St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1872-04-05
.farm, 6ardrn and Juusrhuld.

THINK ABOUT THE GARDEN Now
How often have we recommended to
those having sufficient ground for Il
garden. and especially farmers, to pay
increased attention to this important
appendage of family comfort. Farmers,
as a rule, are entirely too careless about
their gardens, their whole mind being
placed upon their cOrntields, stocks, etc
The women should in most cases be
competent and willing to take charge of
large portion of the labor necessary to
the proper cultivation of the garden, if
the men would prepare the ground to
their hands. Indeed, it is IL fact those
who pursue the cultivation of the soil
as their business, rarely enjoy garden
products in perfection, just because
they appear to insist upon the error
that they don't pay. Now is the time
to think about how the garden can be
enlarged and the number and quantity
of the crops increased The stuff can
also he got ready for the additional
fence, and the fence itself erected as
soon us the weather will permit. The
little hot-heds in which you raise your
tomato, cabbage and egg plants should
now he repaired and got ready for SOW
| ing the seed as soon AS the time arrives.
| One thing must be remembered that
tire should he no sparing of the under
laying stratum of horse manure in pre-
pairing the beds.
CELERY.-We know of no luxury
which can he so easily produced
which is SO neglected celery. There
is no reason why its culture should he
confined to the professional gardner, or
why it should be so scarce and so dear
i'll our villages. Heretofore the idea
has been obtained that it required I'M
usual treatment and attention, but it
may he cultivated as readily aS any
other crop. The seeds may be planted
on the surface of the soil, us early as
the frOstS are over in beds outOt-dOOrS.
The Young plants should he cut back
once or twice i'll the beds and before
transplanting, i'll order to induce Il
steady growth. They may he trans
planted into rows from the 18th to the
last of July. The secret of success is,
to keep the plants healthy and grow
ing, but not forward, until the nights
become cool. and in killing up gradual
ly. The plants should he six inches
ilill. anu htpN Ntll Ndltltt W dltl
between the rows, set out in rich soil.
do not hasten the growth early in the
season. draw the earth up to the plant
carefully. and you will have IL large.
crisp, handsome and dclcctallc vegeta-
bile.
DURATION OF VITALITY IN GRAIN.
A Young Farmer" inquiries if seed of
the different kinds of grain il year or
more old. will grow as well a> fresh
seed. oar answer would he. always
SOW seed as fresh as il can Ice had for
although some seed will gcrminatr after
it has been kept Years, Vet the>, are
exceptions. We do not know of any
distinct experiments on old and new
grain, except it he single trial which
we made i'll pots. Fresh seed wheat
WAS sown i'll pots i'll autumn. one inch
deep, and kept properly moist In AN
other pot subjected to the same temper
atnre and the sane degree of moisture.
Was sown wheat kept over one year.
In other pots, seed five Years old WAS
Sown under similar circumstances. The
first or fresh seed came up in eleven
days, the weather being rather cool
the second seed, one year old, came up
in thirteen days. The five wear seed
i'll the other pots came Up irregularll.
the first in eighteen days, and after
wards for nearly Il month. The grains
of all were counted when placed in the
earth. and the result was that all the
fresh seed grew; all or nearly all the
one year hut only one-halt the five
year old seed ever grew at all. From
these limited experiments We may in
fer that fresh seed is always the best
if only Il year old ii may do well. al
though the plants will hardly have the
vigor of the first; but seed several
Years old should he employed only for
preserving OF securing some desirable
variety. We hope some of our readers
will repeat the experiment Oh oats, bar
ley. &c, by accurately counting meas
uring depth, recording dates. &c.
country Gentleman.