 
Artichokes. —Uncover, and if desired to increase 
the bed, plant out suckers from old plants, in well- 
prepared beds. This is not much cultivated, 
however, and we look upon it as rather a fancy 
vegetable, which costs more than it comes to. 
Asparagus .—This is worth far more than it costs. 
Rake off the coarser part of the winter covering of 
manure, and fork the finer portion into the soil, 
taking care not to injure the crowns. Water with 
refuse brine, or apply salt. See directions on 
forcing in March Calendar. Sow seed for new plan¬ 
tations in drills one foot apart. New beds may be 
made by planting out two-year-old roots. Lay the 
plot off in beds 4 feet wide, with convenient alleys 
between. The ground cannot be made too rich or 
worked too deeply. It is high culture rather than 
any particular variety that makes large asparagus. 
Three rows, one foot apart, may be put on a 4-foot 
bed, with the plants one foot apart in the rows. 
Put the crowns of the plant at least 4 inches below 
the surface. Many otherwise good beds are ruined 
by planting too near the surface. 
Beans .-—Should not be planted until all danger of 
frost is past. In some places Early Valentines and 
Six Weeks may be planted late in the month. 
Bean-Poles and Pea-Brush .—These should have 
been already secured, but if it has heen neg¬ 
lected get a supply at once. Nothing looks more 
unsightly than peas 6tuck with brush cut after the 
leaves have started. 
Beets .—Sow the Early Bassano as soon as the 
frost is out of the ground. The seed may be 
sprouted by soaking over night in warm water; 
their pour off the water and keep in a covered ves¬ 
sel in a warm place. It is well to dry the seed off 
before sowing, with plaster if you have it. In 
sprouting these and all other seeds, the growth 
should not be allowed to proceed too far, for if the 
little root be broken off, as it is apt to be in sow¬ 
ing, the germ will perish. As soon as it breaks the 
seed-coat and appears, the seed should be sown. 
What passes for the seed of the beet is really a 
kind of woody cup containing several seeds. If all 
grow, we have a number of plants very close to¬ 
gether. A correspondent suggests to break up the 
seeds before planting; he finds it to be a saving of 
seed, and renders future thinning much easier. We 
have never tried it, but give the suggestion for 
those who wish to experiment. The seed may be 
broken by carefully rolling between two boards. 
Sow in drills 18 inches apart. 
Broccoli .—Treat like cauliflower. 
Cabbage .—Sow in hot-beds, if not already done, or 
in sods as above. Transplant from hot-beds as soon 
as the season will allow. Early York and Sugar-Loaf 
are still among the best early sorts, and the excel¬ 
lent Winningstadt comes on soon after them. At 
the last of the month the sowing for a late crop 
may be made in the open ground. 
Carrots .—Sow the Early Horn in rich, deep soil, 
in drills 1 foot or 15 inches apart. 
Cauliflower .—Early plants in the hot-bed may 
now be potted off or pricked out in a cold frame, if 
they arc getting large, and the season will not per¬ 
mit their being set in the open ground. They will 
be none the worse for a second transplanting. In 
planting out, recollect that the ground can hardly 
be made too rich. 
Celery .—The great difficulty with this crop is to 
get the seeds started, for they are very slow in ger¬ 
minating. They may be sown on a warm border or 
in a cold frame. A friend of ours, who never fails 
of getting a crop, piles the brush and rubbish of 
the garden upon the bed and burns it, and then 
rakes the ashes in with the soil, and sows the seed 
when the bed is cool. No doubt this burning over 
the bed may be advantageously practised with 
many seeds that are slow to start. The seeds of 
weeds are killed, and the ashes act as a fertilizer. 
Cold Frames . — These may still be advantageously 
used, to start tender seedlings. Those in which 
the plants are already up, should have the sash re¬ 
moved every fine day. 
Cress or Pepper-Grass .—Sow early in rows 6 
inches apart. Sprinkle the plants with ashes to 
keep off insects. 
Cucumbers.— Nothing is gained by planting too 
early in the open air. Some for an early crop may 
be started in the hot-beds or on sods. The Early 
Russian is a favorite sort for an early crop. 
Drain wherever needed. There are but few gar¬ 
dens that will not pay well for draining. This 
improves the texture, admits air and warms the 
soil, making it much earlier. A drain or two cost¬ 
ing but little, will sometimes double the yield of a 
whole garden, and bring everything forward earlier. 
Egg Plants .—These cannot be forwarded too 
soon. If not already growing in the hot-bed, they 
should be sown at once. Pot off the plants which 
are large enough. The Long Purple is the earliest, 
but the large Purple is most generally cultivated. 
Garlic .—Set out the divisions of the bulbs, or 
cloves as they are called. This is little employed 
in cooking in this country. Judiciously used in 
very small quantities, it imparts a most delicious 
flavor to soups, stews, etc. 
Horse Badish .—New beds may be made by plant¬ 
ing crowns or pieces of the root. Make the bed 
where it can remain permanently, as it is almost 
impossible to eradicate it to make room for 
another crop. The benefit of liberal manuring will 
be seen in the increased size of the roots. 
Hot-beds .—Give plenty of air to prevent the 
plants from becoming too delicate. Stir the soil 
between the rows, which has become hardened by 
frequent watering. Weed carefully, and thin out 
the plants where crowded. In many localities the 
first of this month will be quite early enough to 
start a hot-bed for plants for the family garden. 
Kohl Rabi .—Sow in hot-bed or sods for early, and 
in the open ground at the last of the month. 
Leeks .—Sow in rich soil in rows 15 inches apart. 
Lettuce .—Transplant from the hot-bed as soon as 
the season will allow; sow in hot-beds, or cold 
frames, or in sods, and in the open ground. There 
are so many varieties that we are puzzled to make 
a selection. The Neapolitan Cabbage, the Butter, 
and the Ice Drumhead, will satisfy every one. 
Manure .—There should be a bank of well-decom¬ 
posed manure always ready to honor all demands. 
Prepare for liquid manure. A peck more or less of 
hen-dung in a barrel of water makes a wonderful 
persuader to vegetation. 
Mustard may be sown for salad or greens as soon 
as the ground is open. 
Melons may be started in the same waj’ ns cucum¬ 
bers. Try the White Japan, if possible to procure 
the seeds. The Jenny Lind is very early and good. 
Nasturtiums are useful and ornamental, and very 
easily grown. They make the best of pickles, and 
