Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1874-05-20
horticultural.
May on the Farm.

This is a busy month on the farm very
much of the success Of the year will depend
upon the activities Of May. The spring has
been so cold and backward that the plough.
ing, hauling out manure, and planting all
come together But If we take hold of it
with the right spirit the work will 90 ahead
hopefully. We need TO put brains and
mind into the work Intelligence lies at
the bottom Of it all, and we need not fear
that we shall bring any too much of it to
the simple operations of the farm. Knowl-
edge is power in farming as in everything
else. The man who knows the most, other
things being equal, will do the best and
gain the highest success.
The garden is one Of the FIRST things that
ought to command our attention. A good
garden helps out the family expenses won.
deriully. 1t is a mystery to US how any
farmer can be indifferent to it, and yet we
often notice that it is one Of the most neg.
lected spots on the farm Instead of re-
coiving the earliest thought aud labor in the
morning aud the latest at night, it looks,
in too many cases, as if it we're the last
thing to enter the head. Early and choice
vegetables are among the necessities Of the
farmers table, Of every table ia fact where
the health and comfort Of the family are
regarded. To provide healtbful food aud
enough Of it, is one Of the first duties Of
every head Of Il family And what is
healthlul food, we should like to know, if
it is not the fresh nice vegetables that are
raised in the gardeu2
The coarse meats, beef, pork, bacon aud
the common varieties Of potatoes, with
bread Of fair quality, will serve to keep a
family alive, to be sure but to keep per-
son in the glow of health and strength, and
physical and mental activity, something
more is needed There must be a variety
to tempt the appetite, not to mention the
Importance Of good cooking. Now every
farmer can raise all the choicest vegetables,
lettuce, radishes, early peas, asparagus, the
string boaus Of the garden, beets, carrots,
parsnips, cauliilowors, spinach aud many
other Indispensable garden plants and have
them on his tabcin abundance at cheaper
rate than anybody else Aud they save ia
the butchers bill They are vastly more
healthful, and if properly cooked aud served
up, they are more palatable than anything
else along through the spring and summer
months. We hope, therefore, the mere al.
fusion to this subject will commend it to the
good judgment Of every farmer, and that he
will lose no time in preparing to raise them
in abundance and of the highest quality.
We need hardly say anything in regard
to the value and importance also Of the
smaller fruits Wedo not think they should
be regarded as mere luxuries They GO
far to promote health. Children ia fam.
I lily ought to have strawberries freely, cost
what they will, and all the other small fruit,
in their season. And where can they be
raised easier or cheaper than in the farmer.
garden} They ought not to be reserved
for the tables Of the rich, who can aud will
/ pay any price for them. They are within
the easy reach Of every housekeeper who
has the control of few rods Of land. Cur.
rants are among the most healthiul Of oul
small irnits, and no amount Of painstakine
TO furnish them in perfection and in abuud
ance should be spared. We should fght
the currant worm, the birds and all Other
creeping and winged things, to provide Q
profusion Of currants. Raspberries also
are very easily raised, and will endure anC
flourish ina considerable shade. They MAY
not be so important as strawberries anC
currants, but still they are worth much
trouble to raise. lfany one one has neg
Inafrl 20 10 L..