J068 THE COMPLETE GRAZIER. BOOK xn. 



sale, and all those in marketable condition should be got rid of, for 

 though they may fetch a few pence less than they might at Christmas 

 there will really be greater profit. If the geese cannot get sufficient 

 corn on the stubbles they should receive some when they are brought 

 in, so that they may be in good condition by Michaelmas. Be careful 

 that all poultry are trained when young to come into the poultry-house 

 at night, or much trouble in this respect will result afterwards. 



CHAPTER VII. 



SUMMARY CALENDAR OF GENERAL FARM WORK. 



OCTOBER. 



HIRE and stock farms. Insure property from fire without delay ; 

 Michaelmas policies must be renewed by the 14th inst. Hire 

 yearly servants. Sow winter tares, if they have not been already 

 sown in September. Winter beans and seed wheat may also be sown. 

 Dig up and carry root crops, and protect them from frosts. Dig 

 potatoes. Manure grass lands. Sow wheat. Continue autumn 

 cultivations while the weather is favourable, but do not get too much 

 work in hand at once. Transplant cabbage from seed beds sown in 

 August. Lay up fallows. Manure and plough for peas, beans, barley, 

 and oats. Scour out drains, ditches, and other watercourses. Attend to 

 outlets of drains, clearing them if they have become blocked; a very 

 important operation, too often neglected. Flood water meadows. Repair 

 the fences. Get the straw-yards, cow-houses, and stables ready for the 

 cattle, as this is the last month for their continuing abroad. Put 

 fatting beasts to cabbage, carrots, or turnips ; cows in milk to 

 cabbage, in a separate yard ; dry cows to chaff ; fatting sheep to 

 turnips ; and the teams to chaff, hay, mixed fodder, or other dry food. 

 Put rams to ewes. Wean foals. Plant trees. Destroy weeds. Plant 

 quicksets. October, it should be remarked, is one of the busiest 

 seasons in the whole year, and comprises that period of good or 

 tolerable weather which usually occurs before most field business is 

 stopped by rain, snow, or frost ; hence it may not infrequently happen 

 that work, here noted as requiring to be done, must be finished in the 

 following month. Whatever operations, therefore, the farmer cannot 

 execute in October, he must finish as early as he can in November. 



NOVEMBER. 



Continue ploughing fallows; and endeavour to close wheat-sowing 

 within ths early part of the month, at the very latest. Continue 



