Nashville union and dispatch. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1866-1868, 1867-03-14
FARM AND GARDEN.

Some Suggestions for the Season.
Unsettled weather seems to attend the
Inauguration Of spring From the gem
orally mild weather Of February and the
frequent recurrence Of storms during
that month it was supposed that winter
woald break mp early. These hopes do
notappear to be ina fair way Of realiza-
ton, as the weather, although not cold,
has been so excessively wet as to preclude
all field labor At this season of the
year every moment is Of value The
ground has to be plowed for oats and
corn, manure has to be hauled from the
harnyard, and various other imperious
duties attended to- At present the earth
is 50 saturated with water that blowing
is utterly impossible The earth must
settle before it can be successfully culti>
waited Clay soils plowed when wet bake
through exposure to the sun and air they
viii not crumble, and pulyerizatiOn is
impossible until after the hardened mass
has been exposed to the ameliorating in-
fuences Of winter. Sandy and alluyial
soils do better, but at all times it is a bad
practice 10 attempt their cultivation until
they have become So settled that a horse
can walk upon them without danger Of
miring at every step, and the slice turns
up smoothly and without water in the
bottom of the furrow 1t is to be horne
in mind, constantly, that it is not mere
cropping and its results that we are aim
ing at, but progressive and lasting inn
proyement, and that of this, the very
ioundation is good ploughing-a thorough
breaking up, Of that which we cultivate,
aud breaking from such depth as will
continually increase the bulk of fertilizel
soil Below the very deepest we have
vet reached, there is "a lower depth which
we need not fear to invade one or two
inches farther This for the permanent
Improvement of the land For the present
crop and as point of mere labor saving,
one good, thorough ploughing is equal to
three, imperfectly and indiferently exc
cuted In an ordinary soil, We should
not be content with less than seven
inches dnd the nearer we can approach
twelve the better The subsoil plough
will readily break to the depth Of
fifteen inches There may be soils that
form an exception 10 the rule Of deep
ploughing, and which, from some hurtful
property Of the sub-soil, need to be deep
ened gradually, but they are so rare we
think, as not to give any concern in oar
ordinary operations. Where there is
risk Of harm, the ground should be deep
ened in the fall A deep soil is the very
first requisite for the successful cultiya-
ton Of almost every croy Summer crops,
so very uncertain in a shallow soil, are,
ia deep one, almost insured against the
yicissimdes Of the season Planted in
bed Of twelve inches, our alIimportant
corn crop, would not fail of a good yield,
one year in twenty. On a tobacco plan
tntion, the land devoted to that crop
should be the FIRST sod broken, and broken
so deeply that the turf shall not come
again to the surface during the after
working
As soon as the frost is cut of the ground,
leaving it cracked and opened orchard
grass seed should be sown and followed
with a roller This implement viii cover
the seed sufficiently, if the ground has
been previously prepared Ii sown upon
wheat the rolling will be beneficial to tho
latter This is the best of the grasses
adapted to our soil and climate when a
strong and permanent sod is wanted for
grazing, as well as for a crop of hay. IL
makes good hay, little inferior 20 timothy
ifnot allowed to gettooripe 1t starts very
early IN spring, eHdures drought well,
grows late in fall, makes large aftermath,
and bears close grazing, indeed, makes
che better pasturage by it. A bushel Of
seed 10 the acre is the usual quantity
sown with other seeds, hut two bushels
is not too much % ensure a thick sod Ii
Is too expensive Cor seeding in an ordiua
~ rotation, but where hay and pasturage
il needed for a succession of seasons it il
indispensable, and such the stockraisers
of Middle Tennessee will find it
Gardening operations should also com
mence as soon as practicable, Tor the
earliest vegetables command the best
prices As all market gardeners use hot
beds to start early plants. many Of them
are now in such state Of forwardness |
that they only await auspicious weather
to be set out These hotbeds are very |
convenient affairs for private use, as by |
their use families con provide themselves
with early vegetables quite as soon as
they can be furnished by market gardens
ere, and at much less cost They are /
easily made by any one who has at com
mand a small plot Of ground a few boards.
a glass sash, small quantity Of unfer,
meuted horse manure, and a little mould
fsr the seeds 10 be sown upon They are
capital Tor raising early radishes, lettuce
aud many vegetables, which are always |
more acceptable early ia the season than
AT any othoT time, aud also for starting
tomatoes and other vegetables Cor trans