4=4:6 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
[December, 
Contents for December, 1 875. 
Bee Notes 451 
Boys and GiiU' Columns— Dcce-inber— Fine Things 
for Buys :iud Girls— Sphinx Ruck— First Passenger 
Train— Muchanical Donkey— Inipudence Rebuked — 
Aunt Sue^s Puzzle Bos— Aunt Sue's Chats— The 
Night Before Christmas— Poor Robin Red-breast 
15 niustratiom 469-472 
Broom Sedge lUusirated . AiiZ 
Butter Herd, Ilow to Improve a 4C3 
"Butter," How Some is Made. 402 
Corn, Prolific 401 
.461 
447 
.417 
.463 
.447 
450 
461 
Cow, To Cure a C'lioked lUuslrated . 
Flowcr-Garden and Lawn for December , 
Fruit Garden for December 
Grass, Barn-yard lllastnUed. 
Greenhouse and "Window Plants for December , 
Hay and Grain Ventilators 6 lUmtrations. 
Hogs, Seakling % lUta^tradons. 
nonschold Department — Home Topics — Milk Slielves 
for the Kitchen— Stationary 'Wash-Tubs— Ilow to 
Malve Sanr-Krout 8 lllusO'afion.^. .4Cn~Ui^ 
House Plan 6 Ulusfratlons. 453 
Ice-house, Ilow to Bnild and Fill 3 lllustratiom.A^O 
Kitchen Garden for Di-cembcr ,447 
Market Gardeners in 1876, Prospects of. 463 
Market Report for December 447 
Meal, Feeding to Dairy Cows 463 
Notes from the Pines 466 
Ogdcn Farm Papers, No. 70 — Irrigation — Liquid 
Manure 454, 455 
Orchard and Nursery for December 447 
Plants, German or Parlur Ivy Illustrated. .465 
Plows and Ilarne^^s, English 463 
Poultry, Brown Leghorn Illustrated . Ahl 
Poultry Buyer Ill test rated.. 4A5 
Poultry, Duck-Winged Game Ill us( rated.. Ahl 
Rifle Shooting, Curiosities of 13 111 tistraf ions. A5o 
Ro^e, Cherokee Illustrated. . 466 
Saw, Gauge for Illustrated. A61 
Science Applied to Farming .454 
Sheep, Lincoln 459 
Smoke Houses, Improved 4 Ilkistrations .4Gii 
Steer, End of tlie Texas 463 
Stock, Profit from Good 463 
Tar-Boiler, How to Ma Ice a Hlv-st rated.. 461 
Trees and Shrubs of Mass., Etnmerson's 551 
Ventilatini; Trap for Stables.. Illustrated. AGO 
Walks and Talks Correspondence 478 
Walks and Talks on the Farm, No. 144.— Farmers' 
Extravagance— Farmers' Work— Sheep Yards 458 
Work, Hints About 446 
INDEX TO *' BASKET." OR SIIOnTET. ARTICLES. 
Abscess in a Mare's Head.477 PatentLaws, Beauties of 449 
Bone-dust for Clover 479 Pedigrees of Jersey Stock479 
Bones, Griudinir 477 Pigs Shipped by Express, 
Chemistry, Youman's | E'ood for 479 
New 450 Pigs, Sufl'ulk 478 
Clothing, Ordering 44S Plaster on Grass Land... 479 
Corn Cribs, Support of. .479 Plow, Double 477 
Corn-Dropper, Patent.. . .450 Potato Rot 477 
Cut Hides 479 Poultry-House, Cost of.. 479 
Drains, Time to Dig 479 Rain Gauge 450 
Drill, Turnip 479, Roof. Cement 450 
Fair, Soutliern 47S, Seedsmen, Important to.4-18 
Fence upon a Dike 478 Sheep-Husbandry in Ga.47B 
Fertilizer.'?, Quantity per Sheep, Shropshire 477 
Acre 479 Sheep-Keeping on the 
FruiL^hts, Advance in 449 1 Plains 479 
Frnit Ciilturis', ThomasM7S Shorthorns for Cal. Dairy4T7 
Hoi,' Cliolera, So-called. .451 Shorthorns. Sale of in Ky.478 
Hollow-liorn, Murrain 470 Squash, Suckling 450 
Hoofs, Brittle 479 Stock. Feeding on a 
Horticultural Soc, Ohio.44SJ Wheat Field 450 
Humiiugs, Sundry 449 Suggestive Quotations. .449 
Insects and Plants 44S]Syringe, Enema 479 
Lectures on Tree-lore... 449|Tanner'8 Refuse 479 
Milkweed Poisonous to 
Goats 478 
Money in Pork 44s 
Nebraska 451 
N. Y. Stute Dairymens' 
Association 478 
Paint, Averill Chemical. .450 
Udder, Inflamed 419 
Uterus, Inversion of. . . .449 
Wheat Crop in England.449 
Wheat Running to Straw, 
Remedy for 477 
'' White Sage" of the Far 
West 448 
Xhc I'oroUerou Horse.— *'E. O. N.," 
Tracy City, Tcnn. Wc doubt if even the most enthusias- 
tic friend of the Percheron liorses, would claim for this 
race that it is the best for all farm purposes everywhere. 
The Clydesdale breed, as a heavy farm horse, has as 
many friends as ihe Percheron, who, as may be expected, 
favor their clioscn race. The Percheron, when pure, is a 
very valuable horse, and will produce a class of farm 
horses equal to, but we can hardly say butter than any. 
Unfortunately some ignorant or unprincipled persons 
liavc imported some inferior and very coarse Norman 
horses, calling them *' Normau-Percheron " or Percheron, 
and have injured the reputation of the genuine breed. 
Tlioac who wish for the pure race, should he cautious 
from whom they buy. It would he safe to consult a 
little work called "The Percheron Horse," published 
by the Orange Judd Company, (price $1.00,) in regard to 
the character of the pure breed. 
Calendar for December. 
•l- 
O" 
c- 
:^ 
^ 
=1 
=1 
1 
W 
■I' 
s 
!•• 
4 
K 
^ 
S 
ti 
M 
S 
W 
'.1 
'!■ 
1(1 
K 
11 
S 
u 
S 
IS 
M 
u 
T 
l.l 
W 
1« 
■r 
Il- 
!•' 
ls 
S 
19 
s 
?ll 
M 
■i\ 
•!■ 
■a 
W 
•« 
■r 
21 
K 
H 
'X 
s 
■/'. 
M 
;'H 
'1' 
•XI 
W 
S(l 
■!■ 
31 
1' 
/tO\if)u.NJ'Jii(j- 
•V. ! 
'.C«v. CI.. 
ll'i 
xlin 
^Iton. 
taml.X. iork 
PhiUidelvliia, 
.Mafi/iantt. 
State, Miclii- 
Aew Jetftey, 
I iTQii'ia.Keti- 
ffiin, \Usct)ii- 
Penn.. Ohio. 
UU'k'f. Mi'ViOU. 
\in. InHHi, (iinl 
Indiana, ami 
7'i, and Culi- 
f>l'e(/on. 
lUinoU. 
fornia. 
= » - ,. 
.~ ^ 
-.,- 
=• r,- 
^ ^ 
' Jt = ^ 
^■^ 'Z ^ 
^ * 
? J 
•?¥ 
5» 
H 
■5S 
P 
H.M H.M 
a. >r. 
II .SI 
n M 
«. M. 
H.M 
M.M 
H. M. 
^ 10 4 2S 
7 24 
7 5 
4 31 
7 25 
7 
1 39 
7 34 
7 11 4 as 
8 25 
7 (1 
4 31 
8 30 
7 II4 39 
8 30 
7 W 4 2.S 
!) 32 
7 7 
4 31 
9 30 
7 2 
4 39 
9 40 
7 13 4 '.'S 
10 38 
7 S 
4 :;:: 
10 41 
7 3 
4 M 
10 44 
7 14 4 as 
11 45 
7 9 
4 3:1 
u 4; 
7 4 
4 3S 
11 48 
7 ir, 4 as 
iiioi"n 
7 10 
4 33 
nioni 
4 :'.s 
7 10 4 :8 
53 
7 11 
4 33 
53 
7 
4:i8 
54 
7 17'4 28 
2 3 
7 1' 
4 33 
2 2 
4 3S! 2 1 
7 lSi4 2S 
3 Hi 
7 13 
4 :i3 
3 13 
7 8 
1 3S 
3 11 
7 1914 2S 
4 33 
7 14 
4 33 
4 29 
7 9 
4 ".S 
4 25 
7 20 
4 28 
5 55 
7 In 
4 33 
5 49 
7 10 
4 3S 
5 43 
V 21 
4 28;rl8es 
7 ii: 
4 ;« 
rises 
7 11 
4 3S 
vises 
7 22 
4 2S fi 15 
7 10 
4 33 
5 23 
7 11 
4 3S 
5 30 
V ■.« 
4 2"! 32 
7 1; 
4 ; 3 
39 
7 12 
4 3K 
45 
7 24 
4 29 7 .13 
7 IS 
4 31 
7 57 
7 IS 
4 39 
S 2 
7 24 
4 29 9 6 
7 IS 
1 .'H 
9 10 
7 13 
4 39 
9 14 
■| 2-1 
4 29 
10 IS 
7 19 
4 34 
10 20 
7 14 
4 40 
10 22 
7 2.5 '4 211 
11 21 
7 10!4 34 
11 25 
7 14 
1 10 
11 20 
7 20 4 30 
inovn 
7 20 
4 35 
mom 
-, 15 
4 41 
morn 
7 Vfik 311 
29 
7 -m 
4 3'. 
29 
7 15 
4 41 
1'^ 
7 27|4 111 
1 32 
7 21 
4 30 
1 31 
7 l.i 
4 42 
7 2! 4 31 
2 30 
7 21 
4 30 
2 3.! 
7 10 
4 4" 
2 30 
7 2S:4 :!2 
3 40 
7?a 
4 37 
3 30 
7 1614 43 
3 3! 
7 28 4 33 
4 45 
7 22 
4 37 
4 40 
7 1014 43 
4 34 
7 28 4 33 
5 49 
7 22 
4 3S 
5 42 
7 I7I4 44: 5 36 
7 2H 4 XS 
3S 
7 23 
4 3S 
6 46 
7 17 1 41 6 3S 
7 29 4 34 
sats 
7 23 
4 39 
sets 
7 17:4 Ja.'sets. 
7 29 4 34 
5 12 
7 23 
4 39 
5 IS 
7 IS 
4 451 5 25 
7 29 4 3-. 
6 IS 
7 23 
4 40 
6 24 
7 IS 
4 40, 30 
7 80 4 .11! 
7 2'' 
7 24 
4 41 
7 20 
7 18 
4 471 7 31 
7 30 4 37 
8 31 
7 24 
4 42 
8 34 
7 19 
4 48 
8 3S 
rHASES OF THIS MOOM. 
IstQllnrt 
iMlll .M'll 
S.lQii.irl. 
New M'.i 
9 12 ev. 
3 1 ev. 
10 12 1110 
2 20 ev. 
N. YORK. 
WASU'N. 
cnA'STOK 
CUIC.^GO 
H. M. 
IT. M. 
H. 31. 
II. 3t. 
9 ev. 
s 4S ev. 
S 36 ev. 
8 Oev. 
2 48 ev. 
2 37 ev. 
2 25 cv. 
1 55 ev. 
10 ino. 
9 48 1110 
, 9 SO mo. 
9 6 mo 
2 8 ev. 
1 56 ev 
1 1 44 ev. 
1 14 ev. 
AMERICAIV AGRICULTUllIST. 
NEW YORK, DECEMBER, 1875. 
At the close of the present year there is much 
cause for congratulation amongst farmers. Their 
condition is much more cheerful than they had rea- 
son to expect in the spring. Generally crops have 
been abundant and prices are '"lir. The farmer 
must necessarily live In hope, for he cannot tell 
how events may result. The past season has been 
to the farmer full of anxieties. Disasters have 
continually threatened him. The weather has been 
strangely inconstant and fickle, and it has been 
more from good fortune than his own efforts, that 
disaster has been averted. Now that the real con- 
dition of affairs is ascertained, we find the efops are 
unexpectedly heavy, and tliat the qualify is better 
than we had reason to hope for. Some of the 
western states, where thousands of farmers a year 
ago feared destitution, are now overflowing with 
grain which sells at remunerative prices. Beef, 
pork, butter, cheese, and with the exception of 
cotton and wool, altogether produce is high in 
pi-iee, so much so that some suffering is entailed 
upon those engaged in other industries, who are 
worse off now than for many years past. It is one 
of the advantages of a farmer's lite, that he is to a 
great extent independent of the fluctuations of 
trade. With his farm free from debt, he is sure at 
least of shelter, food, fuel, and the most of his 
clothing, although his surplus may be totally un- 
salable ; but while he feeds other people, this can 
never happen, and a market for what lie does not 
need himself is always t j be found. 
^> — 
Hiuti^ alcout AVoi*k. 
The Winter^s Study. — Now that the season for 
active labor is over for 1875, the farmer has leisure 
before him that may be turned to good account. 
With the general spread of information, the farmer 
can not afford to be behind his fellow citizens in 
the knowledge of common things. Every farmer 
sliould club with his neighbors to form a library of 
at least one-hundred well selected, standard, prac- 
tical books, relating, first to his own profes.sion, ag- 
riculture, and the sciences connected with it ; there 
are now many excellent, plainly written manuals, 
upon all the collateral sciences, then there should 
be works on American and general history, on poli- 
tical economy, and lastly in general lilerature. 
Feeding Slock. — There is opportunity now for 
those who desire — and every one should— to try 
some of the experiment^ in feeding, referred to iu 
the articles liy Prof. Atwater, which have been pub- 
lished in the A/,tcriean Agrknlturist during the past 
year. These articles are worthy of close and care- 
ful study, for they put many things in quite a new 
and different light from that in which most farmers 
have hitherto viewed them. Economy demands 
that every ounce of nutriment should be got out of 
the fodder we feed. There is no doubt that some 
of it is lost iu our usual methods of feeding stock. 
//o)-SfS.— Care is required in grooming and clean- 
ing horses. No gathering of scurf, or waste of 
tiie skin, or of dried penspiratiou, 'should be per- 
mitted to collect beneath the coat. But this should 
not in every case be torn away with sharp curry- 
combs. A tender skin is injured by rough currying. 
A moderately stiff brush, made with an uneven sur- 
face, is suflicicut iu nearly every case. But labor 
must not be stinted in keeping horses clean. 
Torre. —Fresh cows need a large quantity of water 
at this time, and this is best given in the shape of 
warm slops of bran, or a mixture of corn-meal and 
middlings. Our milking cows have done very well 
on finely cut, well cured corn-fodder, wetted and 
mixed with corn and middlings ground together 
very fine. One bushel of cut fodder, and 3 quarts 
or i].: lbs. of the meal, is the daily allowance. A 
sheaf of oats, or a small feed of good clover hay, is 
given at noon. In the case of some very large 
milkers and butter-makers, this allowance of meal 
maybe sometimes doubled with good effect. Clean- 
liness is of the greatest importance :u the win- 
ter time. The cows and calves should be card- 
ed every day, and their coats kept free from filth. 
Lice will never be found upon stock thus managed. 
Calves may be kept loose in a shed by themselves, 
with an open yard in which they may run in the 
daytime. They should be kept well littered, and 
the litter need not be removed until spring. If the 
litter is short, the manure will be fine and in excel- 
lent condition for use. If whole corn-stalks arc 
used for litter, this plan will not answer. 
Bedding in the stables is of great importance, 
both as regards the comfort of the stock, and the 
condition of the manure heap. It will pay to cut 
all the litter with a fodder cutter, when it can be 
done by horse-power. Where leaves or sawdust 
can be procured for bedding, every pound of straw 
sliould bo used for feed. Otherwise cut straw, 
when used for bedding, is more absorbent than 
long straw-, and more quickly rots in the manure 
heap. The stock can be kept verj' clean with 
short bedding. 
Shei'p. — The sheep sheds and yards should be 
kept well bedded witli short litter. This may he 
shaken up every day, to keep the surface clean, 
and if it is not removed at all until spring, the 
sheep will do as well, or better than if the manure 
is disturbed. The litter and droppings become 
firmly packed until two Icet thick, witliout any 
evil or disagreeable effects. The feed racks should 
be arranged so that the sheep can not thmst their 
heads between tlie bars and tear the wool from 
their necks, or scatter dust, etc., amongst tlic wool. 
Swine. — There is a good prospect for high prices 
for pork for some time yet. Pork and corn gener- 
ally bear relative values, and whatever the price of 
corn, it can be turned into pork with profit. But 
the better the machine (or the pig) for working up 
the corn, the greater is the profit. Tliere has been 
a vast change for the lietter in the stock of pigs and 
hogs, but there is room for further improvement. 
The aim should be to reduce the offal, and produce 
a pig or hog as nearly as possible all bacon and 
hams, and one that will come to market without 
I-ieing wintered over. 
Pure Water is as necessary for stock in the winter 
time as in the summer. There is much suffering 
and consequent loss amongst stock for want of 
water. Ice cold water is injurious, and animals 
will not drink enough of it to supply their wants ; 
unless sufficient is supplied, digestion cannot go on 
properly. AVatcr should be given in the yards 
three times a day. It should be drawn from wells 
