AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST 
FOR THE 
TUai-in, GrardLen, ancL Honseliolcl. 
“AGRICULTURE IS THE MOST HEALTHFUL, MOST USEFUL, AND MOST NOBLE EMPLOYMENT OF MAN.”-WA8iriNaT0». 
ORAMGE JUDD, A.M., 
EDITOR AND PROPRIETOR. 
Office, 41 Park Row, (Times Buildings.) 
ESTABLISHED IN 1842, 
Published both in English and German. 
I $1.00 PER ANNUM, IN ADVANCE 
SINGLE NUMBER, 10 CENTS. 
’ For Contents, Terms, etc,, see page 192, 
VOLUME XXII—No. 6. 
NEW-YORK, JUNE, 1863 
NEW SERIES—No. 197. 
Entered according to act of Congress in tlie year 1803, by 
Orange Judd, in the Clerk’s Office of the District Court of 
the United States for the Southern District of New-York. 
Other Journals are invited to copy desirable articles 
freely, 2 /each article be credited to American Agriculturist. 
Suggestions and Notes for tlie Month. 
In no month of the year, are the poetry 
and prose of farm life more mingled, than in 
tlie present. Earth, air, and sky, are full of in¬ 
spiration. Each element seems striving to ex¬ 
press the joyous fullness of life which Spring 
only awakened. The fervid glances of the sun 
are answered by blushing fields of beauty upon 
the earth. The morning and evening clouds 
seem to vie with the plains beneath in producing 
exquisite scenes for the eye of the artist. Light- 
footed zephyrs dance along the plains, their 
tresses laden with perfumes showered from or¬ 
chard and forest. Joyous notes echo from the 
flocks and herds upon the hillside, and a per¬ 
petual chorus of song from the blissful birds 
reminds the hearer of heavenly symphonies. 
It is a striking fact that in nature the period 
of the greatest activity is accompanied with the 
highest display of beauty. When her most im¬ 
portant works are to be executed, her servants 
don their holiday attire. Those gorgeous 
clouds are her industrious water-carriers; the 
refreshing breezes that sweep across the fields, 
convey nutriment to the myriads of leaves that 
the genial sun has called fortli; and these, so ra¬ 
diant in their livery of green, are each rapidly 
elaborating the nourishment that shall add to 
the parent growth. The bees that so gaily hum 
from flower to flower, are not only gathering 
provision for their own sustenance, but dis¬ 
tributing the pollen by which tlie flowers are 
to be fertilized, and without which, in large 
measure, their beauty would be fruitless. The 
birds, in addition to filling tlie air with sweet 
sounds, are, with watchful eyes, guarding the 
fields from depredations which no human scru¬ 
tiny or skill could avert. On every tree, shrub, 
and flower, voracious insects are preying, that 
the superabundance of vegetation maj' not it¬ 
self become noxicfus; but, unchecked by the 
birds, these otherwise useful little creatures be¬ 
come a most intolerable pest. Thus, in every 
field, labor and the signs of rejoicing go hand 
in hand. Surely this is the visible testimony of 
the Creator to His estimate of labor; it is His 
proclamation of the design that happiness shall 
be found, not in passive reception of outward 
appliances, but in the active use of the faculties 
He has bestowed. Surely as we rise in the scale 
of being, the enjoyments of toil should be 
lightened. If the birds sing while laboriously 
gathering food for their young, shall not man 
be joyful while pursuing his nobler avocations ? 
But the picture has its prosaic background. It 
is delightful to sing of pleasant fields, but not 
so enlivening to hoe com. The flowers are 
charming to look upon, hut the cultivator finds 
little delight in them when, on the thistle and 
tlie daisy, they require vigorous work for their 
extirpation. Much of pleasure will be found 
iu the poetry of the month, and the more its 
perception is cultivated, the more may the hus¬ 
bandman be cheered in his toil; but be finds 
that stern purpose is needed to hold him to the 
heavy task of field labor. He may be en¬ 
couraged by the thought that his work now is 
only preparatory. His time of joy will come 
when the fields shall have been despoiled of 
beauty, the birds ceased their song, and the 
winds only sigh over the ended harvest. He 
should also be nerved to patient endurance by 
the knowledge that his end is higher than 
merely to change the form of outward things. 
By industry and its accompanying virtues he is 
working out a character whose development 
but commences here. He is sowing seeds that 
are to spring up, and blossom, and bear peren¬ 
nial fruit in a land that knows no Winter, 
where activity and enjoyment are co-eternal. 
Work: for tUe Farm, Household, etc. 
The labors of this month will in large measure 
decide as to the excellence of the great staples, 
corn, potatoes, and other hoed crops. If the 
weeds be kept in check, and the soil mellow, a 
favorable season will do the remainder. With¬ 
out good tillage, it is vain to expect more than 
a light crop, however propitious the weather 
may he. Thorough cultivation will go far to 
make up for what may he lacking in weath¬ 
er, and also in the richness of soil. A good 
hoeing is equivalent in its effects to no small 
amount of manure. As far as practicable sub¬ 
stitute horse power for hand labor. A good 
cultivating instrument will save one or more 
lined hands, and thus more than pay for it¬ 
self in these times of scarcity of men. 
Barns and Sheds will soon be needed for hay 
and grain crops. Clear out all rubbish, have 
floors and scaffold-poles in order, and every¬ 
thing in readiness before the pressing work of 
haying and harvesting commences. Much la¬ 
bor may be saved by properly grading the 
grounds in front of the entrances where loads 
are to be drawn in. We have seen a large hay 
crop taken in where each load must be jerked 
over a rise of several inches at the door-sill. 
Where large quantities of Lay are to be stored, 
it is well to provide board tubes with holes 
pierced in the sides, to be set upright in the 
mows, to secure good ventilation. 
Barn-yards. —Cattle-droppings deposited dur¬ 
ing the Summer should not be allowed to dry 
out and partially waste. Cover the ground 
with muck, and plow it over once a month, 01 
oftener, to incorporate it with the manure. 
Now while the yards are nearly empty, arrange 
for draining. Convey wash from the manure to 
adjoining fields, where it should he spread 
by small channels, to prevent too rank growth. 
Beans .—Plant where corn has failed, and in 
orchards needing tillage. Read article on p. 177. 
Bees .—This is an important month with them. 
For full directions, see “Apiary” on page 164. 
Beels .—Sow mangel-wurzel and sugar va¬ 
rieties for feeding next Winter, if not already 
done. Read “ Try a Few Roots,” on page 177. 
Butter made this month is usually considered 
the best produced during the year. Pasture is 
fresh and abundant, cows have regained their 
strength, and with right management every¬ 
thing is favorable to an abundant flow of ricli 
milk. A little painstaking in the dairy will 
make a large difference in the cash returns. 
For large dairying a building devoted to the 
purpose is indispensable. It will greatly fa¬ 
cilitate operations to have spring water in or 
near the premises. The temperature of the 
milk and cream should be kept uniform at 
about 55°. Observe the utmost cleanliness in 
every department, Vessels for milk or cream 
should be scalded immediately after use, 
thoroughly dried, and well aired. Keep tin 
utensils bright; they are preferable to wood, 
for receiving milk. See “Which are the Best 
Milk-Pans ?” on page 181. New tubs should be 
scalded with buttermilk before using, to re¬ 
move the taste of the wood. Have all vessels 
for packing and marketing neatly painted, or 
scoured bright, and plainly marked with the 
owner’s name. Butter made this month may, 
with proper care, be kept until Winter, when 
much better prices can be realized. See p. 181. 
Cabbages for late crops may be planted out 
through the entire month. See Calendar for 
last month, and also page 172, this number. 
Calves may be gradually induced to drink 
sour milk, and also oatmeal and milk or water, 
by adding a little at a time to their feed. This, 
with good sweet pasture, will keep them thriv¬ 
ing. A calf well cared for during the first year 
or two, will be every way superior to an animal 
neglected at this important season of growth. 
Carrots .—Although late, a fair crop may be re¬ 
alized during a favorable season, by sowing early 
this month. Thin to six inches apart, and keep 
