AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
FOR THE 
Farm, Gra^rclen, and. HoTiseholcl. 
"AeniCULTURE 18 THE MUST IIEALTIIFUI., MOST USEFUL, A>'I> MOST NOBLE EMPLOYMENT OP MAN.''-W».mi.oto^: 
ORAXGE Jm>l> & CO., 
PUBLISHEKS AND PROPRIETORS, I 
Ufllce, 41 Park lioiv, (Times Buildings.) . 
ESTABLISHED IN 1842. 
Pablislied also in German at SI. 50 a Year. 
j SI. 30 PER ANNUM, IN ADVANCE. 
' SINGLE NUMBEK, 15 CENTS. 
. 4 Copies for S 5 : 10 for S 13 ; 30 or more, $ 1 each. 
VOLUME XXIV— No. 13. 
NEW- YORK, DECEIVEBER, 1865. 
NEW SERIES— No. 227. 
Einerc'd accoraing to act of Congress in the year 1865, by 
Orange Judd, in tlie Clerk's Office of the District Court of 
the L'nited States for the Southern District of New-York. 
ZST Other Journals are invited to copy desirable articles 
f.-3ely, t/each article be credited to American AffncultnriM. 
Contents for December, 1865. 
Apple Sauce Always Ready ....382 
Barn Door Fastening Illustrated. .Z69 
Bees— Apiary in Deceniber 362 
Boots and Shoes— Grensing 382 
Boys and Girls' Columns : The Last Day of the Year 
—Signaling in the Army— Lively Out-door Games- 
Holiday In-door Games — Problems and Puzzles— 
The Christmas Tree — Force of Habit — Paiting with 
an Old Friend— Premiums for Boys and Girls — 
Puzzles for the Tongue 5 Illustrations.. 3S2-3Si 
Braising Meat 382 
Bread— Pictorial History Illustrated. 376 
Carving— Instructions in Illuslrated . , 381 
Chestnuts Improved by Cultivation Illustrated.. Z'll 
Codfish— How to Cook 382 
Coleus Verschafellii 377 
Corn Biead — Good 3S1 
Corn Stalks— Cutting for Fodder 371 
Education Good Enough for Farmers 374 
Farm Work In December o61 
Fish Markets of New York 370 
Flower Garden and Lawn in December 362 
Poi.nt.>tii at oazenovia Illustrated. .373 
Fruit Garden in December 362 
Garden — Kitchen in December 362 
Genesee Farmer United with this Journal 364 
Grape Vines — Method of Graf ling 379 
Grapes — Cold Grapery in December 362 
Grapes — Knox's Experience 378 
Grapes — Notes on Culture, etc 379 
Green and Hot-Houses m December 363 
Hogs— Care of in Winter 370 
Jack Screws — Various Uses Illustrated.. ?;1\ 
Knox's Fruit Farm and Grape Festival 378 
Market Report and Commercial Notes 363 
Movements of Plants Illustrated. .i»t) 
Multon the Meat for the Million 369 
Orchard and Nursery in December 362 
Park with Five .\cies of Land 374 
Potato Culture— Experiments 375 
Premiums for 1S66 363 
Premiums — Special of Prize Pigs, etc 363 
Publishers' Special Notice to Subscribers 368 
Pudding Sauce — Cheap and Good 382 
Pulley— Uses on the Farm., Illustrated. .yi3 
Rye — So%\ing Late in Ihe Season 371 
Sheep RacliS and Foddering. . 3 Illustrations . . 369 
Sheep— Selection for Breeding 370 
Snow — Tools for Clearing Paths 4 Illustrations. .372 
Scdanum— CliinliiMg Illustrated. .iSa 
Stable Forks— Wooden Illustrated, .im 
Strawberr\' — Notes on the " Agriculturist," 368 
Tapioca — [low Picpared for Food Illustrated. .381 
Timber— How to Fell Illuslrated .372 
Trailing .Arbutus {Epigasa repens) Illustrated .377 
Tuberose — Cullivallon 3 Illustrations . .378 
Unseasonable Growth in Trees, etc 375 
Veniis's Fly Trap Illustrated. .3%0 
Warmlh in Houses 382 
Water — Useful and Ornamental Illustrated. .^~3 
Wes'.ein .\griculture ,374 
Wood — Holder lor Splitting Illustrated.. STi 
INDEX TO "basket," OR SHORTER ARTICLES, 
Animal Traps .365 
Basket, Talk about 3M 
Book, -nieat West".... 367 
Book, S. S. Lessons 367 
Book, Zoology 367 
Cabba-es, Trouble with.367 
Catahigues Received 36.^ 
Canker Worms 3C6 
Ci'ler. Keepins Sweet.. .3i>7 
Clergvrnen. Hint to 264 
Colts,' Fiediiig 3';c 
Cow. Aldernev 3fif 
Cows, St lipping 36P 
Cranberries, Pine 367 
Death of Piof. I,indley,.-16.'< 
Draining Har<l Pan 366 
Fair. Am, Institute 866 
Feeding too Heavy 366 
Fence Posts. Charring. .367 
Fence Questions 365 
Fiuitin Minnesota 3C5 
Gas Lime 566 
Gift Repeated 364 
Glanders in Horses .-,. .364 
Gfdden Censei" 365 
Hens, Sickly 3C6 
Horses. Slabbering 366 
Inquiries, Sundry 367 
Lamhs, Early 366 
Laurel Poisoning 366 
Leaky Rofifs 367 
.Marl for Fruit Tiees C67 
-Medicines, Quack 367 
.Miilherry. Everbearing. .365 
Musical Instruments 365 
Paper, Price of 364 
Pom, Society, Ohio 365 
P, O, Money Oi.lers 367 
Potatoes. Exhibition.,. 305 
Poultry, Marketing 365 
Proieciina Plants S65 
Quinces, Fine 367 
Receipts not Given 364 
Rev, Edward Wilson,.. .367 
Rust, Removing 367 
Selling Produce 366 
Sones of Seven 365 
Southern Region 366 
Squashes, Large 367 
Squashes, Mixing 367 
Stanchions vs. Chains, . ,366 
Steel Plows, Care of..,, 367 
Strawberries, Late 365 
Tile Machines 366 
Tan Bark, etc 366 
Turnips for Horses 365 
Veterinary College 365 
Vineland,' 365 
Violet, Ever-blooming... 367 
Volumes Bound 364 
Wine Making 365 
Woolens, High Price,, .,367 
Notes and Suggestions for the Month. 
This is the month of cold 'when it is most 
piercing, of 'svinds when they are harshest, of 
hunger wlien it is most distressing — of firesides 
■when most cheerfid, of snug warm houses when 
most agreeable, and of good fare when it is most 
satisfactory. If the cattle of any well-to-do 
farmer are shivering under the lea of the corn- 
stack, if his sheep are shrinking away from the 
gale in the fence corners, and if the young stock 
are gnawing frozen sods or cornstalks for a liv- 
ing, we would be glad to have their lowings and 
bleatings so constantly in his ears that he could 
lake IJO comfort of Ills u-n-n pleasant thintrs till 
he had made his stock as comfortable as pos- 
sible. The President invites us to solemnize the 
seventh day of this month in thanksgiving to 
God for all his mercies and blessings, both 
private and national. Let us do so heartily and 
practically, Man shows his thankfulness to the 
All-giver for His bounties, by thoughtful care for 
the comfort of His creatures. What are thanks- 
givings of the lips but solemn mockeries, if un- 
accompanied by deeds of kindness ! The les- 
sons of the happy Christmas time,, and of the 
^losing year have their application in the farm- 
house and in the stock-yard, as well as in the 
church and in the class room. 
Accounts. — Devote sufficient time toa thorough 
going over of all accounts,and begin the new year 
with a clear statement of your debts and dues. 
Animals.— \}i our latitude, the present is a 
trying month for animals of all kinds. In many 
places they are jjassing from grass to fodder. 
Every animal, from the work horses down to 
late chickens, should receive special attention. 
What every animal needs at this season of the 
year is, enough to eat and protection from 
storms. When cold weather first comes on.young 
animals in particular often sutfer much more 
than after their systems have become used to it. 
Anhe.t. — Leached or unleached, wood, or coal 
(if free from slate and clinker,) are excellent for 
top-dressing lawns, meadows and pastures ; and 
the more there are scattered around fruit trees 
of all kinds, the better will be the fruit. Instead 
of collecting them in heaps, scatter where they 
are needed, as soon as convenient quantities ac- 
cumulate. Ashes he.aped up against young trees 
will often destroy the bark and kill them. 
Barns.— li not already attended to, delay not 
to put every building in order for winter. Loose I 
sliingles and boards should be nailed ; the large 
cracks between ridge boards need closing up with 
long nails; and the siding should sometimes 
be taken off, jointed and replaced, to exclude 
snow and keep rain from rotting the timbers. 
Wherever the ground descends towards the 
foundation walls, a few loads of earth should 
be h.auled in, to turn the surface water off be- 
fore the ground freezes, as the expansion of the 
earth will often crowd walls inwards, after 
freezing a few times. If the ground descends 
from the wall, the water will be carried away 
and the expansion will be less forcible against 
the wall. Make a little mortar and stop all 
crevices, not only in the walls, but between the 
sills and foundation, to exclude cold air from 
the apartments of animals. 
Barn-yards. — Before the ground freezes, scrape 
all the fine manure into heaps and haul it to 
meadows, or pastures for a top-dressing. It will 
act as a mulch to the grass roots. Clean out 
all surface ditches near the yards, and cut shal- 
low chtmnels where the}' are needed to prevent 
surface water from flowing into any part of the 
yard. Remove all stones and sticks liable to 
be covered with manure and hinder pitching. 
Beans.— Dry and shell all that are unripe be- 
fore freezing, as they will make good feed for 
sheep ; freezing before they are ripe, spoils them. 
Beeves. — Bullocks or dry cows sliould be con- 
fined a large proportion of the time in close 
yards, or spacious stalls, well littered. Feed 
with hay, corn meal and some pumpkins, or 
roots. Better feed bountifully and fatten rapid- 
1\', than to give a small allowance and fatten 
slowly. Bear in mind that it is estimated to 
cost to maintain the .animal heat of a bullock 
during one cold night in the open air, not less 
than one pound of the best meat. 
Calves and Colts. — Do not fail to provide 
comfortable winter quarters for these young 
animals, lest they lose flesh, run down, get off 
their feed, and become what is called spring jioor. 
Cows. — Beef is scarce and the price high, .and 
for this reason we consider it bad policy to sell 
good cows for beef, as many people did last 
season, because they commanded a high price. 
Better hold on to good cows for breeding. 
Corn. — Spread all soft ears on a floor in an 
airy place, where it will shortly be dry enough 
to grind for feed. Save best ears for seed. 
Drains. — Clear the outlets of under-drains by 
shoveling out all sediment that will obstruct the 
flow of water from the drains during winter, 
and protect them .against being entered by mice 
Eaves Troughs. — Before freezing weather, re- 
move leaves and all other sediment which 
settle in the eaves troughs. When cistern water 
is not used for drink, for culinary pui-poses, or 
for stock, it is a good plan to paint the troughs 
over with gas or coal tar, applied hot after 
boiling it an hour; it is a good preservative. 
