4r4r8 
AMERICAN AGRIG LTI/r URIST. 
(November, 
wants, looks to her flock of turkeys ; and now, as 
Thanksgiving draws nigh, she counts and feeds her 
flock with pleasant anticipation of the day in which 
the hopes of many days will be consummated. 
Blessed be the observance which touches so nearly 
so many human hearts. Blessed be the day which 
brings joy to so many home's—which, to the wan¬ 
derer, wherever he may be, turns his thoughts to¬ 
wards home. And when has the American farmer 
had greater occasion on Thanksgiving Day than 
now to say : “Oil ! give thanks unto the Lord, for 
He is good, and His Mercy Eudureth Forever !” 
Contents of this Number. 
Among the Farmers. No. 16: The Fairs—Thorough¬ 
breds or Grades—“Holderness” Cattle.459-460 
Ashes. Experiments with Canada.465 
Back-firing. . Illustrated. .456 
Banks, Restoration of River.4 Illustration ?..461 
Beds, Ornamental in Winter.458 
Bee Notes for November. .. .456 
Beef, How to Dress.-2 Illustrations . . 464 
Borer, The Clover Root. Illustrated. .463 
Bows, Fastening Cattle with.3 Illustrations.. 166 
Box, A Weighing, and Attachments. .3 Illustrations. .463 
Bits’ and Girls’ Columns -.—The Doctor's Talks: 
Internal Forces—Gravity—Specific Weight—Laws 
of Falling Bodies. The Doctor's Corres/iondence : 
Gold Fishes—What is Gas?—Carious Hats. Illus¬ 
trated Rebus. All Boys and Many Girls. Our Puz¬ 
zle-Box. The Second Drawing Lesson. Spiders, 
Spinnerets, and Cobwebs. How Bears Go to Mar¬ 
ket. The Young Carpenter.. .15 Illustrations. .471-474 
Branding Cattle.463 
Bridge. A Floating or Pontoon.3 Illustrations. .462 
Bnildings, Fire-proof Farm.3 Illustrations. .464 
Butter, Packing, for Winter.464 
Calender for November.448 
Cart. A Farm.2 Illustrations .463 
Catalogues, Nurserymen’s, etc., Acknowledged.482 
Correspondence, Editorial..457 
Dew, Effects of, Upon Pastures..464 
Fair List for November..481 
Farming. Poultry.464 
Fish-Pond. Small Artificial.461 
Flower Garden and Lawn.450 
Fowls, Tlie Langshan. Illustrated. .459 
Fungus, The Apple-Leaf.5 Illustrations. .468 
Garden, Kitchen and Market.450 
Garden, The Fruit.440 
Grapes, Some New White.468 
Greenhouse and Window Plants for November. . .450 
Harvard and Arboriculture.453 
Hints and Helps for Farmers: Fastening Pig in Wag¬ 
on—A Portable Fodder-Rack—A Leaf Rake—Con¬ 
venient Bag Holder.4 Illustrations. .462 
Hints for November Farm Work.448 
Household :—Home Topics: Transplanting Children 
—Care of Jelly and Preserves—Jelly and Marmalade 
—Fruit Stains. Wood Box. Another. Chair, A 
Feather. Mop Wringer, The Communities’. Canary 
Birds. Berries, Wild Autumn. Gifts. Useful Bri¬ 
dal.5 Illustrations .469-471 
Humbugs, Sundry.450 
Ivy for the House.463 
Mallow. The Great Scarlet Rose.... Illustrated. .467 
Markets for November. 450 
Meal, Cotton Seed.460 
Orchard and Garden Notes for November.449 
Orchard and Nursery.449 
Package, A Portable for Wheat.2 Illustrations. .469 
Paddock and Hovel for Horses.2 Illustrations. .464 
Root-Cellars and Root-Houses.4 Illustrations. .458 
Shading a Greenhouse. Illustrated. .469 
Smoke-Houses.4 Illustrations. AH0 
Sugar-Beet Culture, Benefits of.462 
Trees, Unprofitable Fruit.463 
Trefoil, The Canada Tick. Illustrated ..467 
Thanksgiving is Coming. Illustrated. .447 
Thanksgiving. Reasons for.452 
Tools, Well-Boring.13 Illustrations. .465-466 
Ventilator for Root Pit.2 Illustrations. .460 
Wheat, Cultivated.466 
INDEX TO “ BASSET,” AND OTHER SHORT ARTICLES. 
Agriculture, German_481 Iowa Farming .480 
Jerseys, American.481 
Apples for Cows.480 
Bark, Peeling.430 
Binders, Self.454 
Bone-dust. Home-made. .481 
Brick Making.454 
Cheese, Colored.454 
College, the Amer. Vecer455 
Convention, Internation¬ 
al Dairymen’s.454 
Crop, Sugar, European. .481 
Calves, Management of. .480 
Calves, Raising.430 
Caponizing. 480 
Celery, Preserving.453 
Congress, The Nat. Ag.,455 
Dairy Goods, Advance in.481 
Depression, Agricultural.454 
Disease in Poultry.4-0 
Dominique-Legborns_481 
Draining, Surface.480 
Duchess, present value of!81 
Exercise for Fowis.481 
Fair, N. J. State.455 
Fair, West N. Y. Agr’1,.454 
Farm Products, Sale of. .482 
Farmers, Dutch.480 
Farms. New.455 
Fever, Typhoid.455jTime. Employers, 
Fleeces, Heavy. .. .481 Weeding out 
Lime, Value of.180 
Mangels, Weight of.480 
Manure at $3 a Ton.480 
Mildew, Grape.454 
“Mr.” or “Esq.” or “t),’’..454 
Musk,.481 
Mulleins.454 
Oyster, Value of.480 
Peanuts, Trade in.481 
Plants and Plant Food. .454 
Plowing Dry Land.480 
Poland Chinas, Australia455 
Post, Rubbing for Pigs. .481 
Potatoes for Fat’g Hogs.481 
Prairie Fires.455 
Rubber for Mops .430 
Scratches in Horses.481 
Shows, English Cattle...481 
Society, Am. Pomo.455 
Society, Mass. Hort.454 
Society, N. Y. Hort.455 
Station, N. C. Experim’l 454 
Tarring a roof.480 
Tea Culture in the U. S..454 
Teat. Cows, Injury to...455 
Tile Machines .480 
480 
481 
Grapes. Hooker’s.452 Wheat. Early and Late..454 
Grass, Bermuda.482 Wheat in Nebraska... .480 
Ice-flouse Building.454 Wheat, New Grades.... .481 
Illinois Farm Products..455 Wood. Preservation of..480 
Incubators .480 Wool Producer, Longest.480 
Calendar for November, 1879. 
Boston.NEng- 
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Washington. 
land. A. 
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Philadelphia , 
Maryland, 
state, Michi 
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PHASIfiS OF THE MOON. 
MOON. 
BOSTON. 
N. YORK. 
WASU’N. 
oha’ston 
OHIOAQO. 
3d Quart. 
New M ’11 
1st Quart 
Full M'n 
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7 31 ev. 
1 41 ev. 
3 49 ev. 
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0 35 mo. 
7 19 ev. 
1 29 ev. 
3 27 ev. 
II. M. 
0 5 mo. 
6 49 ev. 
0 59 ev. 
2 5 i ev. 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
NEW YORK, NOVEMBER, 1879. 
Hints for the Work of the Month. 
[The Hints and Suggestions in these columns are 
never copied from previous years, but art freshly pre¬ 
pared for every month, from the latest experience and 
observations, by practical men in each department .] 
Plowing the Corn Stubble, should be made the first 
business of this month. Iu fact, the plowing un¬ 
der or otherwise disposing of all rubbish from 
gathered crops, should be done as soon as possible. 
Green Manuring, is one of the cheapest and 
easiest methods of fertilizing land. A stubble 
plowed early this month, may be sown with rye, at 
a cost of less than $2 per acre, and the rye may be 
plowed under in the spring, April or May, and the 
ground sown with another crop. Otherwise the 
rye inay be cut for fodder, and the ground used for 
oats. But an occasional green crop plowed iu, will 
be found very useful in keeping up land, and rye 
is the only one that can be used at this season. 
Hoots after Corn .—A badly plowed corn stubble, is 
the worst possible ground for roots, and if tlieseare 
to be grown next season, and com stubble is to be 
plowed first, it must be plowed deeply, and all the 
corn-stubs well covered. Root culture requires good 
farming, and rough uneven plowing, with loose 
corn-stubs on the surface, is not good farming. A 
well plowed corn stubble may be worked with the 
disk harrow in the spring, and well fitted for roots, 
which are preferable to oats to follow corn. 
Corn Fodder .—Corn stalks that are out in the 
field should be made safe, either by stacking or 
putting under cover, as soon as possible. Hay is 
scarce and will be dear, and fodder of all kinds is 
worth eariug for; to expose it to the weather, as 
is too often done, is injurious and wasteful. 
Boot Hits.—Roots and potatoes will heat and 
’‘sweat,” and if not well ventilated, or if the pits 
are not uncovered, they will decay. This should be 
carefully looked to, and the pits must not be com¬ 
pletely closed, until all danger from heating is over. 
Roots yet undug, should be secured at once. 
Surface Drains may be made to serve a very use¬ 
ful purpose. If the waste flows off from the ground 
in this way, sub-soil drainage may be unnecessary. 
But surface drainage is a waste, because some fer¬ 
tilizing matter is carried away, ■which would be left 
iu the soil if the water soaked through it into under 
drains, and surface draining is therefore only a 
temporary expedient at the best. Surface drains 
may be used with advantage where land is not 
underdrained, and this is the season for the work. 
Deep Drains .—Making drains is especially a work 
for this season. If a field, or part of one, or a low 
piece of land is properly drained each year, by and 
by the whole farm will be put into good condition. 
Patience and time are especially needed in farm 
work. One cannot do everything in one year, nor 
in ten, in many cases, so that a farmer should not 
be discouraged, if he cannot do all that he desires, 
in one or two seasons. If what is done is com¬ 
pleted, as far as it goes, one should be satisfied. 
Good Work .—One of the most important hints 
that we can offer to our fellow farmers, is to do 
only good work, for this only pays; and never to 
begin a job unless it can he well finished ; for a job 
of work left half undone, is frequently worse than 
if not commenced. It is better to put off the begin¬ 
ning of a job, than to fail in carrying it through, 
by beginning before one is ready for the work. 
The Chinch Bug has been unusually destructive 
the past season. Its winter harbors are in the stub¬ 
bles and any standing weeds that remain in the 
fields. Doubtless the ravages of this pest are en¬ 
couraged by the safe shelters it finds in this way. 
Wheat farmers may take a hint from this, that 
cleaner culture may be found an effective method 
of destroying this, and other pests, by depriving 
them of winter quarters. 
Fences and Ditches .—Before the ground freezes, 
put fences and ditches in good order. Fence posts 
that are loose may be tamped solidly, and a stone 
rammed on each side will steady a post better than 
packing with earth. Mounding up around the 
posts will turn the water from them and save them 
from heaving. The weeds that have grown in the 
ditches, and the accumulations of leaves and rub¬ 
bish, should not be left in them ; remove all such 
and make a clear channel for the water to flow a way. 
Cows .—Dairymen have reason to hope for better 
things. An advance of 100 per cent on cheese, and 
25 per cent on butter, is cheering, although, unfor¬ 
tunately, the dealers get all the benefit of it at 
present. The dairymen, however, will have the 
advantage in the future, and this will be an incen¬ 
tive to improve the condition of the cows. Winter 
dairying is a profitable business, and the best dairy- 
meu are gradually working into it, but it will be 
only the first-class dairymen who will succeed in it. 
Winter Feeding for Cows .—The yield of milk and 
butter in the summer depends greatly upon the 
winter feeding. All the feed giveu to cows is not 
consumed without return. The manure gives a 
good dividend upon the outlay, and the animals are 
storing up energy and strength to be made availa¬ 
ble afterwards. The winter is the season for liberal 
and judicious feeding and not for “short commons,’' 
which is hut another term for half starvation. 
Regular Rations are absolutely necessary. Steady 
feed means steady thrift and profit. Scarcely any 
two animals have the same appetites. In feeding, 
observe closely and know the habits of each ani¬ 
mal ; the winter is the time for this study. 
Mixed Feed .—Sameness palls upon the appetite ; 
a variety of food encourages it. A good farmer 
loves to see his animals eat, and the more they eat, ! 
and healthfully digest, the greater are the owner’s 1 
profits. Cut or pulped roots will be found the best 
basis for winter feeding, and with these, corn-fod¬ 
der and oat straw may be given liberally, saving the 
hay until the early spring. Prof. Atwater's articles 
on feeding, published in the Amcrv:an Agriculturist 
in 1877, with numerous tables of rations, will make 
instructive reading for the present long evenings. 
It must be remembered, however, that, in giving 
its chemical character, the digestibility of the fod¬ 
der is not taken into account. This is a practical 
matter which must be considered in connection 
with the theoretical estimates. 
Horses .—The teams should not rest while a day’s j 
work in the field remains to be done. Good feed¬ 
ing is needed while work continues. Idle horses 
may run in a feuced yard or field, and hay or corn- 
fodder will be sufficient for them while not at woik. 
/ 
