[May, 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
After lioeiug them out thoroughly, give a good 
mulehiugof cut straw to keep the fruit always clean. 
Water .—If a dry spell should occur, mulch and 
water all recently planted trees and shrubs. 
Weeds .—Hoe the surface frequently, and keep 
them down from the first. Let not a weed be seen. 
Flower-Garden and Lawn. 
If all preparatory work is not completed, it 
should be got out of the way as soon as possible. 
Sowing, planting, turning out plants from frames 
and green-houses, will give abundant occupation. 
Annuals. —Sow according to directions on p. 148. 
Bedding Plants. —A selection will be found on 
page 147. Those remaining in the frame or green¬ 
house should be kept from making too vigorous a 
growth before they are turned out into the bor¬ 
ders. The time for setting out the bedding plants 
must be governed by the season. Better be a little 
late than to run any risk. 
Box Edging. —Reset, clip old edgings ; fill vacancies. 
Bulbs. —Many of these have passed out of flower. 
The garden ought to be gay now with Tulips and 
Hyacinths ; the bloom may be much prolonged by 
shading'with an awning during the heat of the day. 
Carnations. —Plant out and sow seed. Tie the 
flower stalks to stakes. 
Cypress Tine. —Scald the seeds before sowing. 
The White and Scarlet make a pretty contrast. 
Dahlias may be started on a gentle hot-bed or in 
a cold frame. Cover the roots with rich earth. 
They may also be buried in a warm and sheltered 
border, where they may be covered at night with a 
mat or other protection. 
Daphne C neorum. —We have before noticed this 
most beautiful little evergreen shrub. It flowers 
freely, often blooming Spring and Fall. Plant early. 
Dicentra. —For hardiness, ease of propagation, 
and beauty of foliage and flowers, there is no plant 
superior, if equal, to Dicentra spectabilis. It is 
propagated by dividing the root. 
Evergreens. —Plant upon the lawn, observing the 
precautions mentioned under Orchard and Nur¬ 
sery. Dwarf sorts, especially the broad-leaved 
kinds, should be introduced into the borders with 
a view to winter effect. Rhododendrons, Laurels, 
Tree-Box, and some of the Dwarf Pines and Juni¬ 
pers, arc appropriate for this purpose. 
Fankia , or Day Lilies. Divide clumps and reset. 
Fuschias. —Turn out after frost is over, and keep 
tied to stakes. They do best if partially shaded. 
Geraniums. —The bedding sorts may be set out. 
Tom Thumb is most commonly used for this pur¬ 
pose, but there are many others desirable for their 
beauty of flowers and foliage. 
Gladiolus. —Plant out the bulbs in good soil. The 
fine varieties are now at a moderate price, and 
should be in every garden. 
Grass Edgings. —Set as directed last month. 
Keep nicely trimmed and cut. 
Gravel Walks. —Keep free of weeds; roll often. 
Heliotropes should not be brought out until tho 
weather is quite warm. 
Honeysuckles and other woody climbers, set early. 
Tie up to trellises. Layer to increase the stock. 
Japan Lilies. —These are perfectly hardy. Set 
the bulbs early. They are worthy’ of a place. 
Labels and Stalces. —Have a good supply of Dahlia 
stakes in readiness, as well as smaller ones for Car¬ 
nations, etc. On sowing seeds, label each kind be¬ 
fore putting in another. A smooth pine label 
smeared with a little white paint, and written on 
with the lead-pencil before the paint is dry, will 
answer best. We do not like “indelible pencils.” 
Lantanas. —Set in poor soil, when safe from frost. 
Lawns should be mowed evenly as soon as the 
grass is long enough to cut. Manure if needed. 
Mignonette. —Sow where wanted, not transplant. 
Petunias. —These popular plants may be grown 
as annuals, as they bloom very soon from the seed. 
The choicer sorts are propagated by cuttings. 
Boses. —These should be in great abuudance in 
every garden. Turn those wintered in pots into 
open borders. Keep the climbers neatly tied up. 
Transplant from hot-beds. Tender plants may 
be shaded during the heat of the day by a 6hingle. 
Tropotolums .—Sow in a warm place. 
Tuberoses .—Plant early in rich soil in a warm spot. 
Verbenas .—Put in masses, securing variety in color. 
Virginia Creeper .—No vine exceeds this in beauty 
of foliage, hardiness, and cleanliness—qualities 
which render it desirable for piazzas and buildings. 
Put out early this month. 
Weeds .—Keep them out. The onion or bayonet 
hoe is a useful implement in flower-gardens. 
Wistaria .—Set early. This beautiful most desir¬ 
able climber is quite hardy around New-York. 
Green and Ilot-SIouses and Con- 
scrvaloiies. 
During the present mouth all but the tropical 
plants are taken out of doorB. The removal 
should be gradual, beginning with roses, verbenas, 
and other hardy kinds, and bringing out the others 
as the weather becomes settled and warm. Those 
which are retained in their pots should be placed 
where they will not be overturned by high winds, 
and where they will be shielded from the intenss 
sun. An evergreen hedge or screen affords an ex¬ 
cellent protection. In tho hot-house where 
tropical plants are kept, much less fire heat will 
be needed, and the ventilators should be kept open 
as much as possible without unduly lowering the 
temperature. Although many plants will be re¬ 
moved, the skilful gardener will not let the house 
appear deserted. Those which remain should be 
arranged so as to make a good display, and a few 
free-blooming green-house plants or even annuals 
should be kept to relieve the barrenness. 
The bedding plants, when put out, will be fre¬ 
quently found to be pot-bound. In order that 
these should have a vigorous growth it is neces¬ 
sary to untwist and spread the roots, and, if many 
of these are broken, head back the plant. When 
badly pot-bound plants are set out without this 
precaution they do not flourish, and it will be 
found, when taken up in the Fall, that the roots 
have scarcely extended beyond the original ball. 
Cactuses .—Plants of this family may be propa¬ 
gated by cuttings, which will be less likely to damp 
off if allowed to dry for a few weeks. 
Camellias should now be in a fine growing con¬ 
dition. Syringe often, and when put out of doors 
see that they are shaded during the heat of the day. 
Cuttings of woody and succulent plants may still 
be made. Shade them until they have struck root. 
Grapes .—As these will be in such different stages 
of forwardness, no definite directions can be given. 
Late vines just in flower should have but little 
syringiug. Allow the bees free access to them. 
Keep fruiting vines well syringed, and pinch back 
all growing shoots that will interfere with the de¬ 
velopment of the fruit. Use sulphur for mildew. 
Inarch plants that are not readily struck from 
cuttings, such as Camellias, Oranges, Lemons, etc. 
Insects .—Do not let these be neglected in the 
press of other work. Entrap and kill every moth. 
Pelargoniums .—Make cuttings of the prunings. 
Water freely, as evaporation is now more rapid. 
Apiary in May. 
The necessity for feeding weak stocks may not 
be entirely past before white clover blossoms. 
Should unfavorable weather for the bees to work, 
occur during the flowering of fruit trees, but little 
addition can be made to the stores. A swarm may 
occasionally issue at such a period, from a second- 
rate hive which has husbanded its stores by rearing 
no drones. Should this occur while flowers are 
scarce, they will need a supply of provisions. Dan¬ 
ger from robbing is not entirely past until plenty of 
work among flowers keeps the bees from mischief. 
An experienced bee-keeper can tell with much 
certainty, by an occasional examination of the 
hive, when to expect a swarm. This event is not 
always indicated by the bees clustering thickly on 
the outside of the hive. They frequently do this 
when there is no call for activity in the fields. To 
examine for signs of swarms, the bees are first 
133 
quieted by blowing tobacco smoke among them, 
and the hive is carefully inverted. If honey is 
being obtained in abundance, a swarm will usually 
issue the first fair day after one or more queen cells 
are sealed over. These cells, numbering from 
three to twenty, are to be found on the edges of 
the comb. They are easily distinguished, being 
much larger than ordinary cells. Have stands, 
hives, etc., all in readiness before swarming com¬ 
mences. Newly-painted hives arc objectionable; 
better leave them unpainted until later in the 
season, when the bees will not leave so readily. 
Worms will continue to be found on the floor of 
the hive until the bees have increased so as to oc 
cupy almost the whole space. Many can be 
trapped. Split sticks of elder, remove the pith, 
cut small notches in the sides through which the 
worms may enter, and lay them flat side downward 
on the bottom of the hive. Examine them every 
few days and destroy the occupants. A wren- 
house near the stand will aid in extirpating the 
millers. Boxes should not be placed on the hives 
while the bees are working among dandelions, if 
honey of a good color is desired. A yellow stain is 
imparted from the dandelion flowers. 
Containing a great variety of Items , including many 
good Hints and Suggestions which we give here in small 
type and condensed form , for want of space elsewhere. 
Good. Premium* Open. —We refer our 
readers to pages 160 and 155 for some premiums worth 
looking after. The grape premiums will close very soon. 
Tine Calendar of Operations, or 
hints on work for the month, occupies considerable space 
at this season. The suggestions are numerous, and will 
doubtless afford material for thought, and hints for prac¬ 
tice. We trust the paper would not be considered value¬ 
less, if there was nothing in it after this fifth page. 
To Correspondents. —Perhaps no other 
apology need be given to those whose letters are yet 
unanswered, than to say that our letters average over 300 
a day throughout the year, and that two-thirds of them 
arrive between Dec. 1 and May 1. The “ Farm. Garden, 
and Household,” embrace topics almost numberless— 
different field and garden crops, fruits and flowers, 
modes of tillage ; domestic animals and their diseases; 
household labors, etc. The questions asked upon these, 
by a hundred thousand intelligent readers, are so nu¬ 
merous that we cannot promptly attend to them ail, even 
were we able, without thought and an investigation, to 
rospond in all cases. We have several hundred letters 
on hand marked “for immediate reply;” the “imme¬ 
diate” will be just as soon as we can. We doubt If any 
of our correspondents work as many hours a day (and 
night) as do the principal editors of the Agriculturist. 
How to Invest Money. —Mauy of our 
readers are continually inquiring how they may invest 
a little surplus money. We can not answer the queries 
by letter, and do not like to advise others. We are not 
overburdened with money, but as our subscriptions are 
mainly received at the beginning of the year, we have 
to carry considerable sums to meet the expenses of the 
summer and autumn months, and this year we have seen 
nothing better than the “Five-Twenty U. S. Bonds.” 
They pay six per cent interest per annum, in gold—the 
half year’s interest payable on May 1st and November 1st, 
and are issued in sums as small as $50. These bonds are 
always salable, so that one can convert them into money 
at any time, and they pay interest to the holder every day 
he has them. In time of peace, such bonds have stood 
as high as 20 to 25 per cent premium. (We only wish that 
the high price of printing paper did not prevent our car¬ 
rying a good lot of them to future years.) For temporary 
investment, those with “ interest coupons” are best; the 
coupons can be cut off as they become due, and be used 
the same as gold. For permanent investment the Regis¬ 
tered Bonds are perhaps preferable, as they can not be 
lost or stolen, or destroyed by fire, w hen they stand in ilit 
name of tlie purchasers. Full particulars about these 
bonds, the mode of obtaining them, etc., will be found on 
page 156, in the advertisement of Messrs. Fisk * Hatch, 
who are recognized Agents of the Government, and to 
whom any investments can be confidently entrusted. 
