3 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
[Jakcary, 
Calendar of Operations for Jan., 1861. 
[We note clown sundry kinds of work to be done during 
the month, to cull to mind the various operations to be at¬ 
tended to. A glance over a table like tiiis will often suggest 
some piece of work that might otherwise be lorgottcn or 
neglected. Our remarks are more especially adapted to the 
latitudes of 38° to 45°; but will be equally applicable to 
poults further North and South, by making due allowance 
for each degree of latitude, that is, earlier for the North, and 
later for the South. 
C3?“This department is much fuller in the working season, 
embracing all the operations of the farm, garden, etc. 
Explanations— /indicates the first; rn, the middle; and l, 
the last of the month.—Doubling the letters thus: ff, or mm, 
or ll, gives particular emphasis to the period indicated — 
Two letters placed together, as fm or ml, signify that the 
woik may be done in either or in botli periods indicated; 
thus, work marked fm, indicates that it is to be attended to 
from the/f«< to the middle of the month.] 
FarEsa. 
Tiie season is auspicious to the c'ommenccment 
of improved practice' on the farm. If upon a sur¬ 
vey of the past year’s operations it is evident that 
there was too much attempted for the amount of 
capital invested, now is the time to concentrate 
effort upon a smaller area. Sell land enough to 
make your place manageable. Fifty acres well 
tilled, will bring more profit than double that num¬ 
ber half worked, Bee note of Mr. Jones’ experi¬ 
ence in this paper. If scarcity of fodder is appre¬ 
hended, better to reduce the number of animals 
than to limit their feed below their wants. True 
economy is rightly using what we possess; let it be 
the rule in all undertakings. Few special directions 
are needed beyond what were given last month. 
Barns and Stables— Arrange the old ones, and 
plan the new ones, if to be built, for convenience in 
threshing, feeding, manure making, etc., and for the 
comfort of stock. Keep the bam tidy. Fowls 
should not be allowed to roost around where they 
ohoose. Tools, harness, etc., should be kept in 
appropriate rooms. Allow no manure to accumu¬ 
late against the sides or sills of the building. 
Breeding Animals—Give them generous fare, but 
not a surfeit. Keep well sheltered. Their progeny 
will repay all such care. 
Cattle—Keep them in warm stables, with plenty 
of bedding. Feed regularly, and with variety of 
food. Roots, oil meal with hay, and an occasional 
allowance of unthreshed oats cut fine, it you have 
any or all these, will pay. Use the card or curry¬ 
comb frequently. Break steers. Handle heifers to 
prepare them for milking. 
Cellars—Cover bins of roots or apples in danger 
from frost. Remove decaying vegetables. Keep 
out rats ; cats, which are nearly as great a nuisance 
as rats, or poison, must be resorted to. Traps 
won’t do—at least with us. 
Corn — Shell any remaining. Select the best ears 
for seed, if not done at the proper season. 
Debts—Collect those due as far as may be, and 
pay all practicable. Commence the year square 
with the world if possible. 
Fencing— Prepare timber when the weather al¬ 
lows. Make gates, bar-posts, etc., in the workshop 
in stormy weather. 
Grain— Examine occasionally to secure from 
dampness and vermin. That for Spring seed 
should be specially cared for. 
Hemp and Flax—Break and prepare for market. 
Hogs— Slaughter, .ff, any remaining of the fatten- 
; u <r stock -, they can gain little in very cold weather. 
Allow plenty of bedding, (See page 14,) and keep 
the pens clean. Give cooked food moderately warm. 
Turn in the male, ff, if not already done. 
Horses—Keep in warm stables, and blanket them 
In very cold weather. (Sec page 14.) Cover them 
when standing out after a drive. Give an occa¬ 
sional allowance of carrots, if you have them, with 
hay and grain. Arc they well shod and sharpened? 
On cold days warm their bits before harnessing ; it 
is cruel to skin their mouths with cold iron. Do 
not give them ice-water to drink. Keep well 
cleaned, especially their feet and legs. Handle and 
break colts. 
Icc-llouses—Fill as soon as practicable. The 
first really good ice may be the last. 
Implements—Put all in thorough repair. Keep 
from unnecessary exposure to storms. Oil run¬ 
ning gear of threshers, fanning mills, etc. 
Lumber—Improve the snow in drawing logs to 
mill. Cut them in the forest, if it was not done 
in the Fall, which would have been preferable. 
Manure—Prosperous farming commences in se¬ 
curing an abundant supply. Arrange troughs and 
reservoirs to collect liquids from the stables, and 
absorb them with muck or straw. Use all sink 
slops, poultry droppings, chip dirt, dead animals, 
and other decaying matter, in the compost heap. 
These combined with stable manure and muck, will 
in many cases double the amount heretofore made. 
Marketing—Improve good sleighing for market¬ 
ing grain, if prices are satisfactory. Make cash 
sales if practicable. 
Poultry—Give cooked food, and raw meat 
chopped tine, with cabbages or other vegetables. 
Keep them in warm quarters, withplenty of light. 
Supply water, gravel, lime, and ashes, or chip dust. 
Roads—Remove obstructing drifts, and keep 
water courses and bridges in order. 
Salt animals at least weekly. (See page 16.) 
Sheep—Shelter fiom storms. Feed from racks 
separate from other stock. Give sliced roots, and 
occasionally a treat of grain, with hay. Turn the 
buck with the ewes,. ff. 
Wood—Prepare a year’s stock in advance. A 
circular saw attached to the horse-power, will 
save much labor. 
OrcSaard sas&d Naurse'Ky. 
Leisure evenings may be improved in studying 
works on tree and fruit culture, planning new 
grounds, and selecting an assortment for Spring 
planting 5 . A large variety is not desirable for the 
orchard. Choose enough of known approved 
kinds to afford a supply throughout the season. 
Send orders early to reliable nurserymen, rather 
than wait for the visit of tree peddlers. 
Secure a full supply of cions for grafting trees 
bearing inferior fruit; they may be.cut at any time 
when free from frost, and sent by mail if wrapped 
in oiled silk to retain their moisture. Keep until 
Spring by burying in sand in the cellar. 
Keep all standing water from the grounds by sur¬ 
face drains now, and by thorough uuderdraining as 
soon as the season will allow. 
Where trees are prostrated by winds, remove them 
at once to the wood pile. If branches are split 
down, pare the wound smooth, and coat with graft¬ 
ing wax. Leave pruning until next Summer. 
Destroy the eggs of caterpillars and other insects, 
which can now be readily seen upon the leafless 
branches. Repel rabbits and mice with tarred pa¬ 
per tied about the trunks of the trees.' 
Have a full supply of implements, stakes, labels, 
etc., ready for Spring. 
E£ICelaeBB iejsjS Fraalt ©itraleM. 
At the North, little cau be done now in 
this department, except in preparation for future 
work. In intervals of open weather, draining and 
trenching can be done in some sections, and all may 
lay out plans of the grounds, and secure a good se¬ 
lection of seeds. Draw on paper a plan of the gar¬ 
den, and designate the exact locality of each kind 
of vegetable and fruit. 
Cold Frames—Plants in them are benefited by 
ventilation when the weather permits. Give extra 
covering in very severe cold. Snow falling upon 
them need not be removed; it serves as a protect ion. 
Cuttings of Gooseberries, Currants, etc., can be 
made at any time when not frozen. Preserve them 
in dry sand. 
Frames and Sashes for Hot-beds should bo in 
readiness for early use. Except at the South, Feb¬ 
ruary is early enough to make the beds. 
Mushrooms—Prepare boxes and keep from frost, 
and moderately moist, in the grecu-housc or cellar. 
Rhubarb— An early growth can be forced by cov¬ 
ering the crown with an open barrel, half filled 
with coarse stable manure. 
Seeds—Before purchasing a quantity, sow a few 
upon cotton floating in water, to try their vitality ; 
if good, they will soon germinate in a warm room. 
Stakes, Poles,’ Pea-brush, etc.—Collect and pre¬ 
pare a good supply of these while securing fuel. 
Flower ©ssrtlesi ami ILawas. 
Trees and plants in the open ground are now at 
rest, and require very little care. In Northern lati¬ 
tudes, evergreens should be cleared from the accu¬ 
mulations of snow upon their branches. Low 
branching deciduous trees arc sometimes injured in 
this way, especially where the settling drifts pull 
down the lower limbs. A little shoveling will 
clear them, and prevent damage. Junipers and 
other upright growing evergreens are protected by 
passing twine spirally around their heads, which 
keeps the straggling branches from being split down 
by snow, and gives a more compact appearance. 
Plans may now be perfected for the operations of 
the Spring. Labels and stakes should be prepared 
in-doors, that they may be in readiness for the busy 
season of planting. 
The frames and flower pits will require some at¬ 
tention. During mild clear days, when the mer¬ 
cury is above the freezing point, open them for 
ventilation, and remove any decayingleaves, water¬ 
ing the plants lightly if the soil be quite dry. If the 
pits are covered with snow and the weather is cold, 
leave the snow for an additional protection, and 
keep everything closed. 
In mild, southern latitudes, where the ground is 
open, trees and shrubs may be planted, grounds laid 
out, dug, trenched, and manured, and everything 
attended to which will facilitate the regular plant¬ 
ing in February and March. As warmer weather 
invites more into the pleasure garden and among 
shrubbery, the grounds should be kept neat and 
clean, paths in order, lawns raked, and everything 
done to render them attractive. 
©ree&i-SI'JMEses. 
As these only contain those plants which require 
protection from actual frost, the rooms need but 
little lire heat excepting in very cold weather. 
Plants to be grown or flowered during the Winter, 
should be put in the hot or forcing-house, where 
more heat is kept up. In the green-house proper, a 
temperature of 35° to 50° is all that is required, but 
when the outside atmosphere is very cold, lire will 
be required to keep out frost. During mild clear 
days, the ventilators may be opened to air the 
rooms thoroughly. 
Grape Vines should be pruned and arranged for 
growing, especially if the roots are inside the house. 
The buds will soon give indications of swelling. 
Plants in pots and boxes should be frequently ex¬ 
amined ; water only when the soil is getting quite 
dry, but remove all decayed leaves, so that a pure, 
sweet atmosphere be always maintained. Bulbs 
kept here in pots, to be forced as needed, will re¬ 
quire very little water. They will grow slowly, and 
can be moved to warmer apartments when wanted. 
Insects should be looked after, and the trunks of 
oranges, lemons, oleanders, etc., washed with pot¬ 
ash water, if infected with scale. Washing tho fo¬ 
liage of broad-leaved plants with tepid water will 
destroy insects, and promote a healthy growth. 
Pots standing near the windows will need turn¬ 
ing occasionally, or the plants will incline towards 
the light, and acquire a leaning position. 
Moi-Moiiise atad ©ouascrvjstory. 
The greatest care will now be required to guard 
against extremes of temperature. The weather is 
changeable out of doors, and only a watchful eye to 
the furnace and thermometer will prevent changes 
in-doors. There is an opposite danger to be avoid¬ 
ed. The furnace is sometimes tilled with coal, upon 
retiring for the night, and the room is highly heat¬ 
ed when a lower temperature should be maintained. 
In a state of nature, plants receive the greatest a- 
mount of heat by sunlight, and less at night. As 
far as may be, this rule should be observed in the 
houses. A desirable temperature is 70° to 80° for 
