West-Jersey pioneer., 1872-05-10
WORK FOR MAY.

WORK FOR MAY.
CORN PLANTING.-The ground should
be in good order. Never plant on wet, cold
soil, but wait until it is dry enough to pull
verize. A few days spent in narrowing and
rolling the ground, will tell to good effect
in the fall crop, also in tho ease of tending
the corn. Get the best seed. Itnever pays
to plant anything else. But the variety
must be determined by the character of the
soil. If the soil is heavy lean with clay
sub-soil, and in high state of cultivation,
as grow big stalks and heavy ears. If the
soil is light and comparatively poor, plant
a variety that grows small stalks and forms
setts near the ground, and ripens earlier
The ears will not be as big, bat you can
plant it closer than the larger varieties and
the ears will be more numerous. The yield
will be greater and of better quality than
from the large varieties planted under the
deep. Two inches is better than four All
seeds and plants to germinate require air
and warmth. Have the ground mellowed
to good depth, SO that the roots may strike
down as the season advances, but do not
bury the seed SO deep that the warm sun
and air cannot WOO it into life.
A handful of prepared manure, dropped
in the hill at planting, pays larger per
centage of profit in the crop. If your land
is rich enough to produce a good yield, this
is OF value in warming and feeding it in its
early growth but if the land is poor, by
dressing in the hill and good culture you
may get very good ears in the fall, while if
neglected there will be only nubbins This
hill dressing must be saved during the en-
tire year by gathering up, composing, mix
ing hen manure, wood ashes &c. We
hear farmers complain of the expense of
guano and phosphates. To be sure they
cost teo much and should never be de-
pended on, only to splice out. You must
make your own manure.
SWEET PoTAToEs.-Where the soil is suf-
ficiently light and dry, this is paying crop.
The difficulty, most felt, is to find sufficient
manure. AS they require fine manure, it
must be thoroughly composted and pre-
pared during the fall, winter and early
spring We have found by mixing mari
with stable or barn yard manure, and COM
posting them together, better fertilizer is
obtained than the manure alone. By this
method the quantity of manure can be
doubled, and at less expense than to 60 to
the towns or cities for supply.
Examine your plants when taken from
the hot-bed to see that they are not effected
the least taint, they are worthless. The
plant may not die, but it will not produce
potatoes fit for market
Have your hills fresh made and set the
plants in the latter part of the day, before
shower if you can. Should the weather
be dry, they will require watering. To do
this, have cask on wagon, and drive it
near by. Take bucket and tin-cup. Let
one go-ahead and make the hole, drop in
the plant and press little dirt around the
roots. Then follow with about gill of
water to each plant. This will wet the dirt
and settle it about the fibres of the plant.
Let another follow in few minutes,
Strengthening up the plants and filling in
with dry dirt. By this process the roots
will be kept moist until they fasten their
fibres in the SOIL and unless the weather re-
mains dry for long time not one in hnn-
dred will die. This process of watering
plants, holds true for beets, cabbage, and
everything transplanted. Never fill in the
dirt entire, and pour water on the top. The
roots are not wet by such practice, but
crust is formed which closes the pores of
the soil, and starves the plant preventing
the growth. If it ever becomes necessary
to water on the top of the ground, let it be
done in the evening, and follow with the
hoe the next morning, breaking the crust.
Do not be in hurry to get your sweet
potatoes in, from the middle to the last of
the month is soon enough. If put in ear
lier the frost may cut them down, or the
cold prevent growth until black rot de-
stroyed them.
TOMATOES. culture of this crop is
so general that we need not dwell upon it
at length. To insure a good yield the ground
must be thoroughly mellowed to good
depth. Manure in the hill, and plant in
rows five feet apart each way. The plants
should have been started in the early spring
in cold frames, or in hot-bed. If raised
in the open ground they will be so late that
the fall frosts will cut short the crop. ~
Peppers, gg-plants, &C., should not be
put in the ground before the last ten days
of the MONTH
All kinds Of beans should be creased be-
fore plantinyR insure them against decay.
If they are not creased, and there should
be cold storm after planting before they
sprout, they will be very apt to rot.
FRUIT TREES should be carefully watched.
Young trees set, and the bark on growing
orchards, well washed with Carbolic soap,
and the rough bark scraped off, borers
searched for, and the Larvae of insects de-
stroyed.
ROOT CRoPs.-Farmers begin to see the
Importance Of growing beets, carrots, and
turnips for their stock. This is the month
to start them. Turnips, however, can be
produced later. Mangols and carrots should
be sown the last of this month. Rut-a-bagas,
in June or July. Flat turnips, not before
July.-N. j. Farmer.
Mind Your Own Business.