748 HOW TO MAKE THE FARM PAY. 



Stoch. — Stables, for econora}' of fodder, should be warm as pos- 

 sible ; for the health of stock they should be comfortable, clean, 

 and well ventilated. Clean out daily, and sprinkle a mixture of 

 plaster and muck over the floors. Give cows, young cattle, and 

 workino- oxen a few hours, in the yards in the middle of warm days, 

 and a foddering while there. Beeves, that are being fed for 

 market, sliould be less exposed. Clean the stables, and litter 

 freshl}' while the cattle are out of them. Sheep should have well 

 littered yards and sheds, water as regularl}'' as any stock, and 

 regularity in feeding. Tlie flocks should be so divided that the 

 strong shall not get more than their share. Oil-cake is a safe and 

 profitable feed for all fattening and milK stock. Keep all stock 

 well fed and in good condition; suppl}?^ with water and salt regu,- 

 larly. It is economy to cut and cook all food for stock in the 

 winter. It paj's in keeping up the stock better. It pays by sav- 

 ing at least one-third the fodder, and it pays in the manure. Upon 

 horses, neat cattle of all grades, and swine, the regular use of the 

 curry-comb and card will be found to paj'' well. Let no stock run 

 clown in flesh. Spring j^oor cattle are a disgrace to any farmer, 

 as well as a loss. Every time a pound of flesh is lost and replaced 

 it costs mone}^ Fowls should be provided with warm, light quar- 

 ters, and furnished with powdered shells or bones. The great 

 difficulty with eggs now-a-da^'S is their thin shells. Hens must 

 have bones in abundance, and then the}' will form thick shells. 



Manures should be deposited with muck or peat under cover. 

 Save all the liquid manure and pump it over the comport. Send 

 your men and teams into the swamp and get out a quantity of 

 peat or muck. 



FEBRUARY WORK. 



Plannin;;;- is the great thing now. The difierence between the 

 successful cultivator, who makes his farm pay, and the unsuccess- 

 ful one who is always running behind, is, that the one plans care- 

 fully and the other does not. Decide now what crops to plant, 

 and where to plant them. 



Mxick. — In man}^ localities peat and swamp muck can be dug 

 out and hauled now better than at any otlier season of the year. 

 Upon many muck bogs teams cannot go with safety during the 

 summer or fixll, on account of their mirj- character ; but after the 

 ground freezes, teams can go over them anywhere at pleasure. 

 It will pay to get out a large supply now, and' haul it to the vicin- 

 ity of the farm yard. 



Sledding out Manure should be attended to Ijefore the snows 

 become too deep. The farmer, as well as the cattle, need to work 

 a little every day, and whenever everything is favorable it is 

 better to do this work. If it can Avell be done, ^ cover up the 

 heaps so made ; but it is not easy to do so. Some cover with 



