Bedford inquirer. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1857-1884, 1867-04-12
farm, Garaen 4 Gnnsehola
FIRST WORK IN SPRING.
at areoert meeting of the American

at areeert meeting of the American Insti
tute Farmers Club, Mr.. W. S. Carpenter
read IN interesting paper on First Work in
Spring. He said: No farm is complete with
out good garden. There should be sue
cession of vegetables that there may be full
supplies through the season. When the first
peas are well up the second crop should be
planted; beets should be planted at different
times, and sweet corn every two weeks from
May 1st 10 July 1st. A hot-bed should be
made early in March, as follows Dig p feet
deep, feet wide, feet long place around
the top board frame 6 inches on one SIDE,
and Is inches on the other, inclined to the
south fill to within inches of the top with
unfermented horse manure, leaves from the
woods, or spent hops, well trodden down: add
inches nice soil, rake smooth andput on the
sash and plant the same day in rows north
-anU South tomatoes, drumhead lettuce, good
for transplanting early cabbage, New York
purple egg plant, bull-nose pepper and celery.
The space remaining [ plant with early curled
Selinias lettuce, then / SOW evenly over the
whole early and purple radish, and they will
be fit to use before the rest come on. The
lettuce, when ready to use can be cut off, leav-
ing crown. SIX cuttings can be made, and
The last one be best. The sash should be re-
moved only on warm day. The best peas
Daniel O'Rouk's. They should be plant
ed as soon as the frost is out of the ground
it is good plan to place board edgewise
on the north side of the row. As soon as the
ground can be pulverized, plant early Bas-
sano beets, and onion seed, and sets. The
manure on the asparagus beds should be fork
ed in, and salt applied. Cions should be cut
early in March and buried two-thirdS their
length in a shady place. Grating may be
done till the trees blossom. Cherries should
bs grated before April, and plums by the
10th. Grating wax is made of pounds of
rosin, pound of tallow, and pound of bees
wax. In the orchard, suckers of last years
growth should be removed, and all loose bark
scraped from the trunks, for here are myriads
of insects. oppose cutting off large limbs
unless decayed. l have seen whole orchards
ruined by injudicious pruning Small limbs
which keep out the sun light may be removed.
Before March all coarse fodder should be fed
out. From this time all animals should have
the best hay and feed reserved for this period.
A meadow that will not yield more than a tun
of grass to the acre is to be broken up. Oats
must be sowed early, they are adapted to a
cool climate. In this latitude April first is
the best time. If the ground is strong from
o LII L l.. IL
The country is indebted to the late Chauncy
Goodrich of Utica for his efforts and success
in improving potatoes. The "Early Good
rich' makes him a public benefactor Ihave
experimental many years and have abandon
ed the Mercer, Prince Albert, Peachblow and
Dykeman. The following is my method !:
Ground thoroughly plowed, rows p feet apart,
seed cut to 2 eyes, dropped from II to Is
inches apart, according to strength of the va
riety. In 10 or Is days / drag well branch
ed tree across the rows, which kills weeds and
leaves the ground level and fine. When they
are up, run through with the plow and dress
with the hoe. I now apply to an acre FIVE bar
rels of fine wood-ashes and one barrel of
plaster, thoroughly mixed-a small hardf-i
to hill. They should be plowed three tunes
more. About ten weeks after planting the
weeds will show, when they should be pulled
out, and afterward, again, if necessary. One
man will weed an acres in day. No mis-
take is greater than to let potatoes get foul
with weeds. Mr.. Carpenter gave three exam
Piles to prove that large crops are owing to
good soil and in particular to clean cultiva-
ton. Never plant potatoes twice successive
ly in the same ground. Change the seed
every year, and, if possible, get from another
section. Work on the farm, when rightly di-
rected, is full of interest. ..9- +.