Jeffersonian Republican. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1840-1853, 1842-04-27
Work for the Month of April.

FenceS.-Repalring and putting IN complete
order every fence on the farm, aud particularly
read and division fences, is one Of the first and
most essential of Spring labors. If it has not
been done in March, don't neglect il in April.
Common rail fences are best secured at the
tops by caps Stakes of durable materials so
placed will keep the fence in its place for years
Ploughing-It will prove injurious 10 soil
to plough it when so wet as TO smooth over and
render compact the surface moved by the I'M
plement, as il dries into kind ofunburnt brick,
fatal to all hopes Of good crop until again pull
verized by frost. Clay soils, and those un-
drained, are most apt TO suffer from this cause,
which locks up all manures and renders the
part consolidated imperyiOus 10 atmospheric
agency Loamy or sandy soils may be plough
ed without danger of being rendered compact.
Spring Grain-As a general rule, the far
mer will find it to his advantage to put in his
Spring grain, such as wheat, barley, oats, &c,
as early as the soil can be fitted for their re-
ception The grain from early sown crops,
when properly put in, is always more valuable
than from later ones being better filled, heav-
ier, and Of finer quality in other respects. 1t
suffers less, also, from the injurious effects OF
our dry summers, by which the later sown IS
prematurelv ripened.
The pea one Of the crops V hich should be
put in as early as osslbIe, particularly 1t In
tended to be fGllowet by wheat The ground
for this crop should be in good condition, and
not too heavily manured, but such as would be
suitable for wheat crep.
! Manures may now be drawn upon the fields
for the crops to which they should be gwen
These should be corn, potatoes, and other roots,
all Of which will bear high manurng; while II
the manure is applied 10 the grains directly,
the product is very apt 10 be more straw than
berry. There is scarcely any one thing IN
which farmers are more deficient than In the
management Of manures. compost mace o
two thirds swamp muck and one third stable
manure fermented together, makes manure
as valuable, and produces as good crop OF
hay, grain, and oats, as if stable manure alone
was used; yet how few there are who ever
used a load of muck 10 enrich their lands when
perhaps they have thousands OF loads on their
premises Stable or barn yard manures, when
put unfermented upon land, should be covered,
that the earth may absorb the fertillZing gases
evolved during the process of decomposition
If they are made into compost with muck or
vegetable earth, and decomposed in that state,
they will be sufficiently Incorporated II spread
on the surface and mixed with such earth with
harrow. Compost manures are the most prop
er for top dressing and renoya,ng pastures or
meadows, where Ploughing cannot be well
adopted; but It's application should be accompa-
MED with fresh seeding, and thorough har-
rowing.
Potatoes require loamy soil; one aboundlng
in vegetable matter, and moist rather than dry
: Gen. Barnum, who has raised greater crops OF
potatoes than perhaps any other man IN the
United States, attributes much Of his success TO
his not disturbing the plants in hlllng after The
rootets for the tubers begin to form; his method
of performing that operation being TO bring rch
earth in a horse cart, the wheels of which pass
between the rows, and from this dropping a
shovel full upon each hill. This furnishes a
bed of rich, fresh earth for the tubers, ana
avoids all interference with the roots
The Kitchen Garden will require much aiten-
, ton this month; as all plants which are not la
BILE to spring frosIs should now be set out OF
E sown. BY beginning in season, We may secure
two or three crops of many valuable vegetables
in single season. Salads, radlshes, potatoes
peas, &c may now he planted or sown. The
, earliest varieties of each should of course be
selected for The first planting. Asparagus ant
strawberry beds should be cleaned off, dug
over. and manured None but compost ma
o nures of the best kind should be used for sucl
: purposes.