The Republican journal., 1869-03-18

The varying seasons bring their appro PIRATE
work. In this climate, the vernal equinox is
the set time for the hot-bed, which every fam
lily need for starting certain flower roots, early
vegetables, &c. Nothing is easier to make
and, if you have some Old sash on hand, cost
ing nothing but few boards-planks are bet
ter and nails. OF this make strong, tight
box, OF the size of the sash, two feet high
make pile of new horse manure, some two
feet thick, covering double the surface of the
box. and Inclinjng toward the noon-day sun
y IL degrees. Put on the box with the sas!.
banking it up we'll with more mature. That is
all. That excellent authority, the Agricultur-
ist, recommends to dig hole in the ground
the size OF the box, two feet deep, which fl
with the manure. This is no doubt best for
large beds; but our experience with small ones
Is, that the cold ground so cools the manure as
to prevent fermt ntatlon, and SO prevent the
formation Of heat. Cover the manure with six
inches OF light, rich soil, and wait TIL the tenn
perature sinks to high summer heat, or nearly
100 degrees by the thermometer, when The SOW
ing may be done. The great difficulty Is to re-
SCNCi VIE IlSuL temperature dlLer LnlS. TOI
this, much watching will be required-to re.
move The sash when too hot, and to cover with
mats, or some covering, when too cold. If YOU
wish to start plants which bear transpl planting
but poorly, as the cucumber, squash &c., we
have found planting them on sma. pieces OF
sods, grass side down, an excellent way. Yet
except to have it to say you have things it,
tie earlier, We think that, for this climate the
best treatment for these tender things Is tC
plant them in the open hill when the ground
gets warm-last of May or first OF June. For
more hardy plants, as early cabbages, &C., the
forcing system pays; but for starting early po-
tatoes, no plan is any better-none SO cheap
as to put them cut into half barrel, earth
strewed among them, we'll manured, and set
into fomenting manure heap. In two or three
weeks they will be large enough to set out
and will give new crop that much earlier. In
transplantlng them some care Is necessary,
their shoots being somewhat tender. Hence
some old barrel which falls to pieces on cutting
The hoops, greatly assists in that process.
ONIONS FOR POULTRY. 1t seems strange
that this esculent is SO little appreciated, not
only for use by the human family, but for poul-
try. Its curative properties do not seem to be
understood, or else are much underrated. And
as preventive also has no superior. A few
raw onions, chopped up fine aDd mixed with
the feed of young chickens act like tonic, and
are equally good for old fowls. The tops too
are good. We remember, long years ago, see
Ing an old maiden aunt chopping up onion tops
and slves for the young turkeys, deeming it a
certain specific against gapes, pip or other Ills
that fowldom is heir to. Three times week
Is not too often to give them q taste,-not
merely taste, but good bite also. Were the
use OF green food more common among poultry
raisers, we should hear of less cases of cholera,
roup, gapes, pip, &C. If sameness of food will
engender distaste and disease In man, why no:
IN lows! Feed your fowls as you do yourself.
Give them change, variety and give them on
ions. Rural New Yorker