THE farmer's calendar. 749 



poor hay to prevent the constant freezing and thawm- of the ma- 

 nure, feand or loam, if it can be obtained, is very Trood Onl, 

 well composted manure should be hauled out, unless it can' be wel 

 protected. It is a most excellent time, when there is snow on ihe 

 ground, to haul such manures on to the meadows where wheels 

 cannot go except in mid-summer. 



Drains can still be dug to good advantage in many places TI.e 

 ground is seldom frozen more tlian a fe^^' inches in^deptli and in 

 many situations good work can be done in di<Toino- and lavin'r 

 stone or tde drains. It may require some littJc force to stait 

 upon such a job at tnis season of tlie year, but force is necessary 

 in carrying on a farm successfully, and the successful farmer takes 

 advantage of all times and opportunities, and knows no season 

 but the best — viz. : now ! 



Gi-aixiring Meadow Land.— No meadow can be fnlly reclaimed 

 and brought into the yery best condition without being thoroughly 

 drained and well dressed with gravel or sand. Some prefer gi^vel 

 to sand, but our experience is in favor of the latter. This* work 

 cannot be done at any season of the year so well as in winter, 

 when the ground is tightly frozen, and still better if there comes 

 after such freezing a light snow, just enough to make good 

 slipping. As the sand bank, especially if it has a southern expo- 

 sure, does not freeze hard, it can be worked to great advantage. 



Animals. — Change the diet of all animals, occasionally. Horses, 

 that are scurfy, and whose hair is full of dirt, which the comb only 

 makes worse, usually need roots. Carrots, in small quantities, 

 with a handful of ginger and one of wood-ashes, daily, are as good 

 as an}' " condition powder." Charcoal dust, mixed with roots or 

 meal, is excellent for all kinds of stock. Make the roots last, you 

 ■will need them for milch-cows that come in early, and for sows, 

 before farrowing. Feed the cows well. Those, whose calves you 

 mean to raise, should be dried off earlier thtni those kept for milk, 

 and whose calves go for veal. Take early calves from the dam at 

 birth, and bring them up by hand. Milk is worth too much to be 

 given to calves, when gruel will do. Beeves. — Bullocks and dry 

 cows should be in warm, sunny yard<5,. some hours daily, and stalled 

 at night ; litter well ; feed freely, that they may fatten rapidly. 

 Give all animals sunshine in their stalls or sheds. Keep young 

 stock Avarm and grooving. If the supply of hay is short, look out 

 in time and buy corn fodder and good bright straw, which, with a 

 little oil cake, roots, or grain will do well enough. Swine.— Kw[> 

 hogs at work in the manure. Sows, near farrowing, should be put 

 alone ; kept quiet ; fed raw roots, (potatoes or beets are best), 

 and the pens abundantly littered ; do not let them get too fat. 

 and feed no animal food. Sheep.— FvovidQ dry and sheltfred 

 yards and sheds. Hemlock, or other evergreen boughs, fed occa- 

 sionally, are gratefully received. A run on the snow in the middle 



