3 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
[January, 
Contents for January, 1872. 
Birds— Golden-winged Woodpecker Illustrated . .V-i 
Boys and Girls' Columns — The Doctor's New Year's 
"Word— Snow-birds— Game of Succotash— Something; 
about Games— Teiicliin^ Zip to Read— How Minnie 
Washes Dishes— Aunt Sue's Puzzle-Box. 
4 Wwtrittion8..W, 28 
Briar, Sensitive Illustrated.. 21 
Cabbage Plants in Mild Climates, Wintering III.. 22 
Cows, Effect of Steaming Food for 19 
Elements, Defense against 23 
Farm Work in January 2, 3 
Farmer's Dog-Cart Illustrated. . 15, 16 
Flower Beds, baying out Illustrated . .US 
Flower Garden and Lawn in January 4 
Forage Plants, California 3 Illustrations. . 18 
Fowls, Plymouth Rock 18 
Fruit Garden in January 3 
Greenhouse and Window Plants in January 4 
Heavy Sod-- What it will do 2 Illustrations.. 16 
Household Department— Si-wing Machine Accessories 
— Ilome Topics — Children's Dresses— Convenient 
Cutting Board 10 Illustrations. 25, 26 
Ice-Houses that will Keep Ice 10 
Ice, Tools for Cutting 3 Illustrations. .17 
Jumper, To Make a Illustrated. . 16 
Kitchen Garden in January 3 
Mallow, Viscid ., Illustrated.. HI 
Manures, What arc Artificial 19 
Market Gardening in Maryland , ...22 
Market Reports , 4 
Ogden Farm Papers, No. 24— Price of Cattle— Making 
Butter— Hay 10,11 
Orchard and Nursery in January 3 
Orchards in Cold Climates . .22 
Owl, How to Catch an 10 
Pep'jronias as Basket Plants Illustrated.. 22 
Phosphates, South Carolina & Illustrations.. 20 
Poultry— an Egg Farm 4 Illustrations.. 11, 12 
Hocks, Blasting and Breaking 3 Illustrations.. 17 
Roots, Cutting. ., Illustrated.. 16 
"Sea-Beans" 3 Illustrations.. 24 
Sheep, Causes nf Disease in 10 
Sheep, Imported Negretti Illustrated,, 1 
Stock, How to Improve 19, 20 
Sub-Tropical. Bit of Illustrated. . 24 
Walks and Talks on the Farm, No. 97— Raising Beans 
— Manure — Corn -Husking — Rotation — Under- 
draining 1 1, IE 
Window Garden for Cold Country Houses 22, 23 
INDEX TO "BASKET, 1 ' OH SHORTER ARTICLES. 
Advertising, Art of 6 Horse Blowcd in Knees. . 6 
A,!ui-oih1 upon Peach OjHorses. How to Kill Old. . 9 
Anu-rlcan Entomologist.. 5 Horse Swinney i; 
As^es of Hemlock Bark.. 5-How to As«ertain Noon .. 8 
Asparagus Beetle SJHoney-Locust Seeds 6 
AvivOilre* or Jerseys for [Hundred per Cent Interest 7 
"BuU^r. 9 Iron Kettle, to Prevent 
Bacon .wHUfcut Skippers.. 6| Rusting 5 
Barley Crov., 'Good. 9 Iron, to Weld 5 
Pee-NoteS'for Ja*.. 9, 10 j Lamp, Perkins «fc House's 5 
Bennnda. Exhibition in.. S Lands. Pacific Railroad. 
1 Best and ^Largest of any 
other Variety*' 5 
Best Clover to £>ow on 
Poor Laud S 
Blue Gum— Encrth ptu 
Leather, to Stain 7 
Lime a Manure 6 
LiquidMannre, Value of. . 8 
Lupin.. 5 
Mange, Cure for 5 
Cabbage Louse 7 Marengo Crabs (> 
Calf, Ho\vto RaisK a 7 Mart from Iowa 7 
"Cancer Plant-"...... . 9 Meal, Cotton-Seed 7 
Cattle, Dry Murrain" S Medicinal, Plants 6 
Cattle, luflara. of iBtain... 6 Mr. Sheldon Stephens. .. . 7 
Cattle Licks.; , SiOnions 9 
Cattle, Warts ou filOranges, Florida . .. 9 
Chinese Yam..; $ Our StnfF 8 
Churn, Beat — -S 1 Paint— Farm Implements. 8 
Chiifn.Whatis theB-'st?. 7;Pa. Fruit Growers' As'n.. 7 
Corn, Freak in 7;Pigs, Food for 9 
Coru.Jttdson's Branching. 7 Pigs of the First Litter.. . 5 
"f'rau*" ... 5 Plaster and Salt 5 
Cracked Heel 6 Potatoes, Peerless 5 
Crib -Biting and Wind- Potato Seeds 9 
Sucking, ttaro for. 
Ciiiulurango. , 
Curb, Cure tor... .. 
Dent Corn at the Norll 
Deodorizer, Patent 
Ditching Machine. 
; Poultry. Fattening 6 
5 Power for Sewing Mach.. 6 
7;Red Ink and Pencil 9 
6 ; Refuse of Glue Factories. 6 
9|3addlc-Cloth 6 
S Scales, Advantages of 9 
Draining, Cost, of. .... s Scales 7 
DmhlTilo*, Round Stunr-* GjShaU the Boy Climb? 7 
Dye, A Permanent Red... 8 Sheep, Grinding Grain for 9 
Eggs, Queer 7, Sheep Skins, to Tan 8 
Ever^reenSecdsnndPlants 9 Shorthorns, Bell's History 5 
Ewes. Prolific 9 Siphon, How to Use a 7 
Farming, Profitable 5:Snow 10 
Floor for House without a [Stable Manure, $2 per load 8 
Cellar, Best. . 
Flower Seeds Gratis. , . 
Fowls, Age to Market. 
Powls Sneezing 
<J!:irden, Manuring 
Geographies, School.. 
7 Stock, Best Field-Pea for. 
7 Strawberry Queries 9 
9 Subsoil from Utah 8 
8,Sundry Humbugs S, 39 
OiT.inner, Wants to be ft.,.. 6 
S|Tilo Machine Wanted 6 
Grape-vine, "Missionary" OjTinSothy Seed, Growing.. 9 
Guessing .*. . 5 ; Tobacco 7 
Hay, How to Measure 7 Trees and Rabbits ,. 6 
Heifer, Precocious R Uneven Pulling 6 
Hedire*, Thorns for 9>U. S. Banking As'n"... 5 
Ben-Hoe, smoking out.... 9 Walks and Talks S 
flogs. Worms in 7; Wheat for 111.. BostWinter 9 
JToosier School-Master... 5j Wheat. Lime for 9 
HuQve, Renjedy jfor,, 5 White Daisy., ... 8 
Calendar for January. 
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1 
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a 
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3 
W 
4 
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s 
R 
M 
9 
T 
10 
W 
11 
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12 
F 
IS 
K 
14 
s 
15 
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10 
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17 
w 
IS 
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19 
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m 
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tm 
r 
24 
w 
26 
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27 
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as 
S 
S«t 
« 
80 
P 
SI 
w 
noston.yEiiQ- 
Umd,N. York 
State. Michi- 
gan, Wiscon- 
sin. TaWa. and 
Oregon. 
n.M n.M 
7 3014 
7 30 4 SO 
7 30 i 40 
7 S0;4 41 
7 30 4 42 
7 SO 4 43 
7 30 4 44 
7 30 4 45 
7 30|4 4li 
7 29,4 47 
7 20 4 4S 
7 29 4 49 
7 2R 4 50 
7 28 4 51 
7 27 4 53 
7 274 54 
7 26 4 55 
7 2li 4 56 
7 25|4 5R 
7 21 4 59 
23 5 
225 
7 22 5 
7 21 5 
7 20 3 
7 20 5 
7 19 5 
7 18 5 . 
"" 17 5 10 
7 16 5 II 
7 15 5 13 
ir. m. 
10 15 
11 19 
mom 
24 
1 "I 
2 10 
4 2 
5 19 
6 34 
sets 
6 10 
7 29 
8 44 
9 54 
11 2 
morn 
s 
1 9 
2 12 
3 13 
4 18 
5 11 
6 5 
rises 
5 2 
6 S 
7 5 
8 9 
9 11 
10 15 
11 22 
y. r.atir. a. 
Philadelphia, 
yew Jersey, 
Penn., Ohio. 
Indiana, and 
Illinois. 
n.M ir.M 
7 21 I II 
7 24 4 
7 21 I 46 
7 24 4 4' 
7 24 4 48 
7 24 4 49 
7 24 4 50 
7 24,4 51 
7 24 4 52 
7 24 4 53 
7 23 4 54 
7 2314 55 
7 28 I 5fi 
7 22 4 57 
7 22 4 58 
22.4 59 
21 5 
7 21 
7 '.'(i 
7 19 
7 18 
7 IS 
7 11 
7 16 
7 15 
7 15 
7 14 
7 IS 
7 IS 
5 1 
5 S 
5 4 
5 5 
5 6 
5 8 
5 9 
5 10 
5 11 
5 12 
5 IS 
5 15 
7 12 5 1G 
7 115 r 
oS 
R i. 
n. H; 
10 16 
11 20 
morn 
24 
1 32 
2 43 
3 58 
5 13 
6 23 
sete 
6 15 
7 32 
8 46 
9 55 
11 2 
morn 
7 
1 R 
2 9 
3 9 
4 9 
5 5 
5 59 
rises 
5 7 
6 7 
7 9 
8 11 
9 12 
10 15 
11 20 
Washington. 
Maryland, 
Virginia, Ken- 
tucky, Missou- 
ri, and Cali- 
fornia. 
II .M n.M 
7 19 4 49 
7 19! 4 50 
7 19 4 51 
7 19 4 52 
7 19 4 53 
7 19 4 54 
7 19; 4 55 
7 19,4 56 
7 19|4 57 
7 19 r | 58 
7 18 4 59 
7 18 ! 5 
7 185 
7 17 5 
7 17 5 
7 175 
7 16 5 
7 16 5 
7 15 5 
7 14 5 
7 14 5 
7 13 
7 12 
7 12 
5 10 
5 12 
- 13 
5 14 
" 15 
7 105 16 
7 9|5 17 
7 SjlS 
7 8 5 20 
7 75 21 
u. 5r. 
10 18 
11 21 
morn 
23 
1 30 
2 40 
3 53 
5 8 
6 22 
sets 
6 20 
7 36 
8 49 
9 56 
11 2 
morn 
6 
1 6 
2 6 
8 5 
4 S 
4 59 
5 53 
rises 
5 12 
6 11 
7 12 
8 13 
9 13 
10 15 
11 19 
PHASES OF THE MOON. 
MOON. 
BOSTON. 
N. TOKK. 
WASn'N. 
cha'ston 
CnTCAGO. 
o. 
n. m. 
fr. m. 
n. m. 
3d Quart.. 
s 
5 15 ev. 
5 3 ev. 
4 nl ev. 
4 39 ev. 
4 9 ev. 
New Moon 
10 10 11 m. 
10 2 m. 
9 SO m. 
9 38 m. 
1st Quart.. 
17!17 18 m. 
7 6 m. 
6 54 m. 
6 4.2 m. 
Full 
2;> 
30 ev. 
IS ev. 
G ev. 
11 54 m. 
11 24 m. 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
NEW YORK, JANUARY, 1S72. 
We can not tell whether it was in the spring, 
summer, autumn, or winter that the " evening and 
trie morning was me nrst nay;" ana, consequently, 
we do not know when the old year ends and a new 
year commences. There are, however, as good 
reasons for commencing the year in the dead of 
winter as for commencing the day in the dead of 
night. Both are purely arbitrary. Some would 
have the day commence in the morning, and the 
year in the spring. We think it far better as it is. 
The best preparation for a day's work is a good 
night's sleep;* and much of a farmer's success the 
coming year will depend on how he spends his 
winter. It is the period for preparation. It is the 
time to think and plan; the lime to close np the 
work of the old year, and get ready for the new. 
Hints abont Work. 
The great work of life is to discipline and educate 
ourselves. The ;nd of each year finds us better or 
worse. No matter how prosperous the year may 
have been, if we arc less patient, more inconsider- 
ate, conceited, promt, and selfish, our time has been 
ill-spent; but if we are growing men — growing in 
love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, good- 
ness, faith, meekness, and temperance — we are pros- 
pering. We may have seen hard times, but we have 
not lived in vain. We are better men. A farmer's 
best field is himself. This field can be plowed and 
cultivated just as well in the winter as ill the sum- 
nicv. Tl.o ....ii)nii.u..i..iuuiit of *v nOTT ycai is n j^oo^l 
time to top-dress it, or, if need be, to break it up 
and commence a new rotation. Kill the weeds, 
and be careful to sow good seed, and plenty of it. 
Energy, industry, forethought, patience, and teni' 
perance are always profitable crops ; temperance 
in eating, drinking, sleepiug, and working. Many 
farmers work too hard; they are intemperate in 
this respect. Many more are too anxious. They 
have not faith enough. Some arc too hopeful. 
They hope for good crops without using the means 
to obtain them. 
Pay your Debts. — Or, at any rate, ascertain exactly 
what you owe. A running account not unfrequently 
runs away with a farm. If you arc in debt, and 
have anything to sell, dispose of it at once, and 
pay your debts. Nothing deadens a man's energy 
and destroys all manly feeling like little debts. 
You will feel like a new man when they arc paid. 
He Prompt.— Credit is very desirable to any ener- 
getic man, and nothing tends so much to secure 
credit as promptness in meeting all obligations. 
The way to get credit is to use it, and not abuse it. 
Prices are Low, Wages Sigh, and Profits Small.— 
The two former are beyond our control ; and we 
can not hope to obtain good profits unless we raise 
large crops. Ten bushels of wheat per acre does 
not pay, and never ought to pay. Thirty bushels 
per acre, even now, affords a living profit, and forty 
bushels affords profit enough to satisfy any man. 
Fanners are Manufacturers, and compete with 
each other. The farmer that can manufacture the 
best articles at the least cost is the one that makes 
the most money. His skill and kuowledge must 
be directed to this object. 
Thorough Cultivation is always profitable on all 
land that is cultivated at all. This is true whether 
we adopt high farming or slow farming; whether 
we live east or west, on high-priced or low-priced 
land. If we work it at all, we must cultivate it 
thoroughly. 
Think of these thiyigs, and get ready for the work. 
Write down all that you intend to do the coming 
year. Writing is a great help to thought as well as 
to memory. Write down exactly how you propose 
to do the work, and what with, and when. 
If you have never kept a Diary, now is the time to 
commence. Nothing is more interesting and use- 
ful than a well-kept record of everything done on 
the farm, state of the weather, condition of the 
stock, and what you are feeding, etc. 
Make an Inventory of everything on the farm and 
in the house, with an estimate of its value. Do it 
carefully and thoroughly. In case of fire, it will 
be a great help iu settling insurance claims. 
Attend to your Insurance. — See that it is not run 
out, and that the companies are sound. 
Wliat do you do with your Ashes? — Many fires 
originate from carelessness iu placing ashes in bar- 
rels, or throwing them iu a loose heap where they 
come in contact with wood. Provide a suitable 
place for them, either of brick or iron. 
Animals must receive constant and regular atten- 
tion. They can not be neglected for a single day. 
Be careful to give them abuudance of fresh water, 
and avoid as much as possible compelling them to 
drink water that is full of inciting Bnow or ice. 
Provide some kind of shelter for all animals. 
Horses that are doing nothing can be wintered on 
good, bright straw, with four or five pounds of 
corn per day, cheaper than on hay. If they are 
worked regularly, they require higher feeding ; say 
ten pounds grain, ten pounds hay, and ten pounds 
straw per day. On a grain-farm, where straw or 
corn-stalks are abundant and hay is scarce, one 
third hay, and one third straw and stalks, cut up 
together with one third the weight of corn-meal 
mixed with it. makes a cheaper and more nutritious 
food than more hay and less grain. 
Cows do far better on stalks than on straw. They 
do not like the latter. Our stalks were so well 
cured last fall that, after the cows were taken from 
the pasture and fed in the stables on stalks, they in- 
cwQDotl in tlioli- milk ;uiU tlic quality ol the butter 
improved. Cows that are giving mflk will pay for 
a little corn-meal, say two quarts per day, in addi- 
tion to the stalks or hay. Keep the stables clean 
and well ventilated. In stormy weather it is best 
to keep them iu the stable all the time, except to 
turn them out twice a day to water. Many farmers 
only water once, and this will do when they run in 
the yard for two or three hours, but otherwise it is 
far better to water twice. Give them time enough to 
drink. Cows are not like horses in this respect. A 
horse will drink at once all lie wants, but a herd of 
cows need longer time and more or less humoring. 
Sheep will eat straw better than any other stock. 
With good, bright straw and half a pound of corn 
