4='2 
AMI :kican Aaiii c uiyr viu st. 
[Februaky, 
Contents for February, 1875. 
•ii 
59 
Barnyard, The lUustrated. . 
Bcc Hive, Voices from 4 Illustrations. . 
Blackberries iu ludiaiia 
Boys and Girls CoUuuus— Uow we Grow— Puzzle Pic- 
tiu-c— Green Boys— ilagic aud Mayiciuns— Auut 
Sue's Puzzle Box— Doctor's Talks— A Boy Asks 
Questions— Valentine's Morning— Nelly's Christmas 
Mornins— Winter Birds 11 Illnstmtiom.. fi5-C8 
Carts. Tumbler 1 Jlliistmtioiis . . 53 
Cotton Seed as a Fertilizer 49 
Emasculation by Torsion ;i MustraOon-s . . 55 
Evergreen Trees from Cuttings 5S 
Experiment Stations ; 49 
Farmers' Convention, Conn 49 
Farming Without Manure 50 
Flower Garden and Lawn in February 44 
Fruit Garden iu February 43 
Greenhouse and Window Plants iu February 44 
Horse's Foot i lUudra/ions . . 48 
Ilousebold Department — Home Topics— Flying Goose 
Patchwork— Kindling Fires— Daisy ^[at— How to 
Cook and Eat Cabbage S lUii$tratloiis. . 63-C5 
Ice in Shallow Ponds, Cutting' 2 IHmlralions . . 57 
Kitchen Garden in February 43 
Lime Kilns o imtstraUons . . 56 
Live Stock Trade for 1ST4 44 
Manures for Market Gardens, Cheap 62 
Marketing Box Illustrated.. 55 
Market Report 44 
Mill, Primitive Plumping Illustrated.. 60 
Mutton, Tim Bunker on 58 
"■ Mystery " Explained 47 
Ogdeu Farm Papers, No. 60 50 
Orchard and Nursery in February 43 
Plants, Fumigation of G3 
Plants, Restoration and Growth of 59 
Postage Complaints 47 
Roads iu the Snow, Breaking lUustrated,. 52 
Salt Marshes on the Pacific Coast 53 
Scieuce Applied to Farming 51 
Sheep-Raising in Virginia 49 
Sheep Soiling o laustraliom . . 58 
Sparrows and Fruit-Growers 63 
Squash, Butman lUustrated. . 48 
Stock and Clon 50 
Walks aud Talks on tlie Farm, No. 1:-U— Farming in 
Mass.— Pigs— Early Rising— Artificial Fertilizers. 54^55 
'• White Sage " lUustrated. . 57 
Window Gardening Illustrated. . 02 
Wood Sorrels 4 Illustrations. . 61 
Work, Hiuts About 42 
INDEX TO "BASKET, ' OR SHORTER ARTICLES. 
Aid for Kansas 45 
Angora Fleeces ...' 741 
Asparagus, Varieties of.. 75 
Bargains and Sales 74 
Botanist, John Ellis not 
an American 74 
Breeding Mules, Profit of 75 
Briars, to Destroy 75 
Butter, Foreign Trade in 73 
Cattle, Heavy Weights in 46 
Changes and Improve- 
ments 45 
Chicken Raising, Exten- ■ 
sivc 74| 
Cleanliness next to God- 
liness 74 
Cotton Crop, Estimate of 73 
Day's Work, What is a.. 74 
Draftsmen, Mechanical.. 74 
Drugs, Where they come 
from 73 
Feeding in Confinement, 75, 
Fowls, Catarrh in 74, 
Fruit Changed by For- 
eignPollen 74| 
Going West 73; 
Grain Exchange, Interna- | 
tional 75 
Grand Bazaar 45 
Grass and Clover in the 1 
South 75 
Hams, Virginia 74 
Hill Sides, Planting 74 
Hogs, Mortality among.. 75 
Horse, For a Kicking. . . 74 
Horses, Barley for 751 
Hotel Bills, What they 
Pay for 74' 
How a Student became a 
Gardener 
Humbugs, Sundry 
Lime for Canada Thistles 
Milk, Weight of 
Mill for Grinding Bones 
New Year's Day iu Ga.. 
Once More 
Peanut Straw 
Pigeon Show 
Plow, Injury to .... 
Potash in Wood Ashes.. 
Potatoes, Good Yield of. 
Potato Prizes 
Poultry for Texas 
Pumpkin Seed, EfToct of. 
Ram for Early Lambs 
Salt, Foreign and Domes- 
tic 
Sawing Wood by Hand- 
Power 
Sewing Machiues 
Sheep on Shares, Keeping 
Sheep Raising in the 
I West 
Sower, Seymour's Broad- 
cast 
Stock in the South, Care 
of 
Stump Puller 
Tim Bunk-^r, Esq 
Vines for France, Ameri- 
can 
Wagon-Jack 
Water Pipes 
Will it Pay 
Wisconsin Agricultural 
Convention 
Calendar for February. 
73 
X Cioofl I»iii;-. — W. U. Fry, of Ontario, 
writes: •'! bought a pigon the liith of last March for $3, 
he being then 2 months old, and the smallest of a litter 
of thirtoeu. I killed him Nov. IS, when ten mouths old. 
lie weighed, di'cssed, 33 1 lbs. He was a cross between 
the Essex and Chester White. *'~Wc believe this cross is 
giving general satisfaction. A largo sow, bred to a fine 
boned, highly refined, thoroughbred boar, makes a capi- 
tal cross. It does not matter what breed the sow is, so 
that she ie of good size, strung, healthy, and vigorous. 
^ 
5 
-^ 
1 
M 
a 
T 
s 
W 
4 
■1' 
V 
11 
S 
7 
s 
» 
M 
9 
■r 
1(1 
w 
11 
■r 
n. 
V 
13 
K 
u 
S 
ir. 
M 
16 
■r 
17 
w 
la 
1' 
10 
K 
»i 
s 
31 
s 
n 
M 
n 
■!• 
24 
W 
25 
■1' 
% 
H' 
■>7 
S 
as 
s 
Uonton.yKiKi- 
land.N. Yoik 
St'Ue, Mithi- 
pun, Wiscoii 
tiiii. Iniou. una 
Oreoon. 
7 
7 
7 
7 
7 
7 
7 
6 r>8 
6 r,7 
G 55 
6 54 
6 52 
6 51 
6 50 
6 48 
6 47 
6 45 
6 44 
6 4'i 
6 40 
6 3S 
6 37 
IT.M 
5 14 
5 1 
5 16 
5 18 
5 19 
5 20 
5 32 
5 1>3 
5 25 
5 26 
5 2 
5 29 
5 30 
5 31 
5 33 
5 S4 
5 So 
5 86 
5 S« 
5 39 
5 41 
5 42 
5 43 
5 45 
46 
5 47 
5 4S 
5 49 
"^i: 
H. ^r. 
3 46 
4 IS 
5 41; 
6 33 
7 10 
set; 
7 5 
8 19 
9 32 
10 45 
11 58 
iiioi-n 
1 15 
2 31 
3 45 
4 48 
5 40 
6 19 
6 52 
rJSGs 
7 II 
8 14 
9 16 
10 17 
11 21 
morn 
24 
1 30 
y. y. ail/, ci., 
I'kilitdelphia, 
Sew Jtr^-'ti, 
I'eiin.. vino. 
IndUitla, unit 
Illinois- 
^ ,■ 
- ^ 
oS 
■<if -a S 
•^ i. 
n.M n.M 
U. M. 
7 10 5 18 
3 40 
7 9 5 H 
4 41 
7 7 5 20 
5 39 
7 6 5 22 
6 27 
7 55 21! 
7 4 
7 45 24 
sets 
7 33 25 
7 25 26 
8 19 
7 1 5 23 
9 SI 
7 03 29 
10 42 
59 5 30 
11 55 
6 58 3 81 
moni 
6 57 ■' s; 
1 11 
6 56 ^ 33 
2 23 
6 54:5 84 
3 38 
6 53 
■•> 36 
4 41 
Ii 51 
5 37 
5 34 
6 511 
!.:« 
6 14 
6 4!l 
3 40 
6 4S 
fi 4H 
41 
rises 
6 40 
:> 4:1 
7 12 
« 45 
.1 44 
R 14 
6 43 
5 45 
9 15 
6 42,5 47 
10 15 
G 1(1 5 it 
11 17 
6 38 5 49 
morn 
6 Srls 30 
10 
6 33 
5 51 
1 24 
M'lri/l'iiid. 
Vinjinin.Ktn- 
Uicky. Mimou- 
ri, iind Cali- 
fornia. 
n.M n.M 
" 6 ;i 22 
6 59 
6 5R 5 81 
C 57 5 3! 
6 56,5 33 
6 55 5 31 
6 54 5 33 
6 5315 36 
6 52 15 38 
50 5 SO 
6 49 5 40 
6 48 5 41 
6 47|5 42 
6 46 5 43 
6 44 5 43 
6 43:5 46 
6 41, 
6 4O15 48 
6 38 5 49 
6 37,5 50 
9 35 5 51 
34 5 52 
U. M. 
3 33 
4 34 
5 31 
6 20 
6 53 
sets 
7 9 
8 20 
9 30 
10 40 
11 31 
nioni 
1 5 
2 19 
330 
4 33 
5 27 
6 8 
6 43 
rises 
7 13 
8 13 
9 13 
10 12 
n 13 
morn 
14 
1 17 
THASES OF THE MOON. 
BOSTOX. N. YORK. WASE'K. CHa'STON CUICAGO. 
New M'n 
Ist Quiiit 
Full M'li 
n. iH. M. IT. M. 
6 3 1 mo. 2 59 ev. 
13l 36 mo. 24 ev. 
201 3 17 mo.! 3 5 ev 
3d Quart. IJSl 5 7 nio.l 4 55 mo. 
2 47 mo 
12 mo 
2 3;^ nio 
IT. 31. 
2 ^ mo. 2 5 jno. 
12 I2'li 11 40 12'li 
2 41 mo. I 2 11 mo. 
4 31 mo.! 4 Imo. 
AMERICAIV AGRICULTURIST. 
NEW YORK, FEBRUARY, 1875. 
The active work of tlie farm, if it has not already 
begun, is near at hand ; indeed in the Soutliern 
States, where the weather is unusually oijeu, win- 
ter is scarcely a season of rest, and the planter who 
has permitted the last mouth to puss, without pro- 
curing materials for compost, without breaking up 
his land, or who has not hired his hands for the 
coming season, must now lose uo time, it he would 
not be bchmdhand. Though in the Northern States 
the ground is covered witli snow, or frozen solidly, 
there is much preparatory labor to be done, if the 
farmer would not be driven by his worli through- 
out the whole season. There is much planning and 
thinking to do, for it no longer pays to farm in a 
hap-hazard manner, and to secure success, a well- 
digested method must be adopted and adhered to, 
in spite of all obstacles. There are still in the 
newer States some places, in which the soil permits 
grain-crops to be raised year after year without ma- 
nure, but even in those localities the experiences 
of the last two years have taught farmers, that they 
can not depend on grain alone for profit. The rich 
farmers are tliose who raise grass and roots, and 
produce stock, or butter and cheese, and make 
enough mautire to raise occasional big crops of 
grain. The poor farmers are those who depend 
on corn and wheat alone. Even the greedy locusts 
of the plains spare the grass, and in the devastated 
districts those who have stock, have little reason to 
complain. In the South it is very similar. Cotton 
planters are poor, and find all the money theh* cot- 
ton crop produces, goes to buy food and feed. On 
the other hand, those who are raising corn and fod- 
der along witli their cotton, not only produce tlieu- 
own supplies, and save this outgo, but they make a 
good deal of manure, aud have less of fertilizers to 
purchase. It is now a seasonable time to Diink 
over and discuss this subject. 
Eliuts a1>oii£ ^Voi-li, 
While the northern farmer is carefully husband- 
ing his resources, to support his stock during the 
long winter, and wliile his fields are either covered 
with snow, or bound by frost, the southern farmer 
is already busy in preparing for his crops. The 
time is nearly passed, when lie can repair his fences, 
gather raaniu'e, liire labor, and clear and break up 
his new lands. All this ought to have been done 
already, or must be done forthwith. Early iu April 
planting will commence, and there is but little time 
now to spare. Contracts should be made with the 
help at once ; the best are always early taken, aud 
the last who hires gets the refuse. 
J/(/)(!(rc.— Tills is a chief consideration almost 
everywhere. The gathering is l, it the only thing to 
be studied. To prepare it for use is equally import- 
ant. Where there is little frost, composts of muck 
or woods' earth with lime, should be made 
without delay. Decomposition of the vegetiible 
matter soon takes place, and tlie result is a very 
useful fertilizer for corn, grass, or cotton ; if cot- 
ton-seed, or some stable manure is composted with 
it, it is so much more valuable. Where the winter 
is still severe, the manure pile should be turned 
over at least once, and twice turning will pay, as 
the manure will decay more raindly ; by mixing the 
different liinds together, the danger of dry rot, or 
" flre-fanging," wUl be avoided. Manure is of little 
use, until it is decomposed and plant-food de- 
veloped ; and as turning helps to hasten this pro- 
cess, the labor is well spent. M'hat is hauled to 
the field should be spread as rapidly as possible. 
The more evenly applied, the better is its effect. If 
left in heaps, a rain will dissolve the soluble parts, 
and carry them into the soil, making the place 
where the pile stood too rich, and robbing the rest 
of the field, and a portion is worse than wasted. 
Buildings and jpimrs. — Fine weather in this montli 
may be chosen for out-door painting and repairing. 
The absence of files and dust, and the slower dry- 
ing of the paint, will go far to balance the incon- 
venience of cold fingers. Painting is a job that 
may be done in mittens. Fences should be made 
secure, before more pressing work causes this to 
be forgotten. No smaller nail than a " tenpeuny " 
should be used for a board fence. A few pounds 
of No. 9 wire are useful in securing the top-rails, 
or the riders, if cut into lengths of 18 inches, and 
twisted around them, or the stakes where they cross. 
Tlie Worlcshop. — Abundance of work may be 
found in repairing baskets, boxes, crates, bags, 
tool3, and implements, and for making new ones 
for use iu the coming season. Every little thing 
made at home prevents the outlay of money. In 
the work.^hop a farmer's boy, when hot at school,, 
will find recreation, and occupation that will dc- 
vcloj:) whatever talon' h.i has, and make him " stick 
to the farm." 
Farmers' Clubs may be made of great service, 
if properly conducted. To the usual discussions 
at this time slionUl be added, the consideration of 
plans for making experiments with artificial ma- 
nures, feeding stuffs, and new seeds, during the 
coming season, and the work of the next summer 
should be made the subjects for this winter's 
discussions. If farmers would read some ■p'orks on 
political economy, such as Smith's Wealth of Na- 
tions, and Mill's or Carey's Political Econom}-, they 
would be better prepared to discu.=s the subjects of 
trade, and the laws of supply and demand, a 
knowledge of which is necessary for every business 
man. Late experiences go to show that a better 
knowledge of these subjects, and of human nature 
generally, would be valuable to those who exert in- 
fluence through the Clubs and Granges. 
Horses need extra care, as the damp, changeable 
spring-weather approaches. An increase in the 
feed may bo gradually given, and close attention to 
the health exercised. The majority of the aUments 
of a horse arc due to neglect of some simple needs, 
and the most prolific cause of these is indigestion, 
by which all 'p^irts of the animal may be seriously 
affected ; the next proliilc cause is exposure to 
damp, cold, and foul air. Sound, nutritious food, 
given in moderation, and at proper periods, pure 
water, and pure air will keep a horse in health 
and good working condition. Colts need special 
care now, with kind, friendly inan.agcmcnt. 
Cows that are coming in should be kept <xuiet, 
and fed with moderation. If the calf is taken away 
as soon as'dropped, out of sight and hearing, ar^d 
kept there, it will avoid much uneasiness with 
nervous cows, and often prevent -withholding the 
milk, and consequent garget. Obstinate cases of 
