Civilian & telegraph. [volume] (Cumberland, Md.) 1859-1875, 1864-04-14
AGRICULTURAL.

Degan W apPTeciate lts e4ceIEut QUALITIES,
and after them the whole world adopted
it as one Of the Indispensable of the ta-
BILE. Within the last fourth Of century
it has won its way to the frst rank among
our garden vegetables. and is cultivated
more extensively, perhaps, than any other
single esculent, if we except potatoes and
cabbage.
1t is grown from seed, which, if early
fruit is desired, should be sown in hotbeds
in March, in pots or boxes in warm and
well lighted and ventilated apartments.
If sown in hotbed, the drills should be
made about five inches apart, and half an
inch deep When the plant attains q
height of two or the inches, they should
be traHsplanted or picked out into another
bed, or in some small pots. When the
latter plan is adopted, the whole of the
arth in the pots may be permitted to re-
main attached to the roots when the plants
re finally set out. Twice or thrice trans
planting has the effect of rendering the
plants more sturdy and branching. Set
them ont in the beds in May, as early as
the weather will admit, but not until
all danger of frost has passed. They
should be planted at least yard apart. to
allow of the full spreading of the vines.
Water freely when first transplanted, and
if hot sunsLiEe follows, shade them for
day or two.
There is a diversity of opinion in re-
gard to the after culture of tomatoes
Some prefer to allow the vines to cover
the ground at will others prefer trellises
or frames. The French method is as
follows: AS soon as cluster Of flowers
is VISIBLE, they top the stem down to the
cluster, so that the flowers terminate the
stem. The effect is. that the sap is inn
mediately impelled into the two buds next
below the cluster. which push strongly,
and produce another cluster of flowers
each When these are visible, the branch
to which they belong is also topped down
to their level aiid this is done five times
successively.
By this meats the plants become stout.
dwarf bushes, not above 1S inches high.
In addition to this, all the laterals that
have no flowers, and after the fifth top
ping. all the laterals whatsoever, are nip
ped off In this way the ripe sap is di-
r,ctcd into the fruit, which acquires
beauty, size and excellence unattainable
by any other means.
There is an endless variety of the To-
mato. A few, however, of the best are
all that family require. The Large
smooM red is an excellent variety, no.
early, but productive, and fine favored.
The Apple Tomoto is early and produc-
tive, but apt to be hollow hearted. The
Perfected Tomato has recently and de-
servedly become n great favorite. Tho
fruit is of large size, pinkish red, Yield
ing large return when cooked It is
medium early, and is sold in our markets
as the " Fejee." A new and very sppe-
rior variety has recently been introduced
to general public notice, though for sew
eral years past it has been for sale in the
Philadelphia markets. A full description
with an external and internal view Of it,
were given in our December number. to
which we refer the reader We consider it
one of the best, if not the very best va
riety yet introduced.
FARM Work FOR APRIL.
1t is impossible to impress to earnestly
upon our farmers and planters the abso-
lutte necessity Of pressing forward the
spring work during this month with all
imaginable energy. Not day; not an
hour is now to be lost. Crops planted in
season, under the best conditions of soil
and preparation. have every possible ad-
vantage over crops which are deliyed un-
til the proper season for planting has
passed. In agricultural oper;t ons lost
time can never be recalled The spring
rains, the cooler weather, the moisture
and friability of the soil at seeding time
all these are esent;al to the vigorous
growth of the plant, and in general sea-
sons, all these advantages are lost if the
starting of the crop is delayed until the
continuous warm and dry weather sets in.
These remarks are especially apl licaLle to
spring wheat, to oats, barley and potatoes,
for all of these crops require to be for
warded as early in the season as possible.
We know that with respect to potatoes
the general custom has been to plant
month later; but whilst there are some
reasons that favour this custom, they are
counterbalanced by others that are still
more cogent, in the Middle States, at
least. in favor of earlier planting. Pota-
toes flourish best in a light, cool, moist
but not wet-soil, and this can only b,
obtained in two ways-frst, by early
seeding; second, by heavy mulching =
The latter, for large crop, is impractical.
BILE, and therefore we recommend the
| Tnr,,or M thot Tho for,,ok;o,, IS A.. LII
my commence before the hot weather
sets in. The work to be done is as follows {:
OATs.-We gave in the Farm Work
f,r last month the necessary directions for
the preparation of the soil, and the mix
lures and compost NEST usefll fjr The pro-
duction of oats. We may however, add
here, briefly, the points to be observed
The Best Soil for OMs.-A stifish
clay loam-oats never do well on sandy
soil but they flourish vigorously ON q
grass sward or clover ley turned under.
The practice in Pennsylvania and else
where Of following corn with oats is bad
one, as in a judicious system of rotation
no two crops of cereals should succeed
each other. ~'S ''"'
Seeding down to Clorer. Harrow the
oats well in and cross harrow. Follow
Immediately by sowing clover seed, bush
it in or harrow again lightly. Finish of
} with the roller
Barley This crop should also be put
in as soon as all slanger Of frost is over.
t Unlike oats, barley delights in a rich light
, soil containing large admixture ofsand,
) but having sufficient humus to absorb
moisture, and to retain it in a moderate