■496 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST 
[December, 
varieties ; these precautions are among the prime 
essentials of good success in the vegetable garden. 
—— 
Flower Garden and Lawn. 
Only the most thoroughly composted manure 
should be used upon the lawn, and even then the 
seeds of some weeds will probably not be killed. 
In respect to weed seeds, there is no risk to be 
run in the use of artificial manure upon the lawns. 
Heavy falls of snow may do much damage to trees, 
especially the evergreens. The snow should be 
shaken from the limbs before it gets hard and icy. 
When deep snows drag down the lower branches, 
the shovel should be used in removing the load 
A CHEAP SNOW PLOW. 
that might break them. A snow plow should be 
at hand. Where there is a long path, a horse snow 
plow is a great saving of labor. The one shown in 
the accompanying engraving is easily made. Al¬ 
ways follow the established paths with the plow, 
aud if there are places where strangers or thought¬ 
less persons will be apt to “ cut across,” put up 
guards of wire. When the ground is covered with 
snow the birds should not be forgotten; provide 
both food and water for them in suitable places. 
reessliouse and Window Plants. 
Chrysanthemums that have flowered should be 
cut down and the pots placed in the pit or cellar, 
an^ left for a time to rest without water. 
Bulbs in Pots should now be well rooted, and 
brought out of the cellar for early blooming. It is 
better to bring a few forward at a time, at frequent 
intervals, in order to have a succession of flowers. 
Hanging Plants .—To water them perfectly, plunge 
the baskets into a tub of water, and let the earth 
soak ; after dripping has entirely ceased, they may 
be returned to their places. 
The Temperature of a greenhouse is much easier 
regulated than that of a living-room. The ther¬ 
mometer should stand at about 70° in the day time, 
and may descend ten or fifteen degrees during the 
night. This temperature is best for most persons. 
Bust .—Plants ought to be covered with a cloth 
or newspapers when sweeping is being done. 
Smooth and thick-leaved plants, as Ivies, can be 
sponged, which will add to their health and beauty. 
Valuable New Books. 
Some new volumes advertised elsewhere are specially 
intended for our great family of readers. 
Farm Homes In-Doors and Out. By E. H. Leland, 
contains a vast amount of useful information communi¬ 
cated in an attractive narrative style. The table of con¬ 
tents, printed on third cover page, conveys an idea of the 
scope of the work. A copy should be in every family. 
The book is elegantly gotten out, on tinted paper, in 
black and gold binding, aud will make a most suitable 
holiday present. 
Bailey’s Book of Ensilage, published last year, has 
attracted considerable attention. The price ($2.00) has 
been so high as to prevent its general circulation. The 
new volume is supplied at the popular price of $1.00. It 
contains all the ensilage matter of the first $2.00 edition. 
Those wishing to familiarize themselves with this 
method of preserving green fodder will find the desired 
information in this volume. 
Wheat Culture. By D. S. Curtiss, conveys hints and 
suggestions to farmers as to how they can double the 
yield and increase the profits. 
Barn-Plans and Out-Buildings is a volume for 
which there has been much demand. The book pro¬ 
poses to give the desired information concerning the 
economic erection and use of all structures which the 
farmer may require. It is furnished at a popular price. 
A Special Favor Asked. 
1. —There are about 4,2,000 different Post 
Offices in this country, to a large portion of which 
this journal is mailed regularly, to subscribers. 
Besides these, it goes to many other points in al¬ 
most all parts of the habitable world. 
2. —A separate book account, with alphabetical 
index, must be kept with each and every Post Office, 
whether it receives one, five, or five hundred copies 
of the paper, and the names of subscribers received 
in different letters, must all be brought together 
in the proper place in these mail books. 
3. —As this is a great work, requiring the care 
of experienced, careful clerks, it is very desirable 
to give them every facility, and all the time pos¬ 
sible. It can be best done if begun the moment 
this number is mailed, and not crowded into a few 
days and nights, about new year’s day. 
'I'!ae Special Favor Asked is, that 
each reader will , on seeing this paragraph, at once 
send in his or her own renewal for volume 40 (1881), 
and also the subscriptions of any friends who may 
be disposed to join our family of readers for the com¬ 
ing year. It will take no more time to do this now, 
than later on, and will greatly help us. -4 Sub¬ 
scription Blank is furnished on page 532.) 
Extra Copies for 10 Days.— We shall print an 
extra edition of this number, and any new subscribers for 
1881, whose subscriptions are received prior to Decem¬ 
ber 10 th will have this December number free. Tins 
applies to all new subscribers, premium clubs included. 
For the Whole Country.— As to the real 
work and scope of the American Agriculturist, it 
“knows no North, no South, no East, no West,” as 
separate fields of investigation. While the principles of 
cultivation, of plant growth, of home comforts, are the 
same everywhere, the world over, the Editors will here¬ 
after, more than ever before, travel through various parts 
of the whole country to study the wants and methods 
resulting from the local differences in soils, crops, 
climate, implements, customs, etc. None of them reside 
In the city, but all have their country homes, and speak 
aud write from actual experience and observation. 
WELL WORTH LOOKING AFTER.— 
The 331 numbered Articles, and the hundreds of good 
Books offered to our readers in the Premium List were 
selected with gjreat care, and there are some things at 
least that are just what every Reader will desire. The 
terms on which they are offered make it easy to secure 
them by ANY ONE, at little or no cost. The qualify of 
every article is vouched for, aud one runs no risk of de¬ 
ception. We would like to have every reader look 
through the List again at this time. Read in the intro¬ 
duction, page 377, “Premium Giving Explained.” If 
the copy sent in September, amid the political excite¬ 
ment, is lost or mislaid, another copy will be promptly 
sent on postal-card application. 
Giving' Holiday Presents is Pleasant.—A 
notice to a distant son, to a relative, a workman, a 
friend or neighbor, that you have ordered the American 
Agriculturist for him for 1881, will be to very many a 
most acceptable gift, and one that will be a reminder of 
you every time it comes all through the year.—Then there 
is a fine assortment and great variety of excellent things 
described in our Premium Sheet, most suitable for Holi¬ 
day Presents. If one can not obtain them free, by means 
of premium clubs, they will he supplied to any of our 
friends at the prices named, if they will send in in time. 
Re iu Time, If for Christmas or New- 
Year’s.— Our Friends intending to receive, either by 
subscription clubs, or by purchase, any of our Premium 
Articles for themselves, or to use as Holiday Presents, 
should send in ample time for the Publishers to secure 
them. Some articles, in unusual demand, may chance to 
run short in supply early in the month. Accidents, or 
over-crowding, or other delays in transportation, may 
happen to bring some desired articles along “ a day after 
the fair,” if not started early. 
Did You Notice the easy method of getting, at 
almost no cost, an excellent supply of good Books for 
yourself, or for a neighborhood circulating library, etc., 
as offered in our Premium List? This offer embraces 
not only books on Agriculture, Horticulture, Gardening, 
Architecture, Animals, Plants, etc., but many of the best 
Standard Books in all departments of Literature. Any 
person or company of persons, by collecting and sending 
in ten or more subscriptions for 1881, at the regular rate 
of $1.50 each, can, for each of the ten or more names, 
select one dollar's worth of books (any ones desired) 
from the hundreds of volumes named in the Premium 
List. Please refer to that List, or send for a new copy 
if yours is mislaid. 
S35"67 per Cent !— As the American Agriculturist 
will surely be worth the $1.50, the books obtained under 
the above arrangement will he equivalent to 66% cents 
extra on every dollar invested. 
Union Books.— If some one will be enterprising 
enough to start the work, it will he an easy matter to 
find, in any neighborhood, from ten to a hundred persons 
who will contribute $1.50 apiece for which each will re¬ 
ceive this paper a year, and besides, there will be $10 to 
$100 worth of good books, which can be kept by one of 
the number, and circulate among the subscribers until 
all have read them, and then they can be kept together 
for reference or re-reading whenever desired by any one. 
Is tiiere Any Doubt that it always pays to read 
about what others do and say, and think, who are in the 
same line of business or work as ourselves. If one does 
not at first get direct information specially and at once 
applicable to his own work, yet the thoughts and methods 
of others incite new thoughts and plans in the reader’s 
own mind that lead to profitable results. The reading, 
thinking man, makes his head help his hands. Brains 
tell everywhere, and in nothing more than iu farming, 
gardening, and housekeeping. And the fewer brains 
one has, or thinks he has, the more anxious should he 
be to get from books and papers all the facts and sugges¬ 
tions he can from other people’s thinking and experience. 
Every German Cultivator and La¬ 
borer on the Farm, or in tlie Garden, 
and every German Family not reading; 
English, OUGHT to have the German edition of 
the American Agriculturist. It contains not only the 
Engravings, and all the essential reading matter of the 
American edition, but an additional Special German De¬ 
partment, edited by the Hon. Frederick Miinch, of Mis¬ 
souri, a skillful aud successful cultivator and excellent 
writer. No other German Agricultural or Horticultural 
Journal in America has been so long issued ; no other 
one contains so much useful information, or a tithe of its 
engravings. Indeed, we recall only one other German pro¬ 
fessedly Agricultural Journal in all this country. The 
Germans are a reading, thinking people, and know how 
to make good use of what they read. Many supply this 
edition to their German laborers and gardeners, and 
all would find it pay to do so.—Nothing else can compete 
with it in cheapness of price for the same amount of 
material, engravings, etc., because the expense of pro¬ 
viding all these is largely borne by the edition in 
English, and no separate office or machinery is re¬ 
quired beyond German editors and printers. Its terms 
are the same as the American edition, singly and in 
clubs; and clubs can he composed of subscribers for 
either edition, or a part of both.—Please call the 
attention of your German neighbors to this paper. It 
will do much to help newcomers to a knowledge of the 
system and modes of culture used iu this country. 
Save tlie Index. —It is printed on an extra sheet, 
and putin loosely, so that it can he bound or stitched in 
