Litchfield enquirer., 1861-04-11
AGRICULTURAL.
FARM WORK FOR APRIL.

ARM W ORK FOR APRIL. Though April brings greatly increased labo upon the farm, it is hailed with pleasure by tn, cultivator, who has waited impatiently to recon mence active operations. There is now no tim, to be lost if every thing is not in readiness fo the Spring work, which will soon demand al our energy and care.
 Keep a regular account of each field, charging 1t with all the expense and giving credit wher the crop is returned.
 Sow Spring Barley on we'll manured ground thoroughly prepared. Use 2 l-2 to 3 bushel; per acre. Soak the seed "A hours in veal solution of blue virtriol, drying it with air slack ed lme
 Allow no bones to be wasted. Break them in pieces with sledge, moistening them with diluted sulphuric acid, If convenient, and throw them into the heap of horse measure, where they will soon decay
 Remove banking from the sides of the house. Repair damages done by March winds. See that eaves-troughs and gutters are free from leaves or other Instructions. Clear out rubbish from barns and sheds Cleanse and white wash poultry houses, and other out buildings both to improve the appearance and prevent varmin. If vines are to be trained to porticoes or the sides or the house, prepare proper supports.
 Raise enough calves, of the best, to keep the supply ot stock ample. Teach them to drink when two days old. Commence with new milk, ana gradually mix skinned milk with their all ioWahce Shorts, cat meal, or refuse wheat, ground, may be given after few weeks. Keep pens dry and clean.
 Try plot of carrots for winter feed for horses and other stock. Sow in drills sixteen inches apart, on heavily manured and deeply titled soil, made me and free from stones and lumps
 Allow cattle to exercise awhile in the open ar daily, but do not turn them to pasture until there Is abundant feed. If you have them, give roots with hay. at the barn. Working cattle need grain with roots to keep up their appetite. Attend carefully to breeding cows
 Open cellars and remove all decayed vegeta- bles aud rubbish Use brine from emptied meat-barrels for the asparagus bed or upon the compost heap.
 Clover,-though somewhat late may yet be sown on Winter grain, and it always pays. Af ter cold night when the ground is full of cracks, IS the best time to SOW. If sown on Spring grain it may be worked in with roller, or light brush harrow
 Have full supply of seed corn of both late and early ripening kinds. The improved King fhillp Is superior early sort, for localities far north' and for replanting where the first fails Prepare ground for planting next month, by heavy maturing and thorough blowing and har-
 
 Complete repairs of fences, particularly boun- diary and road fences.
 Clear out dead furrows in grain fields, which were opened for surface draining last Fall, and remove any obstructons from the outlets of un- derground drains. Where the grain is Winter Killed, harrow or hoe over the surface and SOW Spring grain. Keep all stock from grazing or trampling the fields.
 Health-Avoid over exertion, particularly m commencing active labor. Be cautious in lay- ing aside winter clothing. Don't fret. Take plenty of time for meals.
 Horses-Give generous feed of grain to those used for Spring work. Clean and rub them down we'll after the labor of the day friction prevents soreness of the muscles, and prepares for good rest.
 Draw manure out from sheds and yards, and leave in small heaps in the field until ready to spread 1t for blowing. Cover the heaps with soil to retain ammonia. Add to the compost heap the contents of privies and sink drains, the cleanings of the poultry house and wood shed, with whatever else can be turned to account Am. Agricuhst
 PIEcEs.-Hungairian grass meets with little favor in Illinois. Several farmers who have lost horses and COWS by it, say that the seed forms into solid ball in the stomach causing death.-Good farming consists in feeding land before it is hungry restoring 1t before it is weary, and wedding it before it is foul. Constant cul- tivatien or stirring the soil is one of the secrets of successful farming.-Soot or wood ashes are excellent for giving lawns fine green color The objection to stable manure in such places is, that it is apt to introduce coarse weeds-Plant- ing the Harvey and Wilson Albany strawberry side by side improves the character of both.- The large, early, smooth. red tomato is best for earliness.--Ihe largest rhubarb is not always if ever the best. Too little attention IS paid to the mild, rich, high colored sorts, and too much to the strong, rank coarse varieties.
 BONES FOR HENs.-If you take fresh bones from the kitchen, and pound them into small pieces, hens will eat them ravenously, and not only will they digest the bones and make better manure of them than can be made in any other way, but they will be themselves greatly benefit ted by them they will lay throughout the sea- son with much greater regularity than otherwise, and will fatten on the marrow within.
 CoAL AsHEs.--Coal ashes. are stated, by some who have tried experiments with them, to be excellent for putting around the roots of peach trees and gooseberry bushes in the spring. They are generally held to be of no use whatever, but as they contain some traces of potash and con- siderable lime, they will no doubt tend to destroy grubs and worms.