I3G6.] 
AMERICAN AG-RICtTLTtTRtST. 
419 
yard, sec that tlic shed is dry, weU roofed, and if 
possible board up the front in part, aud put up feed 
racks. Put balls or boards ou the horus of the 
" bullies " and of quarrelsome ones. It is said that 
corn uiiljbius ledtu cows on the ground is a preven- 
tive of abortion. If there be any virtue in it, it 
probably lies in the cows' pickinu- up some earth 
with the corn. It is well to give occasionally a 
handful of wood ashes, and if a cow's breath is not 
quite sweet, Li'ive pulverized charcoal and a table- 
spoonful of nitre (s.iltpeter) in her food. 
Ifogs. — Towards the la.st part of the flittenin.c; 
Reason, hogs gain slowly. As a general rule, feed- 
ing hogs is said to p.ay as long" as they gain daily 
lialf of one per cent. That is, when a r^OO pound 
hog gains a pound. Even that depends altogether 
on the price of corn and pork, and changes in the 
market may make it pay to feed liogs some weeks 
even, though they gain nothing at all. Slaughter 
hogs for family use in the coldest weather before 
Christmas. A friend of experience who advocates 
shooting hogs, fears that the recommendation of a 
corresiiondcnt to shoot a wooden plug into the 
forehead, would not be effective, unless with a 
pretty good charge of powder. He prefers shoot- 
ing with a ball through the temides. A little ex- 
perience will settle the question, and enable every 
one to avoid all music on slanghtering day. 
ThiiJInj. — After the hogs are killed, the poultry 
will i-cceive imsalted scraps aud swill not fit for 
cows, aud it will promote a tendency to commence 
Laying, if they have warm quarters. Those who 
breed for prizes will take care to Ufovidc warm 
sunny rooms, and keep them warm even by arti- 
ficial heat, so as to get out a clutch or two of chicks 
of each breed they fancy, as early as the first 
week in February if possible. It will pay to take 
great care of fowls for eggs only, when they sell 
for four 0? five cents a piece, as they do now at 
retail in New York City markets. 
Manure. — See hints in former numbers. Wo do 
not approve of hauling out manure in the winter, 
and spreading it, or leaving it in heaps on the land. 
It may be moved to distant fields when the shed- 
ding is good, andtliere laid in large compact heaps 
trodden down, and if ixmsible covered with dirt. 
Wood Cuttiiir/, OcUinijoul Fence SliiJ^ etc., will oc- 
cupy the .attention of many farmers, and at the 
South, fence making is the order of the day as soon 
as plowing is finished. The time is noiv to provide 
dry fire-wood for a year hence, and posts and rails 
for next spring's setting, and use in fence-mending. 
T/ie Tee Ilarivxt comes rarely in December, but it 
is well to be ready. If the ice-house is empty, 
have it cleared out, the straw dried, and renewed if 
too much broken ; take out the sawdust altogether. 
The first ice is usually the purest and most free 
from bubbles, and it is great good luck to get 
one's ice all stored before the " January thaw." 
Orcliard mid Xiirsei'}'. 
In December there is little to add to the notes 
for November. Whenever the weather will al- 
low the work there indicated to bo done, do it. 
In mild seasons, or in Southern localities, ground 
for the orchard may be plowed and subsoiled. If 
nothing can be done to fiicilitate spring operations, 
see that no harm comes to trees already planted. 
Fences and Gates must be looked after, and put 
in a condition to keep domestic animals out 
of young orchards. They will either browse or 
bark the trees, and do more damage in a few hours 
than will be regained in all of next year's growth. 
Jiabbits and Mice, among wild animals, often do 
serious damage. Tlie best w.ay to keep oflT rabbits 
is, to sprinkle blood upon the trees. Leave no rub- 
bish near young trees to harbor mice, and trample 
Buow down so hard that they can not work under it. 
Cions may be cut whenever the wood is not 
frozen. Saw-dust or damp moss are better packing 
than sand, for the reason that they come out free 
from grit. The object should be to preserve the 
natural moisture, and not keep them an)' damper 
or dryer than they would be if left upon the tree. 
Manitre often benefits an old orchard wonderful- 
ly. It may be carted out while the ground is frozen. 
Foiil in the fruit room will need looking at oc- 
casionally. Keep the fruit room and fruit cellar at 
a low and uniform temperature. Send choice speci- 
mens to market just before the holidays. In the 
Xiirsery the heading back and shaping of young 
trees is carried on in mild weather, and when the 
weather is inclement, the hands are occupied in- 
doors in root grafting. In grafting, too much care 
cannot be exercised, and it is well to work at only 
one variety at a time to avoid all possibility of mix- 
ing kinds. See that surface drains are opened to 
carry water away from young trees, aud that no 
w.ator stands around slocks that have liecu bceled-in. 
Fruit Oardcii. 
Wlierc an open month allows, ground may he 
manured, plowed or spaded for spring planting. 
Trees in the garden will need the same precau- 
tions against animals, ,as noted under Orchard. If 
light snows accumulate in the heads of trees, shake 
it out before it becomes ic'y. 
Manure may be spread around trees and shrubs. 
Pruning of small wood on trees may be done, 
and currant and other bushes trimmed in a mild 
time, .as may any neglected 
Orapc Vines; and if the wood is wanted for pro- 
pagation, cut it into suitable lengths, tie it in 
bundles and bury it, upper end down, in a dry 
place, aud cover the spot with leaves or litter. 
Cuttings treated thus will often callus nicely .and 
be ready to make roots when set out in spring. If 
Strawberry Beda have not yet been covered, do it 
before the ground is frozen and thawed many times. 
Straw, leaves, or corn stalks, will answer. Do not 
cover the crowns too much ; the roots rather than 
the tops need protection from freezing .and thawing. 
Kitchen Oardcii, 
The .amount of out of door work will depend 
upon the w'cathcr. If the ground is not frozen 
hard, it will benefit stiff soils to throw them up in 
ridges, that they may receive the ameliorating in- 
fluences of the frost. Clean up all rubbish; Lay 
drains if the season permits, and do everything 
tliat will save a day's work in spring. 
Jioots, Ceierij, etc., stored in pits or trenches, as 
heretofore advised, will need gradual covering as 
the cold increases. Recollect th.at such things suf- 
fer more from covering too soon aud heating tliau 
they do from freezing. Do not put on the final 
covering until winter has fairly set in. 
Cellars, where roots are stored, should for the 
same reason be kept open .as long as can safely be 
done without freezing the contents. 
Cold Frames, in which cabb.ages, cauliflowers and 
lettuce are wintered, should be daily .-.ired when- 
ever the thermometer is above freezing. Tlie great 
point is, to keep the plants hardy, and this is done 
by preserving a low and lOHform feniper.atnre. 
Cauliflowers are more tender th.an the others, and 
in very severe weather the glass should be covered 
with mats or shutters. Poison or tr.ap every mouse. 
JTot-/>eds will be wanted in Febr\iary and March. 
Have the sashes and frames in readiness now that 
there is leisure. Paint, re-glaze, and have%vll in 
working order. Accumulate a supply of 
Manure for hot-beds ; the best is that from horse 
Btables, long and shoi-t together. Jlanure for jjIow- 
ing and spading in should be looked out for, .and 
all availal)le materials, whether fiom the house, 
privies, stables, piggeries, or hen-houses, should be 
saved. Look around in the ueighboi-hood for any 
mineral, animal or vegetable material, going to 
waste, tliat may be profitably secured as a fertilizer. 
Seeds should be overhauled, and those of doubt- 
ful vitaUty rejected. If uncertain as to the value of 
a lot, plant a few in a saucer or other dish of earth ; 
keep moist in a warm iilace. Order seeds early. 
Tools should be look6<l over and repaired ae 
needed. Paint .all parts that need it, and supply 
deficiencies by purchase. 
Fio-^ver Gnrdcii and Lawn. 
Plan in winter that which is to be executed in 
spring. If the weather serves, something can be 
done towards laying out walks, and in making other 
improvements. If 
Tender Shrubs or other plants are without winter 
protection, give it before severe freezing comes on. 
Climbers, such as Wistarias, clinibiug i-oses, etc., 
will in very cold localities do much better if laid 
down aud covered with a little eartli. 
Latmis will appreciate a good dressing of com- 
posted manure, which may be applied any time in 
winter. Do not let 
Eeergreens nor close shrubs be brolcen by nccii- 
mulated snow. Shake it out before it becomes ice. 
liustic Baskets, vases, seats, etc., may he made in- 
doors. Branches of Cedar, Laurel, Wild Grape, 
and m.any other things may be used for the purpose. 
Green and Ilot-IIonscs. 
In green-houses, which are only to preserve things 
for the winter, all will go well if the thermometer 
does not go below 40°, Init if flowers arc w.anted, it 
must be about 60°. That of the hot-bouse must bo 
governed by the char.acter of the collections. Ven- 
tilation must be properly attended to. Bring for- 
ward pots of 
Bulbs, a few at a time, so as to have a succession 
of bloom, and when the flowers arc past their 
prime, cut away the stalk and allow the leaves to 
grow to perfect the bull). 
Camellias need to be kept cool, aud the atmos- 
phere moist by free use of the syringe. 
CncK need but very little water, except tlie Epi- 
phyliums that are now blooming. 
Hiargoniums should be put where they have 
plenty of light. 
Inse<Js will require attention. Tobacco smoke 
quickly does for the green fly, and a moist atmos- 
pluM-e is destructive to the red spider. 
Cold Grapery. 
Do not let the house get too warm, but open the 
ventilators ou warm days and close them at nights, 
and on cloudy and cold d.ays. The vines should be 
laid down and co\'*red, They may be bound ui> 
with straw, or a board put up in front of them ou 
edge, supported by stakes, and the vine covered 
with forest leaves. It has been recommended to 
paint over the vines with a mixture of wlmle oil 
soap }^ lb., sulphur 4 lbs., tobacco );f lb., .and 
powdered nux vomica 1 oz. These are to have a 
gallon of boiling w.ater poured over them and stir- 
red well together. When cold, .apply to tlij^ vines 
with a brush to destroy the larva'' and egg^f in- 
sects. In laying down the vines, be careful not to 
make too short a bend. 
The Apiary ibr Meceinber. — Those 
having liees will doubtless find in this month the 
most leisure to rep.air old or make new hives and 
honey boxes. In view of which, if the number of 
swarms admit, it would be advisable to build a 
small house, s.ay 10 x 12 feet, placing it near to the 
apiary, in which to make, rejiair, and paint hives, as 
well as for storing them, straiuiug aud storing 
honey. It is a convenient place into which to re- 
move a colony for any operation that m.aj' be desir- 
.able or necessary. Bees being more easily haudled 
if removed from tlieir accustomed stand, the other 
hives being less disturtied, will less annoy you. A 
house can be easily and cheaply made, requiring 
but a door in one end and a window in the other, a 
work bench on one side, space for hives opposite, 
and for boxes overhead, a barrel, containing a baslcet 
set in one corner, into which to throw broken 
honey combs for straining, a shelf under the bench 
with paints and brushes, 3 planes, 1 square, a ham- 
mer, a saw .and nails .above. Tlius furnished, all is 
ready for woik at any and all times. If your timi' 
or skill will not enable you to make good hives, 
the better you get them made, the less i-ep.aira 
