Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1866-04-04
Farm Work for April.

arm " DIX for April.
Under this head the .Nsw England Farmer
has very timely and readable article from
which We make the following extracts:
Nature never forgets to do her cork in sea-
son. In many thiogs, let her become our
guide and prompter. June suns not .Aprit
sun. Every farmer and gardener must have
observed the difference between the coming Of
his seeds, if sown at the proper time in April
or if deferred until the last of May or June.
Peas, sowr just as soon as the soil is Sufficiently
dry and light, soon spring up with healthy
look. and go forward with remarkable vigor to
perfection. If a portion Of the same seeds is
sown IN June, and where the soil seems to
have the same degree of moisture, the result
will usually be very different. The seeds will
not germinate and come so quick, and when the
plant appears it has a pale yellow color, is
weak, and advances as though constantly strug
Cling against some unfavorable influences. The
true time for their birth and vigorous growth
has passed AWAIT is June, not April.
Young plants need the changing conditions
which April and May afford the bright sun
slime, and then the protecting shades the
dripping clouds and the plentiful showers the
soft, south wind, ard the moist, cool nights
All these are essential to rapid termination and
vigorous growth. They only come in their
proper season and order.
If these things be Sc, every farmer must ap-
prtciate the importance of attending to the
duties which the return of April brings, at the
proper moment.
IL he desires good crop of onions, delay
will probs .ly prove fatal. The seed must be
put IN Just the soil Is ready for 1t.
II he sows gram and grass seed, tor laying
down the lana, the same rule should be OBJ
served, to get the whole in so as to bring up
he grass plants, and get them established
before the fervid suns OF June come upon them.
he same rule should be imperative i'll the
gdrden-tor We trust that every farmer has
coed vegetable garden-the manure for which
should De applied in the fall and plowed under.
Run the pillow through it in April, as soon as
the soil will fall from the mould board in a
Pusverized condition. On heavy soils this may
not be until the middle of the month. Then
rake off and lettuce, cabbage for early use,
o. cts, parsnips, carrots, egg plants, early tur-
nips, aud any seeds, the plants OF which are
not very sensitive to frosts.
Clean up the asparagus bed-if you have
one-lf not, prepare one at once. No square
rod OF land on the farm viii bring so much
profit this. 1t takes the place OF both meat
AM vegetables.
Make ready the corn land. and the fields for
pOtutOeS. See tldt manure Is OVefnduIcO Ter
anened little, and made fine.
Have seeds of every kind in readiness for
sowing and planting, if 1t not cone in
March.
Provide every possible convenience about the
kitchen, pantry and dairy room, to help the
women III their never ending duties, so TO
save their strength, health aud beauty. This
viii prove cheaper than pills and bllslers, and
Mining others to do your work, acd will tend to
save tJr you TAI hful companion and co-worker
Tor many long years.
10 this latitude some OF the above sugges-
tons can Dc most effectively carried out the
latter part of April or about the first OF May;
cut it IS always bes- &c take time by the fore
lock, and 0e in readiness to act understanding
" when he right period for action arrives.
TRAIsING SHEEP There is all the differ
ence IN the world in thu way men handle
sheep. Some sheep never educa ted 10 he
manu- Of The Il ack-master, and when he desires
u handle any particular animal, he PUSHES In
amongst bunch OF sheep and makes grab,
With little consideration dog would do
IN pursuit OF mutton. No cOnslderate shep-
nerd will ever catch sheep by the wool, and
the violent manner IN when some people take
a sheep by the leg, Is not much better.
Every flock master who keeps good sheep
should have them so well educated that they
can De handled without their being frightened.
We have seen variety of ways OF handling
-heep we'll, one of the best OF which Is the
method practiced by Z Twin Hammond OF Yer
mont. Mr.. Hammond has IN bis eheep-lold
!. long, slender lath, taperIng out quite thin,
and has his sheep so we'll trained as 10 under
stand his desire, that when he goes INTO the
yard with his lath in his hand, and selects an
animal for examination, he has only to reach
out this sceptre and pat the sheep on Its fore
COP, and it stands perfectly still and allows
hIm to put his two fingers under his chm,
where IL rests It's head 10 quiet until allowed
TO 90. If the sheep is disposed to run from
Dim, MIR. H pats away upon Its face until
1t shuts its eyes and become quiet. By the
same gentle treatment, sheep is laid upon
It's side, and will not attempt 10 rise while the
sceptre is lsid over it. Ia holding sheep
standing, Mr. Hammond seldom does more
than to place the two first fingers under the
chin, elevating the nose to level with the
eyes. 1T gently done, sheep may be safely
Withdrawn from huddle by the hind leg, but
Z, better way Is 10 walk into the crowd and
back it by the hands under the neck.
W hen the sheep comes to understand that
you do not intend to hurt them, they will soon
be on good terms with their keeper, and no
uerson should be allowed to go in among the
feck who is not gentle in all his treatment of
the sheep.