84 : 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
[March, 
Window - Boxes are very useful for starting a few 
early plants of tomatoes, cabbage, etc., where the 
expense and care of a hot-bed are inconvenient. 
Artichoke. — This vegetable is seldom cultivated 
at the North, but often grown at the South. The 
seeds may be sown in the hot-bed, and the young 
plants set out as soon as large enough. Set out in 
rows three feet apart, with two feet between the 
rows. The fleshy scales of the flowers are the 
parts eaten. The Green Globe is best. 
Asqyaragus.— Give the beds a good coating of ma¬ 
nure, if not applied last fall; spread also a dress¬ 
ing of salt. Set out new beds of one-year-old 
plants, two by three feet, after the ground has been 
plowed and manured. Conover’s Colossal is the best. 
Beans. —Do not plant in the open ground until all 
danger of frost is over. Then sow in drills two feet 
apart. One of the earliest sorts is the Valentine ; the 
Dwarf Wax is the best bush for snaps; the Aspara¬ 
gus is a pole variety, excellent for late snaps, as is 
Giant Wax. Large Lima is the best of all beans. 
Beets may be sown as soon as the ground can 
be worked, and if there is snow or frost, a board 
placed over the rows will prevent freezing. The 
best early beet, the New Egyptian Blood, is from 
one to two weeks earlier than the Bassauo and 
Early Blood Turnip, which are both good. Sow in 
drills, one foot apart. 
Broccoli requires the same treatment as cabbage. 
Sow White or Purple Cape. 
Cabbage Plants , wintered in a cold-frame, or 
started in early hot-beds, may be set out as soon as 
the ground opens, if well hardened off. For early 
sow Jersey Wakefield, or Wiuningstadt, and Mar¬ 
blehead, Drumhead, and Flat Dutch for winter. 
Cauliflower. —Early Paris and Early Dwarf Erfurt 
are good early sorts. Treat the same as cabbage. 
Carrots.—Sow Early Horn in drills, 13 inches apart. 
Celery. —For early crops sow Dwarf White Solid, 
and Boston Market, in hot beds. 
Corn. —When the ground is warm, plant Cros¬ 
by’s Early, Mammoth Sweet, Mexican, and Stowell’s 
Evergreen, in drills 2j^ feet apart. 
Cress. —Sow at intervals of a week, in shallow 
drills one foot apart. Curled is the best. 
Cucumbers. —A few seeds of Early Russian may 
be planted on pieces of sod, in a liot-bed, for early; 
for general crop, White Spine, and later Green 
Prickly for pickles. 
Egg-Plant— Sow Long Purple in liot-bed for 
early, and Purple or Black Pekin for later. 
Horse-Radish. —Sets may be planted in well-ma¬ 
nured trenches, two feet apart. 
Kale sowed last fall should have the soil well 
worked around the plants, to prevent the growth 
of weeds. 
Kohl-rdbi. —Sow Early White in two-foot rows in 
the open ground. 
Leek.— Sow Flag or Musselburgh, same as onions. 
Lettuce sowed last fall should be uncovered, and 
the soil loosened between the rows. Sow seeds in 
the liot-bed or open ground. Curled Silesia and 
Tennis-Ball are valuable sorts. 
Melons. —Treat the same as cucumbers. Ward’s 
Nectar, Skillman’s Netted, and Cassaba are best. 
Onions .—Sow in drills 15 inches apart, as soon as 
the ground can be prepared. Early Red and Yel¬ 
low Danvers are good for the general crop. Plant 
out set and potato and top onions for early crop. 
Parsley. —Sow the Curled variety in drills one foot 
apart, after soaking the seeds. 
Parsnips. —Dig those left in the ground. Sow 
Hollow Crown in drills 15 inches apart, early. 
Peas. —Plant in double rows Carter’s First Crop 
and Daniel O’Rourke for early, Champion of Eng¬ 
land for main crop, and for dwarfs McLean’s Little 
Gem is best; the dwarfs should be sown in single 
rows, one foot apart, and do not require any brush. 
reppers. —Start in hot-bed; the Squash variety 
for pickles, and Sweet Mountain for stuffing. 
Potatoes. —Start a few for early in the liot-bed; 
those for early planting in the open ground should 
be cut aud exposed to a warm atmosphere for a few 
days before planting. Early Rose is the best early. 
Radishes. — Sow thickly in rows in the open 
ground, at intervals of a week or ten days for a suc¬ 
cession. Early Scarlet Turnip, Olive-shaped, aud 
French Breakfast are good varieties. 
Rhubarb .—Digin plenty of stable manure around 
the roots, and if wanted very early, take up a few 
plants and put them in half-barrels, nearly filled with 
manure, with sufficient earth on top, and place in a 
sheltered spot, watering it often with liquid manure. 
Salsify which was left in the ground during the 
winter, should be dug, and seeds sown for the next 
crop, flie same as recommended for parsnips. 
Scorzonera is very similar to salsify, aud requires 
the same treatment. 
Spinach .—Uncover the beds planted last fall, and 
in a few days it will be ready to cut. Sow seed for 
spring and summer crops in drills one foot apart. 
Round-leaved is best. New Zealand, for summer 
use, is sown later. 
Sorrel .—The French sorrel is excellent for greens, 
and its slightly acid taste renders it particularly 
pleasing to most persons. 
Sweet Potatoes are started in hot-beds, with two 
or three inches of compost placed over them, and 
when the sprouts are large enough, they are re¬ 
planted in ridges. Nansemond aud Southern Queen 
are the best for northern latitudes. 
Squashes. — Summer Crookneclc for early, and 
Boston Marrow and Hubbard for late. 
Tomato .—Sow seeds of Trophy and Early Smooth 
Red in the liot-bed or window-box. 
Turnips .—Sow Flat Dutch for early use, and Red 
and White Strap-Leaf for later; White French and 
Yellow Stone for ruta-baga sorts for family use. 
Seeds .—Where roots are to be planted for seeds, 
they should be set out early, and the earth drawn 
up around the crowns to prevent freezing; when 
all danger of frost is over, it may be removed. 
Flower-Garden and Lawn. 
Annuals .—Sow a few seeds for early flowering in 
window-boxes ora liot-bed. Hardier varieties may 
be sown in the open ground, in sheltered places. 
Lawns .—Gather up all rubbish which has col¬ 
lected during the winter, and if there arc any spots 
where the grass has been winter-killed, sow fresh 
seed, and rake it in with a steel garden-rake. Give 
a compost of well-decomposed manure. 
Walks. — Have all walks properly rolled and 
cleared of leaves, etc., which may have collected, 
aud keep the center of the walk a little raised, to 
allow the surface water to run away. 
Shrubs. —Prune, where needed, and cutoff all 
broken branches. 
Edgings .—Where box is used, re-set as soon as 
the ground is dry enough. 
CSrecnbouse and Window Plants. 
The increasing heat of the sun will render fire- 
heat less necessary, though the fires should be kept 
up during the night, as a sudden change of tem¬ 
perature might do considerable damage. Admit 
air freely, whenever the weather is mild. 
Propagation .—At this season the gardeners should 
prepare a large stock of plants for planting out. 
Azaleas .—As the plants begin to flower, give more 
water, and see that they arc sheltered from the drip, 
which soon spoils the flowers. 
Camellias which are just starting into growth 
should be allowed a little more heat and water. 
Dahlias .—Place a few tubers in the greenhouse, to 
secure plants for early flowering; when the sprouts 
are two or three inches long, pot into rich soil. 
Climbers, such as Passion-Flowers, Wax-Plants, 
etc., should have their branches trained to the 
rafters of the greenhouse, and kept properly tied up. 
Bulbs which have flowered must be gradually 
dried off and stored in a dry place, ready for 
another year. 
Acws.—Givc thobuthes liquid manure occasionally. 
A ill E II I C A N A G K I C If L T f 11 IS T. 
Orange Juni) & Co., Publishers, 243 Broadway, N. X. City. 
Annual Subscription Terms (always in advance): $1.50 
each for less than four conies: Four to nine copies, $1.23 
each: Ten to nineteen conics, $1.20 each: Twenty copies 
and upward, $1 each. Papers are addressed to each name. 
Either English or German Edition, at these prices. 
HEARTH AND HOME: $3 a year for less than four. 
Four to nine copies, $2.75 each ; 10 or more copies, $2.50 each. 
J2T" Hearth and Home (weekly) with Amer¬ 
ican Agriculturist sent to one address for $4 a year. 
N. B. - - -1 
Spring Work is coming on, and thousands of 
people will gladly avail themselves of the Hints 
and Suggestions given in the Agriculturist. 
N. B. - - -2 
HEARTH and HOME (weekly), with its 20 
large pages, full of Good Things for old and 
young, including an average of f$5©© worth of 
Instructive Engravings in each number, 
is the best journal for the family—for every 
Home. It is everywhere very popular. 
N. B. - - - 3 
Any one taking copies of the above two 
papers, (specimens free,) and showing them to 
liis or her friends or neighbors, can quickly 
gather names enough to secure one or more of 
the very valuable articles on page 119, each one 
of which is fully worth the same as money. 
N. B. - - - 4 
Four Months’ time yet remains to make up 
premium clubs, as they will remain open until 
June 30th. This month is a good time to be¬ 
gin a club, or to fill one up and start another. 
Every name sent in on account of a premium 
list is credited to the sender, and he can fill up 
the list at leisure.—See list of good articles on 
page 119. They are all new, Jirst-clqss, reli¬ 
able, valuable-—just as good as 
money. The assortment is so large that every 
one will find something needed. See page 119. 
Over 13,500 Others 
HAVE OBTAINED THESE 
Free Artieles 
WITH PLEASURE AND PROFIT, 
and 
YOTT may do the Same. 
It has been done largely at Stores, Shops, 
Post-offices, etc., aud by private individuals. By 
Co-operation, Ministers, Teachers, Churches, 
Sunday and week-day Scholars, have obtained Mc- 
lodeons, Libraries, Cyclopedias, Dictionaries, etc., 
also Sewing Machines, and the like, for poor 
widows and others. Many professional men have 
opened and made up good premium lists at their 
Offices. Clerks in stores and Post-offices have 
materially increased their salaries thus, while in¬ 
dividuals in all classes have secured good things. 
See Page 119. 
