1877.] 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
451 
from adhering filth, before carding them, use a hoe 
that has been worn down in the garden, with the 
handle sawn oflFa foot long, then use the card until 
the hide is clean. Card well about the neck and 
other parts which an animal's tongue cannot reach. 
Cov:s in 2Ii!k may be made greatly more profitable 
by feeding wheat middlings freely ; it will pay to 
feed as high as four quarts of corn-meal, and three 
of wheat middlings, to some cows producing but- 
ter, the butter is increased in quantity and improved 
in quality and color. The kind of cow, however, is 
important, as some will fatten upon this feed, 
whUe others will only increase in milk and cream. 
Cahvs and Tearli/igs may be made to increase in 
size and weight considerably, and make a large 
quantity of fine manure, by keeping them in a 
roomy shed, bedding them deeply with cut straw, 
or leaves, and feeding well. "With plenty of bed- 
ding, the shed need not be cleaned out until spring. 
Sheep and Ixtmhs should be kept and fed separate- 
ly, else the stronger will crowd and rob the weaker; 
when in separate pens each thrives better, as the 
food can be properly apportioned. It is convenient 
to make as many feeding stalls around the feed 
racks as there are sheep, each large enough for one 
sheep only, then a weak one will have a secure 
place from which it can not be dislodged. Of course 
the feed should be evenly placed in the rack. 
Soots are better pulped, than cut, for sheep. 
There are very cheap machines that cut roots into 
fine shreds or pulp, which will soon save their cost 
in the improved condition of the animals thus fed. 
Rgs will thrive all the better if kept warm and 
dry. Every piggery should have a close pen 
warmed by a stove, for early arrivals of young pigs, 
(one such as was described in the American Agri- 
cidturist last month for warming a poultry-house, 
would answer the purpose well). Many a litter of 
pigs dropped in the middle of winter might be 
saved by having some means of keeping them 
warm. A good fire, a blanket for the sow, and a 
drink of warm gruel, would thus be found worth 
many dollars every year. 
Poultry. — Early pullets will now lay, If treated to 
a mess of warm food once a day. Our plan is to 
put in a large pan a quantity of coarse com- 
meal, (8 quarts is sufficient for 100 fowls), cover it 
with hot water, and put the pan into the oven until 
the meal has soaked up all the water. A few hand- 
fuls of Bowker's Animal Meal is then mixed into 
the mess, and one handful of Imperial Egg Food is 
sprinkled over it and also stirred in. Half of this 
is given in the forenoon hot, and the rest at night, 
every other day. The alternate days we give wheat 
Bcreenings in the morning, and whole com at night ; 
plenty of pure water is always accessible. The 
fowls are as productive as can be desired, and pay 
better than any other stock on the farm. 
Keep An-ountx.—li no accounts have been kept, a 
beginning of a better system should be made now. 
At the close of the year make an inventory of every 
article, and value them, and also put down the 
debts owing and due. This will show how one 
stands at the close of the year. By keeping strict 
accounts of one's business, it is not only known 
what goes out and what comes in, but by noting 
every expenditure and income, we can readily find 
■where we gain or lose ; foolish or unwise spend- 
ings are thought over a second time, and this nat- 
urally leads to avoiding them in the future. 
Notes on Orchard and (Jarden Work. 
The work for autumn and early winter has been 
indicated in tlie two or three preceding months in 
so full a manner, that but little remains to be added. 
Though a favorable fall has allowed operations to be 
carried on much later than usual, it is likely that 
December will, as usual, put a stop to nearly all out- 
door work ; still there are a great many Jobs that 
may be profitably done even at this season, and 
there need be no days of absolute leisure to the 
energetic cultivator. It is not too early to lay 
plans for the coming season, to see where the mis- 
takes of the past may be remedied, and what im- 
provements may be introduced. 
Orchard and IVnrsery. 
Care of the Orchard, whether young or old, will 
require good fences and gates to keep out intrud- 
ers of all kinds. A stray ox or horse may cause se- 
rious damage in a young orchard. Protection from 
mice and rabbits was fuUy described last month. 
Fruit in Cellars is likely to suffer from heat rather 
than cold. In the slow operation of ripening, 
heat and carbonic acid are given off. TVhenever 
the temperature approaches 40', the outer air, if 
colder, should be let in to reduce it. In the house 
cellar, the accumulation of carbonic acid would be 
injurious to the health of the family, and it is 
highly important that this be removed by ventila- 
tion. In fruit cellars apart from the house, this is 
not necessary, as the presence of this gas, so in- 
jurious to animal life, tends to preserve the fruit, 
as it excludes the atmospheric air. 
Cioits. — The sooner they are cut, the better. Se- 
lect healthy shoots of the past season's growth, 
from trees known to be true to their name ; tie in 
convenient bundles, label, and pack, to prevent 
diying, in fresh, damp sawdust, or in slightly 
damp sand, and keep in a cool cellar. 
Root-Grafting is done at any time during winter, 
the stocks having been taken up and placed in a 
convenient place. The roots, after grafting, are 
placed in boxes, with sufficient earth to prevent 
dr3'ing, and kept in a cool cellar. 
Seeds, whether of fruit or ornamental trees, that 
were not sown in fall, are almost without exception 
better kept in moist sand ; indeed, some can not be 
preserved in any other waj-. The proportion of 
sand should be so large that the seeds will be well 
separated, and there will be no danger of heating, 
and germinating prematurely. On this account, 
they should be kept in a cool place. Few seeds 
are injm'cd by cold, and the boxes may be placed 
out of doors if properly covered to keep out rain. 
Manure may be carted to the orchard, and spreaa 
over the whole surface. The time of manm-ing is 
not of so much importance as to get it on at any 
rate. It is a mistake to put a little manure close 
around the trunks of the trees. 
Pruning. — No question is more frequently asked 
than : " 'WTien shall I prune ?" If the cutting is 
such as may be done witli a knife, it makes but lit- 
tle difEereuce when it is done, but if on old and neg- 
lected trees, where large wounds are to be made, it 
is better to do it when the severe cold weather is 
over, but before vegetation starts. In the climate 
of New York, late in February and early in March. 
Priiit Ciardeii. 
Pruning of currants, gooseberries, grape vines, 
omitted in the fall, may be done now on mild days. 
Covering of strawberries and tender raspberries 
should be done if not already completed. In cover- 
ing strawberries, do not get the material too thick 
over the plants. Au inch or so is better than more. 
Care of Fruit and other matters are mentioned in 
last month's Notes. 
Kitclicn and iflarlcot Ciarden. 
It is supposed that all tlie crops are cared for as 
directed in last month's Notes. Amoug those 
usually left until the last is : 
Celery, concerning which there is an article on 
page 470, which will prove useful to those in mild 
localities who have not yet put away their crop ; 
and those who have already their celery in trenches 
may find it convenient to transfer a part to boxes 
for ready access in stormy weather. 
Covering of roots in pits, celery in trenches, etc., 
etc., should be governed by the weather, and its 
thickness be increased as it becomes colder. Spin- 
ach in all but mild winters is better if covered, 
though but little shoiild l)e put over the plants 
themselves, but the bulk of the straw or hay used 
in covering should he between the rows. 
Cabbages will need their final covering of earth. 
Sec last month's Notes on preserving these and the 
methods of utilizing soft cabbages. 
Preparing the Soil. — The weather ts often mild 
enough to allow of manuring and plowing, or spad- 
ing, the soil in preparation for spring crops, and 
wherever this can be done, it is a great gain, but 
only in case the soil is not too wet to work. 
Cold Frames not only require daily attention, but 
in mild weather twice a day. As stated last month, 
the object is to keep the plants perfectly dormant. 
When the weather is mUd, the thermometer at 30°, 
or above, the sashes should come off altogether, 
and there will be but few days iu the winter, unless 
in heavy snows, when the sashes may not be more 
or less tilted at the upper end, to air the plants. 
Seeds. — Clean and put away ; overhaul the stock 
and discard all of doubtful value. As soon as the 
catalogues are out, study them, and order early. 
Manure is the essential to success in gardening:, 
and to increase the supply, to convert everything 
that may be useful into manure, and allow no fer- 
tilizing material to go to waste, will be constantly 
kept in mind during this and aUthe winter months. 
Flovrer Oai-den and La-n-ii. 
But little can be done here beyond keeping aH 
neat and in order, and in giving protection to such 
half-hardy things as need it Compost, or 
thoroughly decomposed manure, may be spread 
over the lawn ; if this can not be had, it is better 
to rely upon artificial fertilizers than to use crude 
manure full of seeds Evergreen boughs stuck 
around or tied to half-hardy evergreens and other 
shrubs, are a much better protection than the old 
method of bundling up Tvith straw If now ac- 
cumulates in evergreens, shake it out oetore it 
hai-dens, and it a heavy fall covers the lower limbs, 
shovel it away, else in settling it may break them 
down Make a snow plow and open paths after 
each snow, and if there are places where persons 
are tempted to "cut across lots," put up a tem- 
porary wire fence or other obstruction. 
<i<recnIiou<>ie and IVindcw Plants. 
Nearly all that was given under this head last 
month is applicable now, and novices in flower 
culture will find on page 476, some hints, which, 
though intended for children, are none the less use- 
ful to older persons, as they especially treat on one 
of the mistakes that novices are most apt to 
make — overwatering While most of th cactus 
Family are kept in a state of rest during the winter, 
this is not the case with all ; the varieties of Epi- 
plii/Uum or " Crab's-claw Cactus " bloom in autumn 
and early winter, and consequently need water 
while blooming and making their growth after- 
wards Insects may be kept in check by constant 
care, but if they once get the upper hand the 
plants suffer. Those who can not conveniently use 
tobacco smoke, should apply tobacco water, made 
from tobacco stems, about the color of strong 
tea Much may be done with window plant* 
by the use of the thumb and finger, an old tooth 
brush, and a sharp pointed stick or quill toothpick 
— these last to carefully pick oft mealy bugs and 
scales of all sorts as they appear. If the plants 
are frequently looked over, and every form of in- 
sect life at once suppressed, it will seldom be neces- 
sary to use any other means Bulbs that were 
potted and pl-iced in the cellar, must not be al- 
lowed to get dry, and when the pots are well filled 
with roots, bring a few at a time to the light and 
they will soon start into growth Hanging baskets 
are best managed by giving them a soaking in a 
pail or tub. The earth may, in a dry warm room, 
get dried quite through to the center, and ordinary 
watering have no effect : an occasionsil soaking will 
prevent this Dust is one of the great annoy- 
ances to the window gai-dener; and maybe avoided 
in part by covering the jilants with a cloth or paper 
screen while sweeping, hut this will not avoid 
the necessity for an occa.sional sponging of all 
smooth-leaved plants, and a thorough showering of 
those with hairy leaves. In mild weather this may 
he done by setting the plants outside and giving a 
syringing or a showering from a watering pot, not 
forgetting to lay the jiots on their sides, so that 
the under surfaces of the leaves may be reached by 
the water. Iu cold weather this may be done is 
the kitchen siok, or better still, in a bath tub. 
