■HE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 



CALENDAR OF AGRICULTURE. 



During stormy and frosty weather, can-y dung 

 from the cattle yards to the heaps in the fields that 

 are intended for next year's green crops. Slope 

 the heaps at the endSj so that the carts can pass 

 along the heap ; and spread the strawy excrements 

 evenly over the extent; the treading is intended to 

 prevent the present fermentation. Carry stones 

 for drains, and for walling, and soil to the compost 

 heap, and to the liquid manure pit, where fine 

 earths are used for absorption. Deliver grains to 

 the merchant; carry fuels; and gather all kinds 

 of manure. 



In fresh weather, plough stubbles for wheat, 

 and green-crop fallows : on wet lands, open by 

 spade all cuts, to let the water escape into the side 

 ditches. Plough grass leys for Lent crops of 

 grain— all lands are better for being early ploughed; 

 heavy lands are pulverized by the vicissitudes of 

 atmospheric action ; and light lands acquire a con- 

 solidation from laying a time in a certain position. 

 In the case of light lands, this firmness of the soil 

 has been found of very great value. 



The fresh weather of this month affords a good 

 opportunity for cutting hedges, underwood, and 

 copses; for planting young trees; forcuttingdrainsto 

 thehalf depth, to be afterwards deepened and finished 

 in Summer; and for cleaning water-courses, clean- 

 ing the sides of roads, and carrjdng the materials 

 to a heap for lime compost. Sow wheat on any 

 fallows delayed in Autumn, and on stiff turnip 

 lands from which the roots have been removed. 



During mild dry weather, if any happen, con- 

 tinue to pull, and lay in store, Swedish turnips in a 

 heap at the homestead ; lay the roots in a longi- 

 tudinal row, six feet wide at bottom, and four feet 

 high, with sloping sides, and thatch it with straw. 

 Choose a cool situation. Lay in store, in provision 

 against a storm, a quantity of common turnips, 

 suflScient for a month's consumption : keeping be- 

 yond that time i)roduces raouldiness. 



In every kind of weather never omit to collect 

 manures; a compost heap is indispensably re- 

 quisite, to which all refuse matters are carried ; in 

 a shed under cover, prepare dry manures for the 

 drop drill. Float water meadows, and lay dry 

 occasionally. 



Thrash frequently, that the animals may 

 have fresh straws for constant use — for provender 

 in the yards, and for being cut into chaft". Move 

 very often the straw cribs in the yards, that the 

 dung underneath may become of an uniform 

 quality; and litter often the whole area of the 



yards thinly and evenly. Bestow the most mi- 

 nute attention on every detail of practice. 



Give turnips and other roots to the feeding and 

 store cattle in the yards by break of day, in such 

 quantities as the intended purpose may require, 

 and to be consumed by night, in order to prevent 

 accidents by choking when darkness prevents the 

 observation. Wooden cribs with latticed bottoms 

 allow the mud and water to escape downwards, 

 and answer a good purpose. A few young pigs 

 are very useful to run loose in the yards to pick 

 u}) the shells and scraps of turnips that fall from 

 the cattle. 



Attend most carefully to the milch cows now 

 beginning to drop calf. The secretion of milk 

 must be promoted by juicy food — roots mixed 

 with chaff, prepared by steaming, in at least one 

 meal daily, given at mid-day. Suckle all calves, 

 either for weaning, or for veal ; no substitute has 

 been found for the mother's milk ; feed the calves 

 thrice in a day. 



The sheep in the fields will require a very re- 

 gular attention in feeding and tending. Give the 

 turnips in a fresh state daily, i)ulled from the 

 fields if possible : early ewes will begin to drop 

 lambs, must have ample feeding with juicy food, 

 and good shelter in covered sheds. 



Feed bacon hogs twice a day with steamed roots, 

 as potatoes mixed with meals and bran. The food 

 of brood sows may be thinner and more mashy. 

 Store j)igs may have the roots in a raw state, and 

 one feed of cooked food daily. Bacon hogs are 

 finished in the last month of fattening by 

 eating hard corns, as beans and oats. This food 

 produces whiteness and firmness in any flesh. 



The poultry must not be neglected. Feed with 

 light grains, and steamed potatoes mixed with 

 meals, and given in troughs placed in a covered 

 shed. Poultry houses should be heated under- 

 neath the floor by hot water pipes from the cooking 

 boiler. By this means, the hatching of chickens 

 may go on during winter. 



The foremost fatting bullocks, and the early 

 bacon hogs will come into sale during this month, 

 and will command a ready market at this early 

 season. Such articles being scarce, a higher price 

 is obtained. This circumstance should stimulate 

 the farmer to have all things as much in advance 

 as possible. 



Work horses are much benefited by one feed 

 daily of steamed potatoes or other roots, given in 

 the evening when they return from work. 



