346 
NORTHERN CALENDAR FOR NOVEMBER. 
subjects embodied in the following schedule, 
adopted by the executive committee—John. P. 
Beekman, President, in the chair—several of the 
premiums, on important subjects (as stated when 
premiums were first offered months ago), being 
open to competition from citizens of other states 
as well as New York—a fact which editors are 
particularly requested to notice : 
PREMIUMS OFFERED— 
Which were not included in the list published 
in our May No., page 146 and following : 
For the best text-book on agriculture and horticulture, 
for the use of schools (copyright reserved to the au¬ 
thor), $100. 
For the best essay, detailing observations made on 
the culture aud diseases of the potato, with special ref¬ 
erence to the phenomena of the extraordinary visitation 
which has largely desolated the potato crop in the 
United States, and embracing suggestions for counter¬ 
acting the difficulty in future cultivation of that crop— 
a gold medal worth $20. 
For the best essay on the means of diffusing scien¬ 
tific knowledge in connexion with agricultural and hor¬ 
ticultural information, through the instrumentality of 
the public libraries and schools, with a catalogue of 
books suitable for the purpose—a gold medal worth $20. 
Henry O’Reilly, Rec. Sec., 
Agricultural Hall, Old State House, Albany. 
NORTHERN CALENDAR FOR NOVEMBER. 
It is now time to close up the operations of the warm 
season, and provide for the cold. Finish collecting in 
all your crops, corn, turneps, cabbages, &c., and see 
that your cellars are well secured against frost, and 
your granaries against depredators. Finish the fall 
plowing. All clay land should be thrown into ridges 
for the action of the frost. One good plowing on such 
land in the fall is worth two or three in the spring, and 
as the soil has a great affinity for ammonia, while thus 
exposed, it will absorb large quantities of it brought 
down in the winter and spring, by the snows and rain, 
which it will yield to the crops the ensuing season. 
Examine the winter grain and any water furrows which 
have become choked up, let them be opened. Standing 
water will kill any useful vegetable , excepting rice. 
The yards should be well bedded with turf, peat, or 
muck, weeds, refuse straw, and other vegetable matters; 
and so constructed that the soluble parts of it, which 
are the best, shall not be drained off to help inundate 
the roads and ditches.’ If time permits, drains should 
be made to carry off the latent water, which destroys 
the crops, or diminishes them so much as hardly to pay 
for the raising. Underground, in preference to surface 
drains, should always be constructed, unless large quan¬ 
tities of water are required to pass. Give all your 
roots in heaps for the winter an additional covering be¬ 
fore the ground is frozen. Have all the barns and 
sheds well covered and mended, and the racks and 
mangers all tight, and in order, that no hay or proven¬ 
der may be wasted. Before the ground is frozen, look 
well to your fences. No meadows, winter grain, or 
even pastures, should be exposed to poaching from cat¬ 
tle, sheep, or hogs. An animal will frequently do more 
hurt in one of them in a day at this season, than in a 
week while the ground is well settled in summer. In 
the meantime the household plants—the children— 
should not be neglected, and especially the older ones 
who have helped through the labors of the summer and 
harvests. Good schools must be provided for them, 
good teachers, and good books. Their minds now, and 
indeed at all times, should be as closely watched over 
as the more tangible things of the farm. On their 
correct moral and intellectual education, depends much, 
perhaps all their success in after life, and no fences 
should be neglected, or bars left down in their young 
minds. Good seed sown here, on good soil, and well 
cultivated, if the weeds of vice and bad principles are 
thoroughly extirpated, will never fail of producing an 
abundant harvest. It is not sufficient that their parents 
see them furnished with all the means for mental im¬ 
provement ; they must take an interest in their studies 
also. Daily examination into the progress of their 
children, should be the constant practice of parents* 
questions asked having a bearing upon them; the con¬ 
nexion between their studies and .their own business 
pointed out, to show that they have a practical applica¬ 
tion to the concerns of every-day life; and they should 
be explained and illustrated in such a manner as to 
excite an interest and inquiry in their young minds. 
The discipline of the school ought to be inquired into, 
and the relative standing of the children; and when 
praise is due, bestow it; and where censure and even 
punishment are needed, they should not be withheld. 
No farmer would think of putting out his land to.be 
managed by an agent without frequent and close super¬ 
vision. Do not, therefore, put out the minds of your 
children, which are of infinitely more value, to the 
management of every individual, without a closer and 
more thorough attention than he gives to his grounds 
and his cattle. 
Commence spreading out hemp for dew rotting, bear¬ 
ing in mind the observations on this subject last month. 
Kitchen Garden.— If not done last month, many of 
the early vegetables may be sown for the ensuing 
spring, if you have not hot beds for forcing. The beds 
ought to be thrown up high, so as to avoid water during 
winter and spring, and being soon dry when the snow 
is off, the young plants will take an early start. They 
should be well filled with the heating manure, as horse 
dung, &c. In these, tomatoes, lettuce, spinage, cress, 
&c., may be sown. The asparagus bed should have a 
large supply of rich manure, which the winter rains 
will drain of all its enriching soluble matters and carry 
to the lowest roots, and on the opening of spring, will 
be ready to furnish a fresh treat for the table. Let the 
lettuces in frames still be exposed to the air during the 
day, but be covered by the glass at night. Practise the 
same treatment with cabbages and cauliflowers in 
frames. Take up all the remaining roots and store 
as detailed last month. Rhubarb seed can now be 
sown, and will vegetate better than if kept out of the 
ground until spring. In the early part of this month, 
manure and trench the ground intended for early spring 
crops. 
Fruit Garden and Orchard. —Gooseberries, cur¬ 
rants, and raspberries, may now be transplanted. Of 
the latter the red and white Antwerp are considered the 
most desirable. Do this the early part of the month, 
and in the latter part lay down the raspberries, and 
cover them with sedge or any kind of litter. Cover 
the strawberries with litter or they may be killed, or at 
least injured, by the winter. Dig and trench or plow 
the ground intended for planting in the spring. 
Flower Garden and Pleasure Grounds. —The 
directions for last month will also apply to this, while 
the ground is free from frost. The latter part of the 
month cover the flower borders and bulbous beds, and 
also all flowery plants and shrubs with a litter of straw 
or of salt hay. 
