American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1875-04-10
Spring Work:

As soon as the frost has left the
ground and the soil has become settled
unless this work has been done in the
fall-,he ground should be raked clear
of trash, preparatory to spreading ma
nure and blowing or digging the beds.
Wherever the soil is sandy the earth be
comes firm before the frost is out; but
on all loans and other tat land the soil
aiwavs remains soft until the frost is en-
tirely gone. Wait, therefore, until the
earth is firm under the feet before you
commence and then make all ready for
work.
One serious mistake with those who
have not Intimately studied the nature
of soils is, that, in their eagerness to
have their crops early, they pillow or dig
while YET the ground is too wet. This
should never be done until the soil is
thoroughly friable, or will crumble
easily between the fingers. When it
will compact into n firm mass upon
being squeezed in the hands let it
alone for you may do mischief that can
not be repaired in years. Remember, a
lumpy garden-plat will cost you double
the labor that one will friable and disn-
tegrable; and it will be lumpy, or fria-
BILE, according as it is worked wet or dry.
Therefore, wnen it is rig mt, seize the OPP
pOrtuhi'y to get 1t ready for planting.
From the lawn rake all trash, of what
soever kind-dead grass, leaves, sticks,
ctc.-as soon as the sod becomes firm
enough to bear the feet /; and if the sur
face is at all rough rub it repeatedly with
| a narrow roller, such as may be drawn by
one or two men. Clean off the graveled
roads and walks, raking the surface
toward the center from each gutter,
leaving the larger gravel along the
| crown. Then finish with the roller.
| Thus you may have all tidy about the
place, and the sun, when it does come,
will soon start the young grass into
| greenness.
If the tulip and hyacinth beds and
| those containing other hardy perennial
bulbs have been covered with mulch dur
ing the winter, as they should have been,
| remove the covering as early as possible
unless you wish to retard their growth
and this is not, of course, advisable,
| since the object is to get them in bloom
as early as possible.
| Cut out a few pretty beds for flowers
| in the hollow portion of the corners of
the walks, where you may mass bedding
plants and annual flowers; for they are
| all the more charming if you come upon
them unexpectedly. A little time spent
| in beauiifying the grounds is well spent
it not only adds to the charm of the house
but endears the children to it's pleasant
precincts. Happy the man who owns a
| home to make pleasant and beautiful
| The one who does own home and neg
lects TO beautify it deserves but little OF
his fellows and nothing of pOsterity.
| Seeding small grains seasonably is
seeding them early. If upon land fall
plowed, as they always should be if pos
sible, then, just as soon as the frost
leaves the ground sufficiently so that the
| harrow, the drill, or the broadcast seedel
can work without striking frost, work
| early and late to get in the crop But
says one, you have told us that land
worked when wet will bake and
become lumpy Yes, after the frost
for the subsequent freezing and thawing
set all right again.
Some years since, a farmer in Central
Illinois worked a large farm that was
| not subdivided by division fences, ex-
cept one through the middle of the farm
and one on each side. These were a
mile apart, and consequently the fields
there were four of them-contained i
section of land each. He had been get
| ting in his wheat at such times since the
goth of February as the frost would per
nit. His neighbors-some OF them-had
| prophesied all kinds of bad luck. Ii
would freeze out, or drown out, or blast
or at any rate come up weak. One day
while engaged overseeing powerma
| chine SOWING ana string OF teams mar
rowing, the following dialogue occurred
between himself and Il neighbor who
was passing by:
Meadowman, what on airth are you
doin' there? Sowin' wheat? It'll freeze,
| won't it:'
"If | thought it would, | should not
SOW it until the frost was well out anu
the ground settled"
won't the ground bake?'
mo, think not, if 1t freezes again
and it probably will"
" But won't the seed rot2'
| of course it will"
"Then what in the name of goodness
are you sowin' for"
Because on the earth is the proper
place to SOW it. Did you ever get crop
without the seed had first rotted?"
Well-n-o; but, of course, / didn't
mean that. But, really, is it right to
SOW spring wheat in the winter?-foI
they say you sowed some in February
som if l said yes and left it at that
you would not be convinced. Come and
sec"