Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1882-02-25
SUGGESTIONS FOR MARCH.
From the American Agricuturirt
FARM WORK FOR THE Hoxru

The surface water should be let off from the
grain and other fields before the ground is
entirely thawed- All drains require frequent
inspection, especially at this time when the ont
lets may be clogged by ice and snow Clover
seed may be sOwn this month. very even cast
can be obtained 10y sowing upon light fall Of
snow on a still day.
There will be larger quantities Of artificial
iertillzers used this spring, and an application
OF those of the right kind will in many cases
greatly benefit the crops receiving them. As a
caution we would say, buy no fertilizer without
knowing it to be as represented These are
speciai ana expensive manures, and should be
bought of responsible dealers (of whom there
are seVeral) and used erstandingly.
NOTES on ORCHARD AND GARDEN WORK.
We talk about ''spring work" But. unfortu-
nately, in this country. we have no spring at
least not the vernal season celebrated in English
poetry and prose as the connecting link between
winter and summer. five must foreyo the YER
hai season, we can md our compensation in an
autumn. the like of which Is not known in the
OLD world. Our transition from winter to sum-
mefi usually marked by some days-it NAV be
week or twO-Of the most uncertain and disa-
greeable weather OF the year, then summer at
once Iaiows: 1t is on account of this sudden
opening OF the growing season that we SO often
ADVISE the doing Of. everything that can be
properly done, in the fall Whether ones labor
Is in the orchard. the vineyard. the
hnlt garden or the vegetable or flower
garden, no matter how much he may have done
the previous autumn, he will find that the work
OF our brief spring will come upon him sud
denly, and that host of things will crowd
themselves upon his attention. and all demand
ing to be done at once. In the press of work at
the opening OF the season it is possible to do
some Things too soon. One is often tempted to
put in the pillow or spade too soon in preparing
the land for early crops. This is case in which
one can follow the old injunctiOn-"make haste
slowly" If the soil does not crumble as it falls
before the pillow or from the spade. but is pasty
and is left with smooth surface, then wait.
III the waiting seems too long, consider if drains
will not help the matter next year. An
other work that is often done too soon is
tree planting. We advise the ordering of trees
early, and the sooner they are received the bet
Ter, out they need not be set out too early. In
taking up the trees they lose a good share of
their roots. and those roots that remain are not
yet established and in working order or, as the
gardeners say, have not got hold of the SOIL"
Many forget that a tree is quite different from q
post or stake. II young tree is planted and
exposed TO the drying winds of March its buds
and the bark are seriously affected: drying goes
on, and the roots are not yet ready to supply the
moisture needed to make up for this loss: hence
many really good trees are actually dried to
aea,h or seriously injured. and the nurseryman
Is blamed. 1t is far better to hee-in the trees
untli the season OF growth is at hand. even if
the buds swell somewhat while they are in the
trenches, than to subject them to "a struggle
Tor existence of this kind.
ORCHARD AND NURSERY
In planting an orchard the ground should be
prepared by thorough blowing. manurine, etc.
in much the same way as for the sowing of
wheat Or any other field crop A profitable Or
chard requires that much care be taken in pre-
pairing the land for the trees The list of trees
UIaQfPd ShOnl0 have hpnu do boz,
this and sent to the nurserymen. to insure early
attention and also the getting of the better
sorts, the supply of which may not equal the
demand II the trees arrive before the time for
planting they may be kept with safety by heel
ing them in-that is, placing the roots in a
trench and covering them temporarily with soil.
Care should be'taken that the labels do not get
lost 1t is well to separate the varieties and
give stake to each with the name written
upon it. 1t must be remembered that MANY
of the roots have been broken bv the removal
OF the trees from the nursery SOIL and the
growing trees will have less capacity for
absorbing nOurishment for some time: there
iofe the evaporating surface of the top of
lshed. There is no rule to guide in the cutting
OIL OF the branches, but it is ALWAYS saf., to cut
away One-third of the shoots and. if the roots
have boon badly broken, more than this NAV be
necessary: There are number of methods of
setting the trees; that which ia STYLED tho
Quincunx is preferred by many orchar,iists. Nv
this method each tree is in the center of circle
OF Blk other trees. After the orchard ia
set. map should be made on which the DO
sitlon OF each tree. with its variety. is given.
Inc trees in old orchards will need attention;
some OF them may have broken limbs which
should be trimmed away. Girdled trees will
neeu 10 be banked with earth, or CRAFTS NAV be
USED to join the growing layer above the wound
With that below. Pruning can be carried on until
the sap starts; all large wounds should he
do of
beeswax and rOsin, and two parts of tallow
melted and thoroughly mixed together The
wax Is to be applied in melted state, and
when 1t hardens protecting coat is formed
Much good may be done to old orchards by re
moving the decaying scales of bark that clinr
to the trunks and larger limbs at the same time
destroying multitudes of the eggs and chrysalides
OF various insect pests. After the scrapinr. the
trees may receive a washing of thin home
made soft soap. Grating lie one of those opera
tons that every orchardist should be familiar
with. but detailed description of it requires 50
much space that it is not best for US to treat the
subject fully each year. The nursery trees that
We're budded last summer will need attention.
All above the bud must be removed that the
young shoot may have the whole nourishment
supplied by the roots. Cut away the old stock
not closer than one-half inch from the new
branch
THE FRUIT GARDEN.
We trust that many fruit gardens will be-
started this spring, Select warm piece OF
ground conveniently near the house for gather
ering the fruits and protection from trespassers
The soil should be rich deep and mellow: in
short, a fruit garden should have the best soil
that can be found. A list Of the best sorts of
grapes, raspberries, blackberries, Strawberries.
currants and gOOseberries were given
last month, 80 that the selections MIGHT
be made early, and the desired plants Or
dered in time to receive the best attention from
the nurserymen. The planting is to be done 80
soon as the grounds settled Biackberries and
raspbcrries start very early aud it is best to set
them In the fall but very early in spring will do
The canes that grow this year will produce the
fruit next season. Every farmer should grow all
the grapes the family requires, and for this it is
not necessary to have a large vineyard. A few
vines we'll kept in some Out-Of- the-way place
Will bring large returns for care bestowed upOn
them. Grapes need good soil and attention in
pruning II one has no grape vines we should
advise him to get a few this spring, and then
take care Of them.
THE KITCHEN AND MARKET GARDEN
The cold frame plants, that is, those that were
wintered in frames should go into the garden as
soon as the soil is tit to work. The cabbage
cauiifOwer and lettuce are the three Ieadin,,
kinds OF plants that are kept in frames and
planted out early. The plants NAV be hardened