Nashville union and dispatch. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1866-1868, 1867-04-18
FARM AND GARDEN.
The Season and its Demands.

Within the last fortnight most satisN
factory change has taken place in the con-
dition of agricultural affairs. The earth,
which for some weeks had been so satu-
rated with water as TO have been almost
n mass Of mud has now completely set
tied, and plOughing, hauling out manure,
and other farming operations, have com
menced in earnest This favorable con-
dition of affairs gives promise that should
the fine weather continue a fortnight
longer, all summer crops will be got in
safely in that period, with the exception
of corn, which may be planted the first,
or even the second or third week in MAY.
But the work Of preparation must be ac-
cOmplished by the close Of the month,
that there may be no delay when the
right time comes Let it be considered
that a due preparation of the ground now
is not only much better for the crop, but
saves great deal Of summer work, when
time is more precious, and work more op.
pressive. There is no fact better estab,
lished than the value of completing the
work Of the corn field much earlier than
is done in our common practice If we
only turn the sod, and then make our
marks for planting, a very large portion
of the proper work Of preparation is left
ha MI oh 4b, r Il,
crop should be accomplished, and this is
necessarily carried so late into the sum
mer, that the crop is damaged by the very
means we take to make it, This valuable
crop so accommodating, that it admits
Of having liberties taken with it, and we
commit it TO the ground on a degree of
preparation which tobacco and other
crops would by no means admit Of To
do it ample justice, turn the sod well,
and roll and harrow till there is good
seed bed Then the laying off and cross
ing is done without disturbing the bed,
and the after workings completed before
the caring begins, instead of being car
ried into and beyond the wheat harvest
To be able to plant close enough to make
full crop, early working, and early
laying by are essential.
We observe n disposition among farm
ers to plant their late potatoes somewhat
earlier this season than has been the
practice formerly There can be scarcely
a doubt as to this being the preferable
mode, as when planted early the vines
have the advantage of the early summer
rains, and are not so liable to be injured
by excessive heat Another advantage,
also, is the exemption from the ravages of
the potato bug, which in some seasons is
very destructive The potato is a very
accommodating crop as to the time of
planting, as it can be put into the ground
any time from May to July The best
varieties and of large size should be Sc
lected for seed
Every farmer should set apart a small
field near the homestead for the produc-
ton of vegetables In this field, which
should consist Of from three to five acres,
parsnips, carrots, beets, rutabagas, etc,
can be raised in drills and titled by horse
labor All the produce Of this field that
is not needed in the house will be exceed
ingly useful for hogs and cattle Cab
bages should be raised extensively on |
every farm; when properly managed
they produce enormously, and are excel
lent food for milch cows in the fall when
grass is scarce Pigs thrive well on cab
bages chopped fine and mixed with milk.
Parsnips and carrots are nutricious food |
for cattle or hogs In this vegetable gar
den rotation might be established, in
which red clover and rye for soiling |
should form part, also early corn Man
aged IN this way, only portion Of the
field would require manure every year,
and even this part might be enriched by
liquid manure, SCOT ashes, bones and
other manurial substances which are sui.
feUed to go TO waste about the homestead
The refuse vegetable matter from the
garden viii make a very important add
ton 10 the manure heap
As this is the season when small fruits
are generally planted it may not be inap-
propriate to remark that every one having
a small plot of ground should not fail to
set out a few blackberry plants There
are several varieties of this delightful
berry, ripening at different times during
he season, the principal of which are
he Dorchester, Lawton, Wilson and the
K ittatinny The Dorchester, like the
Wilson, is an early variety. The canes
ire tall, erect and perfectly hardy The !