4 : 4 = 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
[February, 
Contents of this Number. 
Among the Farmers, No. 49: Mass. Butter Show—Cen¬ 
trifugal Machines—Other Dairy Appliances—Ad¬ 
dresses and Discussions..4 Illustrations.. 55 
Apples, Twin... Illustrated.. 65 
Atavism, What is ? . _ . ..58 
Barn-Doors, Inside Fastenings for_ Alllustrations.. 57 
Bermuda Grass.. Illustrated.. 64 
Bee Notes for February. . 53 
Bots’ and Girls' Columns -.—The Doctor's Talks: 
Friction, Lubricators, Friction Wheels, Action and 
Reaction. A Curious Time Trick. Picture Puzzle. 
Our Pnzzle-Box. Pop Corn. Illustrated Rebus. A 
Boy’s Composition on Winter. The Third Drawing 
Lesson. Icicles—How are they Made ? One of the 
’Ologies. The Merry Mice. 8 Illustrations. .68-70 
Buildings, Farm, Costing $3,000. 6 Illustrations.. 54 
Business, The, of two Years, 1878.. 1879. 52 
Calendar for February. 44 
Catalogues. . 73 
Cattle, Jerseys, Precocity. 61 
Cattle, The Angus Polled. 2 Illustrations.. 55 
Cattle Fastenings, Ring aud Swivel.. .2 Illustrations.. 61 
Cattle Shelters on the Prairies.2 Illustrations.. 62 
Cream, Separating by Centrifugal Force.2 Illustrations.. 60 
Chestnut,, Horse, Double White Flowered. .Illustrated.. 63 
Corns on Horses’ Feet. Illustrated.. 57 
Cutters, Fodder and Litter.2 Illustrations.. 50 
Ducks, Will it Pay to Raise?.2 Illustrations.. 60 
Ergot and Abortion in Cows. 57 
FenceB and Fencing.12 Illustrations.. 51 
Figures, More Pleasant. 52 
Fungus, The Apple Leaf..3 Illustrations .. 65 
Garden, Kitchen and Market. . 46 
Garden, The Fruit. 46 
Gate without Hinges.4 Illustrations.. 57 
Greenhouse and Window Plants.. 46 
Hints and Helps for Fai'tners: How to Put up a 
Wagon-Box—A Gate without Hinges—Non-Freez¬ 
ing Pumps—Poultry Fountains—A Western Hay- 
Gatherer—A Hay Weighing Rack.. .6 Illustrations.. 58 
Household : Decorative Art—Protection for Win¬ 
dows—Household Notes and Queries—Soldering 
Liqnid—A Hanging Housewife—Hard and Soft 
Water—Scrape the Feet—A Convenient Solder— 
An Ornamental Match-Holder.. ..11 Illustrations.. 68-70 
Humbugs, Sundry.48 
Jerseys, The Precocity of the. 61 
Jewel—A Nose, for Calves. Illustrated.. 57 
Jumper, Making a. Illustrated.. 61 
Locust, The Honey, as Hedge Plant. Illustrated.. 63 
Manure, Spreading from Cart Tail. 59 
Markets for February. 76 
Milk and Cows—What Chemists Say. 56 
Mines and Mining Terms. 6 Illustrations.. 59 
Notes on Orchard and Garden Work. 45 
Orchard and Nursery. 45 
Pig, The Villager’s—How to Keep It. . 59 
Prizes, Keeping One Cow. 47 
Rakes and Brooms for Barn and Barn-Yards.. .3 Ills.. 61 
Science Applied to Farming, LIV. 53 
Shovel, How to Make a Snow. Illustrated.. 62 
Sled, A Dumping.3 Illustrations.. 62 
Snow, In the. 43 
Smoke-House Convenience. Illustrated.. 62 
Top-Dressing in Winter. 62 
Tree Planting, Rapid, in Kansas. 65 
Turkeys, Does It Pay to Winter. 75 
Twin Apples. Illustrated.. 65 
INDEX TO “BASKET,” AND OTHER SHORT ARTICLES. 
Agriculture in France... .77 
America and England ... .47 
Blister, The Pear Leaf... .76 
Boots, Mending Rubber. .77 
Box, Wooden Mailing, 
2 Illustrations .49 
Breeding In-and In.48 
Butter and Cheese, Col'g. .78 
Census Assignments ....49 
Chalk in Milk.77 
Chores, Doing.50 
Churns, An Improvement.47 
Celery.77 
Cistern, Pressure on.77 
Clover, Sowing Seed.-.49 
College, Agricultural, of 
Japan.49 
Cotton Culture. Book on. .77 
Cotton. Fertilizer for.77 
Cows, Kicking.77 
Cranberries,Where Grown77 
Creek, Bank of.48 
Curry the Cows.50 
Eclipses for 1880. 77 
Eggs from DifFrnt Breeds 49 
Fire. Starting a.49 
Food and Digestion.50 
Foods, Money Value of...47 
Garget, Treatment of.77 
Gold and Silver.77 
Grain,will Prices Adv’nce.47 
Harness, Mending.50 
Hens in Winter. 75 
Hogs, Killing.76 
Horse-shoes, Sharpening.49 
Ice Harvest. 77 
Initials. 77 
Lantern in Barn .50 
Lettuce, Disease.47 
Live-Forever, Killing.48 
Logs, Loading. 111. .48 
Market Tendencies.48 
Marsh, Salt. 77 
Meat, Packing Frozen... .75 
Milking. 75 
Moth, The Bee.’. .48 
Pig, Heavy. 48 
“Pine Straw.”. 50 
Pins, Some. 47 
Pleuro-Pneumonia.77 
Plum, The Bradshaw.... 77 
Rams, Butting. 111 ..50 
Sheep, Cross Breeding.. .49 
Shell in Tea-Kettle. 77 
Shoes, Steel Calked.7S 
Skins, To Dress. 49 
Snakes Swallowing their 
Young. .48 
society, Ohio Hort’l.50 
Society, Western Hort’l..77 
Sprouts, Poplar.77 
Statistics, Some Dairy_76 
Street, The Wrong.47 
Thoroughbreds, Do they 
Revert?.48 
Trees, Apple, in Kansas. .50 
Water Ice Cold.48 
Wheat,Rolling,after Bow’g75 
Calendar for February, 1880. 
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PHASES OF THE MOON. 
MOON. 
BOSTON. 
N. YORK. 
WASIl’N. 
cha’ston 
CHICAGO. 
3<1 Quart. 
New M’u 
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3 
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10 55 mo. 
6 33 mo. 
11 1 ev. 
8 38 ev. 
II. M. 
10 43 mo. 
6 21 mo. 
10 49 ev. 
8 26 ev. 
n. m. 
10 31 mo 
6 9 mo 
10 37 ev. 
8 14 ev. 
n. m. 
10 19 mo. 
5 57 mo. 
10 25 ev. 
8 2 ev. 
U. M. 
9 49 mo. 
5 27 mo. 
9 55 ev. 
7 32 ev. 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
NEW YORK, FEBRUARY, 1880. 
Hints for the Work of the Month. 
[ The Hints and Suggestions in these columns are 
never copied from previous years, but are freshly pre¬ 
pared for every month, from the latest experience and 
observations, by practical men in each department .] 
The Last Month of Winter has begun for the 
Northern farmer, while in the Southern States 
spring has already opened; whatever is to he done 
in the way of preparation can be no longer delayed. 
A late beginning makes a late season, and to regain 
time lost now, may be found impossible hereafter. 
A farmer who is behindhand is a prey to accidents 
and misfortunes of the season, and often finds his 
labor increased, and the results lessened by reason 
of his own carelessness. On the other hand, the 
forward man gets the benefit of every advantage, 
and many disadvantages of season are safely passed 
over, because he is ahead of them. 
Hauling out Manure. —While the ground is hard or 
covered with snow, the manure heaps can be hauled 
to the fields with the least trouble. Those who have 
profited by our hints for the past few months, will 
have the manure in good condition for hauling out 
now; others will have it lying around loose and 
frozen, and consequently useless for some time yet. 
The Finest Manure is made by turning the heap 
over twice. To do this, begin at each end of the 
pile, and throw oil the manure to a distance of three 
feet, building up the new heaps, and placing the 
coarsest manure in the center. Then proceed un¬ 
til two heaps are made. These will soon heat, and 
a month or so afterwards the process may be re¬ 
versed and the two heaps made into one again. 
Cabbages. —Every farmer should raise cabbages, 
both early and late. For early kinds, the seeds 
should be sown in a hot-bed this month,unless plants 
started last fall have been kept through the winter 
in cold-frames. Directions for making a hot-bed 
will be found under the Notes for Kitchen and 
Market Garden. It is not a waste of manure to use 
it for a hot-bed, as it will be all the better for applica¬ 
tion in the garden after it has served this purpose. 
Spring Oats. —In the South, if spring oats have 
not already been sown, they will require immediate 
attention. Not having time to tiller, like winter oats, 
2i to 3 bushels of seed per acre will be needed. A 
late sowing may yield an early harvest, by the help 
of a liberal fertilizing with a good artificial manure. 
Early Planting is advisable for cotton, corn, and 
corn-fodder. For these crops, the ground should 
be in course of preparation this month, that advan¬ 
tage may be taken of good weather for planting 
so soon as it comes next month. 
Spring Wheat.— In many localities spring wheat 
will succeed if it is sown early. Open weather 
this month, may permit plowing and sowing, al¬ 
though the under soil is still frozen. A cold spell 
may freeze the ground, or cover it with snow, but 
the seed is safe, the work is done ; and one may 
rest contented, while others are grumbling. 
Mowing should be done, only when the soil will 
crumble loosely ; when the plow smears the up¬ 
turned surface, the soil will be injured. While 
earliness and forehandedness are commendable, one 
should make haste with caution. 
Look Ahead! —A farmer should always think in 
advance of his work. The whole plan must be 
laid out in the head, before the hands are put to it. 
There is time yet left for thinking over what should 
be done in the next two or three busy months. 
Grass in the South. —A great need in the South is 
grass for early grazing and hay. Some of the native 
grasses that have been fought and struggled with 
for years as weeds are now found to be of great 
value. By smoothing off a piece of grassy land, 
and using some fertilizer and encouraging the 
growth, a home supply of hay may be secured. It 
is often the case that a treasure may lie neglected 
under our feet, and some of the Southern grasses, 
long neglected, can be turned to profitable use. 
Grass in the North is not made as available as it 
might. An opinion prevails that grass lands can 
not be kept in permanently good condition. Yet 
there are in many localities plots and tracts of grass 
that are very old and show no signs of failure. 
What has been done once in this way can be done 
again. A permanent pasture or meadow is invalu¬ 
able. Why can not we try to make and keep them ? 
This is a subject worthy the most careful study. 
Why can not we Grow Larger Crops ?—There are 
localities where it may pay to grow small crops 
cheaply, where one may skin the land for a few 
years and leave it, just as in some places cattle are 
or have been killed for their hides and the carcasses 
left to decay. But every year these localities are 
growing more aud more distant in the West, and in 
time land will be too valuable to be used in so 
wasteful a manner. In central and eastern locali¬ 
ties the future prosperity of the farmers will de¬ 
pend upon the growth of larger crops by the ex¬ 
penditure of more labor on the land. To reach this 
end will be a work of time, but it will never be 
reached unless a beginning is made, and there wa6 
never a more propitious time to begin than now. 
Values are Increasing. —Every relic of the long 
continued depression—the seven lean years—now 
happily gone by, is passing away. Prices are ad¬ 
vancing, and every purchased thing costs con¬ 
siderably more than a year ago. The farmer who 
values his land and stock may justly put up the 
figures from 25 to 50 per cent. His income must 
be made to increase in proportion, and this must 
be done to a great extent by increasing in every 
possible way the productive value of his property. 
Better Stock Must be Kept. —The right stock too 
must be kept in the right place. The choice and 
management of animals require an accurate knowl¬ 
edge which must come from outside of his own 
farm practice. A farmer can not test these things 
for himself and run the risk of losses that would 
be ruinous to him. All this has been done and re¬ 
corded in books and agricultural papers, together 
with much other indispensable information, so that 
A Farmer Must be a Beading Man; else he can 
never hope to be as successful as he should be. A 
dozen volumes OF the American Agriculturist will 
FORM A NEARLY COMPLETE CYCLOPAEDIA of agricul¬ 
tural, mechanical, and other useful knowledge for 
any one who lives by cultivating the soil. The 
work of the farm, garden, and household has been 
discussed, described, and explained in these vol¬ 
umes for more than 30 years back, in a full, fresh, 
and instructive manner; with them one can learn 
how to improve his own stock or where to procure 
