, 1843-05-13
Vol. II...NO. IS.

it gives US pleasure to state that TWO
enterprising farmers of this neighoor-
hood who have been allie to over
come in practice the difficulties OIL
preservation, will compete Tor the
present years premium offered by
the Jefferson County Agricultural
Society, with the best patatoe crop;
so that the public may expect to be IN
possession Of their practice in detail.
1t may not be amiss to say it consists
in part OF diggingat a proper time, &
never allowing the crop to lie expos
ed to a meridian sun, aud afterwards
so housing as to exclude light, heat
and moisture. Thc potatoe 10 a
coarse feeder, and therefore any
rough or long manure will be found
beneficial when other manure IS
scarce.
Beets, parsnips, carrots, and other
~taprooted biennials should be planted
in this month. in a deeply stirred, well
pulverized soil, being careful not to
attempt the preparation and planting
Of these crops unless the ground pull
verize freely; under other clrcum
stances the ground will stiffen and
break, and the feeble tap-root of the
young germ. unable to penetrate the
brickIike surface, will branch off and
become distorted and unfit for use.
Whether for field or garden culture,
these crops should be patched in
April-not so much that the whole
growing season is required to perfect
them, as that, later in the season,
they will seldom enjoy that long con
tinued moisture of the surface, that
~insures the free Vegetation Of their
seeds, which should be soaked before
sowing.
The lovers Of fine fruit, will find in
this month an suspicious n to add
to their orchards by planting, and to
propagate apples, pears, and Plums,
by grating.
FLOWER GARpEN.-Shrubbery OF
every kind may now be planted
with a prospect Of success; rose
bushes. to insure a full and fine bloom,
should be trimmed and cleared OF
grass and weeds. During the month,
borders and walks in gardens should
be put in order, and much other works
of neatness and taste performed, as
will fit ones grounds for the beautiful
robes with which nature will now
soon deck them. Let no head of a
family, in town or country, think his
whole duty performed. who has not
his pleasure grounds, his front yard
or lawn, however small in extent, a.
dorned with roses or pinks, with
shrubbery or trees. All the world
of nature, hill and dale, wood and
field, mountain and cataract, is but
one bright landscape; and beautiful
scenery, like the broad expanse OF
the heavens with its glowing sap
phires, may delight its thousands with
out the slightest diminution Of its
charms. Mans right to contemplate
and to enjoy too, is limited only by
his right Of passage. All nen have
to some extent right Of property l n
the scenery of a country, therefore a
correspondent duty devolves upon
them to preserve and improve 1t.
To cure sheep skins wiM the wool
on.-Take one spoonful Of alum and
two of saltpetre; pulverize and mix
we'll together, then sprinkle the pow
DIR on the flesh side of the skin. and
lay the two flesh side together, leav-
ing the wool outside. Then fold up
the SKINS as tight as you can and hang
them in a dry place. In two or three
days, as soon as they are dry, take
them down and scrape them with a
blunt knife till clean and supple
this completes the process. and makes
YOU a most excellent saddle cover
If when you kill your mutton you
treat the skins this way, you can get
more for them from the saddler than
you a get for the wool and skin
separately disposed of otherwise.
N. B. Other skins which you de-
sire to cure with fur or hair on, may
be treated in the same way.1Se-
Lected.
The Crown OF THoRNs.-There
still exists a plant known among boz
taniSts by the name of the sthorn of
Christ" supposed to be the shrub