Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-01-04
Work for JanuarY.


The preparations commenced in the fall
for the new crop should now be pressed
forward with vigor and every advantage
taken of the favorable spells of weather.
AS none can tell what a day may bring
forth it is best to be prepared for every
emergency. The uncertainty of the sea-
son at planting time usually causes a
good deal of labor to be spent in vain, and
this experience ought to give caution
against planting too early. Those who
can afford that risk may do so, often to
great advantage In the early markets, but
the general crops are too important not to
be planted on a safe basis. January
should find the farm already in order for
the new year, its fences righted up, its
soil broken and mellowing for the coming
spring, its low lands drained and its hill
sides ditched for the preservation Of the
surface soil; but if these have not been
done, vigorous work may still bring order
out of chaos and put things under fair
way before it is too late. AS there are no
field crops to be planted north of Florida
during this month, having put the fields
in order, farmers may give more attention
to the kitchen garden, which comes next
in Importance, and may now receive Eng
lish peas, onions, lettuce, beets, cOllards,
radishes, leeks and early cabbages. Straw
berries may also be set out, and raspber-
ries, where they are worth growing.
Cabbages. lettuce and beets, to be set
out now, must have obtained good, sub
stantial growth to Withstand the cold in
Middle and South Georgia, but in Florida
even the seeds may be planted if little
covering is used in case of unusual frost.
During this month prepare the ground
for Irish potatoes, to be planted in Feb
ruary, by opening the trenches and put
ting in the manure. If they partially fill
up it will be all the better, as you will
then have to reopen them with shallow
furrow and thus stir and mix the manure
with the soil and turn up moist soil to re-
ceive the cuttings.
The melon patch should also be pre-
pared in advance for the same reasons.
If the compost is thrown down in small
heaps at the crossings of the burrows
where the vines are to grow, it will get
mixed or leak into the soil and put il in
nuC COHUAGAOn W PAdHIAh5
In the orchard pruning may be done
with safety and should by no means be
neglected, as many of the trees will prob
ably be blooming in February and should
be pruned before the sun rises. As rule,
large limbs should not be severed, but ia
peach trees it is sometimes necessary in
order to preserve the life Of the tree and
force it to produce good fruit. Twlg pru-
ming is generally sufficient and should al
ways be resorted to where the trees are
burdened with a superabundance Of fruit
buds. If to be cultivated in other crops
plow the orchard shallow in our light
sandy soils, especially when approaching
near the trees, and keep all small grain
out of 1t unless you intend to follow the
! crop at once with heavy coating of ma
! nure.
In the flower garden the beds should be
4 freshly Ioosed up with a fork during
warm spell of weather, and manure mixed
| in, wherever fine flowers are expected to
grow; while dahlia, tuberOse and other
dubious roots, not in state of growth,
should be taken out, if in old soil, and
treated to new soil, well mixed with good
compost properly decOmposed. Cuttings
mag be taken of roses, duitzas, spirears,
geraniums and numerous other towering,
outdoor and box plants, and successfully
rooted, if properly shielded from the cold
and kept moist.
Old strawberry beds should now be
lightly fOrked over and, if necessary,
| freshly MANFRED. If the plants are perched
| on ridOas from which the soil has been
beaten down by the rain, it must by all
means be restored before crop of berries
can be expected.