34 



NEW ENGLAND FARIMER. 



Jan. 



such yards I have often wonrlered if there 

 could be ari-angeraents contii\od lor makinjr 

 the work hanicr or more dij^agrt'table. And 

 could tlie dumb animaiti t^peak, they would cm- 

 phatii ally declare the change from the gnen 

 and sweet pastures, to a bedding for the nij;ht 

 on a manure heap or in a mud hole, was an} thing 

 but |)k'asant for them. Whenever 1 pass a 

 yard whot^c owner has dry walks from gate to 

 diior^, and from door to door, and who daily 

 throws into a heap all the droppings, I con- 

 clude that man has an eye to his own eomfort 

 as well a-i that of his cattle and also knows 

 how to make manure. If any one doubts the 

 benefit of cleaning the yards daily, let him try 

 the plan for one season. Wiih an extra large 

 ■ sized shovel it takes but a few moments each 

 day. The increase of manure, the comfort in 

 milking and getting about the yard, far ex- 

 ceeds the additional labor. 



Thus it will be seen that with properly con- 

 strucU-d stalls, keeping cattle clean is not an 

 onerous task, neither is it a subject of minor 

 impoftance ; for no part of farm work requires 

 during the year so much time as tunding the 

 stock. A small sum of money expended in 

 securing the most approved coubtiiictions foi- 

 stailings, pays a large interest in the comfort, 

 health and cleanliness of the animals, in saving 

 labor, and in your own convenience and satis- 

 faction — aye, and in every way that j ou can 

 estimate prolit. N. s. T. 



Lawrence, Mass., Nov., 1867. 



For the Neio England Farmer. 

 THE GARDEN IN DECEMBEK. 



December usually brings to us, Nt w Eng- 

 landers, such weather as to preclude active la- 

 bors in the garden ; but even in this month 

 there are some things that the observing gar- 

 dener will look af'ter. If the weather be mild 

 there are some neglected November labors 

 that should be atteuiledlo — all that can yet be 

 done to advance spring work, should be done 

 when an opportunity presents. Cleaning up, 

 which is of'cn delayed till spring, can as well 

 be done now, and tiius lighten the labors of a 

 more busy season. Should the ground remain 

 open, it may be det ply ploughed, adding a 

 coat of manure, which will disseminate itself 

 through the soil ; while the, soil if a heavy, 

 close one, will be greatly amelioralcd by the 

 action of the frosts and winter weaher. Prun- 

 ing of currants, gooseberries, and grape vines 

 may be done whon not frozen, if not before 

 attended to; the cuttings may Ix; saved by 

 burving them in sand in the cellar bottom, or 

 packing in damp moss for spring {)lanting ; but 

 cuttings niaile previous to IVcczing, are rather 

 more Mire to sirike root and start cjuick than 

 those that have been frozen. Now is a good 

 time to re\iew the lal>ors, sucei sses, and non- 

 nucee.>-ses of the season pa.-<t, and to form plans 

 for improvement in the future. 



Shall I tell you some experience in improv- 



ing currant bushes, or their product? In otir 

 garden we have a row of currant bushes some 

 eight rods long, which have stood there some 

 (il'teen to twenty }ears. The bushes had got 

 to be quite large and close together. Up to 

 two years ago, they had done very well, when 

 they partially failed. Th^y set quite full and 

 a large crop was promised; but the currants 

 were very small and when ripening withered 

 on the bushes, so that little was reali '.ed from 

 them. I should have said that the bushes had 

 not been cultivated as they should have been 

 by pruning and cidtivation. Some grass had 

 got in among them, though but little directly 

 among the bunches. In April, 180(3, I felt 

 bound to try what virtue there was in better 

 culture. So every other bunch was dug out, 

 and the remainder pretty thoroughly ]>runed. 

 The ground was cleaned, a;id new soil hauled 

 around them. When this was done, Faint 

 Heart said, "We .shall have no currants — 

 might as well dig up and throw away the rest." 

 But I determined to "wait and see." A late 

 frost caused a failure to get many currants 

 — scarcely any that season. Not discouraged, 

 the cultivation was kept up the past season, 

 and now for the result : we never had larger 

 and better currants. From the bushes left 

 after thinning, we had nearly as many cur- 

 rants as we had in their best days from the 

 whole. We had them green, for pies and 

 stews ; ripe, all we wanted to eat with sugar 

 with our meals ; made ten gallons wine ; and 

 what we cared to preserve, besides quite a 

 (juantity for the birds, &c. Faint Heart was 

 then ready to acknowledge there was some vir- 

 tue in better culture with prnning. Reader, 

 have you a lot of currant bushf^s that have 

 nearly run out? If so. you can rejuvenate 

 them in a similar way, or by division and trans- 

 planting into better soil at the proper season. 

 We have but few special directions to give, at 

 this time, for the garden, and these are com- 

 prised in the general one, to do everything 

 possible to forward operations in spring. 



Be.vn Poles, Hop Poles, and Pea Brush, 

 may be made to perform some years' extra ser- 

 vice by storing them under cover. See that a 

 supply is laid in, if needed, before the spring 

 work advances. 



Planning. — This is the proper season to 

 begin to plot out the garden for the next sea- 

 son, and to see that a supply of seeds for each 

 plot is provided. Are there not some one or 

 two new vegetables you would like to add to 

 the old routine next season ? If so, now is 

 the time to secure the .seed. 



Seed. — "Good seeds are cheaper at any 

 price than poor ones free of expense." All 

 good home grown sec ds should be carefully 

 saved and protected from any influence detri- 

 mental to their vitaliiy. Sort, and store in 

 paper bags, or boxes, and throw away all re- 

 l'ii>e or poor ones, or those there is any doubt 

 about. Exchange choice kinds wiih your 

 friends and neighbors. Lay a.^ide a few of the 



