Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1880-04-24
Hints for May Work,
American A9ricnltnrist. I


porlant Work first, and leave undOne those
things which may be done almost as well bye
and Dye. AS We sow so do We reap. and as this
Is tne month OF sowing, the work now Will In
great measure determine what the harvest of
the year shall be. Keep pushing on, but with
plan.
LABoR.-It must be admitted by every one
familiar with farm work. that the labor prob
lem Is difficult one. and Ii may fairly, from
its importance. claim the first constitution In
deciding upon the planet la1, Of operations opera for the
turn profit, II the labor In their production
has not been well planned One OF the most
important advantages obtained from a syste-
matte rotation OF crops, consist in the judicious
distribution OF labor throughout the year so
that there may not be a surplus at one time
and deficiency at another that viii require
the employing or extra hands at the highest
wages.
MANGELS may be sOwn early this month. Our
practice has been to SOW In drills 80 inches
apart, using six pounds OF seed per acre. lib
efa1 supply OF st ed Is required TO secure an even
stan d, and the plants should be thinned by
striking broad hoe directly across the drills so
that single plants wiz stand ~ to l6 apart.
Root crops are often failure from defective
thinning.
CLovER.-An early rolling OF clover to settle
roots that have been raised by frost will be eS-
pecially appropriate after the open winter Just
6assed. ru,y pvupus OF slaster ner acre "a" ',.m
often have as good effect as the larger doses OF
lee and 200 lbs. that are recommended. Wood
ashes on many soils win be found an useful ap-
plicatiOn.
MEADOws--Pick up any stones that may have
been raised above the surface from the action of
frost. The roller may be used TO bring the sur
face into good shape for the mower. Meadows
are frequently injured by the tread of cattle
before the ground is fairly settled. The grazing
OF meadows In spring is at the expense of the
hay crop. II Is better to keep cattle In the barn
until the pastures are ready TO furnish them
full ration.
JERUSALEM ART1CHokEs are growing In favor:
they are reliShed by nearly all domestic ami
mails. They may be left in the ground all win
ter, and when dug in early spring are crisp and
fresh and the most acceptable change In the
feed The round, short variety called . Brazil
IAN Is best. The seed is cut the same as pota-
toes, burrows made , feet apart. and the pieces
dropped about 12 or Is inches apart In the fur
row and covered with few inches OF earth.
SHEEP-Sheep should be tagged before turn
Ing out to grass. Dry ewes may be fattened
and marketed as soon as possible. Lambs that
are for early market Will need the best OF care
and extra iced. The good shepherd VIII look
well to his flock, and count it every day, so that
no animal may get strayed FAR away and lost.
The best way TO Kill ticks is to dip the lambs
shortly after the sheep are sheared In tobacco
water TO which sulphur is added.
WASHING SHEEP.-A deduction OF about one
third is made by the wool buyers for all I'M
is properly done Take it ali in all 1t is best
10 wash the sheep, though there may be cases
where 1t Is not convenient, eXpedient, Or even
safe.
GRATING can be done now, but great care is ne
ceSSary- AS the bark peelS easily at this season it
should be cut through with a knife, and the saw
made to follow the cut, otherwise the bark may
be peeled and a bad wound made. 1t is not
best to remove all the buds from the stock be-
fore the graft starts, as there Will then be no
inducement for the sap 10 flow upwards. After
the union OF the graft is made and the buds
upon 1t have started, all those upon the stock
below should be removed, in order that the
graft may have the full supply of sap.
''woTmS," which Will begin at once their raw
ages upon the foliage. fortunately these de-
stIuctiye caterpillars put up "a sign,7 without
which they might escape notice. They pitch
their tents" at once, and though these at first
are small. they may be readily seen In the early
morning when the dew makes them cOnSpicu-
Gus. Take the tent when the whsle family is
cat home" and crush 1t under foot Various
devices are suggested for this, but the hand,
with or without glove. is the best. For the
higher limbs pole with swab attached may
be used.
CURCUL1o of the plum stings the fri 1t while it
Is quite small. The trees should bt Jared In
early morning, beginning when they are lust
passing out OF flower, and the sluggish beetles
caught on sheet opened beneath the tree for
the purpose. Afterwards those caught On the
sheet should be burned.
BORERs Their presence Is known by the
sawdust they make. The only efectual method
or reaching them is by probing with a wire cut
ting the tree with knife as little as may be
found necessary.
PLANTING IN ORCHARDs-There is a general
reluctance TO give up the soil OF the orchard en-
t1rely TO the trees. While the orchard is young
II is best to cultivate il thoroughly, and no j
crops, like potatoes roots &c, can be grown as
present pay for the trouble, but as The ire =
get Older and shade the ground, nothing Ell -
but fruit should be expected from the orchard
II Is good practice TO pasture hogs In the ORCH
ard IN clover sown for the purpose, as il is one
or The best methods or enr1ching the soil and at
The same time deSl roying insects.
FRUIT GARDEN.
BLACkBERRIES AND RASPBERRIES may still be
PLANTED but as They start early they should IA e
been set before this. Stakes or trellises should
be provided 10 which the canes are to be Sc
cured. NoyiceS fail 10 understand that IL is the
Dew canes that grow this year that are To bear
the fruit the peXJ season. Ali suckers are 10 be
treated as weeds unless new plants are desired,
when the best ones may u saved.
GRAPEs.-One healthy vigorous cane upon a
newly-set vine is enough. Tie It up securely 20
support. Vines are trained so variOusIy that
SPECIFIC directions can hot be given. Whatever
the method OF training, IL should keep In view
and provide for the crop OF next year. Generally
the fruit-beariDg shoots for the present year
should be stopped that Is, have their further
growth IN length prevented, by pinchlng of The
end OF the shoot at one, two or three leaves be-
yond the uppermoSt cluster or grapes: this
should be done very early. as soon as the clus-
tiers OF buds (often mistaken for young grapes)
and the young leaves can De distinctly seen.
MARKETING FRCIT.-PrOyide all the appliances
OF quick and proper marketing before the fruit
Is ready. SO much depends upon the appear
ance OF the fruit at The market that neatnesS
and care In so packing it that ii VIII show at It's
best Will pay. Caution should be given to the
pickerS that no over-ripe fruit be put into the
basket or crates. II the distance to market is
considerable the fruit should be In less mature
state than when the market Is but a short dis
lance away. Watch the market.
KITCHEN AND MARKET GARDEN.
WORK is apt 10 come with q rush; there are so
many different things to attend TO. that unless
the work Is properly planned. much time will be
lost. III happens with many who make change
OF residence, that they can not begin gardening
until the flrSt OF May. These have been Obliged
10 delay the planting OF those crops that should
be put In so soon as the soil Will permit and will
be somewhat behindhand: but with extra effort
and that at once, they may be able TO get
abreast with the season with most OF the vege-
tables OF the garden.
ASPARAGUS should be cut with a strong
round pointed knife, and with care that the
Ie1ghbor1ng younger shoots or buds may not be
injured Cut the bed clean, leaving no small
shoots TO grow how.
, BEANS--Plant the bush sorts In drills IS IN
cheS apart as soon as there is no danger OF frost
The LimaS are not 70 go In until the cold rains
are over and the ground Well warmed Set the
poles feet apart, and afterwards plant / or
beans TO each pole. thruSting the seeds into the
soil with the eye downward. See that the poles
are firmly set.
EGG PLANTS-NOthiDg is gained by setting
plants In open ground until warm weather sets
In Push them with a good supply OF rich ma
LIQUID manure USpi vii