1864. 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



163 



the rye was grown, a man of ordinary stature 

 would be concealed by the crop in walking through 

 the field. Grass seed was sown with the rye. A 

 good crop of hay was taken the first year it was 

 mowed. But the second year, when turf was well 

 established, sixteen tons of hay wete taken from 

 the five acres. After mowing it four years, it was 

 plowed and planted to corn, giving a heavy crop 

 without manure. Such is our experience in the 

 use of bone as manure. Bone dust by the quan- 

 tity costs as to quality from 50 to 70 cents the 

 bushel. Twenty to twenty-five bushels of bone is 

 a good dressing to the acre, and is worth from 

 two to three times the same cost of stable manure 

 brought from the city. Bone dust should be ap- 

 plied to and left as near the surface as may be, 

 and be suitably covered. We usually sow broad- 

 cast after the first harrowing. The second course 

 of the harrow will cover near the surface. 



SPRING CHICKENS. 



Spring chickens are always in active demand 

 from May to September, in the vicinity of all 

 our cities and larger towns. Of course they are 

 profitable to the farmers, and small landholders 

 and cottagers, who breed them. This is a good 

 month to set the hens and hatch them out. For 

 this purpose, a warm henhouse and coops in sunny 

 places are required. Let the eggs be kept in a 

 proper temperature, till the hen is »eady to sit 

 on them. Thirteen is the proper number for a 

 clutch of chickens. . When hatched, if milk curds 

 can be had, this is their best food. If not, soaked 

 bread for the first few days, and after that, Indian 

 meal well cooked, like mush for your own table. 

 Raw meal, wet up in the usual way, is hard and 

 scouring for their delicate stomachs. When a 

 few weeks old, chopped cabbage, "sives," and 

 other tender vegetables, are to be added, and 

 sour milk is the very best drink they can have. 



We would by all means entrust the early 

 spring chickens to woman's care. She seems to 

 possess the necessary instincts — worth all the 

 boys and men in the country. We* have known 

 a Scotch, Dutch, or Irish washerwoman's cottage, 

 surrounded by a close wall, alive with early chick- 

 ens, when the gentleman's and farmer's premises 

 would scarce supply a fowl for the table before 

 September. 



Don't keep the "big" breeds for "Spring chick- 

 ens" either . A close compact, early matured 

 fowl is the thing for this purpose. In most large 

 towns a plump, fat chick, the size of a quail, will 

 sell for as much in May or June as a full grown 

 one will in October ; and if they only know you 

 have them, the tavern keepers and pedlars will be 

 after them every day in the week. To the habit 

 these latter people have of confining them in close, 

 filthy coops, for days together, we enter our pro- 

 test. It is cruel to the chickens. It poisoni 

 and defiles the taste of the flesh. It makes them 

 poor. Exercise, good air, and plenty of good 

 food they should have until wanted for the table ; 

 and every one who keeps them on hand for im- 

 mediate use, should be well provided with yard 

 and roosting accomodation. To make chickens 

 edibly perfect, they should come upon the table 

 plump, juicy, and full of their own natural gravy. 

 "Plump as a partridge.," is the term which should 

 always be truthfully applied to the early chicken ; 

 and if they be hot so, half their excellence is lost, 



while, if in perfection of flesh, they are a positive 

 luxury. — Agriculturist. 



For the New England Farmer. 

 REVIEW OP THE WINTER. 



Messrs. Editors ; — The following are the re- 

 sults of the meteorological records of the past 

 winter at this place. It shows a great contrast 

 when compared with other parts of the country, 

 particularly the Western States, when that vener- 

 able gentleman, "the oldest inhabitant," never 

 saw such a winter before, 



December, 1863, had a mean temperature of 23- 

 .93°, being 1.43 15 warmer than the mean for the 

 past 10 years. The amount of rain and melted 

 snow was 3.02 inches, and of snow 8£ inches. 

 The amount of cloudiness was about 80 per cent. 

 On the 18th, a coat of ice covered everything ex- 

 posed to the weather. The storm ended with 

 about two inches of snow and ice, making partial 

 sleighing during the rest of the month. Extremes 

 during the month 49° and 1°, having a range of 

 48°. 



January, 1864, had a mean temperature of 24- 

 .23°, being 4.57° warmer than the mean for the 

 past ten years. There have been only three sea- 

 sons warmer in the past decade. We have had 

 but little cold weather during the month. The 

 7th was the coldest, with a mean temperature of 

 3° below zero. In the morning the mercury stood 

 at 11° below zero, during the day it was 1° above, 

 and at night it sank below again. The next morn- 

 ing it was below zero. Aside from these two 

 days we have had no severe cold weather during 

 the month. Extreme "range of the thermometer 

 during the month 11° below and 46° above zero, 

 making a total of 57°. The amount of rain and 

 melted snow was 2.04, and of snow 8 inches. The 

 amount of cloudiness was about 77 per cent. 

 The month was ushered in with a tempest and 

 light rain. There were but a few days of good 

 sleighing during the month, which was made by a 

 little snow on the coat of ice formed in December. 



February had a mean temperature of 27.03°, 

 being 5.30° above the mean of 11 years. It was 

 the warmest February in the past 11 years, ex- 

 cept 1853 and 1857. The amount of rain and 

 melted snow was 0.92 ; depth of snow o% inches, 

 greatest amount of snow on the ground at any 

 one time 3 inches. Lowest mean temperature 7° 

 below zero. Extremes 21° below zero, which was 

 the lowest extreme during the winter, and 46°" 

 above, making a range of 67°. Amount of cloud- 

 iness 77 per cent. There was a high wind on the 

 first day, and a rough squall on the 14th between 

 4 and 6 P.M. No sleighing during the month. 



March had a mean temperature of 32.53°, being 

 4.08° above the mean of 11 years, and was th:- 

 warmest March in the time, except the years o ' 

 1859 and I860." The amount of rain and melteo. 

 snow was 3.22 inches ; depth of snow 164 inches. 

 The greatest snow storm of the season was on the 

 7th and 8th days, when 13£ inches of snow fell. 

 The roads were muddy, consequently the snow 

 made but poor sleighing and lasted only a few 

 days. The extremes of temperature were 8° and 

 60°, making a range of 52°. Amount of cloudi- 

 ness 67 per cent. Whole amount of snow during 

 the winter 38£ inches, and of rain and melted 

 snow 9.20 inches. D. Buckland. 



Brandon, Vt, April 11, 1864. 



