DEVOTED TO AGRICULTURE AND ITS KINDRED ARTS AND SCIENCES. CALENDAR FOR FEBRUARY. "Loud howls the wind along the vale! is EBRUARY, in this latitude, on consideration, any one (but a Scotch philosopher) will be inclined to dispute the truth of this, even as a logical proposition, much less as a sentiment. The time present is the best of all possible times, because it is present-because it is— because it is something; whereas all other times are nothing. The time present, therefore, is essentially better than any other time, in the proportion of something to nothing. The cleverest Scotch philosopher that ever lived has said, us a strong nip of Winter in a memoir of his own life, that a man had for a week or two, then it better be born with a disposition to look on the seems to rest awhile in order bright side of things, than to an estate of ten to get breath. Then JANUARY thousand a year. He might have gone further, comes with occasional warm and said that the disposition to which he alludes south winds and showers; bare is worth almost as much to a man as being comspots are in the fields and runners grate harshly on the gravel roads; silver streams glide on the the sweat of his brow! Nay, he might almost pelled and able to earn an honest livelihood by clear ice, and the robins, perhaps, leave the thick have asserted that, with such a disposition, a man swamps and make us a visit; but it is a brief may chance to be happy even though he be born one, for the north wind suddenly assumes the to an estate of twenty thousand a year! But I, mastery. The elm tops sway and yield to its not being (thank my stars) a Scotch or any other fierce breath; all is frigidity and congelation philosopher, will venture to go still farther, and again; the condensed ice cracks like pistol resay, that to be able to look at things as they are, ports, and wakens the drowsers in the chimney is best of all. To him who can do this, all is as it should be-all things work together for good corners. So all the Months have their peculiar charac- whatever is, is right. To him who can do this, teristics. The agreeable author of the "Mirror the present time is all sufficient, or rather it is of the Months" says "some one has said of the all in all; for if he cannot enjoy any other, it is Scotch novels, that that is the best which we because no other is susceptible of being enjoyed, happen to have perused last. It is thus that I except through the medium of the present." estimate the relative value and virtue of the HEAD WORK.-We trust the suggestions in last Months. The one which happens to be present month's calendar to improve the head as well as with me is sure to be that one which I happen to to occupy the hands, have had due consideration,. like better than any of the others. I lately in- and that this important work will be continued sisted on the supremacy of January on various through the month of February. accounts. Now I have a similar claim to put in PLANS.-The work of spring and summer should in favor of the next in succession. And it shall be arranged now while there is leisure to consider go hard but I will prove, to the entire satisfaction it in all its bearings. What fields shall be devotof all whom it may concern, that each in her ed to corn, oats, barley, wheat, potatoes? Where turn is, beyond comparison, the wisest, virtu- the peas, beans, turnips, carrots ? Where the ousest, discreetest, best.' Indeed I doubt whether, early vegetables, the tomatoes, radishes, egg-plants, cabbages? What breadth in each of the princi- from rotting. I therefore, after my last hoeing, pal crops, how much seed per acre? What trees (I hoed them three times,) applied the salt and shall be planted, and what location shall they oc- plaster, and in less than three days there was a cupy? How much stock shall be summered, potatoes; mine were much greener and more perceptible difference between mine and the other which oxen or cows sold or fattened, and how thrifty than the others. I had from my onemany swine kept? Shall the GARDEN have a fourth of an acre forty-one bushels of good sized small assortment of choice pears-the Bartlett, potatoes for cooking, and only three bushels of Seckle, Vicar of Winkfield, Beurre d'Aremberg, small ones; and the three-fourths of an acre west of mine, that was planted with whole potaBloodgood, Louise Bonne,‚—a few choice raspber-toes, had some eighty bushels only, and from ries and currants, together with a grape vine or their appearance after being dry, whilst lying on two of the best varieties? Shall beds be formed the ground, I should think, at least, that onefor permanent use to be stocked with the best ear-fourth were too small to cook. The potatoes ly vegetables, parsnips, onions, carrots, beets, east of mine were better than those west, and radishes, tomatoes, asparagus, celery, lettuce, field. What made the east potatoes better than mine were judged to be much the best in the parsley, and patches for cucumbers, early squash- the west? Was it the one application of the es, cabbage, cauliflower, melons, beans and peas? ashes and plaster, or was it because they were These will promote health, and afford a constant cut before planting? And what made mine the supply of delicious summer food, save the money salt? I leave it with the lovers of good potatoes best in the field? Was it the third hoeing or the in your purse, and embellish the ground about the to find out by trying the experiment. house. One word about destroying the curculio. I SHEEP AND LAMBS require especial care in Feb- commenced last spring, soon after my plum trees ruary. Leave it optional with them to go out or were out of blossom, to throw dry ashes on them remain under cover; feed liberally with hay-in the morning when the dew was on; I applied sweet clover hay they relish highly-and give that some one had saved his plums by throwing it but a few times, when I read in the Farmer them occasionally any juicy roots cut finely, or a on soap suds; I therefore applied the suds until few beans, or a little corn or barley. They will I read the next Farmer, where I read that some then bring strong lambs. Throw into their yards one had saved his plums by the use of lime water. also, evergreens of pine, hemlock or spruce I then used the lime water, and succeeded in boughs. raising a large crop of very nice plums, whilst that one by the use of a few applications of lime one of my neighbors raised but very few, and CATTLE and horses will need the card as well as timely and liberal feeding; milch cows, especially, water. So you see that lime water would answer the purpose if applied often enough. will find much benefit from the use of the card. When the plans alluded to are made, the stock In the Farmer of Nov. 25th, there is a letter all fed and warm, the wood-pile lusty in its from "Far East," recommending the shad-bush proas a substitute for the quince for raising dwarf portions for another year, and the children with pears. I will tell you how near I came to getting lessons well conned for the morrow's recitation, a dwarf from a shad-bush. Some twenty years are mingling in the social conversations around since I was grafting pears in the back part of my the evening fire, what prince or potentate but lot, and having a scion or two left, I inserted one would envy the farmer his simple and pure de- in a shad sprout, some three-fourths of an inch through and six from the ground, merely for lights, his hours of unalloyed domestic bliss! pastime, not even thinking it would grow; but FEBRUARY, cold and rough as it is, is none too the first time I passed that way I discovered that long for households such as these. it was growing nicely. I watched it through the summer, tied it up occasionally, and in the fall, after the leaves had dropped, I measured it, and it had grown over seven feet, and had much more the appearance of a grape vine than it did a dwarf. It grew and bore pears some two or MR. EDITOR-I am going to write something three years and died, but the pears were always about the potato, the curculio, and grafting the dwarf, quite small of their kind. shad-bush; I hired one-fourth of an acre of NOT FAR WEST. land in a field where some four others hired from one-fourth to three-fourths of an acre each, and all planted potatoes, the rows running north and PEARS.-We would call the attention of the reasouth. After my first hoeing, I put on ashes der to the article on "Pears," as it is from a genand plaster, and the piece east of mine was served tleman who has given the subject much attention. The potatoes that I planted were not We welcome him heartily to our columns, and large, and were cut, the same as on the piece hope to hear from him as he east, and the piece next west, (three-fourths of an! For the New England Farmer. THE POTATO----CURCULIO----SHAD the same. BUSH. Yours ever, proposes. acre,) the potatoes were whole and mostly large THE CENTENARIANS.-Forty-seven persons died that were planted. A short time before my last in the United States during the past year over hoeing, I read in the New England Farmer that 100 years old. Of these, one was 128, one 130, salt mixed with plaster, in proportion of two of and one 146. The eldest was a negress. plaster to one of salt, would prevent potatoes ages of the forty-seven, 5268 years. United For the New England Farmer. REPORTED TO THE CONCORD FARMERS' CLUB BY Then as to curing, cut when in full blossom if you can; where there is a large quantity to be secured, it is necessary to begin on a portion as early as possible, so as to enable us to get through before it is over-ripe. There is, however, quite a difference of opinion with good farmers as to the time when it should be cut, so as to make the most nutritious hay. MR. PRESIDENT-Of all the crops grown in New England, perhaps the Grass crop is the most important to the farmer, from the fact that for the whole year the cattle, horses and sheep de- We would also say that it has been our experipend mainly upon the grass and hay for their sus-ence in reclaiming meadows and swamps, that to produce a large crop of good grass, it is necessaAnd the farmers procure just what they want ry that the land be well and thoroughly drained, from keeping this stock, and what they must and have a good dressing of sand or gravel, or a have, that is, a large quantity of manure for pro- large portion of the same in the compost manure ducing this and their other crops and increasing applied before and after seeding. Otherwise, the fertility of their land. however well manured, there will be a weakness tenance. other vegetables. In no other way can they get manure so con- of the straw, which will cause it to fall and rot veniently as by consuming the grass and hay on before it has time to grow to be a full crop. their farms. He who improves the capacity of We have also examined the crops of grass grown his farm for producing grass for feed, or curing on meadows reclaimed in various ways, and in for hay, and then consumes the same, or if he our opinion the too common practice of burning sells it, buys manure to replace what it would the entire top soil is a bad one. Although the make, and also takes good care of the same, will, first crop will probably be good, the land and afin a short time, increase the productiveness of his ter crop will be much larger and better without land, and not only enable him to raise larger the burning than with it; burning leaving a tenquantities of grass, but also of grain, roots, and dency to moss and wild grass. There are acres of this burnt land in our own And in fact, nearly every thing in our New town, that, after one or two seasons, have run England farming depends on the grass and hay, back to wild grass, and which it will require for if we do not have a good supply of these, of nearly twice as much manure to keep in good concourse we cannot keep a large stock of cattle, and dition than it would if it had been reclaimed in a we must keep this stock or we shall not have different manner. much manure. If we do not by manure enrich You will see the importance of this leading our soils, we shall fail to produce good crops, and product of our farms; with it, we are enabled to poor crops do not pay. supply ourselves with a plenty of beef, mutton, As to the manner of cultivation, we do not cx- and milk; the product of the last named has be pect to impart any new ideas, but merely to state come a very large business near the cities and some of the best methods now in use with which large towns, our own town furnishing not less we are acquainted. than 1200 gallons daily for the Boston market, For high lands, spring seeding with small besides milk and part of the butter and cheese for grains, particularly barley, or planting corn, cul- our own consumption; all of which is almost tivating it with a flat surface and seeding to grass entirely dependent on the grass, and hay made in July, perhaps succeeds better than any other from the same. way on very dry soils. Then let us increase largely the quantity and On low, moist upland, and reclaimed meadow, quality of this product of our land, not feeling plow in August and September, roll down the satisfied to produce any less than two tons per furrows, put as much compost manure as you can acre, and, as before stated, by largely increasing spare-not less than twenty ox-cart loads to the the same, we are, by the manure made from it, acre, and more would be better-harrow well enabled to increase every cultivated product of both ways, then sow about 14 pecks herds- our land. grass, and 3 pecks red-top seed per acre; cover with a brush-harrow, pick the stones, and finish by rolling down smooth. We formerly sowed a larger quantity of seed, but found after the first year that it made too thick a sward. Dec., For the Committee, 1854. JOHN B. MOORE. THE OLD FARMER'S ALMANAC.-JENKS, HICK Clover we consider a good crop to grow on dry LING & SWAN, Boston, have published number soils; and probably the best way to produce it is sixty-three of this old favorite of the farmer. It to sow it with the other grass seeds. On dry tells us almost everything about the stars and land the first crop will be increased largely by the eclipses, and how to cast the interest on our addition of the clover; this we would advise to bank stock; tells us of the commencements, use for home consumption, and not for market. Your committee are satisfied that we must de- American Presidents, uncurrent bank notes; pend upon our low, moist soils, for most of the when to look out for a snow storm, and a high grass that we cure for hay. Upon almost every tide, and has twelve capital little sermons on its cafarm there is more or less low-land, covered with lendar pages. And then it asks a "heap of such brush, or wet meadows and swamps, which are curious questions," and gives "lots” of good adunproductive in their present condition, but may vice in various ways. How should we know anyeasily be made the best and most productive grass land on our farms, and after being reclaimed, will thing when to plow or sow, kill our hogs or salt produce much more grass with the same manure the pork, without the "Old Farmer's Almanacs and labor than dry soils. by Robt. B. Thomas ?" |