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Digitized by the Internet Archive

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THE COUNTRY HOME

THE COUNTRY HOME

MONTH BY MONTH

A Guide to
EDWARD

Country Living
BY

IRVING pARRINGTON

For seven years editor of "Suburban Life," Author of "The Home Poultry Book," Practical Garden Maker, Bee Keeper and Poultry Raiser, Etc.

daily reminder of duties to be performed, together with detailed and accurate directions for carrying out the various operations. All the activities of the country home and farm competently covered, with due regard for geographical

and climatic conditions.

ILLUSTRATED FROM PHOTOGRAPHS

CHICAGO

LAIRD

&.

LEE,

Inc.,

PUBLISHERS

Copyright ip 15

By
Laird & Lee, Inc.

MAR 29 1915

CI.

39732 3

FOREWORD

WITH
right time.
in

painful recollections of the

many

occasions on

which the author has remembered things to be done

just too late to

do them,

this

book has been written

with an intent to help others in doing the right things at the

Duties crowd so hard in the country, especially

Spring and Summer, that

many

of

them

are inevitably over-

looked, unless one has a working

This volume

is

designed as a

memorandum at his elbow. ready-made memorandum book

of the twelve.

for ready reference each

month

Yet

it is

more

than merely a monthly reminder, for detailed and,

let us trust,

accurate directions for carrying out the more important operations, are given.
It is

not claimed that the author has actually

participated in all the activities described, for they cover a

very wide range; yet

much

of the book

is

based on personal

experience and the best authorities have been drawn upon

for the rest, with

due allowance for geographical and climatic

therefore, the

conditions.
sincere

Now,
it

book

is

sent on

its

way

in the

hope that

will prove a reliable guide post to those

who

tread the pleasant paths of country living, and in the belief

that, at least, it will not lead

anyone
[v]

astray.

E.

I.

F.

CONTENTS
PAGE

APPENDIX JANUARY

223
11

Outdoor Work of the Month Greenhouse and Window Garden Stable and Livestock An Important Poultry Month

13
15

16
18

FEBRUARY
Midwinter Pruning Greenhouse and Window Garden Stable and Livestock In the Poultry Yard

25 25
31

33
35

MARCH
Greenhouse and Window Garden Outdoor Garden Work Stable and Livestock A Busy Month for the Poultryman

43

49
50

56
58

APRII Around the Grounds

In the Vegetable Garden In the Flower Garden Orchard and Fruit Garden

65 66
67
70
72

Greenhouse and Window Garden April Poultry Work Livestock and Bees

jy

79 84

MAY
In the Flower Garden

89 90 94 98
joi

The Vegetable Garden

Livestock and Poultry

The Month's Work with Bees

[vi]

CONTENTS
JUNE
Orchard and Small Fruits In the Flower Garden In the Vegetable Garden Livestock and Poultry Work with the Bees

vii

PAGE
107

in
114
115

118

120
125

JULY
Orchard and Fruit Garden In the Flower Garden Work in the Vegetable Garden Greenhouse and Window Garden Stable and Livestock In the Poultry Yard Work with the Bees

129

130
133 135

136
139

142
147 148 149

AUGUST
Orchard and Small Fruits Work in the Flower Garden In the Fruit Garden In the Vegetable Garden The Month's Work in the Greenhouse Livestock and Stable In the Poultry Yard

152
152 154
155 155
"

SEPTEMBER
Table of Perennials In the Vegetable Garden Greenhouse and Window Garden General Farm Work Work in the Orchard Work in the South Stable and Livestock In the Poultry Yard In the Apiary

163
165
171

172
173

174

175
175

176 177
181

OCTOBER
the Flower Garden Greenhouse and Window Garden
in

Work

183

184

viii

CONTENTS
PAGE
in

Work

the Fruit Garden

185

General Farm Work Stable and Livestock In the Poultry Yard Bee Work

187

188
189
192

NOVEMBER
Greenhouse and Window Garden Stable and Livestock In the Poultry Yard

97 203 206

207
211

DECEMBER
Greenhouse and Window Garden Livestock and Stable Poultry Work

213 217 219

APPENDIX
Experiment Stations Period of Gestation-Animals
223
.

224 224 224

225 226

Incubation Period Standard Weights of Poultry Cornell Ration for Egg-Production Planting Tables for Flowers and Vegetables Distance Table for Vegetables Plants Required to Set an Acre at Various Distances Seed Tables Quantities to Acre Time Required for Garden Seeds to Germinate

Op.

....

226 226
227 228

Weight and

Size of

Garden Seeds

228
229

Maturity Table for Vegetables Analyses Fruits and Fruit-Plants Analyses of Materials Used for Fertilizer Weights and Measures Used in the U. S Spraying Calendar

229 230 230 232

JANUART
Piped a tiny voice hard
by,

Gay and polite,

a cheerful cry,

Chic-chic-a-dee-dee

Happy

meet you in these places, Where January brings new faces.

to

THE COUNTRY HOME

JANUARY
JANUARY
month
living.
is

the planning month, the catalogue month, the

for plotting the garden, sharpening the tools,

making

repairs, the

month
is

for reading a

few good books on country

It is

There

no time for idling, even in January.

is

undeniable, of course, that there

doors.

little

work

to

do out of
ice,

Yet

the evergreens

must be kept

free of

snow and
stock

in order that they

may

not break down.

The

must be
out-

given an airing and on

side jobs

warm

days there are always

little

suckers
clear, as

to clean off the apple trees, litter to burn,

walks to

much

open-air exercise as a

man

needs to send

the blood coursing through his veins.

It is really

important to make up the order for seeds and

plants early.

When

the season

is

well advanced the seedsmen

business, there will be

and nurseries

will be

swamped with

more delay and the likelihood of mistakes will be multiplied.

It

pays to make a diagram at the same time

in

not a
floor, if

little dia-

gram

your notebook, but a large, workable diagram on a

sheet of

wrapping paper.

Spread
[ii]

it

on the

you have

12

THE COUNTRY HOME

but draw the diagram to
scale.
it.

to,

Then draw
Put

a line for each

crop and write the

name

against

berries,

rhubarb and

asparagus where they will be out of the way.

Plot your corn

and other

tall

vegetables so that they will not shade the low-

growing kinds.

Use

a planting table

and plan a succession of

all

short season crops, in order that

the garden.

you may make the most of

To
is

paraphrase a shopworn saying, the

is

way

to

have a good garden

to

mix system with your

to

fertilizer.

January

none too early

is

order hotbed sash.

The
to

cheapest plan

to

buy unpainted and unglazed sash and

it

order the glass by the box, setting

plates which have been discarded

yourself.

Photographic

may

be used to advantage.
a putty

The emulsion
knife.

is

easily

removed with hot water and

Although costing more, the double glass sash are certainly

preferable to the more

common

kind, as no mats or shutters

are needed, even in the

dead of Winter.

They

are heavy,

though, and

it is

well for women, at least, to order what are

termed "pony"
lation

sash.

They

are just half the size of the regu-

3x6

sash

and much

easier to handle.
is

Painting the garden tools

a piece of

work which may

well be undertaken in January.

red or white band around

the handles of the smaller tools will

easier, if

make

finding them

much

they are mislaid in the garden or dropped in the grass.

Also, tools

marked

in this fashion are

more certain

to be re-

JANUARY
turned when borrowed.

In some neighborhoods the borrowing

habit becomes a nuisance, and good gardeners

to place their initials
little tin stencil

make

it

a point

on
to

all their tools.

It is

easy to

make

a
a

and

burn the
is

letters into the

wood with

hot poker.

Another plan
it

to clean a small spot

initials are

on the metal

and cover

with wax, in which the

made with

nail, the letters

then being filled with nitric acid.

all the

It

pays to have racks or hooks for

garden tools and to

put them where they belong after they have been used.
a weary search
is

Many
to.

avoided when

this practice

is

adhered

OUTDOOR WORK OF THE MONTH

Grapes and other small
in all parts of the country. fruits

may

be pruned this month

Many
know

amateurs neglect their grapejust

vines because they do not

how

to trim them.

The

advanced methods of the professional grower may not be

adopted, but in order to get satisfactory results the vines

should be cut back each season.

grapes bear on

Let

it

be remembered that

wood

of the present season, which grows from

canes of the previous season.

Each year

several of the best

canes should be selected and cut back to three eyes, the rest of
the

wood being
eyes.

cut away.

The

crop will be borne on canes

from those

When
proper to

the vines are trained over an arbor or pergola,

let the

it is

main

stalk or trunk

grow until

it

reaches the

14

THE COUNTRY HOME

but the canes which shoot from
it

top,

should be cut back to the

three-eye limit each Winter.

Then

the vine will bear an abun-

dance of fruit while also providing the desired shade.

very
little

With

work, a number of grapevines

may

be kept in excel-

lent bearing condition.

The grape

is

a crop which the amateur

may
a

be practically sure of after the third year.

Raspberries and blackberries bear on last year's

wood and
This not

good January job

is

cutting

away

the old canes.

only opens up the plants, but also gets rid of insect pests and
fungi which

may have found lodgment on may

also be

them.
hill.

Three

to six

new

canes should have been grown in each

Currants

trimmed

this

month, but
is

it

must be

remembered that they bear mostly on wood which

old or older.

two years

After bearing a few years the old

wood should be

taken out, while two or three

new

shoots should be allowed to

grow from
This

the roots each season.

Surplus shoots should also

be removed.
is

Gooseberries are to be trimmed in the same way.

the best there

is

month
no

for getting in the ice crop, as a rule.

Even when

river, creek or

pond convenient,
of
ice.

it still is

possible to harvest a considerable

amount

Plank molds

24 inches long, 18 inches wide and a foot deep may be used, being filled with water when a cold snap comes on.

When

the water has frozen solid, the ice

latter over

may

be removed

from the molds by turning the

water on them.

and pouring hot

JANUARY
GREENHOUSE AND WINDOW GARDEN
In the greenhouse, lettuce, radishes and spinach

15

may
may

be

sown.

They

will be ready for the table in February.

Seeds of
be

Prizetaker onions for growing in the open ground

started the latter part of the month.

Greenhouse plants

to start

from seed

this

month include

the begonias, asparagus plumosa, asparagus sprengeri, Grevillea robusta,

Dracaena and smilax.

Bougainvillea plants
are extremely

may now

be bought for forcing.

in

They

handsome

and can be flowered

about two months.

Gladioli bulbs

may

be forced in the greenhouse or the

window garden.

Forcing

bulbs should be specified in the order.

The Christmas
it

poinsettia should be stored until

May

after

has finished flowering and should be allowed to remain per-

fectly dry.

room.

In

A good place for it is under the bench or in a warm May cuttings may be started for new plants.

Hyacinths, tulips and other bulbs should be brought into

heat in order to have a succession of blossoms in the house.
Proserpine, Cottage Maid,

Yellow Prince and La Reine

in the

are

good tulips for starting early

ties

month.

Other single varie-

may

be started the last week, but the double tulips can

not be forced successfully until the latter part of February.

Most

of the other bulbs, except such as will be

named

later for

Christmas forcing,

may

be started after the

first

of January.

|6

THE COUNTRY HOME

of them should be brought into heat, however, until

None

strong root growth has been made.

STABLE AND LIVESTOCK

It is

important to keep the horses and cattle warm, but just

air

as

important to give them fresh

in

plenty.

In

some

instances muslin has been substituted for glass in a few of the

windows and
the cows

the results have been as satisfactory as

when

muslin has been used in the poultry house.

In a cold barn,

may

be blanketed.
be turned out for an hour, even in cold
is

The cows should

weather, unless a storm

raging.

Good

care does not

mean

depriving them of exercise.

This applies particularly to cows

about to calve.

Both cows and horses need an abundance of bedding.

ding keeps them comfortable and keeps them clean.
require grooming as well as the horses.
also.

Bed-

The cows
salt,

Both must have

There are devices on

sale,

by means of which a cake of

salt

may be

attached to the side of the stall or manger and kept

clean.
It is

important that the horse be sharp shod before he

is

taken out on icy roads.

in a

Neglect of
horse.

this

precaution

may

result

bad accident
is

or a

lamed

humane to warm the bits by holding them in the hands few moments before they are slipped into the horse's mouth.
It

JANUARY
Torture follows the touch of a moist tongue to a frosty

bit.

Any man
lessness

is

at liberty to try the

experiment for himself.

be explained
if his

Rest-

on the part of a horse

may

teeth are

examined.

When
legs

a horse comes in

from a drive over muddy roads, the

If the horse
is

and hoofs should be carefully cleaned.

sweaty a light blanket should be thrown over the animal and

left a short

time to absorb the moisture.

substituted.

Then
is

a heavier

and

warmer blanket may be

An abundance
is

of light in

the barn

essential.

Most
in

animals respond to the influence of sunlight.

light barn, too,

is

more

likely to be a clean barn than one that

shrouded

semi-darkness.

little

whitewash will go a long way.

care.
It is
it

All the
to cash.

manure should be saved with

equivalent

Plenty of bedding helps to conserve

and adds

humus.

Many
is

good farmers have tanks into which the liquid

manure
the rain
is

drained.

No good
it is

farmers have a manure pile where

its

is

going to wash away much of

shelter,

substance.

If there

no manure

well to haul the manure directly to

In fact, the plan
is

the fields as fast as

made.
is

a good one, any-

way, unless the land

hilly

and

so likely to

wash badly.
It

The
growth,

pigs need to be kept

warm and

growing.

pays to

cook the feed.

if

The

pigs will respond

by making extra rapid

quarters.

they

have

comfortable

They need

charcoal.

18

THE COUNTRY HOME

AN IMPORTANT POULTRY MONTH
Particular attention
is

needed by the poultry

this

month.

The days

are short

and the birds should be kept exercising most

This
is

of the time they are off the roosts.

accomplished by

feeding them hard grain

in a litter

from

five to ten inches deep.

Straw makes the best

litter,

but leaves will answer, although

they need to be renewed frequently, for they are quickly

broken up.
If the

weather

is

very cold,

it

water dishes several times a day.

fitted

may be necessary The inexpensive

to

fill

the

fountains

with tiny lamps are an advantage, for the water in them

will not freeze.

The lamps

will run several days without

being

filled.

It is

well to have burlap curtains in front of the perches for

use on excessively cold nights.

a wire or

They may
nights

be

made

to slide

on

may
for

be tacked to hinged frames.

They should be
In

reserved

exceptionally cold
off

only.

ordinary

weather the hens are better

without them.
the dropping

The droppings need not be cleaned from

then.

boards so long as they are frozen, for no odor arises from them

Care should be taken to get them out as soon as they

thaw.

Many

poultry keepers are

lot of

now

getting rid of their

dropping boards and of a

work

at the

same time.

They

simply stand a single board on edge on the

floor a little in

JANUARY
advance of the perches, and the droppings are confined
space, falling into a thick covering of litter.

19

to that

Cleaning out

once a month

is

then sufficient.

There are several advantages

It is really

and few disadvantages

to this plan.

more sanitary
is

than the use of the dropping boards, for the manure

farther

much

away from

the birds.

If the

supply of vegetables has given out, dried beet pulp

It

may

be substituted.

comes from the beet sugar factories

it.

and the grain dealers

sell

The

price

is

low and

it is
it is

used

by many commercial poultry keepers.

like

In appearance

much

some of the prepared breakfast foods, but when soaked

for a

few minutes
If the

in hot

water

it

swells

and gives
it

off a
first,
it.

strong

beet odor.

hens do not seem to relish

at

being

new, a

little

grain and beef scrap

it

may

be mixed with

Then
It is a

they are pretty certain to eat

readily.

This

is

the

month
one

for

making up breeding pens.

wise plan to mate cockerels with hens which are one or two
years older.
If
is

keeping poultry for the eggs they yield,

he should choose the hens which were the earliest to lay.

difficulty in identifying

No
for

them

will be

found

if

they are marked

by the method which will be explained

in the

program

November.

Some poultry keepers mate

pullets with cocks one,

two

or

three years older, but this plan has one disadvantage.

If the

pullets have been laying well all Winter, they will not be in

20

THE COUNTRY HOME

and
if

the best condition to produce strong, rugged chickens,

they have not been laying well, they are not suitable birds to

breed from anyway.

When

the

heavy laying pullets of one

year are kept over and not forced for laying, the second season,

they are well equipped to give rugged chicks and to pass along
the egg-laying tendency.

One

point in making up breeding pens must be remembered

the male
laying hen.

should have come from an egg laid by a heavyIt

has been

shown that
a strain of

the

male has a very strong

birds.
is

influence in building

up

good laying

While

this

plan of making up breeding pens

commonly

adopted, yet on some extensive plants old cocks are placed

with the pullets in the laying pens and the eggs used just as
they come.

On

one important plant 100 Leghorn pullets are

kept in a flock and cocks are put with them at the rate of one
to every twenty-five.

The
is

fertility

is

high, too.

Ordinarily,

fifteen pullets to a cock

considered a rather large number.

With

the larger breeds, fewer females are used.

it is

When

breed-

ing pens are used,

well to have two males, putting them

with the hens on alternate days.

When

birds are being bred for

show purposes, the pens

Experience and

are small

and the matings are made

very carefully in order to secure chickens of desired types.

skill are

required

when mating fancy

stock.

In

any

case, the birds in a

breeding pen should be selected and put

set.

together three or four weeks before the eggs are to be

JANUARY
If incubators are to be

21

depended upon, a selection should

be

made at once. These machines entail a considerable investment and should not be purchased without some study of the
and
their characteristics.

different types

Many

of the state

experiment stations are ready to give advice and to make

reports on results secured with different machines.

At

the end

of this book

is

list

of all the state experiment stations, with

their locations.

FEB RUART
Come now
With
the lengthening days,
drifting

short

snow and mighty winds; month, though, and quickly passed.

FEBRUARY

WE
may
this

MIGHT
are

call

February the pruning month, for

in

there

many warm days

the

the

average Febtrees
is

ruary,

when

work of pruning the orchard

better to delay the
kills

be undertaken to advantage.
it is

Midwinter pruning

often practiced, but

much

work

until

month.

Severe freezing weather

is

back the tender

bark and the healing of the wounds

retarded.

Peach and

other fruit tiees easily winter-killed should preferably be left

until the buds start, or even until the blossoms have fallen, in

order that the full extent of the

damage done by Jack Frost

may

be ascertained.

Perhaps there will be no need of addi-

tional cutting back.

The proper trimming

not pruning at
thing.
all; it is

of trees

is

a science.

Lopping

off a
is

branch here and there in the haphazard manner often seen

simply tree butchery.

tree

is

a living

The

elimination of a single limb influences the growth

of the entire tree.

of wood.

Winter pruning causes an increased growth

formed.

Summer pruning adds to the number of fruit buds Young trees are best trimmed a little each season,

much

of this trimming being merely the rubbing out of buds.

Shortening back the branches, the removal of dead wood or

[25]

26

THE COUNTRY HOME

broken limbs and the trimming away of suckers will constitute

most of the February work

cared
for.

in

an orchard which has been well

All trees must be kept headed in and the

erly directed.

new growth
trees

prop-

The

object of pruning should be to keep the

head low, in order that the work of spraying the

ing the fruit
the sunlight

and

pick-

may be made as easy as possible, and may reach all the fruit. Trees with

open, so that
a great mass

of

wood and
is

foliage bear mostly on the outside branches.

The

rule

not the same for all sections, however.

In the middle

West, where the sun's rays are very

as

hot, the trees are

not grown

open

as in

New England

or the Northwest.

When
the

apple trees have been neglected and have grown out

is

of all bounds, drastic February treatment

necessary.

All

dead wood should

first

be cut away.

cross
is

must be removed.

If left, they will

Then limbs which chafe until a wound

straight into the parallel limbs

made and decay

will set in.

Limbs growing

air should, as a rule,

be taken out, and

when

close together are found,

good pruning demands the removal

of one of them.

Farmers of yesterday commonly sawed

of their trees and left those in the top.

off the

lower limbs

Such high headed

specimens are not practicable in these days of fungi and insect

pests,

and the renovation of an orchard containing

trees of

this character

must be preceded by the removal of

all the

high

FEBRUARY
limbs,
trees.

27

even though

this

means the

literal decapitation of the

Future crops will be produced on wood forced from

It is

below.

wise to spread this work over several years, for

is

heavy cutting

naturally a severe shock to the tree.

is

minia-

ture forest of water sprouts

pretty certain to appear the

next summer, and they will have to be cut away.

sprouts are not always an
is

These water

unmixed

evil.

Occasionally one
is

found located just where a bearing branch

needed.

It,

of

course, should be allowed to grow.

It is

important to

know something about

is

cutting large limbs

before the renovation of an old orchard

cut should always be

undertaken.

The
from
to

made

close to the trunk or limb

which the branch to be removed grows and exactly parallel

it.

There
If a

is

no excuse for leaving a stump.

is

heavy limb

sawed entirely from above,

it is

almost

sure to split
first

down

the bark
cut,

when

it falls.

This

is

avoided bv

making an under

which will cause the limb to make

a clean break.
is

sharp, light pruning

saw

is

needed.

There

no place for an axe

in the orchard.

Every cut must be

of

smooth.

Nature provides
extent by causing the
ing them up the
If the

for the protection

wounds

to

some
seal-

cambium

layer to
is

grow over them,

way

a glass of jelly

sealed with paraffine.

the

wound is large, though, decay is likely to set in before wound has been covered. The fruit grower helps Nature

28

THE COUNTRY HOME

oil

by painting the wound with good linseed

keeps
it

paint, which

free

from spores until

it

has time to heal.

Every

wound over an
fail.

inch in diameter should be painted without

trees.

There

is it

no better time for trimming shade

Although

may

be left until

March
done

if

deemed
month.

desirable,

the pruning of shrubs

plies,

may

also be

this

This ap-

though, only to the late-blooming shrubs.

to be pruned, there

If those

which
blos-

bloom early were

would be but few

soms, for shrubs in this class form their buds the previous Fall.

Among
culata,

the shrubs
altheas,

and vines

to

prune now are hydrangea panibushes,

viburnums,

rose

honeysuckles and

clematis Jackmani.

The

early flowering shrubs are to be

pruned just after they bloom.

Shrubs often get more pruning than
is

good

for
to

them.

With

few exceptions, they look best when allowed

remove

grow

naturally and the knife needs to be used only to cut out dead

wood and
done, let
cane.

to

a little of the
is

new growth,

if

very heavy.
is

Nipping of
it

the ends

to be avoided.

When

cutting

to be

be at the base of the plant, taking out an entire

Hydrangea paniculata
It is

differs

somewhat from most

shrubs.
in

most obliging

in its habits

and may be cut and trained

any way

desired. It

may

be grown as a dwarf or as a

tall

shrub, trimming being done without hesitation.

In some parts of the country roses

may

be trimmed this

FEBRUARY
month.
In other sections
it
is

29

better to wait until March.

Most
more.

of the roses need cutting back at least one-fourth, often

The weaker

the plant the

more severe should be the

do not require much
a slight cutting

pruning and the canes should be cut back carefully to a point

just above an outside bud.

Climbing

roses

trimming.

Removal

of the old

wood and
of shrubs
is

back

is

sufficient.

The pruning
trees,

worthy a

little

study, for the different sorts have quite different habits.

Orders for fruit

placed at once,
if

shade trees and shrubs should be

they have not already gone to the nursery-

mean disappointment. By the last of the month the manure for the hotbeds should be drawn. Fresh horse manure is the kind needed and if it For contains about one-third straw, so much the better.
men.

Delay

is

likely to

best results

it

should be piled under cover and turned every

If
it

other day for a week.

once, a

does not begin fermenting at

pile.

few pailfuls of hot water may be poured over the

will

Turning

make

the fermentation uniform

and keep the

start
is

manure from burning.

their beds in February.

Commercial vegetable growers

Washington's birthday, the 22nd,

considered the proper date for sowing tomato seeds.

In the

home garden, March

It is

will be early

enough

to begin operations.

well to look over the various fruit trees around the place
In

in order to detect the nests of insect pests.

New

England

many brown

tail

and gypsy moth nests

will be discovered,

30
without doubt.
a

THE COUNTRY HOME

They must come
is

off.

The

tent caterpillar has

much wider range and

on the

not so easy to detect.

The eggs

are

laid

tips of the twigs

and covered with a smooth sub-

stance like varnish, which protects them from the weather.

Fortunately, spraying early in Spring with arsenate of lead for

the codling-moth will kill these pests.
If left to themselves,

tent caterpillars

when numerous
good time

will strip an orchard clean.

This
trees.

is

also a

to look for black

knot on the plum

It is

indicated by a swelling and must be dealt with

promptly.

The
is

best plan

is

to cut off the affected limb a foot

below the swelling, the part removed being burned.

If there

snow on

the ground,

it is

advisable to tramp

it
it

firmly around the trees to keep mice from lodging under

and feeding on the bark.

Snow on
but
it

the bee hives will help to keep the inmates

warm,
ice

must be kept away from the entrance.

off.

Otherwise
air,

may

be formed and the air supply cut

Bees need

even

in winter.
It is

wise to look over the apples and potatoes this month,

It is

those which are not keeping being promptly removed.

really worth while

buying a

little

kitchen evaporator for using

if

up

fruit

which

is

not keeping well,

cider press

one has a considerable

quantity.

A small

may

also be used for

working up

apples which are beginning to decay.

It will

stimulate the rhubarb to give the plants a heavy

FEBRUARY
dressing of old
for the cook
roots,

manure

late in the

month.

few early

stalks

may

be secured by placing boxes over several

heaping fresh horse manure over the boxes to force the

growth.

Roots dug from the garden

in the Fall

and frozen,

may
In

still

be forced in boxes in the greenhouse or a heated

cellar,

being kept dark.

many

of the Southern states,

fruit

trees

as

well as

strawberry, raspberry and blackberry plants,

this

may

be set out

month.

GREENHOUSE AND WINDOW GARDENS

February
is

none too early

is

to

sow seeds of bedding

plants,

when

a greenhouse

available.

Asters, hollyhocks, cosmos,

ageratum, cockscomb, petunias, salvia, Drummond's phlox,

snapdragon

and

forget-me-nots

are

among

those

recom-

mended.

Sweet peas,

stocks, mignonette,

may

be started for bloom-

ing in the greenhouse before there are flowers out of doors.

The asparagus
next winter.

ferns
is

may

be started, too, to provide plants

This

also true of the cheerful looking Jerusa-

lem cherry.

New

aspidistras

may

be secured simply by divid-

ing the roots of a well established plant.

Cuttings from fuchsias will make good plants for next season.

In fact, this

is

good month

to

make
is

cuttings from
light.

many

plants,

better than January,

for there

more

32

THE COUNTRY HOME

Cyclamen
is

one of the very best plants for house decora-

tion this month.

Not only does

pots, but the flowers will last a

make a splendid display in week or more in water. They

it

are very

handsome on the dining table and a few plants

It is better

are

worth growing simply to furnish cut flowers.

to actually cut the blossoms, but to
off the

not

remove them by twisting

stem.

Flowering bulbs
force better

may

still

be forced.

The double

tulips

now
it
is

than earlier.

in pots ready to bring into

in this

Some of the seedsmen sell bulbs heat. They are not expensive and
easy to have flowers all winter.
if

way

made very

Usually the bulbs

a

may

be forced without trouble

kept in

room which

is

not excessively

warm and

not placed where

the plants will be in a draft or exposed to hot blasts, as

from

a register or fireplace.

This

is

an excellent month to repot the palms.

The
is

mis-

take often

made

of increasing the pot several sizes

to be

avoided.
plants

Unless considerable growth has been made, the

be replaced in the same pot.

may

Forsythias, lilacs, flowering almonds

and even

fruit tree

branches
part of

may
the

be flowered in the house

if

brought in the latter

month.

Branches with well developed buds

should be cut and placed in water in a sunny window.

forsythia
is

The

the easiest

and quickest of the shrubs

to bring into

flower in this manner.

FEBRUARY
A
start

33
lettuce,

with vegetables

may

be

made by planting

cabbages and cauliflower in the greenhouse, the plants to go to

the cold frames

when

large enough.

In the South, gladioli

may

be started this

month

in the

open
be

ground and many seeds sown

in cold frames.

Pansies

may

sown where they

are to flower.

Most
if

of the hardier vegetables

may

be started in the course of the month, and even cucumber

and melon seeds may be sown,

over the young plants.

garden frames can be used

STABLE AND LIVESTOCK

Many young
next.

pigs will

come into the world

the youngsters

this

month and
weeks old
pigs

It is best to

wean

when

six

and

to let the

sow run with the boar

at once.

Even young

may be
tented

fed corn this cold month and a diet containing potatoes

will help keep the
It

and other vegetables

mature animals con-

when closely confined. hogs suffer when exposed, like

should be remembered that

other animals.
If

The young

calves will also begin coming this month.

they are to be dehorned by the caustic potash method, the work

should be done when they are from two to five days old.
hair
is

The
as

clipped

away from
is

the

budding horn and a space

large as a cent

moistened, but not enough so that the caustic

will run over the skin.

caustic pencil

is

used, generally beis

ing wrapped in paper to protect the hands, and

rubbed

34

THE COUNTRY HOME

A
scab
is

thoroughly over the horn bud.

off in

formed, which drops

It
is

about a month, and the horns do not grow.

dis-

tinctly

an advantage to have

all the cattle

on a country place

without horns.

What was

said in

January about ventilation applies with

equal force this month.

Many

regulations,

some of them

hardly more than fads, have been

made

to secure pure, clean

milk, but the facts have been established that the chief re-

quirements are
clean milkers.

light,

well ventilated stables, clean cows and

the cows should be

Without doubt
it
is

groomed

every day, and

hours.

well to have this work done at stated

Cows

are creatures of habit to an exceptional degree for

and thrive best when cared

by the

clock.

Before they are

milked, the udder should be wiped off with a

the
first

damp

cloth

and

stream should go into a special receptacle, to be fed

the pigs or thrown away.

The milk

yield can often be in-

creased by studying the individual needs of the animals, rather

than feeding them

all alike.

Early lambs require particularly careful handling.

that

Those
with

come

in

February will need a warm

stable, possibly

They will be able to endure more cold when a week old and when two weeks old may be castrated. Sheep are profitable where they can be safely raised. The dog
a little artificial heat.

nuisance seems to be the greatest stumbling block.

A man may

be fortunate in his dogs, as in his friends.

FEBRUARY
Some dogs
lie

35

are well

worth keeping.
first

Others are a menace and

a detriment.

Probably the
collie
is

choice of a farm
terrier.

dog would
a

between a

and an airedale

When
is

home

pro-

tector

and friend

wanted, the best plan

to

buy a spayed

female.

Such a dog will not wander away, will not pick up

unblanketed
is

quarrels and will not attract other dogs.

Never should a horse be permitted

to stand

after a hard drive at this time of the year.

If there

no blan-

ket at hand, the animal should be walked about until cool or

else stabled in a
It is

warm

barn.

an excellent plan to give the horses a bran mash once

a week, say on Saturday night.

is

The way

to

make

the

mash

to turn boiling

water into a bucket, the bran then being

little salt

mixed into the water, and a

or three hours or until cool

added.

The bucket
not well to
to be

should be covered and the mixture allowed to steam for two

enough

to feed.

It is
is

feed the mash on an evening before a long drive

made.

FEBRUARY IN THE POULTRY YARD

The
this
first

incubators should be set up and

made ready

for use

month, even though they are not to be heated before the

of March, which
is

early enough for setting the eggs of

Asiatics

any of the breeds except the and Langshans.

the Cochins,

Brahmas

Eggs of

these

heavy breeds should go into

the machines this month.

36
It is

THE COUNTRY HOME

none too early
It is

to

put in orders for hatching eggs, or

day-old chicks.

worth noting that many breeders have

stopped hatching at home, and are either sending their eggs

to

custom hatcheries or buying day-old chickens.

The coming

of
to

mammoth

hatching machines, accommodating from 1,200

20,000 eggs at one time, has practically revolutionized

poultry keeping.

Immense plants

are devoting themselves to

the sale of chicks just out of the shell,

selling as

some of these plants

many

as 100,000 youngsters in a season.

The

price

runs from ten to forty cents each, depending upon the stock.

There
buyer

is is

usually a gamble in buying day-old birds, unless the

acquainted with the flock from which the eggs came.

may turn out well and they may not. Breeders are known to have high class stock may be dealt with, of They are course, without much fear of getting poor birds.
The who
chicks
likely to be flooded with orders though, for

March, April and

May

delivery.
to hatch

The man who wants

likes to bother

from

his

own

eggs but dis-

with broody hens or an incubator

may send

the

eggs by parcel post to hatching plants which feature custom

hatching.
press

He

pays a small fee and gets his chickens by exare ready for him.

when they

Both professional poultry

keepers and amateurs are falling into the habit of having their

eggs hatched in this manner.

in

There are now hatching concerns

most communities.

FEBRUARY
In some localities there
the best prices
is

37

a steady
if

demand

for broilers

and

may

be secured

the incubators for hatching

the eggs are started early in the month, in order to have the

chickens out about the

first

of March.

Then

the machines

may be

filled

again and the pullets from the second lot of chicks

kept for layers, the cockerels being marketed.

Eggs

to be used for hatching should be gathered several

times a day, in order that they

may

not be chilled.

They
and
old.

are
it

best kept at a temperature between forty

and

sixty

is

not wise to set eggs which are

If the litter

much over two weeks

It
is

on the

floor of the

poultry house has been

packed hard,

it

should be renewed.

very necessary to keep

to accomplish

the hens exercising,

this object

and there

is

no better way
litter.

than to feed grain in a deep

Glass windows should be washed and muslin curtains

cleaned.

These curtains give

little

ventilation

when

the pores
quickly.

are filled with dust;

If a start

and dust

collects

upon them very

is

with ducks, geese or turkeys

to be

made, eggs

or breeding stock

must be ordered
in the

at once.

Geese should
or earlier,

really be
it
is

mated up

month

of

December

and

better to

buy eggs rather than breeders

at this season.

Toulouse and Emdens are the two popular breeds.

former are white and the latter gray.

The

Both weigh about

geese are classed

twenty pounds.

White

or

Brown Chinese

among

the ornamentals, but are really very good table birds.


38

THE COUNTRY HOME

are not

Gray African geese

for market, but are
is

commonly considered
home
in flavor.

profitable

among

the best for

use, as the

meat

fine of fibre

and excellent

Both the Africans and

the Chinese geese have peculiar knobs at the base of the bill.
If they

have wide range, geese are very easy

to raise

and

the owners of
or

many

country homes with meadows, marshes

in not

rough pasture land make a mistake

keeping a

flock

of these birds, which graze

a little shelter

much
laid,

like cattle

and require only

from hard storms.

they are rather expensive

As only a few eggs are

25 cents apiece.

They

are large, too,

and a good sized Plymsix or seven.

it

outh Rock hen can hardly cover more than

From
necesIt is

28 to 30 days are required for incubation and

often

is

sary to help the goslings out of the very tough shells.

customary to hatch the earliest eggs under hens and to

goose incubate the last clutch.

let the

Among

the ducks, Pekins, Indian

Runners and Rouens

are

raised in considerable

numbers and

their popularity ranges in

the order given.

favor, though,

Indian Runners are constantly growing in

to take the lead eventually, except

and promise

on large commercial plants.

There are three

pure white.

varieties,

fawn and

white, penciled

and

They

are
is

not large, and are inferiors of the

Pekins when meat

are

the object, but as egg producers they

wonderfully

prolific,

being termed the Leghorns of the

FEBRUARY
duck family.

39

From 125
and run

to

200 eggs a year may be ex-

pected from each duck in a good

or

should

be,

six

lay

many

green shelled eggs,

The eggs are white, to the pound. Some strains and when the beginner buys
flock.
is

either stock or eggs for hatching, he should be particular about

this point.

The hatching
be used.

period

28 days and hens or incu-

bators

may

Ducks occasionally become broody, but

the market duck.

cannot be depended upon.

The White Pekin

They
are

is

On some

large

plants from fifty to a hundred thousand are raised each season.

marketed when they are ten or eleven weeks

five or six

old, at

which age they should weigh

are very fat
for the table.
to force

pounds. These ducks

and

much waste when they are prepared When raised for one's own table it is better not
there
is

them

so hard.

Dealers frankly call the fat young

for

ducks "gold bricks."

Growing ducklings

market
are

is

a prof-

itable but highly exacting business.

Rouens

good ducks

for farmers to raise, for they require but little care

and the

meat

The plumage is dark. In February and early March the breeding turkeys should not be fed many beef scraps or much other nitrogenous food which would be likely to induce early laying. The last of March or early April is the time for turkey eggs to come.
is

excellent.

Usually there

is

wet weather

late in

May

and

it is

well

if

the

turkey poults do not come out of their shells until after that

40
period.

THE COUNTRY HOME

The
first

of

June

is

early enough.

When
is

eggs are

to be purchased, they

may

be ordered now, but later delivery

beginner, at least,

should be arranged

for.

The

pretty cer-

tain to fail with early hatched turkeys.

MARCH
"The stormy March has come at last, With wind, and cloud, and changing
skies!'

Bryant.

MARCH

M
the
tables

ARCH
ture,

is

a wonderful

month; the month when Nasleep,

awake from her long

gives
the

her

rich

treasures again into the hands of

men;

month

of

plowing and harrowing, of bonfires and garden renovation;

month

to

make lawns and plant

the hardiest of the vegefor the

a very busy month, indeed,

not specify definitely

maker of gardens.
to

One can

all the

work

do in March.

Much depends upon the season, for March is a most fickle month. It may be possible to get the garden into perfect condition for planting. On the other hand, much of the work may have to go over until April. It is not well to be hasty in
uncovering protected shrubs and beds.
bulb and strawberry beds
rate.
is

The

litter

from the
at

best

removed gradually,
raised

any

Strawberry plants which

may have been

by the

frost should be pressed

back with the foot.

It is

an excellent

practice to pull the straw

from the beds into the rows between

berries

the plants to
earth.

mulch the ground and keep the

from the

In severe winters privet hedges are often badly damaged.

In order to save these hedges they must be cut back to living

wood.

This often means only stubs a few inches long.

[43]

No

44
other treatment

THE COUNTRY HOME

is

necessary, except that the burning of leaves

along the hedge rows must be avoided.

cut back are easily killed by the heat.

Plants that have been

This

is

one of the best times to spray the orchard trees for

scale.

San Jose
used.

Lime sulphur wash

or miscible oils

may

be

With only a few trees it is best to buy prepared mixtures. In many sections men with the necessary apparatus can be hired to do the work. The job is a dirty one and to be avoided when possible. On large estates and farms a spraying outfit is indispensable. A barrel pump on a wagon is convenient.

New
seed
is

lawns

may

be

made and

old lawns repaired.

The

very hardy and

of a

The proper making

taken hastily.

may even new lawn

Good

be sown on the last snow.

is

not a matter to be under-

Many

lawns are midsummer failures because

soil is
it

they were not well made.

imperative.

If

it

is

not already on the plot to be seeded,

Also,
it

must be hauled

there.

must be cultivated deep and well

and

the earlier the

better.

With
Deep

sod land,

it

is

well to grow a crop of potatoes

one season, to get the ground into a satisfactory condition of

tilth.

culture will encourage the grass roots to burrow

down where they will be safe from the scorching rays of a summer sun. Making the plot perfectly smooth is a job for an expert. An iron rake and a roller are needed. It is easv to detect

MARCH
uneven spots on ground which has been
commercial
for years.
fertilizer will give the grass

45
rolled.

The

addition

of well rotted manure, pulverized sheep

manure

or a

good

something to feed on

Only
too good,

the very best seed should be sown.

The

best

is

none

and

to

buy poor seed

is

is

but to throw one's money

to

away.

On

the whole, there

no better plan than

buy a

seed mixture from a reliable dealer.

like

For special situations,

shaded spots, terraces and tennis courts, there are special

mixtures

made

of grasses best suited for such places.

When
rate seeds

a large

lawn

is

to be

made,

it

may pay
is

to

buy sepaas fol-

and mix them.

good mixture
9
lbs.
;

composed

lows
lbs.;

Kentucky blue

grass,

Rhode Island bent

grass,
1

red top, 4 lbs.; English rye grass, 3 lbs.; white clover,

in his
:

lb.

Mr. Leonard Barron

8

book on lawns recommends the

following special mixtures

grass,
lbs.
;

For shady places

2
lbs.
;

Kentucky blue
4 lbs.

crested dog's

tail,

wood meadow grass,

soil

various leaved fescue, 2

grass, 5 lbs.; creeping grass,

lbs.

For sandy

Kentucky blue
soils

bent grass, 6

lbs.;

Rhode Island bent

lbs.; fine

leaved fescue, 3
lbs.;

lbs.

For clay

Kensowing

tucky blue grass, 10

top,

English rye grass, 4

lbs.;

tansy red

lbs.
still

A
is

and preferably a dull day

is

is

to be chosen for
earliest

grass seed, which

very

light.

The

hour of the day

likely to be the quietest.

It requires

some

skill to distribute

46
the seed evenly,
plots, a seed

THE COUNTRY HOME

though conditions be perfect.
is

For large

sower working automatically

it
is

needed.

When

the

hand

is

used,

wise to sow

first

lengthwise and then

crosswise the plot.

After the seed has been sown, an iron rake

may

be used to

work

it

lightly into the ground.

Then

the roller should be

brought into play.

a lawn
roller,

roller
it

is

of great importance in
It

making

and

in

keeping

in condition.

should be a heavy
is

though, in order to do good work.

If it

heavy enough

to require the

muscle of two men, so much the better.

is

At
if it

this season there

likely to be rain in abundance, but

does not come, watering will be required, for the grass

is

plot should be kept moist until the surface of the ground

covered with a fine green mist.

will

An examination

at this time

show any bare

in

spots, calling for extra seed.

Old lawns
ways.

need of repairs
is

may
to

be renovated in several
it

Sometimes the best way

plow

up and

start over,

but even a poor lawn

may

often be improved by mixing sheep

the combination an inch

manure with good loam and scattering

deep over the
the
grass.

The

iron rake should then be used to

grass,

work

loam and manure well down into the

it.

which will

quickly grow through

The sowing

of additional grass seed

may

be a help.
several years established are benefited by an

Most lawns

application of pulverized sheep

manure

or commercial ferti-

MARCH
lizer,

47

but feeding of

this character is really necessary

grass shows signs of running out or

when

lack of

when the vigor is shown

by the appearance of weeds.

most weeds.

thrifty

lawn will crowd out

should be covered
In all seeding,
used.

If there are bare spots, they

with good loam and grass seed sown thickly.

it is

a mistake to be niggardly in the

is

amount

Use

of

the roller in the Spring

beneficial,

on new or old lawn.

trimmings
This

This

is

good time

to gather all the rubbish, tree

and the
fire

like

and

to

make

a lively bonfire on a quiet day.

should be in an open spot and not under

trees, for the

latter are easily injured

by intense

heat.

Grafting unsatisfactory trees

may

be done just before the

is

buds swell, but the scions should be cut while the weather
still

cold and buried in sand in a cool cellar or possibly buried

in the field.

Grafting

is

a great aid to the fruit grower.

When

trees are

found which produce

fruit of inferior quality or of a

it is

variety not adapted to the location,

a simple matter to

make
borne,

grafts; in three years fruit of the desired sort will be

if

the operation

is

a success.
tree,

It is possible to

have a

dozen varieties of apples on one

only a few trees often find
different varieties on them.
it

and amateurs who have

an advantage to graft several

trees often

Farmers with many

varieties

increase their profits

by grafting on
those they have.
in part to

which are

in

greater

demand than

Of

late

many

orchards

have been grafted wholly or

Mcintosh Reds,

48

THE COUNTRY HOME

Even wild plum
trees

along the fence rows

fruit.

may

be

made

to

produce palatable and marketable

is

Beurre Bosc pear,

be grafted nicely
entirely
all the

which

a rather hard variety to grow,

sort.

may

on some more common

Old

trees

are often

changed over by top working, which means grafting

main limbs and gradually cutting away

Scions come best from

all the

old head.

wood

of the past year's growth and

from the ends of bearing branches.

from
is

They should come,

from one

too,

prolific trees

bearing fruit of the highest quality.

best limbs to graft are

This

important.

The

to three

inches in diameter
grafting.
scions,

and should be cut

off

square at the time of

grafting knife will be needed for inserting the

one end having a wedge.

The

knife

is first

used to

split
it
is

the limb just

enough

to receive the scions, after

which

knocked out and the hook used

to hold the cut open.

Good

scions should be about five inches long, a quarter of

five buds.

an inch thick and contain three to

The lower end

inch or an

must be cut into a wedge, with a single clean stroke on each

side with a sharp knife.

The wedge may be an

inch and a half long and one side should be a little thicker

than the other.

in

The

scions are to be prepared just before using,

order that they

may
to

not dry out.

Two

scions

are in-

serted in each stub, one at each side, the thicker edge outward.

The purpose should be

that of the stub touch.

have the inner bark of the graft and

It is there that the

two

are to unite.

MARCH
When
the scions are in position, the

49

wedge

is

removed and the

cleft holds

them

tight,

there being special pressure on the

thicker outer edge.

The
is

graft once made, every precaution

must be taken

to

bind up the
relied

wound
be

so that

decay will not

set in.

Grafting wax

upon

for this purpose

soft,

and may be bought ready made.

has to be melted, and
it

The wax must

even

if it

can

be used easily only when the hands are well greased. Every
crack and crevice must be filled with the wax, with a little
laid

around the scions at

their base

and a

bit

on the upper

end.

An

additional application of

wax may

be needed for sev-

eral seasons.
If

both scions start to grow, one must be cut away in mid-

summer, preferably, of course, the weaker one.

By

using two

at the start, the chances of success are doubled, but one only

must grow into a limb.

him

The average man can do

it

a job of

grafting after reading these directions, but

better for
to

will be

much

watch an experienced man at work before

he goes ahead.

GREENHOUSE AND WINDOW GARDEN

Plants from cuttings rooted in February will be ready to
shift this

month.

Propagating

may

still

be continued.
in

Bou-

vardia

is

easily started

from root cuttings

bottom heat,

treated like seeds.

Plants for bedding

may

be

made from

50

THE COUNTRY HOME

To
propagate violets
it is

geraniums and lantanas.

only nec-

essary to separate the rooted runners from the old plants.

They should be potted up and planted outdoors

May.
If lilies in the

in April or

greenhouse are wanted for Easter and seem

backward, more heat must be given them.

free of lice at all events.

They must be kept

Flowering bulbs

may

still

be forced in the house.

More

people should try the tulips, for they make a splendid display
at a season

when

bright colors are to be appreciated.

Many

people throw away their azaleas when they have

is

finished blooming, but this

not necessary.
little

If

plunged

in a

shaded spot

in the

garden and given a

water, they will

It

bloom well the next season and even

ing of lettuce and radishes

for several seasons.

hardly pays to carry cyclamens over, however.

Another plantgreenhouse.

may

be

made

in the

OUTDOOR GARDEN WORK

March
in getting

is

the

month

for starting the hotbed, a great help

It

an early garden.

should be put into operation

states.
it

the

first
is

week, even in the northern

cold frame,

which

a duplicate of the hotbed, except that

has no bottom

heat, often

may

be started before the end of the month, deLess work

is

pending on weather conditions.

involved
it

in pre-

paring a cold frame and most amateurs will find

satisfac-

MARCH
tory, if they

can start the seeds of a few plants in the house.

it
is

With

a hotbed, however,

possible to have lettuce

and

radishes for the table before they can be planted outside.

Sash for hotbeds come

sash,

in a

standard

size,

3x6 feet.

"Pony"
are

which are half the standard

size, are also

made and

easier for
sash.

women

to handle.

There are both single and double

The

latter cost

more but may be used without mats,

Sash

such as are needed for single-glass sash on cold nights.

are often
this

bought open and the glass put

is

in at

home.

When
it

plan

followed,

mastic putty should be used, as

hardens very quickly.

Single-glass sash complete ought to

be bought for not over $2.50.

Any number
the

of sash

may

be used side by side, the size of

hotbed being governed accordingly.

is

two-sash bed,
for starting

which

just six feet square, will be large

plants.
It is

enough

a great

many

not a bad plan to divide the bed,

little cooler

in order that

one side

may

be kept a

than the other.

Such vegetables

as tomatoes, peppers

and egg plants need

more heat than cabbage,

lettuce, cauliflower

and similar kinds.

The same end

is

attained by starting the seeds in pots or

shallow boxes, for then the plants

est or coolest spots in the

may

be shifted to the warm-

bed

at will.

Paper pots and

little.

dirt

bands may be used

to great

advantage and cost but

The

plants grown in them

may

be set in the garden without remov-

ing the pots or bands, which will prove a barrier to cutworms.

52

THE COUNTRY HOME

torn from the pots; the bands are

The bottoms need merely be

bottomless.

When making
inches deep
bed. If the

a hotbed

it is

best to dig an excavation 30

and

a little larger than the area of the proposed

ground should be frozen, manure may be heaped

deep and the frame
of course.
set

up two
to

feet

on

that.

It is

much

better

have a

pit,

Commonly

stout stakes are driven

to them.

at the corners
It is best to
1

and the planks for the frame spiked

have the frame about two feet at the back and

inches in front, the slope being toward the south or south-

east, in order to

capture

all the

rays of the sun.

If

it

should

be desired to take the frame apart in

be fastened together with bolts.

summer

the corners ma}'

It is

well to have the frame In permanent

of

extend into the ground about three inches.

beds,

sub-frames are often constructed.

They may be

plank or brick or cement.

to be used.

All-cement frames are beginning

Heat

for the

bed

is

to be supplied

by fresh horse manure,

preferably mixed with some straw or leaves, for then the heat
lasts longer.

eral

The manure is best piled under cover for days and turned a number of times to secure even
If
it
it.

sevfer-

mentation.

does not heat readily, a bucketful of water

may
it.

be thrown over

When

ready, the
it

manure should go

into the bed

is

and

fill

Throwing

into the pit a layer at a time

best,

each

MARCH
layer being well trodden.

53

To

be just right, the manure should

it

contain enough litter to

make

a little springy under the feet.

is

Good With

soil to a

depth of

six inches

needed over the manure.

the bed filled, the sash are to be put on

and

left until

the heat has

dropped

to

80 degrees, a thermometer being driven

Tomatoes, egg plant and peppers
Radishes,
in the bed.

into the

soil.

In two or three days the bed will be ready for

planting the earliest seeds.

will need to go in at once to give garden plants.

lettuce, peppergrass

and mustard may be matured

Three weeks will give cuttings of grass and mustard.

little

But
Set

longer

is

needed for the early forcing radishes.

onions

may

be had in a month.

hotbed must be watched, water applied intelligently

fair day.
It is best to

and ventilation given on every

warm.
flat,

leave
at all
it

the sash raised a crack at all times,

when

the weather

is

Gardeners use a brick for raising the

its

sash, placing

on

side or end, according to

amount

of ventilation

required.

Plants must not be allowed to grow spindling.

is

Often a cold frame

used as an adjunct to the hotbed,

it

started plants being shifted to

from the

latter.

All the

plants

named may be sown

in

it,

however, when the weather

only a cold frame
is

has become sufficiently mild.

When

used,

tomatoes, peppers, egg plants and celery

in a kitchen

may be

started in boxes
to the

window, the plants being transferred

frame

when

large enough.

54

THE COUNTRY HOME

Early flowers of

many
asters,

varieties are to be
glass, either in

enjoyed onlv
a.

when

the seeds are

sown under

hotbed or a

cold frame.

China

pot marigolds, candytuft, snapnitociana,

salpliglossis,
list.

dragon, gypsophilia,

stock,

godetia

and many other flowers

are included in the

its

After a hotbed has served

tables, the sash

purpose of starting early vegethe uncovered beds used

may

be put

away and

for

growing melons or cucumbers

to maturity.

Feeding on

the exhausted manure, the plants

make very rapid and strong

of those in the open.

growth, usually being

course
it
is

much ahead

Of

not necessary to have either a hotbed or a cold

frame

in order to start plants early.

Boxes and kitchen winIt is well,

dows have been

relied

upon

for generations.

how-

ever, not to start the seeds quite so early as

when

the outdoor

accessories are to be used.

Otherwise, they get too large or

become spindling.
Peas are the earliest seeds for the open ground.

The

smooth

sorts are a little hardier

earlier.

than the wrinkled varieties

and may be planted

same time.

Spinach

may go

in at

about the

The asparagus bed should be dressed with bone meal or a ready mixed fertilizer. Manure may be used, but is likely
to introduce

weed

seeds.

Onion

sets

may

also go in early.

Much
dry.

depends upon the season, whether cold, warm, wet or

It is foolish to

work the ground when

it

is

sticky.

In-

MARCH
deed,
hurry.
it is

55

possible to ruin a garden

little

by being

in too great a

Plowing the garden a

deeper than last year will

add

to its fertility.
is

Harrowing

very important and an effort should be made

to get the soil fine.

Much may

be done with an iron rake to

give a finishing touch to the work.

course

Manure

is

needed, of

One need have little fear of getting on too much. Well rotted manure is much to be preferred, especially
lots of
it.

for root crops

and particularly

for potatoes.
It is best

Fresh manure
well distributed

will

answer

if it is

drawn on
plowed.

early.

as near the first of the

month

as possible

and turned under

when
ment.
to be

the garden

is

Many

times garden and farm seeds prove a disappointis

Seed testing

always wise, and where a large plot

is

planted should certainly not be neglected.

Count

hundred seeds of each variety, fold them

paper and insert the paper
is

in a strip of blotting
test

in a
is

pan of moist sand, and the

easily

made.

If the

sand

kept moist and

warm

for several

days, possibly a week, the best of the seeds will have sprouted.
If at least
is

75 of each 100 seeds have not started into

life,

there

something wrong.
In order to have very early gladioli the corms

may

be

planted in boxes of earth

place indoors.

this

month and kept

in a cool,

shaded

The
is

plants should not be set outside until

danger of frost

past,

but the gardener who

tries this

plan

56

THE COUNTRY HOME

blooms before
their

will surprise his neighbors with gorgeous

plants have

shown a bud.

Usually sweet peas

is

may

be started this month.

Rich

soil

needed and should be thoroughly worked for perfect flowers.

fickle

Sweet peas are rather

makers dig a trench

and

like to be coaxed.

Good garden
and cover

six inches deep, plant the seeds

soil,

them with two inches of

the plants shoot up.

gradually

filling the trench as

Annual poppies

are very robust, but dislike being

this

moved.

They may be sown

newer
all

month where they

fine

are to flower.

The

varieties are
if

wonderfully

and glorify the garden

summer,
Late
this

several later sowings are made.

roots

month canna

may

be started indoors, being

separated and the pieces, each with some of the crown attached, planted in boxes or large pots.

In the Southern states, all the tender vegetables and flowers

may

be started in March.

STABLE AND LIVE STOCK

Spring clipping of horses
in spite of

custom.

much better than fall clipping, Any one who has seen a clipped horse in
is

zero weather

may
the

be pretty certain of the animal's opinion.

The
lars

wise and

humane farmer makes

work horses
fit.

certain that the col-

worn by

By

so doing he saves the

animal from having sore shoulders, which are commonly seen

MARCH
at this season.

57

Bathing the shoulders after the harness has

is

been removed
daily cleaning.

worth while, and the collars should have a

Dusty hay
horses unless
It

is

often found at this season.

fed.

It

is

bad

for

dampened before

pays to give the cows plenty of exercise and fresh

it

air.

They need

after the winter's close confinement.

What
is

to feed the

cows often bothers new farmers.

Half

meal and half ground oats by weight, then half bran by bulk,
a standard formula and a good ration to be fed with hay.
care,

Gluten and similar high protein feeds must be used with

but have their place in the commercial dairy.

Cold skim milk

until they are six

is

not advisable for young calves, at least

old.

months

The milk

is

needed, but

it

should be warmed.
be less trouble

When
used.

teaching a calf to drink, there will

less

and possibly
is

strong language
is

if

pan
its

instead of a pail

The

calf

frightened to find
veal
is

head

in a pail.

March

calves sell

when

high.

After lambing, the ewes

corn to a pint of oats a day.

may

be fed a handful of shelled

this

Lambs coming
little corn,

month

will be

worth a long

price, if

pushed.

Oats and bran, with a very

for the brood sows.
little

make

a good ration

Warm

farrowing pens are needed and a

help at farrowing time

may

be required.
to

Some lambs may well be kept

renew the

flock.

Usually

58

THE COUNTRY HOME

Good ewes should give
when

sheep are not profitable after five years.

ten pounds of wool
sheared.

A BUSY

MONTH

FOR THE POULTRYMAN

This
as the

is

the amateur's hatching month.

the

Eggs of such breeds

the

Plymouth Rocks,

Rhode Island Red,

set the first

Wyanweek
or

dottes

and the Orpingtons should be

week; those

of smaller breeds like the Leghorns and the Anconas a

two
early

later.

it

will

The pullet which is hatched make the winter layer.

is

early

but

not too

If

an incubator

used,

it

should be run a day or two beit,

fore the eggs are entrusted to

and carefully regulated.

is

Also,

should be placed where the temperature

fall

equable,
it

where direct sunlight will not

upon

it

and where
is

will

not be exposed to drafts, but where the ventilation

good.

A house cellar is often

bator cellar.

the best place,

if

there be no special incu-

No

wise breeder will start his machine in such a

situation, however, until he has obtained a permit

from

his in-

surance company, costing him a small fee.

As a
eggs, for

rule,
it

it is

best to use a machine holding at least 120

will require

no more attention and

little

more

oil

than a smaller machine.

at 103, the eggs

When
in.

the egg

chamber can be held

may go

The

operator should be very sure

It

about

his

thermometer; they sometimes go wrong.

may

be tested by comparison with others.

MARCH
A
day or more may be required for the eggs
to

59

become

heated and the temperature will run low until then.

Then

the thermometer should be held at 103 for the 21 days of the

hatch.

With duck

eggs, the

machine

is

often run half a degree

lower until the fourth week, 28 days being required to bring out
ducklings.

An

occasional variation of a few degrees

it is

is

not

cause for alarm and

is

a mistake to throw eggs

away

until one

sure they will not hatch.

life after the first

Embryonic chicks get a sturdy hold

on

week of incubation.
Air

After the second day the eggs should be shifted about with
the

hand night and morning.

may

be given at the same

time and the eggs are usually removed on their tray, the door
of the incubator being closed.

At

first

they should be out

is

but a short time.

cially

After a week more air

is

needed and espe-

when
to the

the weather the eggs

warm.

Some

breeders place a therrestore

mometer on
them

when they have been turned and machine when the mercury drops to 89.
is

The
It is

18th day

the last for turning

and cooling the

eggs.

then time to close the machine with a determination to

it

keep

closed until the chicks are out of their shells.

Helpoften

ing out

weak

chicks seldom pays.

On

the other hand,

it is

necessary to assist ducklings, for the shell membranes are very

tough.

In very dry climates

it

may

be well to sprinkle

all

eggs with water at a temperature of

begins.

103 before hatching

60

THE COUNTRY HOME

On
the seventh

day of incubation the eggs are

to be tested

by holding them between the eye and a strong

device being supplied with all incubators.

light, a

simple
the

If infertile,

egg will be clear;

indicate the fact.

if

there be a chick in the seventh

it,

an opaque spot will

On

day

lines

may

be seen radi-

ating from this spot.

clear but will

An egg
may

with a dead germ will not be

have no blood

lines.

Such an egg

is

worthless,

but the infertile eggs

be saved and boiled hard for the

young

chickens'

first

meals.

Commonly

a second test

is

made

on the fifteenth day.

tieth
first.

Eggs

are often pipped on the twen-

day and the chicks should be out by the end of the twenty-

With

good hatch, the

shells break in the

middle and

the youngsters all appear pretty close together.

are often delayed.

Yet hatches

The

chicks should be left in the incubator

until thoroughly dry.

Meantime, the brooder may be made

not

ready for them.

Running an incubator
oil is

is

difficult, if the

machine

is

good one, but no necessary duty must be overlooked.

wick trimmed daily.

The

best

needed, the lamps must be scrupulously clean and the

There should be a new wick at the be-

ginning of each hatch.

very helpful device

is

an

electric

alarm connected with a bell at the head of the operator's bed.

If the

temperature runs too high at night, the bell sounds a

warning.
It is

not a bad plan to set several hens at the time the incu-

MARCH
bator
is

61

started.

At the end of ten days,

fertile

eggs from

under the hens

may

be placed in the machine as a substitute

for those tested out.

Several hens should always be set at the same time, in order

that the chickens
hens.

may

be doubled up and given to one or more

It is foolish to

have a hen running with only half a

dozen chickens
It is

perhaps only one.

are tested out,

well to test eggs under hens as well as those in maIf

chines.

many

two clutches may be combined

and one hen

released.

Amateurs often neglect one most important point, which

is

dusting of the hen with

lice

powder.

Hundreds of hens
lice.

die

on the nest every season from the plague of

cruel

This

is

both

and unnecessary.

Dusting every week will keep the ver-

min down.

The

sitting

hen should have access to food, water and a

is

dust bath.

Corn

the best ration.

APRIL
"Sweet April!
a thought Is wedded unto thee, as hearts are zved; Nor shall they fail 'til to its Autumn brought, Life's golden fruit is shed." Longfellow.

Many

APRIL

A
tree
is

WONDERFUL

month

is

April.

Nature then seems

intent on but a single mission, to cover the whole earth

with a carpet of green and to renew the

life of

every

and flower and garden plant.

April to the garden maker

month

of

toil,

the planting month,

when

the hopes

and

de-

sires of a winter's

breeding are buried with the seeds to spring

up

later in the fruits

and flowers of summer's harvest.

Usually there
grounds, too,
be made.
In

is

much

to be

done around the house and

gutters
many

to be cleaned out
it is

and minor

repairs to

sections

found that the red

squirrels

do

no

little

damage

in winter,

which means that they should be

Pert and saucy as they are,
pets, for they

driven from the neighborhood.

they must not be included
the friendly birds

among our

prey upon

and

are mischief-makers in general.

Fences
In

should be repaired
fact,

this

month and barns whitewashed.

finds

April might well be called the renovation month.

The general farmer

As a
rule, all the

much work

afield at this season.

plowing and harrowing may be completed.

Oats, wheat and barley should be sown, even in

New

England.

Oats and peas make a valuable combination, providing fodder

for the cattle

and straw

for winter.

The

oats

and peas often

[65]

66

THE COUNTRY HOME

where the cows have no pasture.

are ird directly from the field,

It is

customary

to

sow

bushel and a half of peas to the acre,

inches.

plowing them under about three

After that, the oats

are drilled in at the rate oi a bushel to the acre.

AROUND THE GROUNDS

This
is

splendid month for planting shrubs around the

for they will then get a

home grounds,
weather conies.

good

start before hot

There are good shrubs

list

great variety, but

perhaps no better
flowers

can be

practically

the

made than the summer through:

following, giving
Forsythia,
Lilacs,

Tartarian Honeysuckles, Japanese Quince, Spireas, Weigela,

Syringa,

Hydrangea Paniculata, Viburnum

or

High Bush
of

Cranberry, Japanese Barberry, and Althea or Rose of Sharon.

Shrubs usually look better when massed along the sides

the garden or in a corner or possibly against a building.

Hy-

drangea Paniculata

is

very

commonly grown
the

as a
is

specimen ami

makes

gorgeous show.

Japanese Barberry

one of the best

thor-

hedge plants.

Wherever planted,
It is

ground should be

oughly worked over.

the sod

useless to stick a shrub into a hole in

and expect

it

to

grow.
this

Box and privet hedges should be trimmed

erably before they start
plant
a

month, prefto

to

grow.

This

is

good month

hedge, too, and the best hedge plants are undoubtedly

Japanese Barberry and California Privet.

The

latter

grows the

APRIL
taller.

67
be allowed to "gang

Usually
1 '

barberry hedge

may

its

ain gait,
stant

as the Scotch say, hut a privet

it

hedge

will

need conis

shearing to keep

trim

and

neat.

Arbor

vit:r

besl

for an evergreen hedge.

point

commonly overlooked when

later.
set

planting

hedge often brings embarrassment

All these

plants have a wide spread and unless they are

well back

from the sidewalk they

Evergreens

will soon
set

grow over

the line.
in

may

he

out

more successfully
in

April prob-

ably than at any other time

the year.

As

a rule they are

given no heading hack.

It is

advisable to dig around

not

all

the

lawn
to

trees in order that

If

they

may
is

become choked, and then

it

mulch them.
to
(lit;

the

sod

at all stiff,

will he

found an advantage

in

some

coal ashes.

A few

shrubs

may
Tt is

he trimmed this month, hut not

advisable, however, to cut

those which bloom early.

the suckers which spring

away

up around
a

the Persian Lilacs or the

It is

bushes will soon become

tangled mass.

necessary to go
left

slow

in

trimming the

roses,

but the work should not be

until they send out shoots.

Often many suckers may be dug up

set

from around the Wichuriana roses and

out

in

Other places

around the grounds

IN
It
is

to

make new

plants.

THE

VICI'T AI'.I.K

GARDEN
as

a mistake to plant, the vegetable garden,

many
been

amateurs have learned

to their sorrow, before the soil has

68

THE COUNTRY HOME

It is

thoroughly prepared.

wise even to wait a week or two in

order to secure this result.

Most

of the hardier vegetables

may
list

be planted this

month even

in the northern states.

The

includes peas, beets, carrots, turnips, parsnips, salsify, spinach,

potatoes, lettuce, radishes, Swiss chard

and curly Scotch

kale,

along with started lettuce, onion and early cabbage plants from
the cold frame.

Early cabbages can stand more cold than

is

generally supposed and

may

be set out as soon as the ground

can be worked.
or

Even

a flurry of

snow

will

do the plants

little

no harm.
If

one

is

in

doubt about

varieties, the

following

may

be

selected

with reasonable assurance of satisfaction:

Beets,

Early Egyptian; Swiss chard, Lucullus; cabbage, Surehead,

Copenhagen Market, Drumhead, Savoy and Danish Roundhead, the latter being particularly good for winter; carrot,
vers'

Dan-

Half Long;

lettuce,

Big Boston, Grand Rapids,

May

King, Wayahead, Black-seeded Tennis Ball and Salamander,

the last for

midsummer;
Alderman,

parsnips, Student; peas, Gradus, Nott's

Excelsior,

Stratagem

and

Telephone;

spinach,

Round
It is

thick-leafed

and Longstanding.
as
a

worth while planting peas and early potatoes just

soon as the ground can be

frost or

made

ready.

Even

if

there

is

two

later,

no harm will be done and the crop will be

ready at a time when these vegetables are scarce and high.

Most vegetable gardens

will profit

by an application of lime

APRIL
to be

69

harrowed

in,

but

it is

just as well to omit the lime where

potatoes are to be grown.

To

prevent scab on potatoes, sus-

pend them
solution
in

for

an hour and a half in a coarse sack or basket in a

dissolving two ounces of corrosive sublimate
after

made by
is

two gallons of hot water with enough cold water added,

cold, to

the mixture

make

fifteen gallons.
to dry.

After removing

the potatoes, spread

them out

Extra early potatoes

in trays or
is

may be

secured by sprouting the tubers

light

on the

floor in a

warm,

room before the ground

ready.

Sowings of

lettuce, cress

and radishes may be made

every two weeks from

now on
is

to insure a constant supply.

Leeks have a flavor which

more delicate than that of onions.

and

The

seeds should be

sown

in rows about six inches apart

one inch deep.

In order to beat your neighbor with early sweet corn, seeds

may be sown in strawberry boxes in the house or in a cold frame. The corn may be transplanted without difficulty after danger
of frost has passed.

Late cabbage and cauliflower seed

frames or in a seed bed.

may

be started in cold

Celery grown in boxes indoors should

be transplanted to cold frames.

see the planting table in the

For directions for planting,

Appendix.

Rhubarb and
This

aspar-

agus

may

be hastened by covering a few roots with barrels or

is

boxes and heaping fresh manure around them.

the

month

for setting out both these vegetables.

Rhubarb

requires

70

THE COUNTRY HOME

very rich ground and a quantity of manure should be spaded

in every Spring.

When

planting an asparagus bed,

it is

best to purchase one

or two-year-old roots
in a trench six inches

and they should be

deep and

set

twenty inches apart

It

at least a foot wide.

used to

be thought that

it

was necessary
it

to

have several inches of

manure under
growth
is

the roots, but

has been found that the root

usually lateral instead of downward, so

fertilizer into the

now

it is

the

custom to work plenty of

rows.

ground between the

it

After the asparagus comes into bearing,

first
is

may be

cut for

about three weeks the

weeks.
old bed

two

years,

and

after that, for six

years.

An
is

asparagus bed

good for about twelve

An

benefited by a liberal application of well rotted

manure
well.

this

month, and

many

people like to use salt or kainit as

Argenteuil and Conover's Colossal are good kinds and

is

Palmetto

often grown for commercial purposes.

Radish seeds germinate quickly.

Sown with
little

the slow-grow-

ing root crop like carrots and parsnips, the

plants will soon

mark

the rows for cultivation.

IN

THE FLOWER GARDEN

All the bulb beds and herbaceous borders should be uncov-

ered by the middle of the month, as a rule.

It is

well to do some

spading in the borders and to work in some well rotted manure

or

bone meal.

Many

annuals

may

be sown by the end of the

APRIL
month,
if

7\_

the season

is

an open one, and the perennial plants

is

may

be set out after danger of frost

over.

Gladioli can go in safely even before the end of the frost

period, but in order to get extra early flowers the corms should

be planted in boxes of earth and kept in a cool place

direct sunlight, indoors.

away from
be set out

The
is

started plants

may

when

all

danger of frost

past.

Then
first

gladioli should be

planted every two weeks up to the

cession.

of July, to have a suc-

Commonly
Six inches

the bulbs or corms are not planted deep

is

enough.

none too deep for large specimens.

It is

an excellent plan to grow a row or two of gladioli in the vegetable garden, cultivating

them

like the other crops, in order to

secure an abundance of blooms for cutting.

the best bulbs for this purpose.

America

is

one of

Sweet peas should go

planted in March.

in this

month,

if

they could not be

Other bulbs to plant

in April include the

are.

Montbretias, which should be

much better known than they

The bulbs should go

shell flower,
this is
is

in

about four inches deep.

Tigridia, or

another interesting bulb for April planting and

none too early for putting bulbs of Hyacinthus candicans

into the ground.

Pansy plants may be

and

set

out as soon as the ground

if

is

ready

will flower continuously

little Bellis, or

the blossoms are kept picked.

The

English daisy, can be planted at the same

time and makes an excellent border for the pansies.

Pansy

72

THE COUNTRY HOME

if

plants will grow in partial shade, but can not do their best

placed under

trees.

ORCHARD AND FRUIT GARDEN

Both orchard
trees

and small

fruits should be planted as

early as the ground can be prepared, but thorough preparation

is

well worth while.

is

If the trees or plants arrive before the

it is

ground

ready for them,

best to heel

them

in.

This means
it,

simply digging a trench and setting the nursery stock into

slightly at an angle

and with only

the tops protruding, the

If the spot

trench being then filled in with earth.

dry, the stock will keep safely until
it

chosen

is

can be planted out.

Many

people have the foolish notion that they can expect

if
it.

a tree to grow, the roots into

as such.

they merely dig a hole in the ground and thrust

tree

is

a living thing

and must be treated

Proper planting of a fruit tree means opening up an

excavation large enough to give the roots their full spread.

Commonly

the roots are cut back somewhat.

off

All bruised and

broken roots should be trimmed

clean in any case.

Most

of

the fibrous roots on a transplanted tree are of no value.

It is a

common

fault to set a tree too deeply or not deep

it

enough.

Usually a dark ring on the stock will show where

stood in the nursery.

this ring just

The

tree

should go into the ground with

After a part of the
in,

below the surface.

soil

has

been replaced, a bucket of water

because water
is

may be poured
soil

not so

much

needed

as to

work the

among

the roots.

APRIL
It

73

may be

said, in passing, that the roots

must never be allowed

to dry out

from the time they leave the nursery until they are

planted again.

When

the trees are taken to the field,

it is

good plan

to

wrap

the roots in

wet burlap

or to set

them

in a

pail or barrel filled with water.

Some people make

a thin

mud
may may

and "puddle" the

roots in that.
is

While

the soil

being replaced about the

roots, the tree

be raised and lowered slightly in order that no air spaces be left around the roots.

The

rootlets cannot start unless they

are in the closest contact with the earth.

Some people
roots.

use a

lath to press the soil into the openings

between the

When

the hole has been filled, a slight depression

may

be left to catch

rainwater, but
stable litter.

it is

better to
rule,

mulch the

trees

with grass, straw or

As a

but

little fertilization is

needed when
later.

trees are set out.

It is better to

feed them liberally

is

Whether
It is

to

buy one

or two-year-old trees

a disputed point.

not worth while to get trees more than two years old at any

rate.

Once

in the

ground, they must be cut back according to

to be

the variety
trees are

and the way they are

grown.

These days
it is

fruit

almost invariably headed low and

well to have

the lowest branches not more than eighteen inches from the

ground.

Peach

trees usually are

less

trimmed back

to a

mere whip.

Apples and pears are cut back

in

sharply and the purpose kept

mind

of

making an open, branching head.

With most

varie-

ties it is

best to cut out the leader.

74

THE COUNTRY HOME

When
one has a small place,
it is

desirable to

grow a number

of
is

dwarf

fruit trees, particularly apples

and

pears.

While

it

necessary to wait from four to fifteen years to get fruit from

a standard apple tree, according to variety,

dwarf

trees will

bear in two or three years, while the fruit

of the best quality.

is

quite as large and

Oftentimes dwarf trees are trained on

walls or buildings, thus taking no garden space which could be

used for other crops.

wires or trellises in attention
is

Often, too, these trees are trained on

the

much

same way

as grapes.

Considerable

necessary to grow them in this way, but very inter-

esting effects are secured as well as high-class fruit.

When

an orchard

is

being planted

it is

of the utmost impor-

tance to have trees of two varieties that bloom at the same time
in order to secure cross fertilization, unless, of course, there be

another orchard close at hand.

Varieties of high quality in

in others,

some sections are almost worthless

in a general

but

it

may

be said

way

that the following apples will provide a satis-

factory succession for

home
late

use:

Summer. Red Astrakhan;

Baldwin, Greening and
are these
:

autumn, Gravenstein and Wealthy; early winter, Hubbardston

and Mcintosh's Red;

Northern Spy.
lett

winter,

Among the best pears

Summer, Bart-

and Clapp's Favorite; autumn, Beurre Bosc and Seckel and Dana's Hovey.
which has been thoroughly

winter, Beurre d'Anjou

The

small fruits, such as raspberries, blackberries, currants

soil

and gooseberries, should go into

APRIL

75

pulverized and preferably enriched with barnyard manure or sheep manure.

For the home garden there should be

a variety

of sorts, including the red and blackcap raspberries and both

white and red currants.

is

A new
it

raspberry called the St. Regis

of special value because

bears nearly the whole

summer

through.
is

Cuthbert

is

good red raspberry and Golden Queen

Cherry and Fay's Prolific are favorite
is

a popular yellow kind.

red currants, while

less there is

White Grape

the best white sort.

Doubtis

no better blackberry than Snyder, and Lucretia

is

the

common dewberry, which

really a trailing variety of the

blackberry, but ripens earlier.

All the bush fruits should be planted

away from
air.

buildings,

where they will get a free circulation of

plan to
set

It is

not a good

them along the

fences.

Currants will do very well

in partial

shade and even raspberries are often grown between

the trees in a
feet apart

young orchard.

Raspberries should stand four

and blackberries

six feet.

Three feet will be far

Considerable

enough

for currants if they are kept trimmed.

cutting back should be done at planting time and the roots

should be carefully arranged in the

soil.

Cultivation

is

com-

monly

practiced, but

mulching

is

sometimes adopted.

In the

established fruit garden overgrown plants

may still be

trimmed,

old canes being cut out.

blackberries.
berries

It is

often an advantage to stake the

raspberries
all

Nip

off

young canes of

and black-

when

three feet high

and cut out

but three or four.

76
There
is

THE COUNTRY HOME

no better time for making a strawberry bed, which
Probably
the plants

should have a sunny location and be well drained.

the single

row system

is

the best for the

home garden,

being set about 16 inches apart with three feet between the rows.

The important point

plants
is

to

remember when setting strawberry

to

have the crowns exactly level with the ground.

should be trimmed
if

At

least a third of the roots

off

square with a

pair of sharp scissors.

finger

Then,

the plant

is

taken between the

and thumb and quickly twirled, the

roots will

open into

a circle just right for setting into the hole holes are quickly

made

for them.

made with

a long trowel, but

easier to

when

The number

of plants are to be set out,

it is

open rows with a hand

dry out.
is

plow.

The

roots

must not be allowed

to

No

fruit can be expected unless care

taken to purchase

perfect flowering plants or else a staminate

variety.

and a

pistillate

Otherwise the flowers will not be

fertilized.

Stam-

inate varieties are perfect flowering.

ties for a

succession are these:

early,

Among many good varieEarly, Ozark, Glen Mary and

Edward and BrandySample
is

Sample; medium
wine;
late,

Abington, King
Belt.
is

Belmont and William

those

the only

variety
it
is

among

named which

not perfect flowering, yet

best to

grow other kinds with Glen Mary and William

Belt.

The

old strawberry bed should be cultivated; and

when
will

the leaves start to grow, a

mulch of hay between the rows

keep the ground moist and the berries clean.

APRIL
The orchard should
wise, for
this
it is

11

be plowed over,
trees.

if

kept in cultivation,
is

but not deeply near the

Harrowing every ten days

all the

important to conserve

moisture possible at

season.

Many

people prefer the mulch system, which

means that

the trees are

grown

in sod but with all the grass

thrown around the

spread of the limbs.

trees to a point

some distance beyond the

wise to increase this mulch

Usually

it is

with additional grass or other

will cut the grass

litter.

No

good orchard man

it

under

his trees

and take

away

unless he

replaces
It is

it

with a liberal application of manure.

well to spray the peach trees this

month with

lime-

sulphur wash to prevent peach-leaf curl.

In the South beans of all kinds, beets, cucumbers, corn,

squash and pumpkins and melons

may

be sown.

cabbage plants should be

like

set out in rich

Tomato and ground. People who

All the annual

okra should sow seed in drills at once.

flowers

may

be planted and coleus beds should be set out.

Coleus cuttings root readily in the open ground.

GREENHOUSE AND WINDOW GARDEN

Cinerarias and Chinese primroses
in April.

may

be started from seed

The former

will flower next spring

and the

latter in

time for the holidays.

season

Seeds of campanulas for forcing next

may

also be sown.

Lilacs, deutzias, bleeding heart

and similar plants that have

78

THE COUNTRY HOME

may
and
be set in the open when danger of

been forced under glass

frost
is

over.

This

is

also the time for planting out the house

ericas,

azaleas, bougainvilleas

provided established

warm

weather has come.

the

If

grown

in a partially

shaded place through

summer, they will bloom next season.

They

are best kept

soil.

in their pots, the latter

being plunged in well-drained

required by azaleas.

Careful watering
the soil just moist.

is

It is best to

keep

Paris daisies

removed from the pot and

it is

planted out will give some flowers during the summer, but
useless
to

take

them indoors again.

in the

The yellow

flowered
frost.

genista
It will

may be plunged

garden and grown on until

flower again next season.

Cuttings of this plant made

earlier in the season

in the fall.

may

be set into the ground and potted up

The

astilbe,

commonly

called spinea,
it is

may

be planted in a

partly shaded border after

through flowering and should

fall.

be left for a year until the following

taken up and forced again.

Then

it

may

be

A few
garden

of the bulbs which have been forced in the

window

may

be saved.

They

include freesias and the oxalis.

Tulips, hyacinths and narcissi grown in the open garden

also be stored in a cool, dry place after the foliage ripens

may
and

will be ready for

blooming again the next season.

In April the golden calla lily (Richardia Elliottiana) bulbs

should be potted up. rich

soil

being used.

They should then be

APRIL
left in a cool,

79
start,

dark place until the roots

perhaps two

weeks.

When

brought to the light they will grow rapidly and

April
is

flower in about three months.

heliotrope.

good month

to start

APRIL POULTRY

WORK

Poultry keepers have their hands full in April, caring for

the

newly hatched

chicks.

Many

hens are

still

allowed to run

with their broods and when only a few chickens are to be raised
this

plan gives satisfaction.

The hen which

week with
a

is

mothering chicks
lice

must be dusted
and the coop
with a prepared

at least once a

good

powder,

will require spraying with kerosene or painting

lice

exterminator.

It is

economical of labor to
is

use one of these preparations, for one application a season

sufficient.

If the chickens are

allowed to run in a garden,

it

will be

necessary to confine the hen, while the youngsters are allowed

their liberty.
It is
is

always well, though, to keep the chicks shut

up when
the grass

rain
is

falling

and not

to give

them

their liberty while

wet with dew while they are small.

it

small yard

with roofing paper over

makes a good run

for such times.

is

When
ficient.

a hen

is

brooding ducks, a yard of low boards

to

suf-

The hen may be allowed

Ducklings require
less

jump

in

and out

as she

pleases.

brooding than chickens and

are soon willing to dispense with their foster mother.

80
It is different

THE COUNTRY HOME

with guinea chicks.

They

will follow the hen

about until they are full grown, often to biddy's obvious annoyance.

Sometimes they will even

trail after

a cock bird.

The experiment
tried,

of brooding chickens with capons has been

success.

and with a degree of

The only

trouble seems to

be that the big, slow-moving bird occasionally steps on the

chicks,

with disastrous results.

In small yards, a hen with chicks

may

be allowed a certain
if

degree of liberty and yet prevented from doing damage

string
is

attached to one leg, the other end being tied to a ring

sticks.

running on a wire stretched between two

Chicks which seem to droop are likely to be suffering from

lice.

It is

well to use

lice

powder on them and

to touch the tops

of their heads lightly with grease.

One advantage
chicks require

of rearing chicks in a brooder

is

lies in

the fact

that the plague of lice

escaped, for a time at least.

Brooder

more attention than those with hens, however.

You must

not play truant

when operating

a brooder.

The

heat

must be kept equable and feed rations given regularly.

of the old-style

None
more

wooden brooders can

successfully care for

than

fifty chickens,

but poultry keepers everywhere are begin-

ning to use metal hovers of a new type and accommodating from

1

50

to 1,000 chickens at

one time.

They, of course, are for men

scale.

and women who

raise chickens

on a large

The amateur

will naturally stick to the smaller brooders.

APRIL

8I_

Chicks should not be removed from the incubator until thor-

oughly dry.

By

that time the brooder should be

It is best to

warmed up

and ready
fine

for them.

have the

floor

covered with
cut clover or

sand and after two or three days a

litter of

alfalfa

may

be added.

From 95

to
it

100 degrees of heat will be

needed the

first

week, after which

may gradually be

decreased
necessary,

at the rate of five degrees a week.

thermometer

is

yet the heat should be regulated largely by the actions of the

chickens.
If they are
is

found stretched on the

if

floor

and panting,
it is

the temperature

too high;

they are huddled,

too low.

When

they settle

down

contentedly, a slight distance apart,

that they are all right.

the poultry keeper

knows

Plenty of

ventilation

is

very important.

Neither brooder house nor

brooder must be kept too tight.

After a few days, the chicks

may

be allowed to venture from

under the hover, but a semi-circular yard of chicken wire will

be needed, lest they stray

away and

forget

how

to get back.

Following along the wire fence, they will find themselves under
the hover again.

There
feeding.

is

no reason for making a complex matter of chicken

Just as satisfactory results come from simple methods.

Many

people start with hard-boiled eggs.

store,

Others use oatmeal Others mix the

from the grocery

fed dry, or rolled oats.

eggs and the oats, softening the mixture slightly with

water.

warm

Bread soaked

in milk,

but with the milk partly squeezed

82
out,

THE COUNTRY HOME

makes an
ideal ration for the
is

first

few days.

Milk, either

sweet or sour,

always good for growing chicks.

like to fuss
is

Most people
but in point of

with their chickens a

little at first,

fact, it

perfectly safe to begin feeding a good

commercial chick feed the second day, without any preliminaries.

is

No food of any kind is

is

needed for 36 hours,

is

as the chick

nourished by the yolk of the egg, which

broken.

absorbed just before

the shell

The ready-mixed chick

feeds are convenient,

but not indispensable.

Cracked wheat and corn will answer.

first

Some good

breeders feed bran after the

week, keeping

it

before the chickens at all times.

ten per cent of beef scraps
is

At the end of the second week,

added.

mashes contain a wider variety, but are

The commercial dry more expensive. The

chicks should have coarse sand or fine grit always at hand, with

water in abundance, but the drinking vessel should be one that

the little birds cannot climb into.

There are many good foun-

tains on the market, but a flower saucer, with a brick in the

middle, will answer the purpose.

It is

important that young chickens have plenty of green

food, tender grass, lettuce or sprouted oats, the latter

when
plot,

nothing else

is

available.

If they
first

have the run of a grass

hand.

they will get their green stuff

Often the chicks are

kept in small, covered runs on grass land, the runs being

their

moved

width every day or two.

When

sprouted oats are fed

chickens, the sprouts should not be over an inch long.

APRIL
Bread soaked
good
first

83
is

in milk

and sprinkled with coarse sand

ration for ducklings.

to a soft

After three days gradual shift

may

be

made

mash

consisting of four parts bran, one

part ground oats, one part cornmeal, two parts of green stuff

and one part of beef

sistency

scraps.

This mash

is

of the proper con-

when

it

will crumble in the hands.

Sloppy mashes

for hens or ducks are quite out of date.

Poultrymen of today
in raising chickens

wonder how

their

grandmothers succeeded

on cornmeal mush.

Ducklings will appreciate a generous

stuff

amount of waste green

from the garden.

It is

well to feed

both chickens and ducks

five times a

day

at

first,

but after four

weeks, three times a day will be sufficient.

There are no arbitrary rules about feeding ducks.

often used dry oatflakes scattered on the grass
to be

have

when

wanted

away for half a day. A neighboring breeder raises his Indian Runner ducks entirely on dry commercial mash, the same mash he feeds his laying hens. He seldom loses any and
they thrive mightily.
for

Different treatment

is

needed, of course,

Pekin ducks being grown for market.

They must be pushed

for the coun-

with heavy feeding, and fattened largely on beef scraps. Rouen

and Muscovy ducks

try home.

are perhaps better

meat birds

They

are easy to raise,

and the Muscovys have no

and

quack, like other ducks.

their

They

are strong flyers, though,

wings must be clipped.

Five weeks, instead of four, are

eggs.

required for hatching

Muscovy duck

84

THE COUNTRY HOME

Broilers are most in

demand
this

this

month and

next.

Pheasants begin to lay

month and

are best provided

with sheltered nests, perhaps barrels or boxes with a few

branches thrown over them.

The eggs may

be removed and

given to bantam hens to incubate, but four or

be left in the nest.

five

should always

Guinea eggs may be

latter part.

set this

month, preferably toward the

Guinea fowls
is

are well

worth raising for the meat

they produce; there

birds

no better substitute for game. do no damage

These

may be allowed

full liberty, except, perhaps, in the spring.

in the

when they

are laying, for they will

garden,

but on the contrary eat

but should be kept shut
best incubated by hens.

many

bugs.

Turkeys need

free range,

in at night.

Eggs

laid this

month

are

LIVESTOCK AND BEES

The

calves need warm, dry pens and plenty of skim milk.

When

separators are used, the skim milk

If

the calves.
stituted.
It is

milk

is

scarce,

hay tea

may be fed direct to may be gradually sub-

well to look to the feet of the colts before they are

turned out.

Often they grow very

fast in winter

and leveling

up

is

needed now.

Farrowing sows require comfortable quarters and dry pens

are necessary for the

growing

pigs.

APRIL
April
is

85
It is best to

the
if

month

to purchase bees.

buy them

near home,

good bee farmer can be found, but the bees may

be sent safely by express.

before taking up the
as
it

One should read up on the subject keeping of bees. The work is not so simple
At any
rate,

often

is is

made

to seem.

an investment of more

than"

$2 f

not advised until the bees have begun to pay their

is

way.

This

not to suggest that the keeping of bees should not

be rndertaken.

On

the contrary, no country

home

is

complete

without a colony or two.

will cost

strong colony in a ten-frame hive

from eight
tool

to twelve dollars.

Gloves,

veil, a

smoker
will be

and a hive

may
is

be ordered at the same time.

They

needed from the

Early April
lished apiary.

first.

also the

month

to

examine bees

in the estab-

If a

colony has been winter killed, the combs

may

be removed to another hive.

New

queens must be ordered

for colonies

found

to be

without queens.

Weak

colonies will

need feeding on a syrup made of one part of granulated sugar

The water should be warm and the sugar thoroughly dissolved. Feeders may be purchased, but a
to

two parts of water.

shallow pan from the ten-cent store

is

just as good.

It

should

be partly filled with excelsior for the bees to travel on and

placed in the top of the hive, under the winter cushion in the
super.

The

bees will need water, and

it

if

none

is

near by, a pan of

water with chips floating on

may

be set near the hives.

MAT
"Among
the changing

months

May stands confessed

tfhe sweetest,

and

in fairest colors dressed!'

Thompson.

>v*

MAY

M
linger.

AY

is

the

month

of blossoming shrubs

and the

busiest

month

of all the year, to the

maker of gardens,

particufrosts

larly in the northern parts of the country,

where

Not

that planting monopolizes the time

and labor of

the garden maker. the

Many

other duties, too, crowd thick upon

owner of a country home.

Often

it is

impossible to repair

the walks until the settled weather of

is

May has

come.

Yet

this

very necessary work.

Sometimes the only way

to get a per-

fect

walk

is

to use tile drain a foot or

is

two under the

surface.
a

Whether

walk

of brick or cement,
cinders.
It
is

it is

important to have

good foundation of

money to lay a cement walk unless perfect drainage is provided for. The ashes from the furnace make an excellent walk or drive when covered
a waste of

with gravel.
If the fences are old,
little
it is

economy

to replace

them

little

by

each spring, using modern wire fencing.

it is

Cedar, locust or

chestnut posts should be chosen and

well to dip the lower

ends into tar or some prepared preservative before they go into

the ground.
It

pays to top-dress the

fields

with good reliable grass

fer-

tilizer,

which should go on early in the spring, preferably just

[89]

90
before a rain.

THE COUNTRY HOME

This
is

the

month

to seed timothy.
it is

Many

field

crops can go into the ground this month, but

or plant before there
is

useless to

sow

a prospect of settled weather with the

is

ground

fairly dry.

If

manure
in,

spread on the surface,

it

should
is

be thoroughly plowed

but not deeply when the crop

to be

corn or anything else with a shallow root growth.

seeder and

A combined
On
all

manure spreader

is

a very useful implement.

large farms the

manure spreader has come

to be almost indis-

pensable.
It is a

great mistake to turn out stock too early.

If the

ground

is

wet

it

will be badly cut

up and

grass

is

injured by too

early cropping.

IN

THE FLOWER GARDEN

in

Much
in the

depends upon location and season, but some time

the course of

May

practically all the annuals

may

be planted

open ground.

Likewise, those that have been started in

boxes in the house or in cold frames

they have been properly hardened
off.

may

be set out, provided

Among

the best annuals for the average garden are nas-

turtiums, godetias, petunias,

Drummond's

phlox, four o'clocks,

annual gaillardias, pot marigolds, scabiosa, zinnias, sweet

alyssum, candytuft, cosmos, poppies, larkspurs, mignonette,
nicotiana
stocks

(tobacco plant),

portulaca,

salpiglossis,

ten-week

and night-blooming stocks (mathiola)

MAY
There will be an abundance of bloom from
if

91_

all these flowers,

started in

May.

Several of them are particularly well

adapted to special purposes.

The poppies
It will

are almost unrivaled

for beds or borders of brilliant colors

sorts are

and many of the newer

be necessary to

wonderfully attractive.

make

successive sowings in order to have flowers all summer.

The pot marigolds and

filling in

portulacas are the best annuals for

It is

empty

spots in the beds.

well to grow a number

in midto

of plants for this purpose.

They may be transplanted

summer and when budded without causing them

blooming.

stop

The

portulacas are unsurpassed for exposed, sunny places,

soil is

where the

sandy.

They

will flourish

where almost no

other flower will grow.

until

It is useless,

however, to plant the seed

warm weather

comes.

When
to look as the

one wants a garden of sweet odors, the flowers to

choose are the night-blooming stocks, which are not at all good

upon while daylight

lasts,

but become delightful as soon

shadows have deepened into night; nicotiana, another

night-blooming flower of enchanting sweetness; mignonette,

which requires successive sowings and

or

likes a cool soil; scabiosa

mourning

bride, one of the best annuals for cut flowers,

and

the annual wallflower.

There are many excellent perennials, started plants of which

may

be purchased at the seed stores and set out in May.

They

92

THE COUNTRY HOME

include larkspur, phlox, dictamus or gas plant, lily of the valley,

lis

Japanese anemone or windflower, tufted pansy, hemerocal-

or

day

lily,
first

and

digitalis or foxglove.

The

tufted pansy will

larkspurs pos-

bloom the
sibly

season, as should the

day

lily; the

may.
of the very best garden flowers
is is

One

antirrhinum or snapas

dragon, a perennial which usually

grown

an annual. Early

blossoms are secured by sowing the seeds indoors, but there will be an abundance of flowers when a sowing
is

made

in the

open

ground

in

May.

There are few more persistent bloomers,

remaining

in flower until frost comes.

The snapdragons

will

grow

in partial

shade and are almost unexcelled as cut flowers.

Climbing

roses

and some of the

may be new sorts

planted to good advantage in

are remarkably fine.

May
quite
its

They

bid fair
is

to supplant the old-fashioned

Crimson Rambler, which

is

undesirable after the blooming season

over, because of
:

untidy habits.

Among

the best climbers are these

Hiawatha,

Clothilde Soupert, Climbing American Beauty, Tausendschon,

Dorothy Perkins and Sweetheart.

Several of the

new

climbers,

including the American Beauty and Sweetheart, have considerable fragrance, a quality which has been rare in climbers
heretofore.

There

is

no better time

to plant

hardy vines than early

in

May.

Some

of the best varieties for the country

home

are

actinidia, a fragrant

Japanese climber, excellent for covering

MAY
arbors

93

and

trellises; Aristolochia, or

Dutchman's Pipe, probably

the best of all vines for

making

a complete screen, the large,

heart-shaped leaves overlapping; Virginia creeper; clematis,

both Henryi and Jackmanni, the latter having violet purple

flowers; the
suckle.

hop vine; Chinese wistaria and Hall's honeylatter

is

The

a particularly

good vine because

it

it

yields

a profusion of white flowers

and

also because

keeps

its

glossy

green foliage until late in winter.

the

Two

good climbers besides

well-known nasturtium and morning-glory for annual

planting are Cobea scandens and the matrimony vine.

Late in

May in most sections dahlias may be planted.

come into great popularity of
late years

These

flowers have

and the

cactus and decorative types are particularly fine.

varieties,

The Pompon

however, are unrivaled for cutting.

rich soil,

Dahlias do not

need very

but the ground should be thoroughly presides,

soil

pared and the tubers should be placed on their

upright, in a trench six inches deep, with

not

two inches of

over

them, the trench being filled as the plants grow.

Dahlias need

a free circulation of air so that the rows should be from three to

four feet apart and the plants from two and a half to three and
a half feet apart in the row.

Many
but

lilies

may

be planted in

May. They
little

like a

sandy

soil

may be

deceived by running a

sand into the bottom of

planting, from eight to

the hole where they are to go.

Deep

ten inches, should be the rule.

94

THE COUNTRY HOME

Tuberous rooted begonias, started
in the house,

in the

open ground before the end of the

may be set month. They will

soil,

grow

in

complete shade but are rather particular as to

rich.

which

must be porous and

Spading a
is

little

well rotted cow

manure and sand

Such shrubs
pruned as soon

into the

ground

a help.

as forsythia as they

and early-blooming spirea may be

have blossomed, the branches that bore

the flowers being cut away.

THE VEGETABLE GARDEN

The planting
conditions.

of vegetables

begun

last

month may be
to

con-

tinued right through

May, although with due regard

weather

There

is

absolutely no advantage in the planting

crops as beans, cucumbers, squashes and
is

of such

warm weather

melons before the ground

warm.

The

seeds will only rot-

Usually corn
month.

may

be planted safely after the middle of the

There are two ways of having a succession.

One

is

to

plant early,
is

medium and
to

late kinds at the

same time; the other

to

make

successive sowings of an early kind.

Many

people

are

coming

depend entirely upon Golden Bantam, a yellow

are very tender

sort,

but of unsurpassed sweetness and flavor.

Lima beans
late in the
in strawberry

and must not be started

until

month.

Time may be gained by

starting the beans

boxes or paper pots indoors or in a cold frame.

They are

to

go into the ground on their sides and with eyes down.

MAY
rich

93

All beans are of the easiest culture and do not need verv

ground.

Poultry manure should be avoided, as

fruit.

it

tends to

produce a rank growth of leaves instead of

Successive

sowings of bush beans will be needed, but the pole varieties will
continue to bear until frost.
to

When

planting them,

it is

best

put some well-rotted manure at the bottom of the hole. Poles,

set if the

which preferably should have the bark on, are easily

hole
is first

made with

a crowbar.

Six feet apart

is

near enough

for the holes pole.

prolific

and the plants should be thinned

or

to three to each

Kentucky Wonder
Horticultural
is

Lazy Wife

is

perhaps the most

and most satisfactory pole

is

string bean.

Probably the
the

Dwarf

the best shell bean,

and of

dwarf

string beans there

nothing better than Stringless Greenpod.

early,

Parsley

may be sown

but

it is

wise to soak the seeds in

warm water a few hours to hasten germination. Peppers sown now will yield a late crop. The late crop of potatoes is commonly planted shortly after the corn goes in. It is now possible to buy eyes instead of whole
potatoes; a box of these eyes
is

enough

to plant a small

garden

and may be sent by parcel

liflower

post.

Seeds of late cabbage and cau-

may

be sown in the cold frames or in a seed bed.

soil.

Both
land
is

these vegetables require the richest garden

New

well suited to them.

Like most crops of

this character,

they

need an abundance of nitrogenous plant food, and poultry

manure

is

good

for them.

Another sowing of peas, lettuce and

96

THE COUNTRY HOME

Probably the variety of lettuce which
all

radishes should be made.

is

most certain

to

head under

conditions
if it
is

is

Bit;

Boston.

LetIt.

tuce needs to be

grown very quickly

is

to be crisp.

is

helped along by nitrate of soda, which

leai crops.
It
it

valuable for forcing

all

may

be used at the rate of

two ounces
it

for

twenty

feet,
II

sowing

in the soil

hut not allowing

is

to touch, the plants.

the season

is

dry and water

in

not easily applied, the fertilizer

may
oi

he dissolved

water

at

the rate of

two ounces

to a gallon

water and given by means of a watering can.

Late
in

the

month, as

a rule, the
It

cucumbers, melons and

squashes

may

he planted.

is

of great advantage to start them

of

under garden frames, which are merely boxes with a light

glass on top.

A week

or

two may he gained

in this

way, while
frost.

the tender plants are also protected

In order to

from an unexpected

make

these vegetables hear abundantly, they

must

be fertilized liberally; a big shovelful of

is

manure

in

each hole

none too much.

It

is

an excellenl plan to start cucumbers in the hotbeds or

cold frames after the early plants have been

let

removed and

to

them remain

there.

They

will feed on the

manure

in the
is

beds and produce enormously.

besl all-round variety.

Probably White Spine

the

For watermelons, the one kind to be depended upon

in the

North

is

Cole's Early.

For muskmelons there

is

nothing better
like

than Montreal

Nutmeg and Emerald Gem.

People who

MAY
squash should experiment with
flu-

97
English Marrows, which

in

many

respects arc

to

be preferred to the ordinary

is

summer

squashes.

For winter squash there

nothing better, of course,

than the old-fashioned Hubbard.

It

is

imperative that the garden

be-

given constant cultivafilled

tion at this season in order to

keep the sod

with moisture,
If

which

is

even more important than keeping down weeds.

there seems to be lack of fertility

in sufficient

and manure

is

not available

quantities,

it is

well to use a certain

amount

of all-

round garden

fertilizer
t

at

planting time,

depending upon
In

nitrate of soda af ter

he plants have started.

man

cases an

equal mixture
results.
It is
is

of

hardwood ashes and bone meal

will give

good

always advisable

to test a

new garden

for acidity.

This

easily

done with
is

a piece of blue litmus

paper from the drug

store.

The paper

thrust into a handful of soil

It

which has been

an unmistaka-

slightly moistened.

the paper turns red,

it

is

ble indication of an acid soil, the decree

depending upon the

soil
is,

intensity of the coloring.

course, lime, which
in fertilizers.
It

The remedy for an acid

of

maybe bought at the seed stores or of dealers may be used at the rate of from ^00 to 1,^00
In a small garden a peck of lime to

pounds

to the acre.

twenty

feet of a

row

will be right.
fly beetles will

Doubtless

show up before

the

end of May,

working havoc with the melons, squashes, cucumbers and pota-

98
toes that arc up.
to

THE COUNTRY HOME

Dusting the plants with ashes or soot
away.
will help
fly net-

keep

this pest

Oftentimes boxes covered with

ting or muslin arc used as a protection.

Celery for the late crop

set

may

be started

in a

seed bed

now and

out in July.

It is

always an advantage

to transplant celery

several tunes, in order to keep the tap roots short.

best

Probably the

varieties for winter use are

Boston Market and Giant

Pascal.
in the

Early celery plants

may

be purchased and set out late

month.

Golden

Self

Blanching and White Plume are

the best varieties.

LIVESTOCK AND POULTRY

This
tures.
is

the

month

tor the cattle to be turned into the pas-

Even

the calves are benefited by being allowed to run in

It
is

the fields.

not to be expected, though, that grass will

answer entirely for milch cows.

reduced very gradually.
It

The
new

grain ration must be

Some hay
first
is

will still be needed.

is

not wise to allow horses on

at a tune

grass for

more than
there

a
is

few hours

when
it

turned out.

Wherever

plenty of pasture land,

each year.

profitable to raise a colt or

two

Removing
being used
Tf the

the shoes from the

work horses while they

is

arc

in the fields in the

spring

beneficial.
in the

weather turns bad and the horses must be kept

is

stable,

it

well to reduce the

amount

of feed.

MAY
Broody hens become a nuisance unless broken up

99
at once.

Nothing

is

gained by dipping them

in the

watering trough or
involves the con-

otherwise abusing them.

The proper plan

struction of a little elevated coop, raised from the floor

slatted sides

and with

and bottom.

In such a coop the sitting hen will

if

soon become normal, particularly

her broodiness
If to
is

imprisoned there as soon as

discovered.

be used for hatching eggs, the sitting hen should be

at night

removed

and placed
If a

in the nest in
is

which the eggs are

is

to be incubated.

nestegg

given her and she

found the

next morning to be sitting tight, she

stick.

may

be depended upon to
is flat

well-made nest for a sitting hen

and shallow,
the nest

with a rim of hay or straw to confine the eggs.

is

When

so

shaped that the eggs

If

roll to the

middle, some of them are

likely to be broken.

an egg

is

broken and the others are

smeared,

it is

necessary to wipe them off at once with a cloth

water.

dipped

in

warm

It is a

mistake to keep growing chickens of different sizes

If

together; the smaller chicks will suffer.

hens and chickens

are running together, a crate with slatted sides just wide

for the chickens to pass through

enough

feed dishes of the latter.

In

may that way

be set over the water and

the hens will be excluded.
is

Keeping chickens and ducklings together

unless they have wide range.

poor policy,

Ducklings foul the ground very

quickly and

make

the drinking water dirty.

100

THE COUNTRY HOME

to

Although no water
lings, their

swim

in is

required by ducks or duck-

drinking dishes must be deep enough so that they

bills.

can wholly immerse their

Otherwise the nostrils will

will be in

become clogged with food and mud and the birds

darker of suffocation.

Pekin ducklings need watching.

They
feet.

sometimes get on their backs and are unable to regain their

Brush heaps where the chickens

the losses from hawks.
these birds away.

may

seek shelter will lessen

service in scaring

Guinea fowls do good

One pound
are broken off

of

Dwarf Essex

rape will seed a quarter acre and

fall.

provide enough green food for a large flock until

The

tops

and new growth springs up.

is

Before the incubator

put away for the season,

it

should be

thoroughly cleaned and scalded with hot water.

tice to

It is

good prac-

wash

it

out with a strong disinfectant.

to run in the

Turkey poults must not be allowed

until the grass
is

morning
This

is

dry and must be confined on wet days.

true of pheasants, also.

Turkeys must be kept out of the wet Turkeys are not hard

until they

weigh seven or eight pounds.

to raise if certain essentials are not overlooked.

To

keep them
It is

dry and

in perfectly

dry coops

is

of prime importance.
lice.

equally important to keep them free from

a plentiful
in the

They must have

supply of green food, preferably lettuce, and shade

middle of the day.

Sour milk

is

valuable and

may

be

given freely.

MAY
Bread soaked
in

im
is

milk and given a dash of red pepper

excellent for starting the

young

turkeys.

Three times a day

is

not too often to feed lettuce, and there should be grit and charcoal always at hand, as well as fresh water.

When

four or five

weeks old the poults will shoot the

red,

and need particular

raw egg beaten up
is

attention then, especially the females.

in

milk
will

is

of value.

Once

this critical

period

over, the turkeys

make rapid growth.

there are

When
to

permanent yards for the poultry,

it is

well

grow a few

fruit trees in them.

Plums

are best for the pur-

pose; poultry

manure pushes peach

trees too fast.

Plum

trees

grow quickly and provide adequate shade, while the hens

devour the curculio, the pest which makes holes
Jarring the trees in the early morning helps.
in the fruit.

Chicks hatched early this month should make good winter

layers
if

kept growing steadily through the summer.

the breeding season
is

When

over,

it is

time to get rid of the

old male birds.

THE MONTH'S WORK WITH BEES

Swarming
swarming
swarms
is

will keep the bee farmer alert this month.

desirable for increase, but often far too

Some many

issue.

This

may

be prevented to a considerable extent

by giving the bees plenty of room and putting "supers" on the

hives early.

frame of brood

may

be taken from a strong

102

THE COUNTRY HOME

colony and given to a weaker one, being replaced with a frame

carrying a full sheet of foundation.
It is

well to have the sec-

tions in the "super" filled with foundation, as

more honey

is

secured.

The bees

require ten

pounds of honey

to

make

pound

of wax.

When a swarm does issue, the side. A new hive with full sheets
sheet spread in front of
it
it,

old hive should be set to one

of foundation should then be
it

placed under the cluster, wherever

so that

may have
the

formed, and a
is

when

swarm
hive

dislodged,
in at

will fall on the sheet.

Usually the queen will run

once

and the
set

rest of the bees will follow.

The

may

be at once

on the stand occupied by the old hive and the bees in the
naturally mingle with the

field will
is

swarm on

their return.

It

well to put on a "super" at once, for the hive will be filled

lively

now with
hive
is

young bees ready

is

for work.

Sometimes a swarm catcher

placed on
its

used, in which case the

new

stand at once and the sheet spread in front.

The

bees are then brought back and

dumped on
close

the sheet.

If the

owner of the bees can not keep

it

watch of them,
is

he will find

an advantage to use a queen trap, which

attached to the front of the hive at the entrance.

bees are able to pass through, but
it

The worker
and the

will hold the drones

queen.
is

After the swarm comes forth and finds that the queen

not with them, they will come circling back, but the queen

will be secure.

The

bee keeper's work

is

to shift the hives as

MAY
of the

03

already described and then to release the queen at the entrance

new
is

hive.

In this

way

all the labor of

capturing the

swarms

avoided.

Occasionally the trap should be removed

and emptied of dead drones.

JUNE
'June,

and the garden with roses is red; Daisies of silver in meadows are spread. Roses and daisies! The lark in the sky, Loveliest of any is June's month, say I"

Anon.

JUNE
birds and JUNEfor the month of no doubt, poets. out themselves, but
is

The
is

latter can look

it

well worth while

coaxing the birds a

as friendly neighbors

little in

order that

we may have them

around our country homes.

Much may be

done

to attract the birds

by putting up shelters and bird houses.

This work must be done with an intelligent understanding of

the likes

and

dislikes of our feathered friends or

your time will

while others

be wasted.

Some

birds will not occupy boxes at

all,

will accept only those of a certain character.

Several concerns

are

now making inexpensive

is

bird homes, based on a complete

understanding of what

needed.
life

Oftentimes there will be a decided increase in bird

country place,
if

on a

an attempt

is

made

to protect the songsters

from

cats

and other marauding

wide

creatures.

When

the bird houses

if

are on poles, the cats will not be able to reach them,

tin

a sheet of

two

feet

is

tacked entirely around the pole.

Sometimes

it is

possible to place the sheets of tin around small trees where

there are nests.

English sparrows are a great pest and have a

all the

tendency to drive away

native birds.

country home should have no compunctions in

as possible.

The owner of a shooting as many

numbers of these

An

easy

way

to destroy large
f

107]

108
birds

THE COUNTRY HOME

is

to construct a

V-shaped trough ten feet long with a shotIf the trough

it

gun

resting in one end.

is

partly filled with corn,

dis-

the sparrows will be attracted to

and the gun may be

charged by means of a string leading to some point of concealment.

The

result

is

sure to be heavy slaughter.

Bird traps

now on

the market are effective in exterminating sparrows.

Bird baths are a delightful garden accessory.

They may

be

shallow pans set in the ground or more pretentious cement fountains.

Unless

it

has a sloping bottom, the bird bath should not

be more than two inches deep, and

it is

when

it is

set into the

ground

safer for the birds to have no plants or grass

it,

growing close
elevated bird

around
bath
while
is

where cats may find concealment.

An

preferable, for then the birds are not easily attacked,

it is
is

easy to observe them at their ablutions.

a busy

June

month

for the farmer

and the garden maker.

done and continual

There yet remains much planting

stirring of the

to be

ground

is

of the utmost importance.

The lawn

should be

mowed
fall.

at least once a

week and

the clippings left

it is

where they

If a longer period elapses

better to rake

up the

clippings.

Some people make

it

a point to save all the

lawn clippings
or else spread

for their poultry.

Either they feed them green

until they are dry

them on a piece of burlap

enough
This

to crackle

when touched, and then

store

them

in barrels

for winter.
is

an excellent month for sowing millet, field beans.

JUNE
fodder corn, turnips and rutabagas. Japanese millet
lent crop for the northern farmer to grow,
for milch cows, both green
is

109

an excel-

making useful fodder

It will

and when

dried.

grow on

comparatively

damp ground and

in

should be planted at the rate

in.

of twenty pounds to the acre, the seed being harrowed

Corn planted
it is

June should be heavily

is

fertilized; in fact,

not often that the ground

made

too rich for corn.

Ferprac-

tilizer

may

be used in the

hill

and

also broadcasted.

The

tice of hilling

up

or ridging corn
is

and potatoes

is

largely being

given up, but cultivation

this cultivation

continued as long as possible and

should begin even before the plants appear

It is

above the surface, using a light harrow.

tillage
is

an old saying that

manure.

Late potatoes

may

be planted this month and

it is

well to

place the seed as close as twelve or fourteen inches in the row,

if

thorough cultivation can be given.

Potato bugs are likely

to

appear in force and the plants must be sprayed or dusted with

Arsenate of lead has largely replaced

a poison of some kind.

Paris green because
it

sticks better.

When

the potato patch

is

small, one of the proprietary poisons like Slug Shot or

Bug

Death may be dusted on

or dew.

the plants while they are

wet with rain

in the

coffee can with a

few holes punched

bottom

makes a good

duster.

Two

crops which are growing in favor are soja or soy beans

and cow-peas.

Both are legumes, which means that they take

110

THE COUNTRY HOME

soil

nitrogen from the air and thus improve the

where they are

grown,
in the

rhe cow-pea does best

North.
are

in the

Smith and the soy bean

They

are valuable as fodder

and

as cover crops

and often

sown among corn

at the last cultivation.

Both

those crops are well worth

growing

for

improving poor land.

wherever
it

Another crop which should have

a place

can be
years,

grown

is

alfalfa.

Once

started,
a

it

may

be cut for

many

will yield

two

or

more crops
it

season and possesses high feeding

not always easy to get alfalfa to
soil,

value.

Unfortunately,
It

is

grow.

must have

hospitable
a rule, a

which means that

of

it

must
is

be deep and sweet.

As

heavy application
it

manure

needed

to

prepare the ground and

is

impossible to

make

the

seed bed too tine.

Such preparation

of

the

ground

as

is

given for ordinary

crops will not suffice, and weeds must be practically extermi-

nated before the seed

the seed

is

sown.

In addition, either the

is

soil or

must be inoculated and lime

required.
in

There are preparations on the market

which the seed

may

be soaked, or

soil

from alfalfa land ma}- be purchased.

is

Starting an alfalfa field

well worth
all

not an easy task, but the results are

effort.

the time

and

In
It is
i<

many

sections haying will begin by the

end of the month.

always well to cut clover as early as possible, tor then there

a satisfactory

an excellent prospect of getting

second crop in

September.

JUNE
ORCHARD AND SMALL FRUITS
Perhaps the most important work
praying.
to be

m
done
in

June

is

One experiment

station has
this title in
fall

emphasized

this fact

by

sending out a poster with

Spray/'
trees

Large letters,

"Let Qs
i

Just as the blossoms

from the

fruit trees, the

should be thoroughly covered with a combination of Borlead.

deaux mixture and arsenate of

to be

When

the

amount

of

work

done

is

not large, a ready-mixed poison

trees a

and

for a

few

powerful bucket spray

time will

may be purchased pump will answer.

codling-moth
poor policy to

Spraying the apple

trees at this

kill the

and

at the

same time the tent

caterpillar.

It is

use the spray until the blossoms fall, however, for otherwise

many bees
It is

will be sacrificed

and the bees are needed

to pollenize

the flowers.

well to spray all the fruit trees with this same poison,

tor various pests are destroyed

by that means, while the Borin

deaux

in

the

mixture

is

effectual

overcoming

scab,

an-

thracnose and rust.

The

regular Bordeaux mixture

may

be

used to advantage on the grapevines and in the berry patch.

While one

is

about

it, it

takes but little time to spray the orna-

mental shrubs and

beneficial.

trees, as well,

and the

result

is

likely to be

Many

seasons, aphids or plant lice of various kinds

and

colors are exceedingly abundant.

Their presence

is

indicated

112

THE COUNTRY HOME

in

by the curling of the leaves and they must be taken

early, because
it is difficult

hand

to get rid of

them

if

the leaves
is it

become tightly curled.

effectual.

Spraying with kerosene emulsion

is

This preparation

easily emulsified

by running

through the spray

pump

or

by using a common bicycle pump.

Of

late there has

been a growing tendency to use one of the

several nicotine preparations, which are very

much more
in liquid

con-

venient and are fully as effective.

They come

form

and

it is

only necessary to dilute them.

These preparations

may

be

made

use of in the flower garden, greenhouse or any-

where

else that plant lice appear.

When

these lice are

found on

foliage trees, about the grounds,

most of them may be washed

away by turning
If the currant

a vigorous stream from the hose against the

under part of the leaves.

and gooseberry bushes are not watched, the

march on the garden maker, for

currant

worm is

likely to steal a

this pest
is is
is

begins his work near the bottom of the plant and often

not discovered until the leaves are well riddled.

Hellebore

commonly used

to fight this fellow,

although arsenate of lead

If

sometimes sprayed on the plants before the fruit forms.

the plants are thoroughly dusted with hellebore (which

must

be fresh) mixed with one-third

flour,

while the

dew

is

yet on the
in short

leaves, the career of the currant

worm

will be

ended

order.

It is well,

however, to watch for a second brood a few

weeks

later.

JUNE
Raspberry plants are likely to be attacked by borers

H3
this

month and a sharp lookout

good plan
to cut off

for

them should be kept up.

all

It is a

and burn

canes in which the borer has

trees

been at work.
place they

If there are

any wild cherry

around the

may

be expected to harbor tent caterpillars and In case the young orchard

should either be sprayed or cut down.

is

not in sod or crops, cultivation once a week will be needed.

In sod land the trees should be at least

dug around frequently.

is

Grass cut in a well-kept orchard

is

never removed but

large quantities

used to

mulch the

trees;

unless,

indeed,

of stable

manure be

substituted.

Water sprouts should be removed from all trees before they have grown two inches. No tree can afford to support a crop
of useless sprouts.
It is still possible to regraft fruit trees, if

good scions have been preserved.

until

The

scions should be soaked

plump before they are inserted. Newly set trees will need watching and buds which
off,

start

at a point

where limbs obviously will not be wanted should be

but
this

rubbed

thumb pruning
As a

is

likely to be

found more

important the second year.

rule,

no cutting will be needed

It is

except where trees are well grown.

of any kind
is

seldom that pruning

demanded by plums and

cherries.

Many cherries
to bruise the

will be picked in
trees or to

June and care should be taken not

off fruit spurs, as the latter will

break

give the next

season's crop.

114

THE COUNTRY HOME

As soon as the strawberry bed eeases bearing,
it

should be

thoroughly cultivated and a bed over two years old ought to

be plowed up and planted to late vegetables. be

New

plants

may

made by using strong

runners, setting them into small pots

sunk into the ground until they have made good root growth.
IN

THE FLOWER GARDEN

Dahlias and cannas

may

be set out early in the month.

It is

an advantage to start cannas indoors a few weeks earlier and

it is

not a bad plan to sprout the dahlias.

The

dahlia clumps

should be separated anyway, allowing a good eye to each piece,

and they may be easily started

the (('liar floor, using a
it

in

moss or peat

in a

box or on

moderate amount of water.

all

In this

way

is

possible to

weed out

poor roots, only those which have

started being planted.

All the annuals

may

be sown with perfect confidence this

month. This

is

an excellent time, also, to start perennials for

blooming next season.

The seed

may

be planted

in a special

seed bed or an unoccupied cold frame

may

be taken for the

purpose.

It is still

possible to set out potted perennials from

the seed stores.

This

may

be done, in fact, up to the

first

of

July,
this

it

the plants are kept well watered.

a small

Late asters set out

month should have

handful of ashes placed around

the roots to keep

away

the root aphis,

and should not be watered

freely until they begin to flower.

JUNE

\_^

All the early flowering shrubs should be pruned as soon as

they have eeased blossoming.

the display next year.

The more new wood,

the better

The bulbs of April flowering tulips

in

may

be Lifted and stored

the cellar to ripen.

It is

much

better to leave the cottage

or

May
It is

flowering tulips

in the

ground, planting some shallow

rooted annuals, like pot marigolds or portulacas, over them.

well to spray the roses once or twice this

month with
Nico-

potassium sulphide to prevent mildew and black spot.

tine
is

as valuable as

any remedy

for

keeping down aphis, and

probably the best

way
IN

to get rid of rose

bugs

is

to pick

them oH.

THE VEGETABLE GARDEN

in

Bush beans and sweet corn should be planted twice

in

June
at
fill

order to provide a long succession.

Lettuce

may

be sown

any time and the careful gardener uses

in

this salad plant to

vacant spaces.
first

As the weather gets

hot, lettuce

needs shad-

ing at

and an abundance of water.

beets and turnips

The winter
are cut off

may

be planted this month

if

and the beets may be transplanted freely

and plenty of water given.
as

most

of

the tops

Beets do not require as

much thinning
garden

some of the other

in

root crops

and

in the

home

may

be thinned out

such a

way

as to give beet greens

last

for the table.

is

Although sweet corn was sown

pop-corn until June.

month, there

no need

to plant

116

THE COUNTRY HOME

will
It
is

Winter pumpkins and squashes

growing,
if

have plenty of time for

a

planted

this

month.

lent practice to

grow pumpkins among

the

common and excelcorn. Welsh onions

spring at a

planted
time

now will give hue bunching onions next when they will be highly prized.
makes
a
first

New

Zealand spinach should be better known.

class

It is

not
sub-

really a spinach at all, but

midsummer

stitute for that favorite vegetable.

As soon

as the

pea and bean vines cease to bear they should

be pulled up and burned, thus leaving the ground free for a

later crop,
gels.

which

may

be cabbages, celery, rutabagas or manit

People who keep hens often make

a point to plant

man-

gels for winter feeding.

Another good crop for the poultry

is

keeper to grow in the garden

Dwarf Essex

rape,

which will
be fed

be large enough to feed in five or six weeks and

may

continuously from the same plot of ground, as

new

tops develop

when

the old leaves are pulled

off.

The same plan may

be

used with Swiss chard, a very useful vegetable for the small
garden.

The leaves boiled are a good substitute for spinach

in the

and the midribs may be cooked

having much the same
flavor.

same way

as asparagus,

Late in the month celery plants

may
It

be set out, whether

if

home grown

or purchased.

Celery

is

not hard to grow

a few

important points are remembered.

begin with but will stand a
little

needs good rich

soil to
if

shade.

Much

is

gained

the

JUNE
ground
is

117

saturated with water to a depth of several inches be-

fore the plants are set out.

run on the celery plot for a

Modern gardeners allow water to whole day and this is a much better

plan than applying water afterwards.

When

the plants go into

the ground, the roots should be cut back perhaps one-third.

It is
is

common

practice to plant celery in trenches, but there

another method which

may

be followed to advantage in the

home garden and with

less

work.
soil

The

plants are placed some-

what closely together and the

then fresh horse manure
is

around them made very firm;

spread around the plants to a depth

of two inches, but not allowed to touch the stalks.

The manure

will act as a mulch, conserving all the moisture in the ground,

besides feeding the plants generously as they grow.

Tomato
spindling,
to

plants

may

still

be set out.

If the plants are at all

it is

wise to

make

a little trench in the

ground and
roots.

bury a part of the stalk

rootlets will be

in this trench,
all

along with the

New
is

thrown out

along the part of the stalk

under ground, producing a much stronger plant.

secured by training the plants on poles or
it is

Early fruit

trellises.

When

poles are used,

the practice to pinch out the laterals, forcing

the growth into the

main stem.

Fewer but

better tomatoes are

is

secured in this way.

On

the whole, however, there

trellis

no better

plan than to make an A-shaped

over which the vines can

climb, plants being set on each side.

Spraying with Bordeaux

mixture will prevent tomato

rot.

118

THE COUNTRY HOME

1
1

cutting asparagus has ceased, the bed should be lightly

it

plowed and thoroughly cultivated, after which

a

should receive
with an equa]

Libera]

application oi commercial

fertilizer

amount

of kainit.

Cutworms
amateur
best
oi ten

are pretty certain to be

is
|

much

in

evidence and the

>u /./led

how

to deal

with them.
is

Probably the
a collar
It

way
oi

to protect
still'

all

vegetable plants

to thrust

made

paper into the ground around them.

should

extend two inches beneath the surface and two or three above.

When

plants are

set

out in paper pots or dirt hands, they will

If

not need Other protection.

this pest

the garden

is

a large

one and

numerous,

it

may

he necessary to

use"

poison bait, which

consists ol lettuce leaves

dipped

in

Paris green or arsenate of

crops.

lead

and scattered among the growing

is

This plan nat-

urally

to he

avoided where there are children or poultry.

LIVESTOCK AND POULTRY

Many men who grow

Punching
This
is

lambs mark them

at

weaning

time.

the ear
a

is

good way.
to select

good tune

brood sows from early

it

litters.

They should he heavy honed and vigorous and

is

well to
is

make

sure they have twelve teats.

pasture by themselves

best for them.

Pigs grow well on

Dwarf Ksscx rape and skim

milk, with

some middlings added.

JUNE
Horses as well as cows need
in salt.

M9
The cows may have theirs the stall is (he best way to

the pasture, but a salt cake in

horse.
if

accommodate the

The
lar, is

horse will rest better

off

the harness, including the colin

taken
in at
I

when

he comes

to feed.

When

the horse
inside

comes
of his

he end of the day his eyes, nose, dock

and the

hind quarters should be sponged.

not wise to give grain to a tired horse.
to

It is

A much

better
for an

plan

is

water him and then

let

him nibble on hay

hour or two.
final

Then

he

may have more water and

in the

his grain.

watering at night will add to the animal's sense of comfort.

proportion of a pint of the

Kerosene and carbolic acid

former to a teaspoonful of the latter

to protect the livestock

may

be used as a sprav

from the

flies.

Shade

will be required for the

growing stock

as the

warm
to

days come on.

This

is

just as important in the case of ducks

and turkeys

as in that of chickens.

Even bagging fastened

poles will help.

Often sunflowers may be grown along the

Jerusalem artichokes are even

poultry yard fence for shade.

better.

They

are very easy to

after year.

grow and when once started

will

come up year

In the field or garden, they become a

nuisance, but the leaves provide excellent shade and the fowls

have no liking for them.

these artichokes

If protected until they are started,

may

be grown in the poultry yard anywhere.

Stray cats often turn chicken thieves and cause considerable

120

THE COUNTRY HOME

Some people
set a

loss.

box trap baited with a dead chicken

in the trap

near the runs.

Any cat found

of fresh

may

well be disposed

of without more ado.

There
yard.
If

is

need
is

water

in

abundance

in the

poultry

it

fresh, the laying

hens will drink more and the

a closer con-

result will be

more eggs.

Eggs and water have

nection than

many

people realize.

There are several reservoir

fountains on the market that give good service and minimize

the labor.

Turkey poults must

will still

still

be kept out of the wet grass, and

need green food

in

abundance.
is

Ducklings must have

green rations, too.

rye will answer.

Watercress

much

liked by them, but even

Early hatched geese

may

be penned and fattened beginning

the latter part of the month.

"Green" geese are

in

demand

in

July.

WORK WITH THE

If
it is

BEES

found that

queen

is

not laying well, she must be

replaced at once, or no honey will be secured from that hive

and the colony and

will dwindle.
years.

queen

is

seldom worth keeping

be bought by mail

more than three

will cost

New

queens

may

from seventy-five cents up.

The
is

old queen

is

best destroyed on the

day before her successor

to be intro-

duced.

This

is

because the bees are very excited for about eight

JUNE
hours after they miss their queen.
reconciled and they will

121

The next day will find them be ready to accept a new sovereign.
placed on top of the frames and
in

The

latter, in her cage, is

a short time the bees will free her by eating

away

the candy
it

which seals the opening.

is

A few

hours after the introduction

is

advisable to

make an

inspection to see that all

well.

When

one has a colony with a particularly good queen, a frame

cell,
if

containing a ripe queen

one

is

to be

found,

may

be

removed instead of buying a new queen.

JULT
u

When the heat like a mist veil floats, And poppies flame in the rye, And the silver note in the streamlet's
Has softened almost
It is

throat

a Susan Hartley Sweet. July."

to

sigh

'
,

.;

<

'.jt>i

JULY

JULY
blow.

is

the great haying

month

especially in the northern

it is

states,

although when weather conditions are good,

often possible to get in some of the hay in June.

The

best

time to cut Timothy

Clover

is

best

when the heads are in or just past full cut when a third of the heads show a dull
is

brown,

having passed well beyond the blooming period.

Clover must be cut and handled with care, wet days being carefully avoided.
It is

not well to cut clover even

when

it

is

wet with dew and no more should be cut

stored as fast as
it is

at a time than can be

made.
it

When
it
is

cut one morning and hauled

in the

into the barn the next,

the
first

should be turned

afternoon of

day.

As a

rule

not advisable to stack clover.

Farmers have often saved

storing
it

their clover crop in a

wet season by

in the silo.

As a matter of

fact, clover

makes an

excellent ensilage.

July
ing.

is

the best

month

for

sowing root crops for stock feed-

This applies to mangel wurtzels, sugar beets, rutabagas

turnips.

and common

As

rule

these vegetables
off.

planted where earlier crops have been taken

rape sown in July will
or poultry.

may be Dwarf Essex

if

make

excellent pasturage for sheep, hogs

the

When

no other crops are to be planted or

[125]

126

THE COUNTRY HOME

needs improving, cover crops of soy beans, cow-peas, crim-

soil

son clover or vetch

may

be put

in.

All of them take nitrogen

from the

air to enrich the earth.

The cow-peas and crimson

clover can be

grown only south of

New

York. Both the cow-

peas and the soy beans are killed by hard frosts, but the crimson clover and vetch will live over.

Cultivation must be kept up persistently.

often worth as
to say a

good hoeing

is

much

as a

summer shower.
tools

It

may

be well here

few words about the

needed by the owner of a

the size of the

country home.

Of

course,

much depends upon

place and the extent of the gardening and general agricultural

operations carried on.

will be

needed

in

Some at least of the following tools any case. The prices given are approximate.
$ 21.00
1

Horse rake
Two-horse wagon
Portable gasoline engine

00.00

150.00

Spray

pump
seed drill

20.00
10.00

Wheel hoe with

Wheelbarrow
Grindstone

4-^0
6.00
1.00

Axe

Manure

fork

75

Hay fork Common hoe

Warren hoe

50
.50

50

JULY
Ladder, 30
ft

127

5.50
.40
.60
.75

Wooden

rake

Iron rake

Pruning saw
Pruning shears
Shovel

.50
.75

Spade

85
8.00
10.00

Lawn mower
Carpenters' tools

Sulky plow

40.00
12.00

Walking plow
Disc harrow
Spike tooth harrow

25.00
6.00
15.00
7. 00

Spring tooth harrow

Horse cultivator

Lawn

roller

10.00
1.00

Garden

line

The farm

tools

must necessarily be selected with an

intelli-

gent consideration of local conditions.

Quite different plows,

for instance, will be chosen for a hill-side

farm and

for one

which

is

level.

It

is

always advisable to consult somebody who

has had some experience as a farmer in that section.

Of
If the

the garden tools,

few are more useful than the wheel

if field

hoe.

garden

is

large or

crops are to be planted without a

128

THE COUNTRY HOME

automatic seeder attachment
is

horse, the

needed.

In a small

garden the furrows can be opened and covered with the hoe
alone.

This device has done

much

to eliminate backaches

from

garden operations.

Of

course, a

common

hoe must be used for some parts of the

work and

this hoc, to

be satisfactory, must be chosen with care.

just right for the

The weight should be

and
it

man who

is

to

handle

it

should have

just,

the proper "feel."

Moreover, the hoe

it.

must be kept sharp or good work cannot be done with

wise gardener carries a
his tools.
file

The
but

in his
it

pocket and uses

it

on most of

To keep

hoe sharp

should be

filed frequently,

only on the under side.

The Warren hoe

good advantage
in

has a triangular blade which can be used to

every garden.

It is

easy to open furrows

for seeds with this hoe

and equally easy

to cover them, while the

sharp point
less effort

may

be dug into sods or heavy ground with

much

than the blade of an ordinary hoe.

is

A
crops.

light iron rake

invaluable

in

smoothing
is

off the
all

garden
garden

when preparing

a fine

seed bed such as

needed for

Among

the useful small tools are the trowel, the

hand

weeder and the dibble.

Farmers often have been accused of lack of
thrift

because

they allow their tools to remain out of doors exposed to the

elements.
accusation.

Unfortunately there

is

considerable truth in the

is

The only proper plan

to

have storage room for

JULY
all the tools

l_29

and the garden implements are best arranged on

the wall

hanging on hooks put up for the purpose.

ORCHARD AND FRUIT GARDEN

Thinning the fruit
is

a job for late

June

or July, largely
thin-

depending upon conditions.

ning the fruit on a
tree,

Formerly nobody thought of

but experience has shown that a much

secured by this means.

more satisfactory crop

cial

is

No
rule

commer-

peach grower thinks

now

of neglecting this work and apple-

growers are beginning to practice thinning.

the fruit so far apart that no
is

The

is

to

have

two specimens touch and thinning

in

best

done after the natural drop, which usually comes

June.

Curculios do considerable harm to plums and quinces.

The

way
is

to get rid of
is

them

is

to jar the trees early in the morning.

This jarring

done by means of a stout

burlap or old blankets.

pole, one

end of which
stuffed

wrapped
is

in

This

mammoth

club

driven against the branches of the trees with sufficient

force to dislodge the pests, which fall on sheets previously

spread under the

destroy them.

trees,

making

it

easy to gather them up and

Another spraying of the

fruit trees this

month

is

advisable,

using combined Bordeaux and arsenate of lead.

vines need spraying too.
birds,

The

grape-

In order to protect the grapes from

mosquito netting

may

be thrown over the vines.

fine fruit
is

The

practice of

bagging

is

followed when extra

desired.

130

THE COUNTRY HOME

is

The method
bunches.

simple.

Paper bags of the right

tied or

size are secured

at the grocery store

and

pinned over a number of selected

a little earlier than the others.

Bagged grapes ripen

Gooseberries are often infected with mildew in midsummer.

Keeping the bushes well open

to spray with

is

a help, but

it

may

be necessary

potassium sulphide dissolved in water, one-half

ounce to a gallon.
Cultivation of the orchard should end by the middle of the

month

in order that the

wood may be ripened

before winter.

Good

orchard growers then sow a cover crop, which

may

be

crimson clover, vetch, soy beans or rye, to be plowed under in

the spring.

IN

THE FLOWER GARDEN

back about one-third, a
not too late to

If the hybrid perpetual roses are cut

second crop will often be produced.

a final planting of gladioli the
first

It is

make

of the month.

South of

New York
secured
if

dahlias

may

be planted early in July, beginning to

is

flower after the hottest weather

the
first

over.
off.

Better asters will be

buds are taken

Pansies for next year's blooming

may
It
is

be planted late in the

month
wise

in a well-prepared seed bed.

not a bad plan to cover

plants appear; other-

the bed with

it

hay or other

litter until the

will be necessary to keep the

ground thoroughly well

a

watered.

After the pansies have

made

good

start,

they

may

JULY

m
little

be set out where they are to bloom the next year, and will go

through the winter with only a

violets are best started

protection.

English

from runners

set

out now.

They may

be placed in

new ground and

will

cultivated until late in August.

Well-grown old plants

July
nials
is

have many runners.

all the

perhaps the best month for starting

peren-

which are to be grown from seed.

cold frame or spent

hotbed

may

be used to good advantage for this purpose,

although an outside seed bed

in

may be

used.

When

sowing seeds

midsummer

it is

necessary to have the ground moist in order

to secure quick germination,

and perhaps the best way

is

to

apply

water without washing out the seeds

or old

to lay a strip of burlap

a
if

bagging over the bed and apply the water to that with

watering can.
in

Often

it is

advisable to shade young plants

an exposed situation.

Considerable watering in the garden

may

be avoided by mulching the rose bushes, shrubs and peren-

nial plants with litter

from the poultry house

or the stable.

Then

if it is

necessary to apply water, the litter will hold the

moisture in the ground. be frequently stirred.

When

litter is

not used, the

soil

should

Everblooming
in

roses are

encouraged to send forth flowers

abundance by a weekly application of manure water about

the color of
is

weak

tea.

somewhat

less satisfactory substitute

nitrate of soda dissolved in water, an ounce to a gallon.

Both

the

manure water and

the nitrate of soda

may be

used to advan-

132

THE COUNTRY HOME

tage in forcing the bloom of various annual and perennial

plants.
It is

perfectly feasible to set out roses even in

midsumin

mer,

if

potted plants are used.

These plants usually come

paper pots and

may

be transferred to the ground without dis-

turbing the roots.

it is

Often they will bloom the same season, but

necessary to see that they are kept well watered and they
require shading at
first.

may

It is

very important to apply water

if

in

abundance

to the

rhododendrons

the season be a drv one.

Even

if

the effects

may
in

not appear now, the injury done by drouth will be seen

blossoming time next spring.

Watering of the lawn must be done

results will not be
is

intelligently or the

worth while.

Merely sprinkling the surface

all,

worse than giving no water at

for the roots are

coaxed

to

the surface where the sun's heat will scorch them.

The

orna-

mental lawn sprinkler

only right

is

often a delusion and a snare.

is

The
in

way

to

water a lawn
so,

to let the

water run

one

place for an hour or

using only sufficient spray to cover a

small area.

Ordinarily one good watering a week will be suf-

ficient in the hottest weather.

Shaded lawns need

trees if

little

water.

Grass often

fails to

grow under
it is

ground

is

made
the

too wet.

In times of drouth

best to apply water at night in the

in the

garden and to use the hoe

morning.

Even
is

lawn

is

better watered in the evening than while the sun

it,

shining upon
is

for then evaporation

is

very rapid and much water

wasted.

JULY

133
to

A
will

heavy mulching around the sweet peas will do much

keep them thriving.

Occasional applications of manure water

too.

do them good,

Pansies often begin to look bad in July, but their growth

may
By

be renewed

if

the center of the plant

is

pinched out and a

liberal application of sheep

manure

or liquid fertilizer

made.
the
is

taking a

little

of the plant with each blossom

when

flowers are picked, the plants get a constant pruning which

beneficial.

Probably

it is

needless to say that pansies will soon

cease blooming unless the flowers are gathered daily.

This
If

applies also to sweet peas and

many

other garden flowers.

they are allowed to go to seed they will consider that they have
fulfilled their mission.

Seed pods and withered flowers should

be picked

off those

plants which do not yield blossoms suitable

for cutting.

WORK

IN

THE VEGETABLE GARDEN

it

In order to get a succession of lettuce, radishes and beans

will be necessary to

make frequent sowings. Salamander,

is

as its

name would
this season.

indicate,

a first-class hot weather lettuce.

All
at

lettuce plants need to have plenty of water

and some shade

Oftentimes the beans can be saved from rust only

Potatoes must be sprayed, too, to

by spraying with Bordeaux.

prevent blight and more especially to check the efforts of the

Colorado beetle to eat the plants.

134

THE COUNTRY HOME

likely to appear in force this

Cabbage worms are

month.

Some people spray with arsenate of lead, but the use of this poison is not recommended after the heads begin to form. It is better to use hellebore, soot, wood ashes, salt or even hot
water sprayed into the heads.
for

Savoy cabbages, perhaps

the best

home
Often

use,
it

must be watched
a

as closely as the other kinds.

is

good plan

to

bury the runners of the squash

vines at intervals.

Roots will be made at these points so that

if

the plants will not be lost

in the

borers appear.

These pests work

stems and are not detected until the plants begin to wilt.

When
off the

squash and melon vines grow rampantly

it is

well to nip

ends to force the vigor into the

to be

fruit.

Most vegetables which seem

It is possible to

growing too slowly may

be stimulated by an application of nitrate of soda.

have one more crop of peas

this season.

The

way

to

do

it is

to

make
is

a planting of an early variety late this

month.

The pea

a cold weather vegetable.

Sweet

corn, on

the other hand, loves the heat the

first

and a

final

planting
is

may
it

be

made

of the month.

If

an early variety

used,

will be

pretty certain to mature.

Carrots and beets

may

be planted in order to give tender

young

roots in the fall.

Late celery

may

be set out early

in

July, using the space occupied by crops which have passed.

Late cabbage and cauliflower plants

may

still

be set out.
is

The one

point to be remembered

when transplanting

that the

JULY
soil

135
as possible in order

around the plants must be made as firm

that the rootlets

may come

quickly into close contact with the

new
of

earth.

It is

not too late to plant cucumbers for pickles,

into the hole.

if

a forkful

manure be thrown

There

is

an old saying that

cucumbers planted before

Fourth of July will yield

five o'clock

on the morning of the

all the pickles

needed for

fall.

GREENHOUSE AND WINDOW GARDEN

Often the window garden begins
not to be wondered
to

wear a forlorn and

dejected appearance by the time the height of

arrived.

summer

has

This

is

at, for

the plants have

made
food.

heavy drain on a comparatively limited amount of plant

The remedy

is

to dig sheep

manure

or a balanced

com-

mercial fertilizer into the earth, or else to begin giving weekly

applications of
that the

manure water.

It

must be remembered,

too,

window box needs water

is still

in great

abundance, for expo-

sure to the air on all sides creates extremely rapid evaporation.

There

time to sow seeds of cineraria, calceolaria and

the various Chinese primroses for next winter's blooming.

It is

time to order bulbs of freesia and oxalis,

for Christmas, because
it

if

flowers are

wanted

will be necessary to plant

them

next month.

Pinching

off the

chrysanthemums should cease about the

middle of the month.

136

THE COUNTRY HOME

may
be

After the hydrangeas have ceased flowering they

planted in a shady border and allowed to grow until

Violets are propagated by
or the late

fall.

means of runners

in the spring

summer.
is

They
manure
is

are placed in flats in the green-

house, which

kept well ventilated.

soil

of light loam with

one-third well rotted

in place of the

will be satisfactory, but leaf

If

mold

manure

even better.
is

one has no violets a

as soon

good way

to start

growing them

to

buy young plants

as possible.

The double Marie Louise and

the single Prin-cess

of

Wales
This

are the most popular.

is

an excellent month to consider the building of a

if

greenhouse

there

is

none on the place.

desire.

It

may

be inexpensive

or costly, as the

owner may

Three or four hundred

for

dollars will build one large

enough

growing many plants

and

it is

growing practice

to attach the greenhouse to the

garage, a single heater answering for both.

is

Double

glass sash

now being used

for greenhouses

and reduces the amount of

heat required.

STABLE AND LIVESTOCK

It is a

fortunate fact that

flies

are beginning to be less

numer-

ous than formerly was the case.

Nevertheless, they are to be

found

in considerable

numbers

in

most country places, and

tor-

ture cows
the

and horses which

are exposed to their attacks.

If all

manure from

the stable were kept in a covered pit, the fly

JULY
nuisance would be very soon abated, for manure
is

[37
their chief

breeding place.

Often

it is

humane
to

to stable the

cows during

the middle of the

day and

darken the barn rather than to

leave the animals in the exercise yard or pasture.

There are

various sprays on the market which are effective to a limited

extent in giving protection from

flies.

Where

there

is

only one

made for her. There are readymade blankets, designed for summer use, on the market. Water and shade are among the essentials this month. Even
cow
a blanket of burlap

may

be

dogs and cats often suffer from a lack of water because of their
owners' thoughtlessness.

Probably there would be fewer

It is

mad

dog

scares

were

it

not for this neglect.

important that the

dog kennels be kept perfectly clean and, although they may be

in a sheltered position to
is

keep them from becoming too hot,

it

well to have the sun shine in at the entrance for an hour or

two each day.

Raw

meat should be avoided except what meat

adheres to the bones bought for the dogs to chew upon.

Two
six

meals a day are as

many

as

any dog should have

after

it is

months

old.

Particular attention to sanitation and cleanliness must be

observed during the hot weather.

Milk should go from

is

the

barn to the dairy the

immediately.
sours quickly.
help.

moment

the pail

full

and must be cooled

Neglect of

this point is

one reason

why milk
is

The

use of cheesecloth in the dairy

strained through
it

a great

Milk can be

easily,

and squares of

138

THE COUNTRY HOME

may
be used, also, for giving temporary protection.

the cloth
It

pays to give the pigs pasture whenever possible.

It

They

naturally are grass-eating creatures.

pigs on the farm
It

hardly pays to raise

if

they must be confined, except for family use.

is

wise to dip the pigs once before they are

thereafter until autumn.

weaned and every

pigs need, besides

month

Growing

grass, considerable bran, middlings, oats

and milk.

Corn

is

not
pas-

important until fattening time approaches.

Even with
in

ture hogs need a wallow, not because they like to

make them-

selves dirty, but for the reason that

by wallowing

mud

until

they are caked with this substance they are able to rid themselves of vermin.

March, April and

May

pigs should be weaned.

After they
fresh,

have been separated from the sows they should be given

warm milk
daily until

for a feed or two, a

change then being made to skim

milk with shorts added, the amount of shorts being increased

it

makes

a thin porridge.

pint of

oil

meal to each

half barrel of this ration

It is

may
is

be added.

best not to breed sows or to use boars under a year old.

The period of gestation

sixteen weeks.

If

young pigs have

the run of a pasture they will

If the

grow amazingly.
limited, soiling

amount of pasture

is

may

be necessary

most of the summer.

fed, the

This means that green crops are cut and

to exercise yards.

cows being confined

is

extra labor

required and plans must be

Of course much made for a soiling

JULY
crop the season through.
feeding, oats
in the late

\39
in the fall will give spring

Rye sowed
will

and peas

come

later

and millet may be fed

summer,

in addition to corn fodder.

be stabled nightly

all

Cows should summer, whatever system is used. The

is

only proper place to milk them

in the stable

and they should

have

their grain there.

Calves should be taken from their dams as soon as dry and

penned

far

enough away

so that they will not be heard

by the

mother; the latter should be given a light bran mash moderately

warm and milked

for a week,

after five hours, the milk being given the calf.

Bran mash with an abundance of hay may be allowed the cow

by which time she can be gradually returned
diet.

to her

customary

JULY
Vigilance
is

IN

THE POULTRY YARD

Unless the

the price of success with poultry.

chickens receive the constant attention which keeps them growing uninterruptedly until
success.
fall,

the season's

work

will not be a

Chickens must have water without stint and should be

provided with shade.

Many

growers are
is

now allowing

their

chicks to run in the corn fields, which

for them, as they are protected

a particularly good place

from hawks and are shaded by

good.
If milk,

the cornstalks.

They do no harm and some

it

either sweet or sour, can be obtained,

will be

found one of

the best of

growing foods.

It is just as well

not to feed corn

140
too early to

THE COUNTRY HOME

young
chickens, as oats,

wheat and

their products

are better for

making

a large frame.

No success should be
on ground which
is

expected unless the chickens are grown

not tainted.

This means that

it

must be

new land

or else kept in grass.

Undoubtedly

the youngsters
if

thrive best

when they have

a wide range, especially

they can

get on plowed ground.

On

general principles, the young stock

should be confined to their houses until the

in the

dew

is

off the grass

morning, yet

it is

a question

whether they do not suffer

slight wetting they

more
might

as a result of fretting than

get.
It

from the

has been found that

when

chicks which are accus-

tomed

to their liberty

have been confined for a day or two, they

have actually

lost flesh.

A
to a

vigilant fight against lice

must be kept up.

These pests

multiply so fast that the progeny of a single pair will amount

hundred thousand

in a

few months.

They

are always

worse in hot weather and the red mites, which leave the fowls
in the

morning, remaining hidden in cracks or on the under sides

of the perches through the day, are particularly bad, as the hens

can not get rid of them by dusting.

It is the

poultry keeper's

work

to exterminate them, spraying the houses

and perches with

lice paint,

kerosene or by painting the roosts with a liquid

is

which

the most effectual way.

Cockerels and pullets are best separated as early as possible

and such cockerels

as are not

needed for breeding purposes

JULY
should be fattened for market.
after they have
It

141
does not pay to keep them

made

a weight of four

pounds dressed.
lighter.
It is

The

smaller breeds should be marketed

kill off the

when

well to

older hens as they stop laying, for they will soon

begin to moult and will be unprofitable for some time.

If the house
is

very hot,

it is

good plan

to

make openings

at the rear just

under the

roof,

with hinged shutters to be low-

ered

when cooler weather comes. The eggs should be gathered several times
mash
to a

a day or they

may

be incubated by the laying hens.

regular laying

Sometimes changing from the

is

commercial mash such as

fed to

young chickens
selves

will stimulate the egg yield.

still

Turkey eggs may

be hatched and the turkey hens themsit

may

be allowed to

on them

this

month.
lice.

It is just as

important to keep turkeys as hens free from

Coops for chickens not old enough

to roost are better with

earth floors than with board floors at this season.

The

position
is

of the coops should be changed often, however, unless sand

kept in them and renewed frequently.

When

cockerels are to
it is

be kept for the family table, through the coming year,

to

wise

have them caponized, for they will then make larger growth
in large flocks

and may be kept together

There are experts
in

without quarreling.

most communities who will perform the

early enough for the hatching of pheas-

operation for from five to ten cents a bird.

The

first

of July

is

142

THE COUNTRY HOME

first,

ants, for they are decidedly delicate at

being particularly

susceptible to

lice.

Some

breeders transfer the eggs to incu-

bators just before they are due to hatch

and

raise the

young

pheasants in brooders.

When

they are raised with hens, a low

wire fence should be run around the nest, for they are prone to

wander away and

are likely to be lost.

lice

The hen must be

and a

thorlittle

oughly dusted with

of the

powder

at frequent intervals

powder may be applied

to the pheasants.

Pyrethrum powder from the drug

poultry
if
it

store will drive lice

from
very

is

fresh.

If old,

it

is

of little value.
at

efficient insect

powder may be made

home

as follows:

Mix

thoroughly two and one-half pounds of plaster of paris, threefourths of a pint of gasoline and one-fourth pint of crude carbolic acid,

and when

sufficiently dry,

work the mixture through

a fine sieve.

An old pepper box

may

or salt shaker

may be used when

fluff

dusting the hens and the birds should be held up by the feet in
order that the powder
the vent

be well worked into the

around

and under the wings.

JULY WORK WITH THE BEES

July swarming
is

not unusual, but

is

quite undesirable.
it is

Twenty-four hours after the swarm has been hived,

returned to the parent colony.

best

Early made honey

all

may

be taken from the hives in July, but

honey should be

left until

somewhat ripened.

This

is

par-

JULY
ticularly true of
if left

143

honey required for extracting.

Comb honey
extractor costs

too long in the hives becomes stained.

An

about ten dollars and removes the honey from the comb by centrifugal force.

The comb may then be returned

is

to the hive to

be filled again.

When

honey

coming

in rapidly a

"super"

may

be filled in
filled,
it.

a short time.

When

two-thirds of the sections have been

the "super" should be raised

and another one slipped under

This

may be continued
filled

until there are four or five on the hive.

"Supers"
if

with honey

a Porter bee escape

may be removed without trouble and honey board are used. The board,
is

with the escaping device attached,

slipped under the "super"

all the

and

left for

24 hours, by the end of which time nearly

bees will have gone into the hive below.

As they are unable

to return through the escape, the "super" will be practically

empty.

A UG US?
'"The quiet August noon
lias conic.

A slumberous silence fills the sky, The fields are still, the woods are dumb,
In glassy sleep the waters
lie!'

Bryant.

AUGUST
A UGUST is one of the most satisfactory months in
/
the year

for the

owner of a country home.

and garden.

It is the

harvest

month, crowning the season's work with a generous

yield from field
for starting the

At

the

same time
for the

it is

the

month

work of the next season,

ground must be

thoroughly prepared for the sowing of winter wheat.

Sod land

should be dressed lightly for best results and plowed deeply,

after

which

it

should be harrowed repeatedly until a good state

In the absence of manure an

of tilth has been established.

application of commercial fertilizer will be needed.

In August

it

often

is

possible to cut another crop of alfalfa,

it is

the proper time being as

is

just

coming into bloom.

Alfalfa

exceedingly satisfactory, but must be handled with rather

crops.

more care than some of the other

Oats will be cut

this

month, preferably just as the grains have become well formed.

If the crop
is

to be used for hay, the oats should be cured in the

as grass.

same manner

Oats make a good soiling crop for milch

short.

cows as the pastures run

Cultivation of the field crops should be continued faithfully.

in a

This

is

as

important when there are frequent showers as

dry season, for the rain compacts the surface of the ground
[147]

148

THE COUNTRY HOME

The
cultivator should

so that the moisture escapes rapidly.

be used as soon after every

downpour

as the

ground

is

dry

enough.

Likewise

it

will be necessary to continue the warfare

on insect pests and fungous diseases, especially the potato bug.

the cabbage

worm and bean

rust.

ORCHARD AND SMALL FRUITS

It is still possible to

sow

a cover crop in the cultivated

orchard.
states, as

Rye
it

is

good crop

tor the purpose in the northern

will not be winter-killed,

in the spring.

and

will prevent the soil

from being washed

cover crop takes up the

moisture from the ground and in that

way

induces the harden-

ing of the trees, in preparation for winter.

Old wood may be

bushes and
if

cut from the raspberry

are

and blackberry

the

new canes
this

making strong growth they may

be cut back to three feet.

rants

Cuttings from gooseberries and cur-

maybe made

month.
to be

They should
in

be ten inches long

and

tied in a

bundle

packed

moist sand during the

winter, in the course of which a callous will form at the end,

making them ready

Early August
is

for planting early in the spring.

the time for training

it
is

dwarf

fruit trees, the

branches being tied in the shape

desired to have them

it

assume.
stems.

Raffia

is

the best material to use, as

will not cut the

Superfluous

wood should be

cut out, but care must be

trees.

taken not to break off the fruit spurs on apple and pear

AUGUST
These spurs begin
to

149
fruit

form several years before the

is

pro-

duced, while peaches and nectarines are grown on

It is

new wood.

not too late to start a strawberry bed which will bear

if

next year,
chased or
ners a

potted plants are used.

These plants may be pur-

may have been

if

started in the

home garden from

run-

few weeks before.

the

The

roots are not disturbed in trans-

planting and

ground has been well prepared and the

plants are kept well watered, they will become established in a

few weeks.

The ground around them should

The

be

made very

firm

with the foot ancl a light mulch of straw for a week or two will
be a help.
pistillate

necessity of using perfect flowering or else both

and staminate plants must not be overlooked.

it is

When

setting out strawberries,

always well to learn the varieties

which thrive

in a

given locality, as some varieties are very

particular as to soil
It is

and other conditions.

well to spray the apples again in August, using Borlead.

deaux mixture combined with arsenate of

WORK
It is

IN

THE FLOWER GARDEN

advisable to order peonies, for late August and Septem-

ber

is

the best

month

for planting

them

out.

There are few

herbaceous plants which will give more genuine satisfaction

than the peony,

when one

has become acquainted with the newer

varieties, these sorts

being a wonderful improvement over the

old-fashioned "piney" of our grandmothers' gardens.

There

150

THE COUNTRY HOME

anemone, bomb and various
it

are singles, doubles, Japanese,

other types.
to

The

list

of sorts

is

endless and

will be a pleasure

study a catalogue before making out one's order.

Peonies

like rich

ground, but resent the presence of fresh manure near

the roots.
roots,

The

cost

depends somewhat upon the age of the

but most people like to buy roots which will give flowPlants that have been estab-

ering plants the following year.

lished for several years

may

be divided safely the latter part of

August or

in

September, making several new plants.

it is

When
set

one has once made a start with peonies,

increase the

a simple matter to

number

of plants.

The

roots should be

always

so that the eyes will be

face.

from two

to three inches

below the

sur-

If dahlias are in a

windy

situation,

it

probably will be necestie

sary to stake them by this time, using raffia or soft tape to

them.

Many

amateurs give dahlias too much water.

all,

In the

average season they need no watering at

signs of wilting,
for a foot.

but

if

they show

enough should be given

to penetrate the soil

Probably one application will be enough.

excellent cut flowers
if

Many

dahlias

make

they are treated properly.

They should be
full of sap

cut early in the morning while the stems are

their leaves for six inches
in

and stripped of

from the

end of

their stems.

Then they should be placed

to

water as hot

as can be borne

by the hand and allowed

remain until the

water

cools.

After that they should be placed in cold water and

AUGUST
allowed to remain
this preparation,

in a cool,

dark place for twelve hours.

With

dahlia blossoms will remain fresh for a remark-

ably long time.

Gladioli for table and house decoration are best picked just
as the second flower

from the bottom of the spike has opened.

Good

spikes should last in water for a

week

or ten days.
to carry

Sweet peas need an abundance of water

through the hot weather of August.
early in the morning

them

They,

too,

should be picked

and under no conditions must seed pods be

allowed to form.
This
is

the only

month of

the year

when

it is

bulbs of lilium candidum, the Ascension

lily.

move Bulbs for new

safe to

plantings should be ordered early in order that they

into the garden before the

may go

end of the month.

Unlike most of

the

lilies,

they

make

a growth which shows above ground before

fall.

Pansies started last month should be thinned to three inches

apart.

By

the time they are six weeks old they will be ready

for their

permanent beds, but they will not make good growth

unless kept well watered.

Dwarf asters make excellent pot plants for house decoraThey may be lifted when in bud, if the ground around tion. them is first watered in order that a mass of earth may be moved
with the roots, and they will soon burst into bloom.

Flowers

may

be easily sent by mail a considerable distance,

152

THE COUNTRY HOME

first in

if

they arc picked early in the morning, wrapped

in

oiled

paper and then

newspapers and packed

IN

in a

pasteboard box.

THE FRUIT GARDEN

Blackcap raspberries and dewberries are propagated by layering, the tips being
soil

pinned

to the

ground and covered with

is

any time after the fruiting season

over.

When

roots

have

been formed, the new plants are separated from the old.
IN TNI'.
It
is still

VEGETABLE GARDEN
to

possible in
carrots,

most sections

make

a final planting

oi beets

and

an early kind being chosen.

Late varieties

ot celery

may

be set out, while blanching carina- sorts should be

started.

This blanching

may

be done with boards, paper strips

tile

designed tor the purpose, sections of

drain, or

by banking
is

with earth.
use the

Perhaps the best plan of

collars

all tor

the

amateur

to

new paper

now on

the market, which are easily

applied and cost but a few cents.

Bush beans may be planted twice with

good
yield, as they
is

fair prospects of a

mature

at this season in

seven or eight weeks.

There

still

plenty of time for planting rutabagas, as they

of October.
it
is

need not be harvested until the latter part

Spinach
is

another crop for late planting and

well to

choose one of the Norfolk varieties for the reason that they grow

on

tall

stems and are not likely to be

filled

with sand as in the

AUGUST
case of most spinach

153
It is useless to try
rich.

found

in the markets.
is

growing spinach unless the ground

made exceedingly

In the absence of manure, a commercial fertilizer will give good

results.

The following formula will answer for a spinach patch

Nitrate of soda, i
lbs.

of four hundred square feet:

lbs.;

muriate

of potash, 2 lbs.; phosphate, 10

All seeds should be planted a

little

deeper

in hot

weather

than early
well.

in the

spring and

it is

necessary to firm the ground

The ripening
on straw

of tomatoes

may

be hastened by placing them

in position.

in a cold

frame with the sash

in

Onions
is

will

be ready to harvest

August.
tops.
in

The proper tunc

In order to

indicated

by the wilting down of the

have

this

vegetable

keep well, considerable care

harvesting must be used.

Af ter
in

they are picked, the onions should be left on the ground

field until

the

thoroughly dry, being covered with straw or other

litter at night.

Then

all

immature and

loose skinned specimens

should be picked out, the others being packed in crates having

open sides and stored

lation.

in a cool,

dry place with plenty of venti-

The garden should be

and
in order to

yielding bounteous crops this

at their best
it is

month

have the vegetables

ro

worth while

knowing

just

when

gather them.
corn,

Snap beans,
it is

for instance,

must be picked when young;

when

in the milk;

sumthe

mer squash, before

the shells get hard; Swiss chard,

when

154

THE COUNTRY HOME

outer leaves are well grown; and spinach, before the flower
spikes appear.
after they

Brussels sprouts, kale and parsnips are better

frost.

have been touched by

Often kale may be gath-

ered until Christmas.

Seeds of mustard and lettuce for

fall salads

may

still

be

sown, while parsley and corn salad will be ready in the spring
if

planted

now and

protected with litter

when

cold weather

comes.

It is

worth while experimenting with some of the Chi-

nese radishes, which grow to enormous size and can be stored

in the cellar like

other root crops for winter use.

THE MONTH'S WORK

IN

THE GREENHOUSE

Freesia and oxalis bulbs for Christmas blooming

started, both

may
This
it

be
is

new bulbs and

those saved from last year.

also the time to start the calla lily into

rich

growth by repotting

in

loam but without increasing the

nasturtiums,
browallia,

size of the pot.

Seeds of

mignonette,

sweet peas and snap-

dragon

may

be sown

now

for winter blooming.

Violets propagated in the garden should be planted out in

benches before the end of the month.

side will supply cuttings

Poinsettias plunged out-

up

to the

middle of August.

The

old

stumps may be planted

in benches.

Tomatoes started
go to the benches
in

last

month

for

growing under glass should

is

August.

Cauliflower

easily

grown dur-

AUGUST
ing winter and the
first

155

seeds should be

sown now, an early

variety being chosen.

time.

Lettuce seed should go in at the same

English ivy cuttings made now, placed in small pots and

plunged

in ashes or in a

shaded bench, will make good plants

by

fall.

LIVE STOCK
It is cruel to

AND STABLE

deprive horses of water in hot weather for hours

at a time under the impression that they should not be allowed

to drink

when warm. No harm

few swallows

will be done,

if

they are allowed

to take a If the

at frequent intervals.

cows are slow in coming to the stable at night, make

a practice of feeding

them a

little grain.

It will

invariably

prove an inducement.

During the warm weather horses that

Salt

are driven freely

should have their feet looked after at least once a month.

is

needed now

as well as in winter.

AUGUST
August
is

IN

THE POULTRY YARD

special care

the

month when

must be given

to

keeping the poultry houses and yards clean, especially those

occupied by the growing stock.
tent, they

If the yards are of limited exIt is

must be plowed

or spaded frequently.

much

better,

however, to

let the chickens

run in a corn

field.

156

THE COUNTRY HOME

it is

In order to keep the houses in a sanitary condition,

well to give
l>\

them

a coat ot
IS

whitewash.

The whitewash used

the

government
One-halt

particularly effective
ot

and

is

made

as fol-

lows:

bushel

tresh

lime

is

slaked with

warm
is

water, being covered to confine the steam.

The liquid

then

strained through a cheesecloth and eight quarts ot salt, previ-

ously dissolved

m warm
ot

water,

is is

added.

Three pounds
in

ot

ground
Next

rice

boiled to a thin paste

then stirred

boiling hot.
a

a halt

pound

powdered

plaster ot Paris
fire,

and

pound

ot

glue, previously dissolved over a slow

are

added

to the

mixture.

Finally come five gallons of hot water.

stirred well

The white
tew days.
it

wash should he

and allowed
dirt.

to stand for a

being covered to keep out the

It is

best to apply

hot.

One
It

pint ot the mixture will cover a square yard ot wall space.

it

Once applied,
is

ill

last tor years.

all

well to get rid of

surplus male birds and not to

allow the pullets and cockerels to run together.

rape

Dwarf Essex

may
is

still

be planted to give a supply of late green stuff.

it.

light frost will not hurt

1
1

important that the chickens have room enough so that

it

they will not crowd at night, and

is

well to get them on the

a corner

perches as early as possible.

floor

It the}'

crowd into
to be

on the

some

ot

them are pretty certain

perch
is

smothered or badly
a foot

injured.
floor, the

If a

placed only six inches or

it

from the
If

chickens will often learn to use

very quickly.

AUGUST
they do not,
a
it

157

may

be necessary to put some of them on

it

for

few

nights.

Being imitative creatures, they often may be

in the

taught to roost by putting a small hen

pen with them.

She will lead the way and they

will follow. to build a

August
house for
comes.

is

a particularly

good month
to

new poultry
best

it

will then

have time

dry out before (old weather

is

It is

impossible to say that there

any

type of

house, but the average

man

can hardly do better than to conIt

struct a building of the shed roof type.

should be at
feet
is

least

ten feet deep and six feet high in front.

right height for the rear wall.

Four

about the

In building a poultry house

floor space

one should plan to allow about four square feet of

for each bird,

more rather than

less.

Experience has shown that the fresh

erable to any other kind
use little
if

air

house
practice
fitted

is

far pref-

and the common

openings being

now

is

to

any

glass, the

with hinged

shutters to which muslin curtains are tacked.

the weather
is

In seel ions where

is

very severe an extra set of curtains

drawn

in

front of the perches on cold nights.

The poultry house should always face east in order to get as much direct sunlight
times
it is

the south or southas possible.

in the

Some-

an advantage to put

a glass

window

west end

in order to get the

afternoon sunlight also.

as to the

Poultrymen are not agreed

best.

kind of

floor

which

is

On

the whole, an earth floor will give satisfaction

if it is

158

THE COUNTRY HOME

up
a foot higher than the surface of the
litter.

built

ground outside,
floor
is

and
is

is

covered with a

When

cement

used,

it

imperative that there be a layer of stones or other coarse ma-

terial at least a foot thick

underneath
floor

it;
is

otherwise

it

certainly

will be

damp.

double board

warm and

rats

may

be

kept out by using closely woven wire between the boards.

Some poultry keepers

ness.

lay the floors with a layer of heavy build-

ing paper between them as an extra precaution against

damp-

The
floor

perches should not be more than three feet above the

if

and should be lower,

dropping boards are not used.

side

Two

by three scantling with the wide

up makes perhaps
avoided
they are

the best perches.

are not necessary

Dropping boards, though commonly used,

and a great deal of work
is

if

dispensed with, as stated in another chapter. boards are used, they should
a current of air
fit

When

dropping

tightly to the wall, in order that

Also,

may
made

not flow upward from back of them.

of matched boards and

they should be

may

slope slightly

toward the front to

Roosts, nests
in order that

facilitate cleaning.
all

and

other accessories should be detachable

they

may

be easily and quickly removed.

In no

other

way

is it

possible to keep the poultry house in a sanitary

condition.

Everything should be taken out and the house given a thor-

ough cleaning twice a year and August

is

good month for the

AUGUST
work. It
is

59

not necessary to have elaborate nests nor to have

them dark.

Ordinary orange

crates,

divided in the middle

and with a bar across the front near the bottom, make very
satisfactory nests.
it

The only advantage

of the dark nest

is

that

may help to prevent egg eating. An inexpensive house will give

It
is

just as

good

results as one
to build

costing several times as much.

a satisfactory
in
it.

possible

anywhere

house at the rate of $1 for each hen to be confined

The

walls should be of single matched boards and the

It is also

roof covered with a good grade of roofing paper.

an

advantage to have roofing paper on the rear or north wall.

For egg production

it

is

just as well to keep the hens in

large flocks as to divide

them into small pens.

One hundred
in

hens running together are as profitable as the same number

flocks of twenty-five,

and the eggs

hatching time.
is

will have just as high a

degree of

fertility, at

If the poultry house

to be a

permanent

structure,

it is

ad-

visable to set

it

on a foundation of concrete a foot above the

This will help to keep

ground and extending two feet below.

it

drv and will exclude

rats.

SEPTEMBER
''September strews the woodland o'er With leaves of many a color, The world seems brighter than before, Why should our hearts be duller!' Parsons.

SEPTEMBER

WHAT
plots

so rare as a

good lawn

in late

summer!

Grass
in

that were a beautiful,

shimmering green
brown.

spring are
stant watering

now burned

to a sickly

Even

con-

use of the hose

tion.

may have may have

in spite of

failed to save them.

Indeed, faulty

contributed to their dismal discolorais

When,
it

here and there, one finds a lawn which

green
feel

and handsome
certain that

drought and torrid sun, one

at the

may

was made right

for.
is

beginning and has been

properly cared
If a

new lawn

to be

made, September

is

an excellent time

for the work.

Heavy
it is

showers at that season

may
in

usually be

counted upon and the grass will get a

fine start before

winter

comes on.

Also,

easier to get the

ground
a

proper condifailure

tion than in a late,

wet spring.

Many
if

lawn-making
tile

might have been a complete success

laid.
is

a few

drains had been

it

Draining

is

by no means always necessary, but often

a great advantage.

Without good
impossible.

soil,
it

well prepared, a satisfactory lawn

is

Often

will

pay

in the

end

to

draw on good loam,

but in any case the earth should be thoroughly broken up to

a

depth of eight inches and a liberal amount of well rotted

[163]

164
stable

THE COUNTRY HOME

manure mixed with
it.

To

try

making

lawn

in

any

other

way

is

throwing away money, unless, indeed, you are

sell,

simply fixing up a place to

if

and then

it is

dishonest.

Even

you are going

to lay sod, the soil

is

should be pulverized and

enriched, but sodding

not to be recommended except for

diminutive plots or for narrow stretches between sidewalk and

street.

There
a

is

no excuse for making the lawn look and smell

fall.

like
inis

barn-yard every

Stable manure

is

almost certain to

troduce weed seeds and the greater part of the plant food

washed away before

it

becomes available.
sell, is

Pulverized sheep
better for the pur-

manure, such as the seedsmen

much

pose of winter manuring, but the results are just as satisfactory

when

good dressing of bone meal

is

applied in the spring.

If the

lawn
a

is

strewn with dandelion and plantain, late

to get rid of them.

summer
out
if

is

good time

Plantain will die

cut off an inch or more below the ground and a

is

common

asparagus knife
destruction.

good

tool to use as the instrument of

is

The dandelion

more obstinate intruder and

plants are cut off

hard to eradicate.
close to the

It is asserted that if the

ground and kreso dip (sold

at the

drug

stores) be

injected into the

perish.

stump with a machine

oil can,

the roots will

Gasoline

may be used

in the

same way.

The plan may

prove more satisfactory now, when the plants are somewhat exhausted, than in the spring.
If bare spots follow the eradication

SEPTEMBER
of weeds, grass seed should be

165

sown immediately and

thickly.

The
will
to

heavier the stand of grass on any lawn, the less opportunity

weeds have

to flourish.

Indeed,

it is

sometimes possible

crowd out plantain by enriching the lawn and sowing more

seed.

September

is

also one of the best

months of the year

for

setting out perennials, either those which were started from

seeds in the spring or plants from the seed stores.

best perennials for the garden of the country

Among

the

home

are the

following:
NAME.
Japanese Anemone,
Aquilegia (Columbine),
I

BLOOMING DATE.
Sept-Oct.

(tl.OR.

White, red, pink.

Yellow, white.
Purple, white, lavender.

June-Sept.

lardy Asters,

Late

fall.

Boltonia,

Aug.-Sept.
Bells,

Purple.
Blue, white, rose.

Canterbury

June-July.
Sept.-Oct.

Hardy Chrysanthemums,
Dieentra (Bleeding Heart),

Many
Rosy
Blue.

colors.
red.

May-June.
Aug.-Sept. Aug.-Sept.
July-Sept.

Funkia subeordata,
Funkia, variegated,

White.
Yellow.
Scarlet.

Hclcnium Aulumnale,
Oriental Foppy,
T

Spring and summer.

July-Sept.

follyhock,

Many
Rose.

colors.

Pyre thrum,

Aug.-Oct.
July-Sept.

Rudbeckia (Golden Glow). Sweet William, Trolius (Globe Flower), Tritoma (Red-hot Poker), Yucca, Aconitum (Monkshood), Delphinium (Larkspur),

Yellow.

Junc-Aug.

Many

colors.

May- July.
July-Sept.

Yellow.
Bright red.

June-July.
July-Sept.
All

White.
Blue, white. Blue, white.

summer.

166

THE COUNTRY HOME

is

There

no better month

in all the year for

planting peonies

and these flowers are worth while growing

in large

numbers.

Among

the particularly

good

sorts are Festiva

Maxima, Co-

quelin, Duchess de

Nemours, L'Esperance, Duchess d'Orleans,

d'or,

Rosia Elegans, Couronne

and Avalanche.
for the

There

is

no more satisfactory perennial

garden of
in

the country

home than

the hardy phlox, which will

grow

sun
its

or partial shade with but very little attention,

and yields

blossoms generously.
striking mass effects

They may be planted to advantage for or used equally well among earlier flowerand water
in in

ing plants.

They

require plenty of plant food

to be

in

abundance.
will keep

A heavy mulching of manure

finely.
if

dug

spring

them growing

Naturally they bloom

in

July

and August, but

parts of the tops are pinched out before the

buds form, the blooming season will be greatly prolonged.

About once
ticularly
cot,

in three years the old plants

should be divided.

Par-

good

varieties are

Boule de Feu, Bridesmaid, Coqueliis

Miss Lingard, which

sort.

very early, and Independence, a

pure white late

Still

another especially fine flower for the garden of the

is

country home
June.

the

German

iris,

which

glorifies the

month

of

The German iris is exceedingly hardy and very easy to grow. It, too, may be divided after a few years, so that with a
small beginning one can soon have a considerable collection.

This

is

the true fleur-de-lis

and

likes best full

exposure to the sun

SEPTEMBER
with a warm, well drained situation.
the

167
though,

To

tell the truth,

it

German

iris is

so

accommodating that

will

grow anywhere

except in wet ground.

Some

varieties

have a delicate fragrance

and some
to

will last a considerable time

when

cut.

The one
that
it

thing

remember when planting the German

manure.

iris is

will not

tolerate the presence of fresh

This flower has often

it is

been called the poor man's orchid, but at the same time,
rich

and ornamental enough

iris

for the millionaire's garden.

The Japanese September. The

easy to grow.

may

also be started

up

to the

middle of

flowers of this class are even

more wonderbut are not so

iris

fully beautiful that those of the

German

iris,

People have the idea that the Japanese

should have a moist location, but they will do well in any good
soil if the

earth

is

kept constantly stirred and watering

is

is

not

neglected.

Perhaps there

no place, however, where they

appear to better advantage than on the bank of a pool or pond.

The bulbs

of cannas, dahlias and gladioli should be lifted as

soon as the tops have been killed and stored in a dry place, after
they have been allowed to dry
carry over bulbs
is

off.

Perhaps the best way to

to

keep them

in sand.

Shrubs planted in September in well drained ground are

almost certain to
list,

live.

If

it

is

desired to increase the spring

the following

may

be chosen: Daphne, a low, hardy ever-

green, with bright pink fragrant flowers; Deutzia Gracilis, an-

other low growing and very attractive shrub; Forsythia Sus-

168

THE COUNTRY HOME

Golden
Bell,

pensa, a weeping form of

tive, trained

which looks very

attrac-

over porches or

trellises; Kerria,

an exceedingly

satisfactory yellow flowering shrub,

blooming most of the sum-

mer; Smoke Tree, a large shrub with misty smoke-like flowers

in

June; Sumac, a common shrub, bearing handsome red

fruit

in the fall

and of great value

in supporting grassy

banks be-

cause of the heavy root growth; Spiraea

Van

Houttei, undoubt-

edly the finest of

all the

white spiraeas; Snowberry, a

medium

sized shrub with attractive white,

waxy
this

berries in
trees

autumn.

There are many ornamental and shade

planted successfully in the
fall,

which

may

be

but

does not apply to those

tree,

with soft roots like the magnolia.

trary,

The beech

on the con-

can be

moved

in

September better than

in

any other

month.
is

Among

the best ornamental trees for the

home grounds

the catalpa.

The

Speciosa form

is

fine

and bears flowers

which are exceedingly attractive.

Another good

tree

is

the

Kentucky

coffee tree,

which

is

seldom troubled by pests and makes rapid growth.

One must
The
is

be careful, however, to order the male tree because the female

form makes a

straight, tall growth,

is

which

is

not desirable.

linden or basswood tree

another low growing sort which

is

to
if

be recommended.

The common beech

a good lawn tree,

is

given plenty of room and the purple beech

ing
in.

especially charm-

spring, before the color of the leaves darkens.

trees are

Few

more delightful, winter or summer, than the

SEPTEMBER
cut-leaved weeping birch.
course, the
is

169

Of

the slower

growing

trees,

of

oak

is

among

the best

and the sugar

or rock

maple
is

rightly

among

the

most popular.

The Norway maple

also

good lawn

tree.

Among

the best of the

common

trees for street use are the

English ash, oriental plane tree and sugar maple.

While

the

American elm

is

unsurpassed for

this purpose, of late years it

has suffered seriously from the attacks of the elm tree beetle.

The Carolina poplar

fact that
it

is

commonly planted because

This
its

of the

makes very quick growth.

fact,

however, does
its

not offer adequate compensation for

untidy habit and

tendency to ruin sidewalks, force open drain pipes and even

send
a
its

roots into cellars.

litter.

Its leaves fall

very early and make

most unsightly

Some

of the fruit trees can be planted as successfully in

as in the spring,

September

but in the northern states

fall plant-

ing of the stone fruits, such as peaches, plums and cherries,

should not be undertaken.

Planting fruit trees with dynamite

is

has been found of great advantage where the subsoil

very

hard and in stony land.

excavation with a

Not only does the dynamite make the minimum of work, but it opens up the soil
is

in all directions so that the roots are able to penetrate quickly.

The

use of dynamite

to be given serious consideration

by the

owner of a country home where conditions would seem

cate that
its

to indi-

use

would be worth

while.

170

THE COUNTRY HOME

Currants and gooseberries do well when planted in September, but

until spring.
it
is

better to leave raspberries

and blackberries
but in the

Grapes may be planted

it is

in the fall,

northern part of the country

much

safer to wait.

Fall planting of evergreens has been a

mooted question

for

many
ever,
in

years.
it is

Regardless of the merits of the discussion, how-

a fact that evergreens

it

may
is

be planted successfully

August and September, but

It is

not wise to ship the trees

long distances.

of the utmost importance that the roots

soil

should not be allowed to dry out and that the

firmed about them

be well

when they go

into the ground.

Properly
into

planted, the rootlets will begin digging their

territory within fifty-six hours.

way

new
hot

Of course
wait until

it

is

not wise to set out evergreens

If there
is

when very
it

or dry weather prevails.

it is

a drought,

is

better to

over.
is

In any case, the

newly

set trees

may need
fasteningin plant-

shading, which

easily given

by setting up stakes and

one decided advantage
they

bagging over them.

ing evergreens
the winter.
are bare

There
that

is

now;

is,

may

be enjoyed throughout

They

are a relief to the eye

when

all the

other trees

and bleak looking.

Evergreens planted thickly perhouse from high winds.

form a

real service in protecting the

An

efficient

evergreen windbreak will actually cut

down
is

coal bills.

Arbor vitae makes the best evergreen hedge and

for planting

excellent

around a laundry yard.

SEPTEMBER
Evergreens as commonly sold at the nurseries run from

171

six

inches to six feet high; the bigger the tree, the bigger the price.
It is

often feasible to buy trees fifteen feet high,

bills.

if

one cares to

pay the

In fact, there are

moving

trees that

men who make a business of have been established for many years and

with surprising success.

IN

THE VEGETABLE GARDEN

Winter

celery will need banking, according to the directions

given in August.

Do not get soil

into the hearts of the plants.

Potatoes should be dug as soon as the tops have died, but

it is

not wise to dig them before, for growth will continue as

It is a

long as the tops are green.

good plan

to pick out the

good
seed.

sized,

smooth potatoes from well

filled hills to

be kept for
into a

All the potatoes should be dried off and

moved
to

cool cellar as soon as possible.

If

cabbage heads begin to crack, the remedy

is

bend them

over so as to break the roots on one side to check growth.

If

cabbages are to be used at once, the outside leaves

grow.

may

be

left to

They

will

make good green food

sown

for the hens.

Lettuce, spinach and radish seeds

in a cold

frame will

give crops for early winter.

Beets and carrots should be hartops

vested before the frosts

kill the

and one must be careful

the tops of

not to cut within an inch of the roots,

beets, for otherwise thev will bleed.

when removing

\11

THE COUNTRY HOME

The
shell beans, if picked, dried
It is

and

shelled,

may

be kept

for winter use.

well to sow rye where

all the

crops have
soil.

been removed in order to add to the supply of humus in the

GREENHOUSE AND WINDOW GARDEN

Freesia and oxalis bulbs should be started as early in Sep-

tember as possible,

if

flowers are

wanted

for the holidays.

They

should be kept in a cool place, but need not be set away in the

dark as

is

the case with most of the other bulbs.

narcissi

The paper white

of the month.
fairly early.

may well

be started before the end

Easter

lilies in

the greenhouse

must be potted up
potted as

The

various azaleas need to be ordered

It is also

now and

soon as received.
to be forced later.

well to buy plants of bougainvillea

Cuttings from
niums,
cient
If

all the

bedding plants and particularly geraorder to have a

suffi-

made to good advantage in number of new plants in the spring.

be

may

sweet peas, nasturtiums and petunias are to be grown in

the greenhouse, seeds

must be sown now.

into the house for

Many

of the garden
in the

flowers

may be moved
list

growing

window

garden, the
nias

including geraniums, heliotrope, coleus, petu-

and begonias.

Oftentimes young plants will be found

growing under the leaves that will give better flowers than
those which are older.

SEPTEMBER
Tuberoses which have not flowered

73

may be

taken inside, and

some people succeed with the cobaea scandens vine.

It is a

good plan

to

go into the woods at

this

season and

gather a supply of leaf mould which will be found in the hol-

lows under the

trees.

Soil

and sand

are also to be stored for

use in the greenhouse during winter.

GENERAL FARM WORK

There
is

no better month for seeding meadows or the per-

manent
tilized

pasture.

Meadows which have run

to
It is

out should be fer-

and sown

some other crop for a year before they are

well worth while to apply fertilizer

put into grass again.

generously before seeding.

Manure may be used up

to thirty

tons an acre with three hundred pounds of commercial fertilizer

in addition.
ter
It is

often found an advantage to use rye or win-

wheat
Corn

as a nurse crop,

and the yield helps

to

pay

for the

fertilizer.

for the silos will be cut this month.

The value

of en-

silage has

been proven over and over again and a

silo is

well
corn

worth constructing wherever dairy cows are kept.

The

may

be left until danger of frost

is

almost at hand and then

should be harvested quickly.

to use a harvester.

If there

Field corn has to

much of it, it will pay be cut when the ears are

is

well glazed and the wise farmer makes a careful selection of

seed corn at that time.

By choosing

the best ears, although not

174

THE COUNTRY HOME

is

necessarily the largest, from the best plants, he

able to build

up

a strain of corn of

more than ordinary value.

Fields that have been cropped heavily will need an abund-

ance of manure to restore the plant food taken out.

of considerable proportions a of no little value.
It

On

a farm

manure spreader

will be

found

does the work better and

much more

quickly than

it

could possibly be done by hand.

Millet, cow-peas

and buckwheat are

to be

harvested in
it

September.

Fodder corn should be cut and stacked before

need held rations at
time and,

has become too old to be palatable.

Cows

will

this

if

there has

been a good season, there will be clover, millet and fodder corn.

Many
off the

seasons there will be a second crop of hay which

may

be

fed green.

At

all

events the wise farmer will keep his animals

fields in order that the

meadows and

grassland

may

begin the winter in good condition.

WORK

IN

THE ORCHARD

Fruit picking will be well under way.

Many

owners of

country homes are finding that there

sale of fall apples, if they

is

no

little profit in the

have a market close at hand.

In
a

any

case, there

should be a supply for home use.

Often

it is

good plan

to go over the trees twice as the fruit does not all

ripen at the same time.

final

spraying of orchard trees with

arsenate of lead will destroy great numbers of insect pests.

SEPTEMBER
Grape cuttings may be made
this

75

month.

Well matured
and cut into
in

wood

of last season's growth should be chosen

lengths of about ten inches.

a bundle

These cuttings should be tied

and stored

in moist

sand in a cool cellar with the butt

ends up.

WORK
In September
bells,

IN

THE SOUTH
such as candytuft, Canterbury

many annuals

daisies,

forget-me-nots, godetias, pansies, mignonette,

poppies, sweet peas and phlox

All perennials

Drummondi may

be sown.

may go

into the

ground and will have two

months yet

to grow.

It will

be well to shade the seeds during

the middle of the day.

All salad plants

may

still

be grown.

STABLE AND LIVE STOCK

September
ticularly

is

month

in

which
flies.

all the

animals suffer parto cover the

in order

from the attacks of

It is a

good plan

cows with a light blanket when they are being milked

to

keep them quiet.

the hogs

The waste apples may be fed to good advantage to and sheep. The latter may be allowed to run in the

orchard,

but as a rule the hogs should be kept out as they are likely to do

much damage.
Pigs which have been kept largely on grass will need a sup-

176
ply of corn from

THE COUNTRY HOME

now
on; also they must be kept well bedded

and

dry.

IN

THE POULTRY YARD

make
a

Pullets which are to

the laying hens for the

coming

winter should be
the month.

in their

permanent quarters before the end of

Where only
if

few hens are kept,

it

often

is

ad-

visable not to retain a male bird during the winter.

will lay just as well,

The hens

not better.

All old hens should be out of the yard

by the end of the

month.

As a

rule a laying hen

It is

is

not profitable enough to keep

after her second year.

well to avoid feeding

new

corn to

poultry.

Clean sand will be needed for the poultry houses and

may

well be hauled now, for the pullets should go into winter quarters

next month.

Let the pullets become accustomed to open houses from the

first

and they will grow heavy coats of

feathers,

which will

protect

them
is

in winter.

This

good month

to start poultry

keeping with mature

birds or well
at a bargain.

grown

pullets.

Often yearlings may be bought

breeds lay well, but there In some sections

Most of

the

common

are several considerations to be thought of.

white eggs are most in demand.

breeds, like the

They are laid by the smaller Leghorns. Anconas. Hamburgs and Campines.

SEPTEMBER
The one
Rocks,
fairly large bird laying white eggs
is

177
the Minorca.
If

brown eggs

are preferred, the hens to look to are the

Plymouth

Rhode Island Reds, Wyandottes and Orpingtons, among others. These brown egg breeds are all of good size and
dress

much better for

the table than the white egg breeds.

They

usually are classed as utility poultry, while small hens like the

White Leghorns
type.

are considered as representing the egg-laying

Without doubt,

the

White Leghorns

are the heaviest

layers

known

to the poultry world.

is

On

commercial plants the White Leghorn

flock, the larger
is

most common,

but for a home

breeds are more in favor.

In this country, the

Another point
preference
is

the color of the skin.

for yellow skinned fowls,

which include the Plym-

outh Rocks, Wyandottes, Rhode Island Reds, Brahmas and

Cornish fowls.

The Orpingtons have

growing

light colored skins

and

pink or dark
prejudice.

legs, yet are

in popularity in spite of

IN

THE APIARY
the

Much of the honey crop will be removed this month and work may be done easily if a Porter bee escape is used in
manner described
a

the

in the

July chapter.

The warmest

part of

warm day is always the best time to open a hive, many of the bees are in the field. If you get a sting, off immediately. Then you will suffer little from it.

for then

scrape

it

178

THE COUNTRY HOME

It is

not safe to expose the honey for any length of time, or

robbing will be attempted.

to a building or

The honey should be taken

into.

at once

room which the bees can not get

They

have been known to remove much of the honey from stored

combs.

Honey must
think
it

be stored in a dry,

warm
is

place.

Many

people
It

should be kept cool, but that

if

a great mistake.

candies

kept cool.

OCTOBER
"Leaves are falling, mists are twining, and
inclining
to

Winter sleep

Are the

trees

upon the plain!'

J.

G. Jacobi.

OCTOBER
BLACK
ter use.

frosts in
If the

October will mark the end of the garden

season.

garden has been a success, however, there

will be a bounteous supply of vegetables to store for win-

Sometimes

it is

a problem to secure satisfactory storage

facilities unless a cellar for the

purpose has been constructed.

is

The ordinary
to be too

cellar containing a furnace or heater

in

likely

warm, but

many
is

cases this difficulty

may

be reme-

died by covering the pipes and possibly the heater itself with
asbestos.

Another plan
easily be

to partition off a corner of the cellar

little

which
is

may

done with but

expense,

if

wall board

used.

Potatoes are best wintered in a clean bin with a board

floor.

Most

of the root crops, like carrots, beets

and parsnips, may

be kept for

many months
if

in

boxes of sand, the sand being mois-

tened slightly

the roots begin to shrivel.

as

Only such parsnips

ground

and oyster plant

for these

may

be required for early use need be dug,

will keep perfectly in the

two vegetables

where they grew, until spring.

When
it is

a considerable

number of cabbages

is

to be stored,

best to bring only a

in trenches

few

to the house, the rest being placed

head down

and covered with leaves

[181]

or straw; earth

182

THE COUNTRY HOME

falls.

being added as the temperature

side

by side and not quite touching.

The heads should be set Celery may also be win-

tered to good advantage in a similar manner, but the trenches

should be wider and lined with boards.

or leaves

The covering

of straw

may

also be held in place with a

few boards and earth

mounded over
It is

the trench before severe freezing weather comes.

well to have a loose board at each end in order to give

ventilation on

warm

days.

small amount of celery

may

be

stored without difficulty in the cellar by setting the plants close

together in a box of earth, care being taken not to get the soil
into the hearts of the plants.
If the tops

show signs of

wilting,

the earth should be watered slightly.

is

In whatever
stripped

way

celery
little

stored the outer leaves should be

is

first

off.

celery for immediate use

easily blanched

by placing a few
to cover the

stalks in a butter crock with just

roots,

enough water

being kept

in a

dark place.

Squashes need considerable

warmth and
of the cellar.

are best stored on racks

It will

suspended from the top

be an advantage to have them near the

heater, for they like a temperature of about fifty degrees.

In order to have apples keep well

it

will be necessary to

have a

cellar

with an average temperature not much above

is

freezing

thirty-three degrees

about

right.

Late tomatoes

may be

ripened in the house by pulling up the

attic.

plants and suspending them from the ceiling in the

Often they will

last until Christmas.

OCTOBER
After all the crops are
in, it is

183

an excellent plan to plow the

it

garden, leaving

it

in

ridges; unless, of course,

is

has been
to destroy

planted to

rye.

Fall plowing

an effectual way
is

many

insect pests.

This desirable object

also assisted

by

raking up and burning the vines, cabbage stems, corn stalks

and other

refuse, all of

which are used by various destructive

This
is

insects as a winter

home.

one of the best months to

a.

set

out rhubarb, and old plants should be given

of manure.
first

heavy dressing
fertilized,

the

The asparagus bed should also be tops must be cut down and consigned

but

to the bonfire.

It is

not necessary to dig turnips until late in the

month

for

they are extremely hardy.

Early October

is

not too late for a sowing of

to be eaten in the spring.

Cabbage seeds

Welsh onions, may be sown in the

hot bed or cold frame and

young

lettuce plants for winter use

should also be transferred to the bed or frame at once.

will need ventilation in abundance, however.

They

few parsley

plants

may

be dug and planted in boxes for growing in the

kitchen window.

They

will supply as

much

parsley as will be

needed for garnishing, most of the winter.

WORK
It is just as

IN

THE FLOWER GARDEN

necessary to clean up the flower garden as the

all

vegetable garden and

waste should be destroyed by

fire.

Most

of the perennial plants

may

still

be set out.

184

THE COUNTRY HOME

frame
is

If a

placed over the bed of English violets, blossoms

may

be picked in the spring very

much

earlier than

would
com-

otherwise be the case.

This

is

an excellent time

to start a

post heap to furnish fertilizing material for next spring's garden.

If a collection of old sods be

mixed with manure and the

whole occasionally turned, a large amount of valuable plant

food will be secured.

GREENHOUSE AND WINDOW GARDEN

Paper white
narcissi

and Roman hyacinths should be

brought into the light at intervals.

in

The former can

be forced

about a month, while the

Roman

hyacinths require hardly

more than three weeks.

Tulips and other bulbs for the winter garden should be
potted and put away
in a dark, cool

place to

make

root growth.

Some people plunge them

cold frame and
still

in ashes in the cellar, others use a

other gardeners prefer to store the bulbs in

a pit out of doors.

The out

of door situation

must be well

drained and there should be a layer of ashes or cinders under the

pots.

The amateur usually

finds

it

satisfactory to start his

soil
is

bulbs in the cellar.

When

they are potted, the

should be
it

given a thorough soaking and unless the cellar

will not be necessary to apply

very dry,

any more water.

The bulbs must

be kept shaded or the tops will start before the roots.

For early forcing, the paper white

narcissi, the

Roman

hya-

OCTOBER
cinth

185

and the Due Von Thai

tulips are to be

recommended,
it

in
is

addition to freesias and oxalis.

When

ordering bulbs,

always well to mention the fact that they are desired for
ing.

forc-

(See planting table in Appendix.)

violet plants, for

New

growing

in a cold

frame or in a cool
time to buy

greenhouse,

may

be purchased now.

It is also the

the azaleas, deutzias

It is best to

and other shrubs

for greenhouse forcing.

keep them for a time in a pit where they will get

but be protected from
frost.
It is

full daylight,
to

very important

keep the chrysanthemums free from insect pests.

WORK
The winter
tions.
it is

apples
is

THE FRUIT GARDEN will be picked this month

IN

in

many

sec-

Nothing

to be gained

by harvesting the

fruit before

ripe.

quality.

The apples will keep no better and will be of poorer The right time is when the fruit is fully matured, but
in the

has not begun to get soft.

Great changes

methods of handling apples have come

In a commercial orchard the fruit

within the past few years.

is

now handled

almost as carefully as eggs, every care being

taken to avoid the slightest bruise.

the apples

This means, of course, that

it is

must be picked from ladders and

best to use

small baskets with a hook which

of the ladder.
fruit
is
it

may

be slipped over a rung

The proper way

palm of
it

to pick apples

and

all similar

to place the

the

hand under each specimen and

off.

bend

upward.

If ripe,

will snap

186

THE COUNTRY HOME

in the trees is to

Climbing
breaking
off

be avoided as there

is

danger of
is

many
in

fruit spurs.

The
for
it

use of an apple picker

not advisable unless the trees are so high that the fruit cannot

be readied

any other way,

is

almost impossible to

use these pickers without bruising the skin of the ripe fruit.

The best way

a

to sort the

apples

is

to take

them immediately

to

shed or the barn and to spread them on a sorting table

a light

made

by stretching burlap between

It is

frame on

legs.

well worth while evaporating such fruit as does not

to

seem likely

keep well.
little

An evaporator
if

for use on the kitchen

stove costs but

and does very

efficient

work.

It

may

be

used throughout the winter

the apples begin to decay.

Ot
place.

course, cider
a

making

will not be overlooked

and there

should be

good press

fitted

with
it is

grinder on every country

to

When making
all

cider,

worth while

go over the

apples, cutting out

decaying spots.

The

early apples are

of little value because the cider has a

poor flavor, but most late

winter varieties make excellent cider, although russet apples

are considered the best of all for this purpose.

The
vantage

culls

from the apple orchard will be eaten with Apples may be fed even
or perhaps
to poultry to

relish

by the stock.
if

good ad-

chopped

smashed with the

foot.

It is a

good plan

to top dress the

apple orchard with manure

by the vnA of the month.

Wood

ashes are also very beneficial

it

and

if

poultry

manure

is

used liberally,

should alwavs be

OCTOBER
supplemented with wood ashes or muriate of potash.
are excellent also for the grapes

187

The

ashes

and

a liberal will

mulching with

manure and ashes combined

crop.

this

month

improve next year's

Grapes are heavy feeders.

In

many

sections apple trees

may

still

be set out this month.

Some experienced growers buy

a year later.

one-year-old trees which they set

close together in the fall, transplanting

them

to the orchard

They

prefer this plan to the buying of two-year-

old trees.

GENERAL FARM WORK

The main
if

crop of potatoes
a large one,
it is

is

commonly dug

this

month and
to use

the field

is

worth while by

all

means

a potato digger.

November used
country
districts.
all this

to be the great

month

for husking corn,

and

husking bees were the principal social events throughout the

New

methods of handling the corn have

is

changed

and when husking

to be

done on

a large scale,

machines are commonly used.

If the soil

seems to need improving,

it

will be

worth while

sowing rye or perhaps rye and winter vetch combined.

value of the combination
nitrogen gatherer.
lies in

The
is

the fact that the vetch

One

bushel of vetch and a half bushel of

It is

rye give about the proper proportion for an acre.

always

advisable to sow rye on fields which are likely to be badly

188
washed.

THE COUNTRY HOME

Level
fields are often
is

plowed

in the fall

because the

action of the frost

favorable to the

soil

and

also because the

spring work

is

lightened in that way.

task
is

One very important October

fields,

the cleaning

up

of all the

especially along the fences, where weeds are likely to

accumulate.
drains and on
will be
fields

This

is

also an excellent season for laying tile

many country

places the expense of these drains

more than balanced by the increased returns from the

within a few years.

STABLE AND LIVE STOCK

It is

time

now

to bring the sheep to the fold,

but

it

will be a

great mistake to keep

them confined

in close buildings.

All

they need

is

an open shed and protection from the wind.

They

should be allowed the run of the yards whenever the weather

is

suitable.

Many

owners of dairy cows have found that

on stalks

it is

a mistake

to allow the animals to feed

in the corn fields.

is

In

some rather unexplained way the result

jurious to the cows.

frequently most inis

The proper way

little.

to feed cornstalks

to

cut them and cure them a

fed,
it

When many

stalks are to be

will certainly

pay

to

buy a corn shredder,

for then the

stalks will be fed to best

It will

advantage and with

little

waste.

be worth while to get in a generous amount of root

crops for feeding the live stock during the winter.

OCTOBER
The young pigs
will need

189

warm

quarters at night, especially

It
is

those that have just been separated from the sows.

as

important to have dry quarters for the hogs as for

all the other

farm animals.

Whether
is

a horse should be watered before or after feeding

much
is

discussed question, but experiments seem to show

is

that there

no particular advantage one way or the other, when

grain

the feed.

There seems

to be a slight
is

advantage in

watering before feeding when hay alone

It is rather

given.
it is

cold

now

for

washing the farm dog, but

ad-

visable to sift tobacco dust into the coat of the long-haired

breeds frequently in order to keep the animals free from vermin.

OCTOBER IN THE POULTRY YARD

All the laying stock should be in winter quarters before the

end of the month.

it is

Some
and

of the pullets should be laying, but

just as well if they do not start too early, for the eggs are
later production interfered with.
first

likely to be small

It is
if

well worth watching for the pullets which lay

are satisfactory birds in other ways, to slip a

and,

they

band on

their legs.

These early laying pullets will be the birds to save for breeders.

From now
straw,

on, fowls should be fed indoors, using a litter of

hay

or leaves six inches deep.

By

this

plan the birds get

the exercise they need

and

all

have an equal chance.

At the

same time have a hopper of dry mash accessible

at all times.

190

THE COUNTRY HOME

It

For whole grain a variety will be appreciated.

may

in-

clude corn, oats, wheat, barley, buckwheat and Kaffir corn.

Corn, oats and wheat will be the grains most depended upon,

however.

daily ration composed of two parts corn, one part

results,

wheat and one part oats will give good

but the poultry

keeper should be sure that he gets good sound wheat and

oats.
It is

plump

an advantage to use cracked corn because the birds

fill,

have to do more scratching to get their

but

it

is

well to

feed some whole corn at night in order that the hens

certain to
fill

may

be

their crops to their capacity before

going to

roost.

The man who

gets the most eggs

is

the one

who can

get the most

food into his hens.

green ration of some kind will be needed and

in the

it is

well to

have even more than the alfalfa

gels, beets

mash. Cabbages, man-

and similar root crops are good, but they should not

be hung, as often advised, so that the birds must

jump
them

for them.
in

The

best

way

to feed the root crops

to a board.

is

to cut a

halves

and spike each half

bages

Often

supply of waste cab-

may

be secured and stored under a covering of leaves on

It is

the north side of the house.

liberally,

not well to feed cabbages too

however, for they tend to make watery eggs of poor

quality.

Dried beet pulp from the grain

stores

makes a very

satis-

factory green ration, after being soaked for a little while in

hot water.

It

gives off an appetizing odor and the hens soon

OCTOBER
come
to like
it.

191

If they

do not eat
little

it

readily at

first,

the addition

of some beef scraps

and a

bran will tempt them.

Sprouted oats are very popular among poultry keepers just

now and

are really very efficient.

first

To

prepare the oats for

sprouting, they are

soaked over night in a pail of

warm
it is

water; then they are spread in a box to a depth of an inch and

kept moist.

The box must have

first

holes for drainage and

well to supply water at

the grains will not be

by means of a watering can,

so that

washed about.

Sometimes a piece of

bagging

is

spread over the oats and the water poured on that.

it is

In any case,

well to keep the grain dark until

it

it

has

made

some growth and

must have a warm

location, as perhaps be-

side the furnace in the cellar or back of the kitchen stove.

Sometimes the oats have a tendency

to

mould, but

this

may

be prevented by adding about ten drops of formalin to the pail

of water in which they are soaked.

When
mass

the sprouts are from

two

to four inches high they

will be right to feed.

in the

By

that time they will have

made

a solid

box and one square inch for each bird should be

a day's allowance.
It will of course

be necessary to keep several boxes going

in order that the

supply
a

may
of

not run out.

six

Oftentimes
there
are
a

rack

containing

trays

is

used

and
the

number

patented

oat

sprouters

on

market.

192

THE COUNTRY HOME

OCTOBER BEE WORK

The
it is

bees should go into winter quarters late this month.

Professional bee keepers often winter their bees in cellars but

better for the

amateur

to leave

them out

doors.

Ten frame

hives are needed for outside wintering, though, unless double

wall coverings are used.

dealers in bee supplies

These coverings may be purchased of

and

fit

over the other hives, the space

chaff.

between being

filled

with leaves or

Ten-frame single wall hives will carry strong colonies

through the winter
to build a
if

properly protected.

One good plan

is

rough shed, open on the south

side,

where the hives

may

be set close together, straw being filled in around and back

of them.

Another plan
which has been
ever plan
is

is

to

wrap

the hives in
it

heavy building paper

shed water.
set

oiled, in order that

may

What-

used, an

empty "super" should be

it,

on each hive,

with a honey board under

and

bag

filled

with leaves or chaff

stuffed into the "super," the cover then being put on in the

usual way.

It is

on top the hive that the most protection

is

needed.
hive

As an extra precaution the two end frames

be removed and chaff-filled

in each

may

dummy

frames sub-

stituted.
It is

wise to
it

make

sure that each colony has sufficient honey

to carry

through the winter, about thirty pounds being

OCTOBER
needed.

193

While

the weather

is

yet warm, a thin sugar syrup

Later,
it

may
is

be fed to colonies which seem deficient in stores.

is

better to use candy, which

little
fire

ulated sugar with a

made by dissolving pure granwater. The sugar and water should

for

be stirred over a slow

some time and then allowed

to

to

harden.

It

must not be allowed

burned sugar
is

burn under any circum-

stances, for
to be placed

fatal to bees.

The hard candy

enough
to be

is

on the top of the frames.

The

heat of the colony

will soften

it

and

it

will run

down

just fast

used

by the

bees.
in

Mice sometimes give trouble

fasten a strip of

winter and

it

is

well to

woven

wire, coarse

enough

to let the bees

through but to exclude the rodents, over the hive entrances.

NOVEMBER
'Talk not of sad November, when a day Of warm, glad sunshine fills the sky of noon, And a wind, borrowed from some morn of June, St?rs the brown grasses and the leafless spray John G. Whittier.

NOVEMBER
INto make
ful,

THE northern part of the country, November

the garden snug for winter.

is

the

month

If leaves are plenti-

they

may

be raked up and spread over the perennial

beds, but

it is

best not to do this

work

until after the

ground

is

frozen.

In the absence of leaves, straw or litter from the poulit

try house will serve the purpose, but

should not be more than

will need protection

two inches deep.

in the

Lilies

and montbretias

same way.
roses will

The more tender

plan
is

need protection,
If

too,

and the best

to
it

put straw overcoats on them.

long straw can be

secured,
strings.

should be placed lengthwise and tied in place with

if

Then

a little

more straw

is

doubled

in the

middle

and put over the top

the straw covering
ered.

like a cap, also

being tied firmly, perfect

protection will be given.

is

One point is not to be overlooked; if made too heavy the plants will be smothcirculation.

There must be some

All the roses will be better for a mulch of coarse

manure

applied this month.

Those of the hardier

sorts will be suffi-

ciently protected simply by heaping earth around the base, but

the use of

manure

is

better.

Rhododendrons and azaleas and other tender shrubs

[i97]

will

198

THE COUNTRY HOME

if

often go through the winter safely,

a board shield

is

so placed

that they will not receive the full force of the hard winds.

In

spring this shield

may

be shifted to the south side so that

growth will not

start too soon.

Often the rhododendrons may

be protected by the simple expedient of standing evergreen

boughs among the shrubs.

It is a

great convenience to have a cool greenhouse, which

may

be nothing more than a lean-to without heat, for in such

a house

many

half hardy plants

may

be safely wintered.

Straw or

litter of

some

sort will be required for the straw-

berry bed after the ground has frozen hard.

this

The

object of

covering

is

not to keep the frost out, but to prevent the

alternate freezing

and thawing which tends

If the

to

heave the plants

is

out of the ground.

manure from

the poultry house

thrown on the
winter
it

litter

between the rows,

soil

in the course of the

fine stimulant.

will be

washed into the

and prove a

Newly

set trees will

It is

be benefited by a mulch of coarse man-

ure or of straw.

always well, however, to leave a space

of two or three inches between the mulch and the tree trunk;

otherwise mice will burrow in the litter and feed on the bark.

Oftentimes

it is

necessary to take precautions also against the

depredations of rabbits.

Protection

is

easily secured

by means

of wire mosquito netting, cut into strips large enough to go

around the
and,
if

tree.

These
first

strips

should be four or five feet high

thev are

rolled into a cvlinder, thev

mav

easilv be

NOVEMBER
snapped into position.
market which are

199

There are veneer protectors on the

efficient

and durable.

Also there are paints

If,

guaranteed to keep away both rabbits and mice.

the wire guard spoken of
is

however,
it

made
its

to

fit

tightly at the top,

will
tree

also secure protection against the beetle

from which the

borers

come and which

tree.
is

lays

eggs on the bark, usually near the

bottom of the

November
any.

an excellent time for examining the trees

if

throughout the orchard in order to discover borers, Their presence

there are

may be

detected usually by a

little

mound
is

of sawdust

and perhaps by a few drops of gum.

Often the borer

works very close to the ground so that a careful examination

needed.

The apple
tree,

tree borers

have a way of working straight

through a

while the peach tree borers usually make their

It is

holes just inside the bark.

well to have a sharp knife along

it is

for then the borer often can be easily cut out, but

better for
If

the tree to

make
is

the cut

up and down rather than

across.

the

knife

method

ineffectual, a stout, pliable wire

must be called

into play.

By
is is

jabbing

this

wire into the hole the pest at the

end may be crushed.

If there
this

painting to be done around the country home,

often favorable, especially after the ground
is

season

freezes so that there

no dust blowing.

There

is

more time

now than

in the spring

and the paint

will last as well as though

exposed to the rays of a summer sun soon after being applied.

200

THE COUNTRY HOME

wood
is

In country houses where

burned an unpleasant exIf

perience
there
is

may

be avoided by having the chimney cleaned.

a fireplace, an old blanket or piece of canvas

it

may

be

fastened over

and the soot loosened by means of a piece of

and
let

iron attached to a cord

down from
It is a

the top.

Evergreens and hedges should be kept free from snow which

is

likely to break
flat

them down.

mistake to trim hedges

with a wide,
there

top in the northern states for the snow lodges

less

and

is

almost certain to do more or

damage

in a

hard

winter.
If injury to raspberry or blackberry bushes
is

from the cold

partly covstiff to

apprehended, they

may

easily be bent

down and

ered with earth.

In case blackberry plants are too

be
It

handled
is

in this

way, the roots

may

be loosened with a fork.

best to wear gloves to protect the hands.

If spinach for spring use has

been planted, that also will

need winter protection

in the
in,

shape of straw or strawy manure.

it is

Before the winter sets

advisable to

that the gutters are free from leaves or other

make certain refuse. Doing so

may prevent
It
is

a stained ceiling in the spring.

not too early to begin to invite the birds to be friendly

during the cold winter weather.

Suet and bread crumbs

may be

provided for them, but one must harden

to prevent the English sparrows

his heart sufficiently

it

consuming
is

to the exclusion

of the more desirable birds.

There

a suet cake

now on

the

NOVEMBER

201

market containing various grains and adapted to the feeding

of all the winter birds.

A
linger

great

many

of our feathered friends

may

be coaxed to

by giving them shelter and food; even blue birds have

in

remained

New England

all

winter with such inducement.

in the spring, for

It is better to

put up bird houses now than

the action of the weather in the course of the inclement

will

months
from

make them appear somewhat

less

new and

therefore,

the birds' point of view,

more habitable.
good time

Black knot on the plum trees can be discovered as soon as

the leaves have
it off.

dropped and November

is

to cut

The

limbs should be removed at a point below the knot

and burned.
If peach,

plum and quince

a

trees

have been making a rapid

growth,

it is

good plan

to nip off the ends of the branches.

Quince

trees are preferably

grown

in

bush form.

If four or five

new

sprouts are allowed to spring up from the ground each year

tree will con-

and an equal amount of old wood cut away, the

stantly renew
itself.

The pompon chrysanthemums are the only flowers left in November and their life may be prolonged by protecting them
from the
rain.
It is the

freezing of the water on the flowers that

spoils them.
It is

easy to start

new

rose plants

from cuttings made

this

month.

Cuttings should come from

new wood and be about

202
eight inches long.

THE COUNTRY HOME

If tied in

bunches and

set

upright in moist

sand

in a cool place,

they will be ready for planting out in the

spring.

Most

of the hardy lily bulbs arrive in this country in

at once.

No-

vember and should be planted

deteriorate

The

loose scaled bulbs

more rapidly when kept out of the ground than the

solid bulbs like tulips

to cover the

and

narcissi.
lilies

It is

always a good plan

ground where the

are to go with a coating of

fresh

manure before

the earth freezes.

Then

there will be no
lilies

difficulty in planting.

In order to do their best,

is

should
well

be planted deeper than ordinarily

the case.

They can

be set from six to ten inches below the surface, and there should
be a handful of sand at the bottom of the hole.

Now
trees for

that the leaves are

off, it is

good time
In

to look over the

egg clusters of various

will be

pests.

New

England, gypsy
but on outbuild-

moth eggs

found not only on the

It will

trees,

ings, fences

and brush heaps.

trees

pay

to get rid of

them

at

once.

Old

may

be scraped to advantage, but not deeply

enough
be used.

to cause injury.

hoe or a regular scraping device

The

white, frothy masses of the tussock

trees.

may moth may be

in a

looked for on the various fruit

Rhubarb can be forced

at

any time during the winter

warm
is

cellar or in the greenhouse.

Roots should be dug now

is

and be allowed

to freeze solid before forcing

attempted.

It
it

best to have roots that are at least three years old.

When

NOVEMBER
is

203

desired to start the roots into growth, they should be placed

in a

box of good garden

is

soil

and given a warm location and one

cellar can be shut

which
off

nearly dark.

Often a corner of the

with some old boards or a heavy blanket.

There

is

no reason

why
take

the roots can not be simply set on the floor

and earth heaped

will

around them.

The

soil

must be kept moist and the plants

up water very

rapidly.

Growth
and there
in the

will soon start

and
use.

in five

or six

weeks there will be a supply of stalks ready for

They
roots

will be blanched, however,

will be very little leaf.

Asparagus

may be forced

same way, although the

are not to be frozen,

and the seed

is

stores

now

sell

forcing crowns

of sea kale, a vegetable which

the water, but not very well
It is

popular on the other side of

here.

known

well to save all the leaves that can be gathered.

They

are valuable for use in the poultry house as litter

and

for bank-

ing around the cold frames and hotbed.

purpose, they are of no
little

If

needed for no other

value as

fertilizer, especially if
is

allowed to rot during the winter.

for house plants.

Leaf mould

unsurpassed

NOVEMBER GREENHOUSE AND WINDOW GARDEN WORK

Cyclamen bulbs started now
will

make good, strong

It

plants.

They may be

secured at the seed stores and should be planted

little

with the nose a

above the

soil.

is

worth while growing

several cyclamen plants not only because they are attractive

204
in the

THE COUNTRY HOME

window garden, but
cut.

also because they provide an abun-

dance of

flowers all through the spring.

These flowers

in

water will keep easily for a week or ten days, and often are

more acceptable

as gifts than

some of the more common kinds

that have a strong perfume.

Paper white
tulips

narcissi,

Chinese

lilies

and the

little

dwarf

make

excellent Christmas gifts and will be in flower at

if

the holiday season

started the middle of this month.

They
soil

may

be retarded,

if

necessary,

by keeping them

cool.

Before the ground freezes, a supply of good garden

should be gathered.
It will

be needed later on.

It will

be an

advantage,

too. to

go into the woods and secure a supply of leaf

mould.

The

lily of the

valley pips arrive from abroad in

in

November
Clumps,
set out in

and should be stored

sand until needed for forcing.

rather than pips, are used for the garden

and may be

November.

An abundance
house and
very cold.
in

of fresh air for the violets both in the green-

cold frames will be needed until the weather gets

Plant

lice

grow numerous

in

November

in the

window

gar-

den

as well as in the greenhouse.

Nicotine

may

be used as a

weak
if

spray, but with a

few plants the leaves can be kept clean

they are washed frequently with soapsuds or even with water

as hot as the

hand can

bear.

If

much soap

is

used, the plants

NOVEMBER
must be carefully rinsed afterward.
house plants, when not in flower,
so that
it
is

205
easy

An

way

to treat all

to cut a piece of

cardboard
receive

will

fit

over the mouth of the pot with a

slit to

the stem of the plant; using both hands to hold this cardboard
in position, the plant

may

be dipped into a tub or bowl.

scale,

Palms, ferns and rubber plants must be examined for

which

is

best

removed with a

stiff

toothbrush.

English ivy
to thrive.

needs frequent sponging with soap and water,

if it is

Often a spray of

this ivy will

make splendid growth

if

the roots

are kept simply in a

bowl of water.

Rubber plants

also

need

frequent cleaning.
several kinds are
results as soap

The use of a patent dustcloth, of which now on the market, seems to give as good
It is a

and water.

mistake to use olive

oil or

any
It

similar substance with the idea of brightening the leaves.

simply clogs the pores.

in the pots, for the

It is just as

unwise to use

bits of

meat

meat soon decays.

Often a plant may be

benefited by the use of a good commercial plant food, the green

of the foliage being deepened and the
increased.

number

of flowers

In some ways this fertilizer

is

preferable to liquid
It

manure, although the latter gives excellent satisfaction.

may

easily be

made from pulverized sheep manure.

show signs of improve-

When
ment,
it

a plant actually refuses to

probably needs repotting, although not necessarily a

It is

larger pot.

always well, however, to make sure that the

If a pot
is

trouble

is

not due to lack of drainage.

too large for

206

THE COUNTRY HOME

become

the plant, the result will be the same, for the soil will
sour.

This

is

the time to plan tor a

in a
is

mushroom bed and mushrooms

Fer-

can easily be grown

greenhouse under the benches.

needed, with about half
is

mented horse manure

straw.

its

bulk of

Mushroom growing
is

not as simple as often supposed

first

and

good book on the subject should

be read before the

work

undertaken, or else advice should be sought from the

nearest experiment station.

STABLE AND LIVESTOCK

It is

important to keep the livestock well bedded during the

cold weather.

Probably straw

is

best for the purpose, although

swale hay, peat and leaves will answer.

times used, but

Shavings are some-

when added

to the soil, they

have a tendency

to

make

it

sour.

If the

hay being fed the horses

This
is

is

at all dusty,
if

it

should be

moistened.

particularly true

the horse happens to

have the heaves.

In very cold weather the ensilage in the silo
freeze, but this can be
is

likely to

prevented to a large extent by keeping

the silo tightly covered.

Sometimes

it is

an advantage

to

throw

a layer of hay over the top or to use a

heavy canvas blanket.

is

Throwing

the ensilage to the middle of the silo

also a help.

The frozen ensilage should be kept away from the sides and

NOVEMBER
the doors of the silo

207
Ensilage
it is

must be kept

shut.

not injured

by freezing, but will

spoil quickly after

thaws out.

Ensilage

may be

fed to sheep and lambs to advantage.

in

There should be a cutting machine

siderable live stock
is

every barn where conis

kept.

Oftentimes much waste

avoided

by cutting hay, cornstalks and vegetables.

through the cutter
will
is

Alfalfa hay run

If cut fine,
it

excellent for brood sows.

make

a splendid green ration, too, for poultry.

is

With many people this hog or two for home use.

This custom
is

a favorite

month

for killing a fat

to drive a

It is the

common custom
it

knife into the throat of the beast and allow

cruel

to bleed to death.

and without

justification.
rifle

The humane
it

way

is

either to shoot the animal with a

or to first stun

with a blow on the head.

In either case, the throat should be cut

immediately, to insure proper bleeding.

is
if

Two

hundred pounds

considered about the right weight, but the meat will be better
the

hog

is

killed

when

it

weighs only one hundred and

seventy-five pounds.

IN

THE POULTRY YARD

The
mash
the
a

pullets

may

often be induced to lay by feeding wet

or

few weeks, commencing a week

two before the date

Exactly

on which the eggs normally should begin to appear.

same mash as that commonly fed dry may be used and should
just moist

be

made

enough

so that

it

will crumble in the hand,

208

THE COUNTRY HOME

the best time to feed
or the hens will sit
it is

when squeezed. Perhaps

too

at

noon and

much must be avoided

around for a long

time instead of scratching in the

litter for fine grain.

A
fresh.

little

ground bone
it

is

also an excellent stimulant for the

all, it

pullets, but

must be fed with care and, above

to a

must be

An ounce
it is

hen three times a week will be

sufficient.

Whereas

wise not to feed a great

it

amount of corn

to

growing chickens,

may
it

be given

much more
much.

liberally just

before and after the pullets begin to lay.

scratch feed be corn,
It is

If a third of the

will not be too

advisable not to keep pullets and old hens in the same

pen.
If

hens are found with scaly

legs,

the best treatment

is

dipping the legs into a pan containing a liquid obtained by

pouring hot water on tobacco leaves of a cheap grade and allowing

it

to cool.
if

This treatment

may

be carried out two or three

times

necessary and the legs afterward rubbed with vaseline.

DECEMBER
T^hat time of year When yellow leaves, or none, or few, do hang Upon those boughs which shake against the cold,

Bare ruin d

choirs,

where late the sweet birds sang.

Shakespeare.

DECEMBER

THE
better.

big job of
in

December

is

harvesting the

ice

crop,

although

some seasons

it is

necessary to wait until a

is

month

later.

The sooner
wagon
if

the ice

in,

however, the

Few

tools are required, a saw, axe, scoop, a pike pole or

two, a sled or low-down

the ice house

is

not on the edge

is

of the pond, and some sixteen foot planks.

to clear the surface of the ice,

The scoop

used

which

is

then marked

off into

squares two or two and a half feet wide.

cakes,

Next
hook.

it is

sawed

into
are

which are hauled out with an

ice

The planks

needed for loading the cakes onto the sled or wagon.

The
it

ice

house need not be large.

If

it is

sixteen feet square

will hold

enough

ice for a

dairy of forty cows.

it
is

When

it

is

being prepared for the crop,

well to lay poles across the

bottom

to provide for drainage.

Next

heavy covering
upon.

of

straw and sawdust will be needed for the

ice to rest

The

cakes should be packed closely, with broken pieces worked into

the chinks.

In order to keep out the

air,

a space six inches

wide must

be left all around the sides of the house, to be filled in with saw-

dust and leaves, or sawdust alone, packed as tightly as possible.

When

the ice

is

all in place,

sawdust or finely cut straw

[211]

to the

212

THE COUNTRY HOME

Thus packed,
the

depth of a foot should be spread over the top.

ice will

keep for a long time, but

it is

well to have a

little venti-

lation at the top to allow the escape of foul air.

On many
so as

country places, a brook or small stream

to yield

may

be

dammed

an abundance of

ice.

Solid water ice

is

always to be

Snow ice melts much more quickly. Muddy, dirty barn yards, hog lots and sheep deplored. Not only are they offensive to the
chosen.
detract from the satisfaction of doing farm

runs are to be
eye, but they

work and they

few

are

bad for the animals.

year, before the

There

is

often plenty of time late in the

to

ground freezes hard,

put

in a

tile drains,

laying them below the frost line.

The expense
is

will be little

and the

results well

worth

it.

If there

no low place where

the water can naturally be carried, a deep blind well

may

be

dug and

the bottom filled with stones.

Usually the water from

led into such a well.
it

the drains will soon seep

away when

Gravel or coal cinders spread on the ground will help keep

sanitary condition.

in

Automobiles are not very satisfactory winter vehicles.

When
oil to

they are put

away

for the winter, they should be thor-

oughly cleaned and the bright parts covered with boiled linseed
prevent rusting.

Then they should be jacked up

in order

that there

may

be no weight on the tires and the latter

may

be

partially deflated.

The winter

is

an excellent time for manuring the orchard,

DECEMBER
but
it is

213

not advisable to fertilize young trees heavily, or

wood
fire-

growth will be forced too much.

If there
is

wood

lot,

now

is

the time to get out the

wood,

as well as to cut posts for the

next season.

If cedar posts
it is

with the bark on are to be used for an arbor or pergola,

always best to cut them in cold weather, for the bark

better.

sticks

Peach

trees that are

It is best to

beginning to
give the

fail

may

as well be pulled

up now.
location.

new peach orchard

a different

This

is

good time

to spray all fruit trees for

San Jose

scale,

using prepared lime sulphur wash or one of the soluble

In the South, most of the fall vegetables

oils.

may

be sown this

month.

Peas, spinach, radishes, lettuce

and endive may go

be planted to ad-

into the ground,

and tomatoes, egg plants and peppers may be

started in spent hotbeds.

Nut

trees

may

vantage

in

December.

GREENHOUSE AND WINDOW GARDEN

It is

advisable to sow radishes once in ten days, in order to

have a constant succession.

This applies to lettuce,

are

too.

Grand Rapids and Early Dutch Butter

lettuce for forcing.

good

varieties of

Gladiolus bulbs planted

now

will

bloom

in

March.

The

seedsmen should be asked for kinds suitable for forcing.

214

THE COUNTRY HOME

lot of

A new
or two.

bulbs should be brought into heat every week

Only

the

fully until after

Due Van Thol tulips can be forced successthe new year. The paper white narcissus and
and the
is

the tulips just mentioned, as well as the Chinese lily

single hyacinths,

may

be grown in water, and the plan

particularly good one

decoration.

when

the flowers are to be used for house

filled

China or glass bowls are used and nearly

which the bulbs are
lily,
set.'

with

fine pebbles, in

All the bulbs

named, except the Chinese

place until they have

must then be

set in a cool,
roots.

dark

made

heavy growth of

The

hyacinths are often forced in special glasses designed for the

purpose, but
six
it

may

be necessary to keep them in the dark for

weeks or two months.

The water

in the glasses

should

barely touch the bottom of the bulbs and should contain a few
pieces of charcoal.

When
it

the water in the bowls or glasses needs changing,

in.

it

must be flooded out by turning more

out
is

If

an attempt to pour

made, the rootlets will be broken

off.
it is

When

potted bulbs are brought into heat,

first,

best not to

expose them to bright light at

or to keep

them very warm.

it
is

Watering with warm water

to

will hasten growth, but

best

keep the bulbs from direct sunlight until the flowers begin to

open.

Large hyacinths

may

be grown in a single five-inch pot.

if

Smaller specimens look better

there are four in a six-inch pot.

DECEMBER

Eight or ten weeks are required to make a good root growth.

Shorter time
is

needed for tulips and paper white

narcissi.

When
is

they are grown in water, a week or ten days in the dark

sufficient.

The

narcissi are so easy to

grow that

it is

well to

keep right on forcing them up to the

preferably rain, water
is

first

of March.

Soft,

and

the best to use.

first

The Easter
December

lily

should be started not later than the

of

in order to

have

it

in

bloom on Easter Day.

The
warm,

calla lily should be in flower soon, if kept in a rather

light position,

without too

much

sun.

Tepid water

should be given freely, but not allowed to stand in the saucer.

Hydrangeas must be brought

December,
if

into the greenhouse late in

they are to be grown for Easter.

When

the

chrysanthemums have ceased blooming, they may

Geraniums, bouvardias and

be cut back and stored in a cool place under the greenhouse

benches, or even in a cold frame.

carnations

may
the

take their place.

This

is

month

to

make

cuttings of crotons, dracaenas,

rubber plants, and Glorie de Lorraine begonias.

The

last

named

are best started

from leaf cuttings.

it is

When

applying water to Glorie de Lorraine plants,

well to exercise care not to wet the leaves.

Cinerarias and calceolarias do not thrive in a
house.
It is

warm

green-

night temperature of about

45" suits

them.

necessary to fumigate the greenhouse twice a

month

or

216
nearly as often.
the market

THE COUNTRY HOME

Any one
be used.
plants suffer from over than from under waterof the tobacco preparations

now on

may

More house
ing.
it

When

the soil becomes dry, water should be given until

runs into the saucer.

seen to be dry again.

No

more will be needed until the

soil

is

When mold
The
will

appears on the pots, they should be washed, or

evaporation will be checked.

best plants for a shady

window
ivies.

are the begonias, rubber

plants, camelias, ferns,

and the

The Chinese primrose

in cold

do well

in partial shade.

If plants

become frozen, they should be dipped

water or sprinkled as soon as discovered and kept in a cool

place out of the sun until they have thawed out.
nesses of

Several thick-

newspaper wrapped around house plants will protect

cold.

them from considerable

low
it is

When

the temperature turns

well to place a newspaper or two against the glass in a

plants are growing.
air

window where
It

must be remembered that plants need fresh

Those near
a

even at

this season.

window naturally

get more than

those at a distance, but

a

it is

well to open doors or windows for

air

few minutes each day, care being taken that the

does not

blow directly on the plants.

H)'drangeas for late blooming should be watered only

enough

to

keep the

soil

from drying out.

It is the resting

season

DECEMBER
and
a cool, light cellar, or a cool greenhouse
is

a good place for

wintering them.

LIVESTOCK AND STABLE

All the livestock should be on full winter rations by the of December.
first

Grain

is

expensive these days and

it

is

well

worth while making a careful study of the feeding question.

Usually important information

may

be obtained from the

nearest experiment station or agricultural college.

fessors at these institutions fairly
It is a fine

The
if

pro-

beg people

to ask questions.

thing for the

man who owns

a country

home

he can

take the short winter course at one of the state colleges.

Some-

times there

is

a son or a daughter

who can

find time for this.

The quantity of feed required by cows will depend upon the amount of milk they give. It is estimated that a cow yielding ten quarts a day will require five quarts of the following

mixture twice a day: Three parts wheat bran, one part corn
meal, one part cottonseed meal, by measure.

In addition, there

should be ensilage, hay or other roughage.

It
is

better to have the heifers freshen at

two and a half than

at

two

years.
in a

Lime water made by slacking twenty pounds of lime

barrel of water,

where

it

may be allowed

to stand until

it

clears,
It is

will prove efficacious in cleaning all the dairy utensils.

important to exercise constant precaution, or milk and butter

218

THE COUNTRY HOME

The
flavor
is

will be off in flavor at this season.

also easily

affected by the feed

and such vegetables

as turnips are not to

be fed freely.

The

kitchen waste, including the dish water

(if it is

free

from soap and washing powder) will go a long ways toward

keeping one or two brood sows. Bran and middlings

may

be

added

as needed.

Some

roots like turnips

little

and

carrots, will be

beneficial

and

it is

well to keep a

earth or a sod or two in

the pen at all times.

Ashes, salt and charcoal are needed, too,

and
the

if

some straw

or

some strawy horse manure

is

thrown into

pen occasionally, the animals will get needed exercise

it

working

over.

Shavings make good bedding and a trough

It
is

which can not be tipped over should be provided.

well to
idea
is

burn

this

trough occasionally and build a

new

one.

The

that a hog

must

live in filth has

no foundation.

This animal

naturally quite as cleanly as the other farm stock.

In winter the pigs can be kept free from lice only by spray-

ing them.
cation
is

Kerosene emulsion does the work well and an appli-

needed every two or three weeks.

sufficient for use

Brush and cloth are

when cleaning

colts.

The

curry

comb

is

too harsh.

Molasses
advantage.
sides

may
It

be fed the horses and cows at this season to

adds to the palatability of the other rations, beits

having much nutritive value of

is

own.
it

If the harness

oiled frequently in cold weather

will be

DECEMBER
easier to handle, for
it

219
and
it

will not get

stiff,

will also last

longer.

DECEMBER POULTRY WORK

At
this season,

when

the days are short, the hens spend

off.

much
a

more of

their time

on the perches than

While daylight

lasts, it is

important to keep them busy

all the time.

With

deep
into that

litter
it,

on the

floor

and the whole

or cracked grain

thrown

they will be forced to scratch for their rations and in

will obtain the exercise they require.
it

manner
is

If a

wet

mash

given, there should not be enough of

to entirely sat-

isfy the

hunger of the

birds, or they will

litter.

stand around in a

corner instead of working in the

will
fill

Sometimes lazy hens

up on dry mash

rather than scratch for whole grain; in

that event, keep the dry

mash hopper closed

until noon.

It is difficult to tell just

how much

scratch grain to feed.

is

On
but

general principles, a small handful to a hen

it
is

about

right,

well to

stir

the litter occasionally with the foot in

is

order to ascertain whether any of the grain

floor.

to be

found on the
it

If too

much time

is

spent at the dry mash hopper,

is

may

be an indication that sufficient scratch grain

not being given.

As the

litter

becomes packed, more should be added; some

litter

poultry keepers fork the

its

over frequently in order to retard

in

packing.

Heavy

hens will work

deeper

litter

than the

light breeds.

220

THE COUNTRY HOME

dark house

made somewhat lighter by whitewashing all the interior walls. The addition of a little carbolic acid will incidentally help to exterminate insect pests. Whitewash may be easily applied with a spray pump if not made too thick.
be

may

When
five

only a

little is

needed, lime for

it

may

be purchased in
for a pail

and ten cent packages, one package being enough

nest for each five hens
It

of whitewash.

is

none too many when the birds

are laying well.

should preferably be twelve or fourteen

of

inches square.

A dust box
where
it

ample

size

is

also

needed and

it is

well to place

it

will receive the sun

much

of the day.
in very cold

The

curtains or

windows should be closed only

is

weather or while a storm

portance to poultry.

in progress.

Fresh

air is of vital im-

The hens which remain on

return to them
first

the roost last in the

morning and
good
layers.

at night are not likely to be

If

The hens which

eat most, lay most.

you find several hens on

it is

the roosts night after night with only partially filled crops,
safe to say that they are not
It is

paying

their

way.

well to scald the feed and water dishes several times a

month, even in winter.

The poultry
The hens

feeder should beware of

it is first

new

corn.

It

may
corn

be

safely fed, however, if

will relish

put into the oven and parched.

is

it,

too, if it

fed warm.

Warm

is,

in fact, a sort of gentle stimulant.

DECEMBER
Banking up the poultry house
It is a

221

will help to stop draughts.

good plan.

It is

not too late to stop leaks in the roof.

are

Dampness and draughts

weeks.
It is

two things

to be carefully avoided.

Geese for the Christmas feast should be fattened several

necessary only to shut the birds into rather small

yards and feed them a ration of three parts corn meal to one
part bran, with some beef scraps added, and to supply water in

abundance for drinking purposes.

This also
to be
is

the

month

to

buy breeding

geese, for they

need

mated several months before the laying season

begins.

Breeders should be at least three years old and they commonly

are

mated

in pairs,

although a mature gander will run with

these birds, a

three geese.

With

mating usually

lasts for life,

unless they are forcibly separated.

old,

Geese will live to be very

but

it is

not well to keep a gander more than six or seven

is

years, for he

likely to

become quarrelsome,

if

not vicious, as

he grows older.
profitable

Geese require only a rough shelter and are

when they can have wide range. This is an excellent month to buy breeding
Eggs should be collected several times a day
freeze
if left

cockerels.

in cold weather.

They may
It is

too long in the nests.

well worth while paying a visit to the nearest large

poultry show, which probably will be held this month or next.

You

will be almost certain to pick

up some valuable informaIf

tion, besides

having a good time.

you keep a certain estab-

222
lished breed

THE COUNTRY HOME

and
are interested in

good

stock,

it is

also worth

while joining the club

selected the
a selection,
itself

made up

same breed that

it is

men and women who have you have. And once having made
of
it.

well to stick to

There

is

less in the

breed

than in the

way

it is

handled.

APPENDIX
EXPERIMENT STATIONS

HE
in

owners of country homes

will find

it

greatly to their advantage to keep

close touch with the experiment stations nearest them.

The various

stations are located at the places

named below

Alabama
Alaska

Auburn,

Uniontown, and

Tuskegee.

Sitka. Arizona Tucson. Arkansas Fayetteville. California Berkeley. Colorado Fort Connecticut Storrs and New Haven. Delaware Newark. Florida Lake Georgia Experiment. Hawaii Honolulu. Idaho Moscow. Urbana. Indiana Lafayette. Iowa Ames. Kansas Manhattan. Kentucky Lexington. Louisiana Baton Rouge, New OrCollins.

City.

Illinois

Columbia and Mountain Grove. Montana Bozeman. Nebraska Lincoln. Nevada Reno. New Hampshire Durham. New Jersey New Brunswick. New Mexico Mesilla Park. New York Geneva and Ithaca. North Carolina Raleigh. North Dakota Agricultural College Ohio Wooster. Oklahoma Stillwater. Oregon Corvallis. Pennsylvania State College. Porto Rico Mayaguez. Rhode Island Kingston. South Carolina Clemson College. South Dakota Brookings.
Missouri

Massachusetts Amherst. Michigan Agricultural College. Minnesota Anthony Park, Paul. Mississippi Agricultural College.
St.

and Calhoun. Maine Orono. Maryland College Park.

leans,

Tennessee Knoxville. Texas College Station. Utah Logan. Vermont Burlington.

St.

Virginia Blacksburg. Washington Pullman. West Virginia Morgantown. Wisconsin Madison. Wyoming Laramie.

[223]

224

THE COUNTRY HOME

PERIOD OF GESTATION IN ANIMALS
1 1

Mare

to 12

months.

Cow
Sheep and goat

9 to g l

months ( 285 days) 5 months (21 weeks).

2

Sow Dog
Cat
Rabbit

4 months. 2 months.
50 days.

30 days.

INCUBATION PERIODS

Common
Partridge

hen

21 days

Pheasant

24 days 25 days
25 days 28 days

Guinea hen Common duck Pea hen Turkey Goose

28 days 28 days 30 days

STANDARD WEIGHTS OF POULTRY IN POUNDS

Cock
Plymouth Rocks,
Wyandottes,
all all

Cockerel
8.0
7-5

Hen
7-5

Pullet

varieties.

9-5 8-5 9-5

varieties

Rhode

Island

Red
,

8.0

Buckeye Brahma, Light Brahma, Dark

Cochins,
all

9.0
12.0

8.0
10.0

11.0

9.0

varieties
all

II.O
9-5

9.0
8.0
7-5

Langshans,

varieties

Minorca, Single-comb Black Minorca, Single-comb White and Rose-comb Black

9.0

8.0
6.0
7-5

6-5

Blue Andalusians

5-o

Redcap
Orpingtons,
all

6.0
8-5
6-5

varieties
,

10.0
7-5

Houdan
Cornish
White-laced Red

9.0
8.0

8.0
7.0

PLANTING TABLE FOR VEGETABLE

When
Name
Indoors
to

Plant

Outdoors
April.
I

Asparagus Asparagus plants.

April-May.

50-8
1

Beans

(bush)

May-August.

Beans (pole)
Beets

May.
April-August.

yip
2
Va o
Va o
I

Cabbage Cabbage
Carrot

(early)
(late)
.

March.

May. May.
April-July.

Cauliflower

March.

May.
May-June.

Va o Va o Va

Celery

March.
April.

Corn

May-June.
April-July.

Cucumber

March.

V2 o;

Egg Plant
Endive
Kale.
Lettuce.
. .

March.
April -September.

i/3
1

May.
Feb.-March.
April.

April-Aug.

10.

Vl

o.

Muskmeion.

May-June.

Va o 15
Vz
0.

Melon (Watermelon)
Onions.
Parsley

May-June.
February.
April. April.
April.

15
I

o
O.

V2 yi
1

Parsnip.

Peas
Peppers.
Potato (Irish).

March-June.

March.

May-June.
(Set out plants.)

1/3

May-June.
May-July.
Feb.-March.
April- Sept ember.

pk
ic

Pumpkin
Radish

V2 o I
I

0-

Rhubarb Roots
Salsify (Oyster Plant

Spring or
April.

Fall.

30
I

Spinach

Mar.-May and
May-June.
March.
May-June.
April-July.

Oct.

Squash

V2 O

2i

Tomato.
Turnip.

Va o

25

PLANTING TABLE FOR FLOWERS.

When
to

ch lOOraiU.Soniho
aroc. the latter be in

tirttdiolhthcu,,,
>iberiiy vtrr duct.

Plant

Distance

Apart
(Inches)

Achillea (Sneezewort)

June-Ocr.

July-Oct.

Ageralum

May.
May-June.
June-Sept.

June-Oct,

Blue,

white.

Alysum (Annual) Alysum perennial)..., Aquilegia (Columbine).

Aste.s (China)

[une-Oct
July-Oct.
Iunr.-S.pt.

June 15-bcpt.
Alay-June.

White. Yellow.

July-Oct.

May. May-June.

lute, yellow, blue, pink. White, pink, yellow, red, purple, lavender. Red. white, pink, yellow. Vcllow, orange.

A perennial, two feet high. The p tar is a good variety. Annual, grown from seeds or cuttings. Fine for borders. Blues are most popular Excellent annual for borders. Used for edgings and rock work. Hardy perennial, Bloom* the second year. Bedding annual. Use wood ashes when setting
l

plant-,.

Annual,

Vellow.

brown.
white.

Campanula (Canterbury Celosia (Cockscomb)

Candytuft

Bells)

Blue,

pink,

White, red, pink, yellow.

May

151

June-Oct.
June-Oct.
luly-Oct.

Pink, white, red, purple.

Blue, white, pink.

lune

Centaurea (Corn flower).

April.
April.

Chrysanthemum (Annual). Cobea Cosmos (Early)

Cosmos (Late)
Dahlia

to grow in clumps in the sun. Easily grown annuals, that self-sow. Fill vacant spots with them. Showy annuals, good for cutting. Easy to grow, but they like the sun. Perennial, blooming the second yUr. Annual. Combs may be dried for winter bouquets. beds, borders or Make successive sowings. Annual, to grow in masses. Self-sown. Keep flowers nicked.
I

White, yellow, red.

Purple. White, red,
pink.

March.
April.

July-Oct
July-Sept.

Annuals, for massing at a distance. Climbing vine. Plant seeds edgewise. Tender annuals. Pinch back to make
plants.

illy

May.
June.

Sept. -Oct. Vug Oct.

White, pink, red. White, yellow, pink, red.

Blue, yellow, white.

Tie to stakes

if

exposed to winds.

Delphinium (Larkspur).
DiaiHhus
poppy)
Gaillardia
April.

June-Aug.

July-Oct.

Pinks) Digitalis (Foxglove) L'schscholtzia (California

(

May.
July-Aug.

July-Oct.

White, red, striped.

Pink, white, blue.
Yellow, orange. Vellow, red. Fruit-bearing.

July-Aug.
luly-Aug.
Inly-Sept. Sept.-Oct. July-Sept. Tuly-Sept.

Late-started plants give largest flowers. Blooin the second year. Fine tall perennials, Blues are best. Perennial, blooming the first year, Blooin the second year. Fine in hardy border,

Gourds Four O'Clocks

Gyusopliilia

March
April. April.

April

Helianthus (Sunflower) Hollyhock Kochia (Summer Cypress). Larkspur (Annual)

Lobelia.

March-April.

May. May, May. May. May. May. June is-July.

April.

Do not Showy

transplant. Foliage is pretty. perennial, for beds. Excellent to hide unsightly objects.

July-Oct. Aug.-Sept.

White, pink, yellow. White. Yellow.

\\ lute,

red,

yellow, pink.
pink.

Annuals, for borders or beds Crow Elegant, Fine to use in bouquets. Make a good screen. Try tile new kinds. Perennial. Spray with Bordeaux.
I

March -April.
April. April.

May-June.

June-Sept.
June-Sept.
luly-Oct. July-Oct.

Ked, white, blue.

Blue,

Crow

he foliage turns red in the fall. The flowers are good for cut111 masses.
ting.

May.

white.
red,

Marigold... Mignonette.
Myosotis (Forget-me-not).

March-April.

May. May.

Brown,

yellow.

is very popular for low edgings. It is blue. Use manure water for Lobelias. Showy, easily-grown annuals.

Lobelia F,rinus

March-April.

Blue, pink, white.

Make successive sowFlowers very fragrant. ings. Like cOOl soil. Likes Perennial, hut blooms the first season.
shade and moist
soil.

Nasturtium Nicotian a (Tobacco plant)

May.
.

une-Oct.

April.

May.
April-Oct.

fiily-Oct.

Various colors. White, pink.

One
Tall,

of the best annuals.

Pansy

March- May.
Fcb.-April.

April-Oct.

Many

colors.

fragrant annuals, opening toward evening, Give a rich, cool, moist suil and keep the blos-

Ked. pink, white.

uly-Oct.

One One

soms picked. of the mo^t free flowering annuals.

neglect watering of the best low annuals.
attractive.

Don't

Phlox (Annual).. Poppy (Annual)

March- April.
June-Sept.

Red,
Ri d,

une-Sept

white, yellow, pink. white, pink, yellow.

Very

Do
dry.

not

transplant.

Make
spots.

May- July.
May.
Salpiglossis.
April.

Red, white, pink, yellow. Red. ptnk, yellow, white.

successive sowings. Fine to give bright colors.

Unexcelled

for

sandy

and sunny
Best started
to

Grow

Close at night. in masses.

Good

to cut.
in

Wry
b

ornamental annual. house in pots.

a green
fof
bai

the

Feb -March.
Scabiosa (Mourning Bride) Stucks Sweet Tea
\pril.

Feb. April.

May. May. May. May. March- A pi May. May.

White.
Scarlet
lulv-Sept. [line Oct. July-Sept.

Good midsummer annual and easy

kground and
rich,
i-,.u.T,

crow,
soil,

sandy
in the

White.
Pink,
11

.g-flowering annual
1

il

Many

Bite, scarlet, yellow :olors.

Good
it

early

beds and to cut. in rich, moist

roots.

soil,

open,

ater.

mulch the

"-

red.
,

blue,

pink,

white, pink.

Splendid annual for bedding d summer plant for beds

in

the sun.

and very easy to

PLANTING TABLE FOR VEGETABLES.

lor

Good

for the latitude of New York. Allow 10 dy f.r each 100 mile* I**rticu]arly adapted to imall gardens where work is done by hand.

North or South.

Seed Needed

mo

Distance
(Inches)

Ft.

Asparagus

April

Asparagus plants.
Beans
(bush)

April-May.

May
May.

August.

Ipt

Beans (pole)
Beets

apt
z or,

April-August.

Cabbage (early). Cabbage (late)...

Carrot
Cauliflower

May. May.
April-July.
'j oz.

March. March.
April.

May.
May-June.
y*oz.

Celery

Corn

May-June.
April- July.

Cucumber

March.

Egg Plant
Endive
April-Septeuibei

i/3 oz.

Kale
Lettuce

May.
Feb.-March.
April.

April-Aug.

io.

Muskraelon

May -June.
May-June.
April. April. April.

Melon (Watermelon)
Onions.
farsley.

oz.

Vi

14

oz

Parsnip.

ttoz.
iqt.

Peas....

March- June.

Peppers
Potato (Irish).

l/j OZ.

May-June.
May-July.
April-Seplember.

Pumpkin
Radish

'/1

oz. for 1- lulls.

Rhubarb Roots
Salsify (Oyster Plant

Spring or
April.

Fall,

Spinach

Mar.-May and Oct.

May-June.
,

Squash

Tomato.
1 hi nip.

May-June.
April-July

APPENDIX
LEGHORNS, ANCONA, POLISH,

225

HAM BURGS,

GAMES, SUMATRA, SULTAN, FRIZZLE, NO

STANDARD WEIGHTS
Cock
Turkey, Bronze Narragansett White Holland
. . .

Cockerel

Hen
25
18
18

Pullet

36 30 28

33 20

20
12

Bourbon Red

30

20 22

H
14

18

Adult Duck, Pekin Aylesbury

Rouen Cayuga Muscovy .... Tndian Runner


226

THE COUNTRY HOME

USUAL DISTANCES APART FOR PLANTING VEGETABLES

Rows 3 or 4 apart, 2 3 apart apart Asparagus Rows 3 apart, 2 4 Beans, Bush apart rows, 2 apart. 3 Beans, Pole 3 each way. 4 Beet, Early In 18 apart. 2 apart. Beet, Late In 3 1^2x2^ Broccoli 2x3 18x30 Cabbage, Early 16x28 2x3 23/2x3^ Cabbage, Late 2 apart. Carrot In 2x^ Cauliflower 2x2 the row apart, 6 Celery Rows 3 4 9 apart. 12 18 Corn, Salad In apart, 9 2 Corn, Sweet Rows 3 3^ 12 apart. 10 Cress In each way. Cucumber4 ix\ / Endive 2x1 Egg-Plant 3x3
Artichoke
ft.
ft.

to

ft.

in the

row. row.

to

to

ft.

in the

ft.

in

to

ft.

to

ft.

drills 12 to

in.

drills

to

ft.

ft.

to

ft.

in.

to

in.

ft.

to

ft.

drills

to

ft.

ft.

to

ft.

[in.
;

each way.

to

ft.

to

in. in

"new
in the

celery culture," Jx"j

drills

to

in.

to

ft.

in.

to

ft.

row.

drills

to

ft.

to 5

ft.

ft.

ft.

to

ft.

NUMBER OF PLANTS REQUIRED TO SET AN ACRE OF GROUND

AT GIVEN DISTANCES
Inches
Plants

Inches

Plants

ix

6,272,640
3,136,320

ix 2 ix 3

2,090,880
1,568,160
1,254,528 1,045,440

1x4
ix 5 ix 6

1x7
ix 8 ix 9

896,091

2x 4 2x 5 2x 6 2x 7 2x 8 2x 9 2x10
2x1

784,080

627,269
522,720 448,045

39 2 .040

348480
3 I 3. 6 3 2

784,080

285,120
261,360

696,960 627,269
570,240
522,720
1,568,160

1x10
ixii

2x12 3X 3

696,960
522,720

1x12

3*4 3x5
3x 6
3* 7

4*8,175

2x 2 2x 3

348,480
208.607

1,045.440

APPENDIX
SEED TABLES
QUANTITY OF SEED REQUIRED TO SOW AN ACRE
Asparagus Beans, dwarf
Beans, pole

227

4 or

5 lbs.

or

oz. for

50

ft.

of
i
l

drill.

in drills

bu.

in drills

10 to 12 qts.
5 to
I

Beet

in drills in drills

lbs.

Buckwheat Cabbage
Carrot
Cauliflower

bu.
lb.lbs.

in

beds to transplant
oz. of

in drills
1

2 to 4

seed for 1,000 plants.

2,000 plants.

Celery

oz. for

Clover
Clover, crimson

for orchards

8 to 16
.

lbs. lbs.

for orchards and vineyards.

in
hills

8 to 16 8 to 10
2 bu. 2
lbs.

Corn

qts.

Cow- Pea Cucumber

Cress, water
Cress, upland

broadcast
in hills

in drills
in drills
1

2 to 3 2 to 3

lbs.
lbs.

Egg-Plant
Grass

oz. of

seed for 1,000 plants.

2 to 4 bu. 3 to 4
lbs.

for lawns

Kale or Sprouts
Lettuce
1

oz.

of seed for 1,000 plants.

2 to 3
lbs. lbs.

Melon, musk Melon, water

in hills
in hills

4 to 5
2 y

Mustard Onion Onion Seed, for Onion Sets Orchard Grass

Parsnip

broadcast
in drills

bu.

5 to

lbs.

sets

in drills in drills

30 lbs. 6 to 12 bu. 20 to 30 lbs. 4 to 6 lbs.

1

in drills
in drills

Peas

to 2 bu.

Peas
Potato (cut-tubers)

broadcast

2 to 3 bu.

7 to 8 bu.
in hills

Pumpkin
Radish

4 to
to

5 lbs.
lbs.

in drills

8 to 10
1

Rye

for orchards

\ X

bu.

228
Sage
Salsify

THE COUNTRY HOME

in drills

8 to 10 8 to io
io to 12

lbs. lbs.

in drills in drills
in hills in hills

Spinach
Squash, bush Squash, running

lbs.

4 to 6
3 to 4
34
1
^

lbs.
lbs.

Tomato
Turnip Turnip Vetch

to transplant
in drills

to 2 lbs.
lbs.

broadcast

3 to 4
1

bu.

AVERAGE TIME REQUIRED FOR GARDEN SEED TO GERMINATE

Plant

Days

Plant

Bean
Beet

Cabbage
Carrot
Cauliflower

Celery

Corn

Cucumber
Endive

10 7 10 10 12 18 10 io 20 8 6 10 10
5
5 5 5 5

Lettuce

Onion Pea
Parsnip

Pepper Radish
Salsify

Tomato
Turnip

8 7 10 6 10 1020 9 14 3 6 7 12 6 12 4 8
6
height

Days

WEIGHT AND

SIZE

OF GARDEN SEEDS

Seed Angelica Anise Asparagus bean (Delichos Sasquipedalis)

Balm
Basil

Bean
Beet

^24.26 to 33.01

Borage
Borecole
Broccoli

Cabbage

APPENDIX
MATURITY TABLE FOR VEGETABLES

229

Days from seed

Beans, string Beans, shell
Beets, long, blood
1

45-65

65-70
50

Cabbage, early

105

Cabbage,

late

150

Cauliflower

no
75 150-160

Corn
Egg-plant
Lettuce

Melon, water
Melon, musk

65 120-140
120-140 135-150 140-150
100-125
30-45

Onion
Pepper

Squash,

summer

60-65
125

Squash, winter

Pumpkin
Radish

Tomatoes
Turnips

150 60-70

ANALYSES COMPILED FROM VARIOUS RELIABLE SOURCES

GENERAL ANALYSES OF FRUITS AND FRUIT-PLANTS

Ih

bo

Apples
Apricots

Austrian Grapes Cultivated Strawberries Cultivated Raspberries

Green Grapes
Heart-Cherries

Mulberries Peaches Pears Red Currants

Red Gooseberries Wild Raspberries Wild Strawberries

230

THE COUNTRY HOME

PERUVIAN GUANO

ANALYSES OF VARIOUS MATERIALS USED FOR FERTILIZERS

Moisture at ioo C Total Phosphoric Acid Soluble Phosphoric Acid Reverted Phosphoric Acid Insoluble Phosphoric Acid Potassium Oxide
12.17
18.45
1.54

Total Nitrogen

5. 13

Actual

Ammonia

3.94

5.92

10-99

Organic Nitrogen Nitrogen as Nitric Acid Insoluble Matter

0.86
0.33
13-64

3.46

NITRATE OF SODA

and purified there before shipment. It usually contains about 16 per cent of nitrogen, equivalent to 97 per cent of pure Nitrate of Soda. It contains, besides, a little salt and some moisture.
is

Nitrate of Soda

mined

in Chile

Moisture
Salt

35

Sulphate of Soda

0.21

(Sodium Chloride)

23

Pure Nitrate of Soda

99-21

MURIATE OF POTASH (TWO SAMPLES)

Commercial Muriate of Potash consists of about 80 per cent of Muriate of Potash (Potassium Chloride) 15 per cent or more of common Salt (Sodium Chloride) and 4 per cent or more of Water.
;

No.
Actual Potash
Equivalent Muriate

1.

No.

2.

50.0 79.2

52.82

83.70

GORMAN POTASH SALTS

Moisture at 100 Potassium Oxide

AVERAGE OF

1 1

ANALYSES
9.25
10.85

1314
21 .63

Magnesium Oxide
Sulphuric Acid

Sodium Oxide Calcium Oxide

L3-/6
0.85

Chlorine
Insoluble Matter

3563
2.08

WEIGHTS AND MEASURES USED

LONG MEASURE
12
3
2 $Y

IN

THE UNITED STATES

MARINERS' MEASURE

inches
feet

40 8

yards rods furlongs

= = = =

foot

1
1

yard rod
furlong
mile

6
36 inches
i6]/ 2
feet

feet

120

fathoms
feet
feet

7'j cable lengths

5.280
6,085
3

660 feet
5.280
feet

nautical miles

= = = = = =

1 1 1

fathom
cable length

mile
statute mile

1 1
1

nautical mile

marine league

APPENDIX
LIQUID MEASURE
4
2
gills

231
SQUARE MEASURE

pints

quarts
gallons
barrels

31^
2

= = = = =

pint

144

square inches

i
i

quart
gallon
barrel

i i

9 30^4 square yards square rods 160

square feet

hogshead

040
30

acres

square miles

= = = =

i 1

square foot
square yard square rod
acre

I
1 1
1

square mile

township

CUBIC MEASURE
1,728 cubic inches
1 1
1

cubic foot
cubic yard

27 cubic feet
128 cubic feet

gallon contains 231 cubic inches bushel contains 2,150.4 cubic inches
is

cord of

wood

or stone

A cord of wood

ft.

long, 4
ft.

ft.

wide and

high

DRY MEASURE
2 pints

232

THE COUNTRY HOME

stationers' table

COUNTING
12 things
12 dozen
12 gross

24 sheets 20 quires
2
5

=
= = =

1
1 1
1

quire

1
1 1
1

dozen
gross
great gross score

ream
bundle
bale

reams
bundles

20 things

= = =

CLOTH MEASURE
2^4 inches

SURVEYORS
7.92 inches

MEASURE

4
4

nails

= =

nail

quarter

25 4
10

links

quarters

yard

rods

square chains

= = = =

link

1
1

rod
chain
acre

MISCELLANEOUS
3

APPENDIX
CELERY

233

TIME TO SPRAY

234

THE COUNTRY HOME

ORCHARD FRUITS

APPLES

TIME TO SPRAY

APPENDIX
PLUMS

235

TIME TO SPRAY

236

THE COUNTRY HOME

ASTERS

TIME TO SPRAY
When
and
plants are a few inches high
at intervals of 2

REMEDY
the under surface of the leaves.

DISEASE OR INSECT
rust.

Ammonical copper carbonate on Leaf

weeks.

CH RYSA NTH EM UMS

Begin when small and every 10 Ammonical copper carbonate. days or 2 weeks after.

Leaf

spot.

N^

LIBRARY OF CONGRESS

0DQE5Ab30fl2