194 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
[July, 
profitably invested in this paying improvement. 
Fences— Keep in order, especially on farm lines, 
by the roadside and adjoining grain fields and 
meadows. A broken rail replaced may Bave 
great damage to a field of wheat, corn, or oats. 
Grain .—Harvest wheat and rye just as the grain 
is passing well out of the- milk. See page 201. 
Grass and Clover Seed .—Save enough of the best 
growth, when it is free from weeds, for a full sup¬ 
ply. Pull out all foreign plants, and harvest before 
sufficiently ripe to loose by shelling out. There is 
gi eat room for improvement in grass, by selection 
of the earliest and best seed each successive year. 
Hay .—Cut when it contains the most nourish¬ 
ment. Read “ Hints for Haying Time” on page 
202. Secure all under cover when practicable. If 
stacks must be made, keep them from the ground 
by laying upon timber and rails, and erect temporary 
movable roofs, or thatch with straw. Better stack 
grain than hay, if there be sheds for only one. 
Hedge Bows , and scattered bushes may be sub¬ 
dued by repeated cuttings in hot weather. Allow 
none to disfigure the farm and give shelter to weeds, 
mice, and other nuisances. 
Hoeing should be continued as long as practica¬ 
ble. Employ horse labor when possible. Cultivate 
lightly, in order not to destroy the roots. 
Manure Making should receive constant attention. 
Read article on page 202. 
Meadows too closely cut often receive much 
damage by exposure of the roots to the burning 
sun, especially upon light soil. A liberal top-dress¬ 
ing of fine barn yard manure will prevent this, and 
stimulate the new growth for abundant fall feed, or 
for a second mowing. Remove all stones and 
other obstructions which cause so much annoyance 
while gathering the crop. Keep out all stock 
until the grass is again strongly re-established. 
Oats .—Cut as directed for wheat and rye, cure the 
straw thoroughly and store under cover. If pro¬ 
perly secured, the straw is valuable for feeding. 
Pastures suffer very severely if fed too closely 
during hot weather, so that the roots are burned by 
the sunshine. Keep no more stock than can be well 
fed, and at the same time allow the grass lands to 
remain in good condition. A mulching of straw 
upon failing spots would often be of great service . 
but reseeding is tne only remedy where the grass has 
been supplanted by weeds. A crop of buckwheat 
will aid in subduing these, and will prepare the 
ground for seeding with rye in the Fall. 
Poultry should be kept from the grain fields until 
after harvest; then they will glean enough to bring 
them into flue condition for laying, or for the table. 
Potatoes .—Dig and market early varieties as soon 
as practicable, while they command good prices. 
The ground may then be devoted to turnips and 
late cabbages. Hoeing of later sorts should be fin¬ 
ished before they blossom. High hilling is not 
advisable. It induces the formation of new tubers 
along the part of the stock covered, and prevents 
the growth of those already formed. It is better 
to plant rather deep at first, and then leave the sur¬ 
face nearly or quite flat. If the rot appear when 
the tubers are ripening, dig and dispose of them at 
once, that they may be used before decaying. 
Seed Wheat, Bye, etc .—Read article on page 201. 
Sheep .—Keep them in good condition by allowing 
full pasture, and providing for access to water. 
Hive them salt weekly. Watch against foot rot. 
Sorghum, Millet, or Corn may still be sown for 
feeding late in the season, or to be cured for fodder. 
This will enable many to provide against a deficien¬ 
cy of feed for winter. 
Swine .—Keep them in a clover pasture or orchard, 
and feed moderately with grain until crops are har¬ 
vested ; then give them the range of the wheat and 
rye fields, where they will be well prepared for fall 
fattening. Give green peas with the vines, corn 
stalks, clover or other succulent food with milk 
and grain to those confined in pens. Keep their 
apartments well cleaned, and secure all the manure. 
Tools .—See that all needed for haying and harvest 
are provided, and in good order. Examine mowing 
machines before using, and have every bolt and nut 
tight, the knives sharp, and all bearings well oiled. 
When not in use, keep all implements under cover. 
Turnips .—Sow strap-leaf and other quick growing 
varieties among corn, after early potatoes, and on 
vacant ground. A dressing of good superphosphat e 
will hasten the growth. 
Weeds .—Allow none to go to seed. Those cut 
when nearly ripe should be burned, otherwise the 
seed may mature before the stalk dries, and if added 
to the manure heap be ready to spring up with the 
crops next year. 
Orchard and Nursery. 
Notwithstanding the bountiful crops of last year, 
there is a prospect that in many localities there will 
be plenty of fruit this year. The manure applied 
to the orchard in Spring is now showing its ef¬ 
fects in a vigorous growth of wood, and in the rap¬ 
idly swelling fruit. The orchard should be kept 
in such a condition that it will never need severe 
pruning, but whatever cutting is to be done should 
be attended to the present month. We give on an¬ 
other page some general hints about the pruning 
and treatment of the orchard. 
Budding .—This will commence this month. 
Plums are usually the earliest stock to be worked. 
As soon as well formed buds can be had, and the 
bark of the stock parts freely, the operation may 
be performed. The process is fully described in 
the July Agriculturist for 1862. Though it takes 
some time to describe it, the operation is really a 
very simple one, and after a few trials it will be 
found that it can be done quite rapidly. Insert the 
bud as near the ground as possible Use every pre¬ 
caution to guard against mixing or confusion of 
sorts. Recollect that merely budding or grafting a 
tree will not give good fruit unless the buds or 
grafts are taken from a good sort. Label distinct¬ 
ly at the time of budding. The stocks budded last 
season should be rounded off close to the new 
branch from the bud, and all suckers kept down. 
Cherries .—In picking these for use or for market, 
employ only careful hands. Much damage is often 
done to the trees in gathering the fruit. Use a tall 
step ladder and draw the branches towards you with 
a wooden hook, easily made for the purpose. 
Grafts .—Examine the grafts set this year and 
replace or renew the wax if it has been displaced. 
Vigorous shoots often start from the stock near 
the graft, which rob the graft of nourishment if 
they are not removed. Cut off all such. 
Insects .—The war against these must still be car¬ 
ried on. Actual destruction is always a sure reme- 
day. The tadpole-like sing which appears on the 
pear trees may be made to retreat by dusting with 
lime or ashes. These may be applied to quite tall 
trees by the use of a bag of some open fabric, tied 
to a long pole. One of our largest fruit cultivators 
tells us that he is troubled with no insects. His 
grounds are full of birds, and he is willing to give 
them a dessert of nice fruit after their dinner of in¬ 
sects. Spare the birds, and make them feel at home. 
Layering .—Shrubs and vines to be propagated 
by this process may mostly be layered this month. 
Manure and Mulch .—Bearing trees will appreci¬ 
ate a supply of either liquid or solid manure. Dur¬ 
ing dry weather see that a good mulch is kept 
around trees planted this year; it retains moisture. 
Thin out the fruit on trees disposed to overbear. 
This advice is difficult for beginners, but all expe¬ 
rienced fruit growers know that much finer fruit is 
produced by thinning out freely. Dwarf trees of¬ 
ten set fruit the first year ; they should not be al¬ 
lowed to bear more than a single specimen or two, 
to test the variety, and it would be better for the 
tree, to take all off, and let the tree make wood only. 
Weeds .—These are to be kept out of the nursery 
as thoroughly as from thekitchen or flower-garden. 
The plow, cultivator and hoe are the remedies. 
liitcluofis 
The professional gardener does not need to be 
told that much of his success will depend upon 
the tillage given this month. But the farmer who 
holds field crops as of the first importance, is apt at 
this season to neglect the garden. Haying and har¬ 
vesting engross all his attention, and the garden, be¬ 
gun with the best intentions, is often neglected at 
the very time when it needs the most care. Every 
odd hour should be occupied with hoeing in the 
garden. Much can be done here with the hoe 
when heavy dews prevent early morning labor 
in the fields, and at nightfall when the main work 
of the day is over. The boys should be taught to 
take a pride in the garden, and where there are sev¬ 
eral boys, each should have charge of a portion. 
Asparagus .—Cutting should have ceased last 
month. The tops should be allowed to grow, and 
the bed will be all the better if a good coating of 
manure is applied. Keep down the weeds. Look 
out for the asparagus beetle described on page 212. 
Beans .—These may still be planted for a late 
crop, for salting or pickling. The Refugee is con¬ 
sidered one of the best varieties for this purpose, 
Limas need to be forwarded as rapidly as possible 
by frequent hoeings and liquid manure. When 
not-disposed to wind upon the poles at first; 
twine them around carefully. When a vine reaches 
the bight of 5 or 6 feet, pinch off the end of the 
main stem, and head back all long side branches . 
Beets .—Keep well hoed, and thin out to 8 or 10 
inches. As the early sorts come into use, reserve 
the earliest and finest specimens for seed. Sowings 
may still be made, and if the weather is not unu¬ 
sually dry, a fair late crop may be expected. If 
necessary, transplant to fill vacancies in the rows. 
Cabbages and Cauliflowers .—Finish transplanting 
for the late crop. If the weather is dry, extra care 
should be taken according to direction given last 
month, on page 175. Look out for caterpillars. 
When they are small, they remain close together, 
and a whole brood can be destroyed by breaking 
off a single leaf; if left until they become scattered, 
they must be removed singly. Hoe often and thor¬ 
oughly, and give, to cauliflowers especially, an oc¬ 
casional dose of liquid manure. The early cabbages 
are now fit to be gathered. The stumps may be 
left to produce sprouts for greens, or be cleared 
away to make room for some other late crop. 
Celery .—Plant out in well prepared trenches, 
sliadiug if the weather is very hot. The growth 
should be forwarded by abundant watering. If the 
drainage is good, w r ater may be used very freely. 
Keep free from weeds. 
Carrots .—Hoe until the growth of tops prevents. 
Corn .—The sweet varieties may be planted early 
this month,for late use and for drying. Put in an 
extra row or two at least, to dry for the soldiers. 
Cucumbers .—Plant for pickles in well prepared 
ground, the first of the month. Hoe those already 
np, and water if the weather is very dry. Recollect 
that there is nothing more acceptable to your 
friends in camp and hospital than good pickles. 
Egg Plants .—'These are slow growers at first. 
When they get well established, hurry them up by 
frequent hoeings and by applying manure water 
Endive .—This takes the place of lettuce as a late 
salad. Sow r in the same way as lettuce, for late use. 
Herbs .—All the aromatic herbs should be cut 
while they are in flower, and be either tied in small 
bunches or spread out thinly and dried in the shade. 
Hoe .—The hoe and the rake should be kept busy 
whenever the ground is not too wet. If dry, hoe the 
oftener; cool soil condenses moisture from the air. 
Insects .—The fight must still be continued accord¬ 
ing to hints given elsewhere, and in former months. 
Lettuce .—In the hot Summer months, this tends 
to run early to seed. Sow for succession in a par¬ 
tially shaded place. The Silesian is one of the best 
varieties for Summer. Save the best heads of early 
sorts of lettuce, and of other plants for seed. 
