330 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
[December, 
during winter. Have muck at hand to absorb the 
liquid in the privy, barn-yard and piggery. Coal ashes 
are advantageously added to stiff soils. 
Rot-beds.— The repairing of frames, glazing of sash and 
the building of new ones give employment for rainy days. 
Parsnips and Salsify.— Dry for use whenever the 
ground is open, and use that in the cellars in bad weather. 
Rhubarb.— Heavy manuring is the secret of heavy 
stalks. Put on plenty of manure if not done already. 
Seeds.— See that everything is properly put up. Seeds 
will "mix" in the seed box, especially if there are holes 
in the papers. Put name and date on every parcel and 
throw away everything about which there is any doubt. 
Exchange with neighbors and distribute liberally any 
good or new variety through your Farmers' Club. 
Tools.— Do not wait until they are wanted before put- 
ling in order. Take to the blacksmiths all that can be 
repaired by him. Do the wood-work yourself. Oil or 
paint all wooden parts. Mark everything with your 
name or initials. Give iron or steel, which is to have a 
long rest, a coat of beeswax and lard to prevent rusting. 
If there is no tool-house, build one, or partition off a place 
In the barn or shed, and have a place for every thing: 
Flower Garden and Lawn.— But 
little needs to be added now to the directions given last 
month. Protect all tender plants. After a fall of snow, 
see that evergreens and dense clumps of shrubbery are 
not injured. Top-dress lawns, make walks and lay out 
borders whenever the weather will allow. All plants in 
frames and pits need air on mild days, and careful cover- 
ing with mats or shutters during cold days and nights. 
Green and Hot-Houses. — The di- 
rections last month for temperature, moisture and ventila- 
tion, apply during the variable weather of the present 
month. On damp and foggy days, fire should be put in 
the green-house, even if the temperature is not too low. 
Bulbs brought from the green-house to a warmer 
apartment, a fewpots at a time, will keep up a succession 
of bloom. Syringe the foliage of Camellias and other 
thick-leaved plants. Continue the fight against insects as 
directed for house plants on page 346. Start cuttings, and 
stimulate lagging plants with weak liquid manure. 
Cold Grapery. — Prune vines and pre- 
pare them for their winter sleep. Chorlton, in his Grape- 
Grower's Guide, recommends covering the canes with 
the following mixture, to destroy lame and eggs of in- 
sects : "Whale-oil soap H lb., sulphur 4 lbs., tobacco K lb. 
powdered nux vomica 1 oz. Pour over these 1 gallon ot 
boiling water and stir well together, and apply with a 
paint brush. To lay the vines down, tie it to the wire at 
about two feet from the ground, and then bend the por- 
tion above this point to a horizontal position and cover 
about three inches thick with straw and tie it on, or put 
up boards in front of the vines and cover with forest 
leaves. Keep the house cool by opening ventilators on 
clear days ; close at night, and on cloudy and severe ones. 
Fruit Garden. — Most things will be bene- 
fited by a good coat of manure. Currants and gooseber- 
ries may be pruned by cutting out the old wood where 
crowded, and shortening the last season's growth. Bury 
the new wood for cuttings. Prune grape vines, leaving 
one or two buds more than are needed, to be removed 
next spring. "Vines are trained on so many different 
plans that no precise directions can be given. If the 
wood is needed for propagating, save only the well- 
ripened, and preserve in a moist cellar or bury in a dry 
place in the open ground. Every one who owns a 
vine or many, should read that plain and practical work, 
Fuller's Grape Culturlst. Give strawberry beds a cov- 
ering of straw, leaves, or other protecting material. 
Apiary in December. — Prepared by M. 
Quinby.— Bees to be housed in winter, should have the 
advantage of fl-ing ■:■*, the last warm days that occur. 
To make t v ■ ;onfinement as short as possible, leave 
them until vinter approaches In earnest. They are much 
more quiet in handling, when the weather is a little sharp, 
than on warm days. The room In which they are stored, 
should be perfectly dark, and dry as possible. Fifty stocks 
or more, are necessary in a room above ground, to secure 
a temperature sufficiently high. Over one hundred would 
make it too warm part of the time. A few may be kept 
comfortable ir: a dry warm cellar. As there is always 
moisture generated in a hive of bees, some means must 
be provided to get rid of it. The box hive should be 
^turned bottom upward, when sufficient ventilation can 
•Inot be obtained otherwise. The honey board of the 
movable enmh hive may be raised a little, or some of the 
holes — passages to the surplus boxes — maybe opened. 
Bees consume less honey when protected and kept warm, 
than when exposed to the inclemency of the weather. 
A very few bees will perish when the temperature is at 
the freezing point, but in a full colony they warm each 
6lher and sustain life in a much colder atmosphere. A 
number of colonies together warm each other on the same 
principle. Feeble stocks that would perish in the open 
air, are so much benefited by the warmth given out by 
the stronger ones, as to pass the winter safely. Only 
strong stocks will do well in simple wooden hives in the 
open air. If the moisture passes out through any special 
vents, it will carry with it much of the warmth, which a 
feeble colony can not afford to spare. Hives of straw 
may yet be made, early in this month, to be used the 
coming winter by those having the movable combs. 
When transferring the contents from wooden hives to 
those of straw in cold weather, take them to some room 
nearly dark, where they will fly much less. Wood hives 
are greatly benefited by surrounding with a good thick- 
ness of straw. If the fly holes are jarge enough for the 
mice to enter, nail wire cloth over them, but leave a pas- 
sage for the bees. Bees may be buried in some places, 
safely. A very few may be entirely covered with earth, 
first surrounding the hives with a thick coating of straw. 
A large number would need the admission of air. The 
light must be excluded, as well as mice and moisture. 
Twenty Good Premiums 
For Volume 24. — 1865. 
We can not employ traveling or local Agents to solicit 
subscriptions, as is done by most other journals. There 
is no margin of profit out of which to pay commissions. 
The (new) terms are arranged to just meet the present ' 
cost of supplying the paper. We hope "in the good 
time coming" to make a reasonable profit; but while 
waiting for better times, our chief aim is to maintain and 
increase the present circulation. Even this will require 
some effort, for at the usual rate of mortality, 3000 or 
more out of every 100,000 die annually ; -while many 
thousands of our subscribers have volunteered in the ser- 
vice of the country. The enterprising- men who take 
and read journals of this kind are foremost in every good 
work. We met many readers in the camps in Virginia, 
and we hear of and from them in almost every part of 
the country where the Union armies have penetrated. 
We shall be glad to send the Agriculturist into many 
new families, believing that its mission will be useful. 
All who aid in this will do a good work. 
To those who take time to collect clubs of subscri- 
bers, we offer below as premiums, some good articles 
purchased with funds derived from other resources than 
subscription money, for that will all be required in sup- 
plying the paper, unless printing paper and labor decline 
materially. We invite every subscriber, everywhere, 
to make an effort to obtain <<:■? of the good articles 
offered as premiums. They are all worth securing. 
Send along the names as fast as obtained, that the 
subscribers may begin to receive their papers promptly. 
When any list is &>mpleted notify us which of the arti- 
cles is desired, and it will be promptly forwarded. To save 
mistakes and the keeping of money accounts, send with 
each name or list of names the exact subscription money. 
To avoid errors and save immense labor in looking over 
our books, it is absolutely essential that every name design- 
ed/or a premium list be so marked when sent in. (Such 
names will be credited the sender in a separate book, as 
fast as received— ready for instant reference.) 
Old and new subscribers will count in premium lists, 
but they shouid be partly new names, for it is to obtain 
such that the premiums are in part offered. Premium 
clubs need not all be at one Post office. Of course 
only one premium will be given for the same subscriber. 
Tabic of Premiums and Terms. 
For Volume 24. 
Open to all— IVo Competition. 
Names of Premium Articles. j_ 
1— Good Books— See terms below * 
2— Case of Drawing Instruments $8 00 
3— Best Family Clothes-Wringer $io 00 
4 — Doty'a Washing Machine $12 00 
5— Sewine Machine, (Wheeler & Wilson).. $5ii 00 
6— Four Octave Melodeon (best) $67 00 
7— Five Octave Melodeon (best) $112 00 
8— Brown's Baby Tender $30 00 
9— Brown's Babv Tender $42 00 
10— Woodruff's Mercurial Barometer $10 00 
11— Wood rnfTs Mercurial Barometer $15 00 
12— The Aqnarius $12 00 
13— Ladies' Rosewood Writing Desk $12 00 
14 — Gentleman's do do do $14 00 
15— Any back Volume Agriculturist, ^ S*S $1 50 
IG— Any Two do do do e 5 $3 00 
17— Any Three do do do \ £© $4 50 
18— Any Four do do do g~ $6 00 
19— Any Five do do do J fijfi $7 50 
20— Strawberry Plants— See Terms below.** . . 
«^ 
■gsa 
^^~'No charge is made for packing or boxing any of the 
articles in this Premium List. The Books, also Premiums 
2, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19 and 20, are delivered to any part 
of the United States and Territories, free of all charges. 
The other articles cost the recipient only the freight af- 
ter leaving the manufactory of each. X&T Every article 
offered is new and of the very best manufacture. 
NOTEB ON THE PREMnJMB. 
♦Premium 1— Good Books.— Any person sending a 
club of 25 or more subscribers, may select Books from the list 
on page 353, to tho amount of 10 cents for each subscriber 
Bent at $1 : or to the amount of 60 cents for each name at $1 
50. This offer extends only to clubs of 25 or more names. 
The Books will be sent by mail or express, prepaid by us.— 
This is a good way for the farmers of a neigeborhood to get 
up an Agricultural Library for general use. Several Farm* 
era' Clubs have done so. 
Premium 2.— The Case of Drawing Instruments is a 
Kosewood Box, containing a dozen very excellent articles, 
of polished steel and brass— useful for sketching, drawing,' 
plotting, laying out plans of land, buildings, etc. There are 
dividers with joints, points, markers, pencil holders, ruling 
pens, semicircles, etc., etc. Each piece is fitted into a velvet 
cushion. These instruments were part of those ordered from 
Paris for last year's premiums, which arrived too late. They 
could hardly be imported now for double the money. While 
useful to all, nothing better could be given to children to de- 
velop then: tact, taste, and mechanical skill. 
Premium 3.— The Clothes-Wringer is too well known 
to need description. No better or more useful labor-saving 
and clothes-saving implement has ever been introduced into 
the household. We give only the "Universal Clothes- 
Wringer," fitted with cogs, which, we esteem essential to 
any good wringer. The one we offer (No. 2) is of the right 
size for general family use. It is a good Christmas or New- 
Year's present for your care-worn wife. 
Premium 4— Botifs Washing Machine we have tried 
thoroughly for nearly a year past, in competition with 
many others sent to us, and for actual service this seems to 
be an Improvement upon every previous machine we have 
tested. It is compact, and easily and naturally worked. 
Our " better half," who has been complimented with the 
gift of a score or more of different machines for trial, says 
this is taken to most kindly by the "help,' and that she can 
not persuade them to use any other while this is at hand. 
The machines sent to those entitled to them as premiums 
will be forwarded from Janesville, Wis., to those living in 
Ohio and further west; and from the manufacturers' New 
York Warehouse to those living east of Ohio. Send to 
Messrs. Doty Brothers, Janesville, Wis., for a descriptive cir- 
cular, which will be supplied free. 
Premium 5.— Woman's Greatest Boon. We would art- 
vise a man to forego a thresher, and thresh wheat with a 
flail, rather than to see the wife wear her health, vigor, at d 
life away, in the everlasting "stitch, stitch, stitch," when a 
Sewing Machine can be obtained. The Wheeler & Wilson, or 
some other good machine, is an invaluable aid in every 
household. We have had several different machines on trial, 
and after six years' service the Wheeler & Wilson has taken 
precedence as the best machine for all kinds of sewing to be 
done in the'faraily. A large number of persons have in the 
past years secured one of these premium machines as Christ- 
mas or New Year's presents for the home circle. 
Premiums 6 and 7.— We have had one of Geo. Prince 
& Co.'s large Melodeons in our Sunday School room for five 
years, where it has given the highest satisfaction, and in all 
this time it has not had the slightest repair or tuning. We 
can recommend this instrument very highly. Send a P. O. 
stamp to Geo. A. Prince & Co., Buffalo, N, Y„ and get' mi 
illustrated descriptive catalogue, giving sizes, prices, etc. 
The Premium Melodeons will be forwarded direct from the 
manufactory ready boxed, by railroad, steamboat or ex- 
press, as directed by the recipient. Eg 1 " It is very easy for 
the members of a Congregation to make up a club of sub- 
scribers to the Agriculturist, and get one of these Melo- 
deons for the Church or Sunday School room. Many 
churches have done so since we first offered this premium. 
Premium 8 and 9.— The Baby Tender happens to 
be so well described on page 3-17, that we need add nothing 
further here. We select two styles that will meet the wants 
of the larger class. More costly ones, in a higher style of 
finish (though not more effective,) will be supplied for a 
proportionably greater number of names. 
Premiums 10 and 11.— Woodruff's Mercurial Bar- 
ometers. These are the best instruments we know of for the 
price. Send to the manufacturer, Charles Wilder, Peter- 
boro. New Hampshire, for a circular giving engravings and 
a full description of the instruments. They are so portable 
that the manufacturer will warrant the safe delivery to the 
recipients of every instrument given by us as a premium, if 
not to bo sent beyond the Rocky Mountains. We offer two 
forms, both of which are effective and accurate, differing 
mainly in the style of case. Both have a thermometer and 
vernier. The $15 Instrument is of course the most desirable, 
though cither one of them will be highly useful. The bar- 
ometer, as a weather indicator, is almost as valuable to the 
landsman as to the mariner. There are many times in a year 
when the warning of a barometer will save more than its 
cost, while the annual Interest on the price will be only 75 
cents or $1 a year. The habit of observation, and of scientific 
study, cultivated in children, well repay the cost of such im- 
plements. A little effort will secure a premium one. 
Premium 12.— The Aquarius, or Water-Thrower, is an 
excellent portable force-pump, useful in many ways — to 
water the garden or plants, to wash windows, carriages, etc. 
One can catch up the implement, carry it to any place, and 
from a pail throw a considerable stream of water 20 to 80 
feet or more, and thus sometimes put out an incipient fire 
that could not be readily reached otherwise. It has a jet- 
pipe, and also a rose, or sprinkler. An air-chamber attached 
keeps up a steady stream. Send to W. & B. Douglas, Mid- 
dletown, Conn., and get a circular giving full particulars. 
Premiums 13 and 14.— These are very neat, portable 
Rosewood Writing Desks, which can be closed up and locked 
when not in use. When closed, No. 13 is 12 inches long, 9 inches 
wide, and 4 inches high, and will hold ordinary letter paper. 
No. 14 is just like No. 13, but larger, and will hold foolscap 
paper. They are both of fine rosewood, finished with brass 
corners and mountings. No. 13 is a fine present for a teacher 
or other lady, and either one Is convenient for any person 
both to uBe as a writing desk on the table or even on 
