133 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
[May, 
mination to have no waste of fertilizing material. 
Make a compost heap in a hidden corner, hut easy 
of access. If necessary, plant some rows of sweet 
corn to keep it out of sight, but do not let it get 
out of mind, and place here every animal and veg¬ 
etable substance that will make manure. The 
coarse litter raked off of asparagus beds can be put 
here at once. All the garden refuse, weeds that 
have not matured their seeds, muck, ashes and an 
occasional load of manure should be added. By 
the end of the season there will be a pile of valua¬ 
ble compost, ready for use next Spring. 
Corn. —Plant as 60 on as danger of frost is past. 
There are many farmers who rely upon field corn 
to supply the table. No one will do so after trying 
some of the improved sweet varieties. The Dwarf 
Sugar and Darling’s Early are among the earliest 
sorts; the Stowell or Evergreen is fine, but longer 
in maturing. It should ba sown as a succession to 
the early sorts. It is a good plan to put in seed 
every week or two until July. Where the garden 
is not sheltered from strong winds, much protection 
may be given to tender things by planting rows of 
corn so as to ward off the prevailing winds. 
Cress. —Sow for succession. The insects will now 
be troublesome. Give ashes and plaster when up. 
Cucumbers. —Those started on sods as directed 
last month will be ready to set out. Make the hills 
rich with manure, well spaded iu, and cover the 
plants with frames made as directed above. Put 
the frames on towards night, and keep them on un¬ 
til 8 or 9 o’clock iu the morning. Sow in the open 
ground as soon as it is warm. It is a good plan to 
put in some extra seeds every few days ; the insects 
will attack the youngest plants, and any superflu¬ 
ous ones left uninjured may be pulled up. 
Egg Plants. —These need a long season, but should 
not be put out until warm weather is fully establish¬ 
ed. Those in the hot-beds may be potted off and 
placed in a cold frame, until the weather will allow 
of their being put out. Give them a warm, rich 
spot, hoe frequently, and supply with liquid manure. 
• 
Garlic. —Plant the sets or “ cloves ” three or 
four inches distant, in rows one foot apart. 
Herbs. —Under this term are included those plants 
which are cultivated for use as flavoring ingredients 
in cqpking, or for medicinal purposes. Basil, 
Sweet Marjoram, and Summer Savory, are the most 
frequently cultivated annual culinary herbs. Sow 
the seed thinly in rows. Thyme and Sage are per¬ 
ennials, and may be raised from seed, by cuttings, 
or by the division of old plants. Caraway, Dill and 
Coriander are raised from seed. Balm, Wormwood 
and Mint are the principal medicinal herbs grown 
in the garden, and are readily multiplied by division. 
Hot-Beds. —The plants should be set out from 
them as soon as practicable. Give air every day to 
those which remain, and on pleasant days remove 
the glass entirely. As soon as the beds are out of 
use, put the sash and frames away under cover. 
If the manure is not needed immediately, make it 
into a neat heap and put a covering of soil over it. 
Insects.—' The depredations of these begin as soon 
as vegetation commences, and they must be com¬ 
bated in various ways. Dusting the young plants 
with ashes, plaster, or air-slaked lime, helps keep 
them off. Use every means to promote a vigorous 
| growth so that the plants may get, as soon as pos¬ 
sible, large enough to withstand their attacks. 
Kill every caterpillar or grub that comes in your 
way and every moth or butterfly that you can entrap. 
Kohl liabi. —Sow and cultivate the same as cab¬ 
bages. Plant at one foot apart in two foot rows. 
Leeks. —Sow in rows as directed for od'ious, in 
good soil. It is better to have the rows 18 inches 
apart to allow room to earth up. This vegetable 
is not as generally cultivated as it should be. It 
is used in soups and stews, and its flavor is prefer¬ 
red by many, ourselves included,to that of the onion. 
Lettuce. —Transplant and sow every two weeks to 
keep up the supply. See note on page 145. 
Liquid Manure. —Have a tank for liquid fertilizers 
if it be nothing more than an old barrel or hogs¬ 
head sunk in the ground. It should be near a sup¬ 
ply of water, and be covered to prevent evapora¬ 
tion and accidents. If placed where the sink water 
from the kitchen can be turned into it, all the bet¬ 
ter. Hen, sheep, or even barn-yard manure may be 
used. The liquid should not be too strong—not 
darker colored than weak tea. It 6hould be ap¬ 
plied at evening, or better just before a rain, when 
it may be used stronger. Wonders in the way of 
forwarding vegetables can be done with it. 
Martynia. —This is grown for its unripe fruit 
which is used for pickling, and by many consider¬ 
ed the best vegetable for that purpose. Sow in good 
soil three feet apart. The pods should be gathered 
before they loose their tenderness. 
Melons. —Plant out those started on sods, and sow 
when the ground is warm, as directed for cucum¬ 
bers. Do not attempt to grow too many kinds in 
a small garden, as they will mix. The Green Cit¬ 
ron or Nutmeg when pure, will give general satis¬ 
faction. We have before spoken in praise of the 
White Japan, but the seed is scarce and not gener¬ 
ally obtainable; will be plenty enough next year. 
Mushroom Beds may be made for Summer use. 
Mustard. —Sow by itself for salad and greens." 
Nasturtiums or Indian Cress. —These are grown in 
the vegetable garden for the unripe fruit, which is 
used as pickles, and in the flower garden as an orna¬ 
ment. There are dwarf and running sorts iu great 
variety. The tall growing kinds are preferred, as 
they give a greater abundance of fruit. A moist 
place which is shaded during the heat of the day is 
best for them. Supply them with brush or strings. 
Okra. —This is a plant not generally known, but 
is becoming quite common in our city markets. It 
belongs to the same family as the Hollyhock and 
the Cotton, resembling the one iu its leaves, and the 
other in its flowers, while its fruit is quite unlike 
in appearance to that of either. The seed pod 
is the part used, it is 4 to 6 inches long and many 
angled or ridged. Taken while green and tender it 
has an abundance of mucilage, and is used iu soups 
and stews which it thickens and enriches. Boiled 
and dressed with drawn butter, like asparagus, it is, 
to our taste, a very palatable vegetable. 
Onions. —Get the seed iu as soon as possible, ac¬ 
cording to directions on page 142. Top and potato 
onions should be set in good soil, 3 or 4 inches apart. 
Parsley. —Sow at once if not already done. It is 
the slowest to grow of all the garden seeds and the 
weeds usually get the start of it. It will be well to 
burn over the bed to kill the weed seeds. 
Parsnips. —Deep culture is needed for their full 
development. Get new seed, and roll or press the 
ground firmly after sowing—any time in the month. 
Peas. —Sow the W rinkled Marrow varieties, such 
as Champion of England, to succeed the early sorts. 
See article in April Agriculturist, page 115. Hoe 
and provide brush for those already up. 
Potatoes. —Complete planting the early varieties. 
Hoe as soon as large enough. A handful of ashes 
and plaster applied to each hill, when well up, 
will often wonderfully improve their vigor. 
Badishes. —Continue to sow for succession. If 
any sowing is found to be badly infested with worms, 
dig the crop up at once and destroy it, as it is then 
useless to expect radishes, and by leaving it to 
grow, insects will be multiplied. 
Rhubarb. —Boots may still be, set, if not too far ad¬ 
vanced, as directed in last month’s Calendar. Well 
established plants will soon afford a supply. The 
leaves should not be cut, but taken off with a side- 
wise pull, taking care not to injure the bud. 
Salsify. —Full directions were given in the March 
Agriculturist, page 84. Get the seed in very early. 
Hoe, weed, and thin out as 60 on as large enough. 
Seeds. —Put out roots saved for producing seeds, 
if not already done. Let none but the earliest and 
most vigorous branches grow. Do not attempt to 
save cabbage seed by planting out a stump. This 
seed is generally obtained from those who make a 
business of growing it. It can be done by selecting 
the best specimens of well wintered cabbages, set¬ 
ting them out entire, and cutting away all but the 
main flower stalk. In this way the stock will be 
kept good. Do not plant varieties of the same veg¬ 
etable near each other, for fear of hybridizing. 
Spinach.— The wintered stock should now yield 
an abundant supply for the table. In cutting, leave 
enough for seed. This is what botanists call a 
dioecious plant, that is, it produces its barren or male 
flowers on different plants from those which bear 
the fertile flowers. They can not be told apart until 
they come in flower, when the barren plants are 
known by the greater show they make, and the 
abundance of pollen they produce ; one of these is 
sufficient to fertilize a dozen of the others. Sow 
the spring varieties at intervals for succession, in 
rows a foot apart, and thin to four or five inches. 
Squashes. —The early kinds started on sods should 
be put out as soon as the weather will allow. 
Treat as directed for cucumbers. Plant Hubbard, 
Marrow, and other late kinds as soon as the soil is 
warm. Put the hills 8 to 10 feet apart each way. 
Besides putting manure in the hills, enrich the 
whole ground as the vines put out clusters of roots 
or feeders from each joint. Keep the young plants 
well dusted with plaster or air slaked lime until 
they have made 5 or 6 leaves, to keep off the striped 
bug, and watch for the black squash bug, which 
may be found on the underside of the leaves in the 
morning; destroy it by hand picking. 
Sweet Potatoes. —Those who cultivate only a small 
quantity will find it better to purchase the plants 
of those who make a business of raising them. See 
advertising columns. The 15th of the month is 
quite early enough in the vicinity of New-York to 
set the plants. Directions for successful culture 
are given on page 114, April Agriculturist. 
Tomatoes. —Sow in open border for late crop. 
Transplant from hot-bed as soon as the weather is 
settled. If the season is unfavorable and there is 
danger of the plants getting too large, pot them and 
keep where they can be covered at night and during 
cold days, until they can be turned out. Four feet 
each way is quite near enough. See page 114. 
Turnips. —Loose no time in getting in the early 
sorts. Advance their growth as rapidly as possible 
by hoeing. Thin and weed as soon as needed. Give 
ashes and plaster as soon as up. 
Watermelons. —These should not be planted until 
the ground is thoroughly warm, and June is gener¬ 
ally preferable to May. Warm light soil, and plenty 
of manure are required. Put in an abundance of 
seed to each hill, as much of it fails to germinate. 
Weeds.—-Begin the fight as soon as the enemy is 
in sight. Hoe, pull, and otherwise destroy. 
Winter Cherry. —Cultivate and treat as Tomatoes. 
Fruit Garden. 
After the full directions given in last month’s 
Calendar, there is but little to be added. Plants 
may still be set out if they are not too far advanced. 
Blackberries.— Cut back to near root, before setting. 
Currants and Gooseberries. —These start very 
early, but may be removed even after the buds 
have burst. Manure established bushes. 
Grape-vines may be successfully planted if they 
were taken up early and kept back in a cool place. 
In purchasing do not choose large vines. Vines 
two years old, with good roots, are preferable to 
older ones. We have seen some vines sold, this 
3 r ear, with large canes and small roots, and only fit 
for the brush-heap. 
Insects. —Make war upon them from the beginning 
with soot, ashes, soap-suds, and hand-picking. 
Raspberries. —Cut out all weak canes, and fork in 
a dressing of manure. 
Strawberries. —Make new beds as directed on page 
146. Those grown on the hilling system should 
have the runners picked off as fast as they appear, 
