The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1877-05-07
THE FARM AND HOUSEHOLD.
Farm Hints for May.

Farm Hints for May.
Corn-In cultivating this crop the main
points of success are: to plant on freshly
stirred soil, the sooner after blowing the bet
ter; using some active fertilizer in the kill or
drill, like Peruvian guano, or blood fertilizer;
plant only well selected and sound seed; and
if the ground is hard or baked, begin to Gull
tiVate before the young plant is seen. In the
garden, some early kinds may be planted be-
fore it would be safe to do so in the field.
Drills are better than hills, let them be three
or four feet apart, and the seeds about six
inches. Wash the seed in warm water
mixed with fresh pine tar, and then dry in
plaster; when planted it will rarely be
touched by cut worms, and if there are no
worms in the soil, the crows will not disturb
the corn.
Clover-It pays to sow hundred pounds
of gypsum on clover fields; and when the
land is poor, to put on the same amount of
guano, or eighty pounds of high grade mu-
rate Of potash. The seed of the second
cutting will pay for the outlay.
Manure-The manure in yards should be
protected from washing. The piles should be
be made square en- the sides, and fat and
dishing on the top. If they heat and be-
come dry for want of rains, they should be
turned over and also thus made finer.
Potatoes BY early planting the attacks of
the Colorado beetle will be less dangerous.
Paris green is safe and sure remedy. De-
woes is pures article, and when obtained in
the original packages of fourteen pounds, it
will afford supply for several farmers.
Beans-An acre of beans yielding twenty
five bushels, returns more profit at $500,
than many other crops requiring more labor.
Plant the last of themonth, or early in June,
or an early moved clover field. The drills
should be about thirty inches apart, and the
beans about three. Cover not more than
two inches deep.
Brood Mares-We recommend moderate
work and gentle driving, rather than idleness.
Keep them in perfect health in roomy and
loose stalls where there is no danger of injury,
and they may be safely used until day or
two before foaling. Bran, ground oats, lin
seed oil-cake meal, or few chopped ruta-
bagas, will be good food. Give one pint of
raw linseed oil when gentle purgative is
needed, but no salts.
Cows and Calves-Before turning them out
to pasture in the morning, give the usual dry
feed; bring them up early in the afternoon
and give the same feed with roots. Two
ounces of EPSON salts given to calves and
yearlings for two days before pasturing may
prevent harm.
Planting Fruit Trees-When the bark is
dry and shrivelled by exposure, bury the en-
tire tree in sandy soil for few days, and it
will be restored. If long white shoots have
grown from heat, cut back each branch to
bud not thus grown out
Mulch all trees, especially the late planted.
The benefits of mulching arise from protect
ing the soil from the heat of the sun and too
much evaporation, while not excluding the
rainfall. The ground is kept loose also, and
yet weeds cannot grow. Marsh hay, salt or
fresh, straw or cornstalks make good mulch;
SO do leaves, tan or saw-dust. Small stones
are sometimes used with good results.
Grating should now be done with care, as
injury may result from the slipping of the
bark. Apple and pear trees can be safely
grated when in full bloom.
To destroy borers cut them out OF the tree
or dig them out with wire-sawdust or a
depression in the bark, sho US their presence.
As the only sure remedy for curculios jar the
tree early in the day when they are inactive,
and destroy them as they fall.
The small fruits like currants and goose
berries, may be protected from the worm by
using powdered hellebore directly on the
leaves, or stirring two ounces in pailful of
water. Scald it first in little hot water and
fill up with cold. A few applications at suit
able intervals will prove destructive.
After strawberries blossom the sooner they
are mulchsd the better, in order that they
may be kept moist and clean. 1t pays to
apply guano before rain while the fruit is
growing.
Grapes may still be set-grow only single
shoot the first year and keep it tied up. The
rose-Dug is the most troublesome early insect
on the vine and must be caught and killed.
Early in the morning 1t can be shaken off
into dish of water. Whenever mildew is
indicated by grayish spots on the under
side of the leaf use the sulphur-bellows.
The May number of the American Agricul-
turist contains several columns of valuable
information and advice in the different depart
ments of husbandry, the cream of which will
be found in the above article.