34 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
February,, 
irascible and maglignant passions, and makes 
him fiendish. The care of these creatures, on 
the contrary, ought to be made a source of 
pleasure and of moral improvement. We ought 
for our own sakes, if from no higher considera¬ 
tion, to practice self restraint and kindness, in 
our intercourse with them. To kick, even a 
sheep, in anger, may inflict a fouler blow upon 
a man’s moral nature. To repress wrath when 
tempted, and to cast out the devil of ugliness, is 
tb'gain a moral triumph, though the scene of 
the victory be among brutes. Paul fighting with 
beasts at Ephesus was no more a saint and hero 
than the man who conquers himself, while he 
subdues the fierce tempers and blind instincts 
of the creatures over which he is made lord. 
Such a victory is not only money in the purse, 
by the quiet and thrift it secures among the 
flocks and herds, but it is the fine gold in char¬ 
acter, which is the end of all our earthly labors. 
Calendar of Operations for Feb., 1861. 
[We note down sundry kinds of work to be done during 
tbe month, to call to mind the various operations to be at¬ 
tended to. A glance over a table like this will often suggest 
some piece of work that might otherwise be forgotten, <jr 
neglected. Our remarks are more especially adapted, to V- 
latitudes of 38° to 45°; but will he equally- appRoaV ., e 
points further North and South, by making d)U,4^,e to 
tor each degree of latitude, that is, earlier fbf t>- allowance 
later for the North. ' _, e South, and 
pjSTIhis department is much fuller. 
unbracing all the operations, of th,e ' 0 he working season, 
Explanations.-^ indicates t 1 - farm, garden, etc. 
the last of the month,—UftttV' _,e first; m, the middle; and l, 
V «, gives, particular:, vr ung the letters thus: ff, or mm, 
Two letters placed, ..phasis to the period indicated.— 
work may be, djOMf ' gether, as fm or ml, signify that the 
thus, worknjar’ , in either or in both periods indicated; 
4f;om dip fe''’ sedp'Vn, indicates that it is to he attended to 
st to the middle of the month.] 
Farm. 
Winter yet holds sway at the North, though, thus 
far, its reign has been less severe than is often ex¬ 
perienced. A short hay crop has, in previous years, 
often been followed by the compensation of a mild 
Winter, yet many always suffer loss for want of suf¬ 
ficient fodder to winter stock properly. Much may 
Pc saved by providing warm shelter, as was fully 
argued last month ; and those who have, in addition, 
a good stock of roots to draw iqion now, find the 
benefit of the provision. Let those who are incon¬ 
venienced by short supplies at this time, make a 
pote of it, and guard against like trouble in future. 
Barns and Stables—Keep out the wind and storms, 
but provide sufficient ventilation to carry off all 
effluvia. The odors arising from excretions, if 
confined, make the atmosphere unwholesome for 
animals, and impart a taint to their feed. 
Cattle—Observe directions given last month. 
Keep breeding cows in wide roomy stalls, separate 
from other animals, as their time of calving ap¬ 
proaches. Read articles on page 42, this No. 
Cellars—Sort over potatoes, roots, apples, etc., 
and remove all decaying matter. If more apples 
were stored than are needed for family use, market 
them, or feed to stock. Examine pork and beef 
barrels; some may need new brine. Experiment 
with rats; see article “Stop the Rats” on page 44. 
Clover Seed—Provide a supply of this for sowing 
upon the winter grain fields, as Spring approaches. 
A lot of clover for pasture is good ; and the best and 
cheapest manure is a tall growth of clover plowed in. 
Drains in the yards, by the roadsides, and in the 
fields, should be kept free from obstruction, as far 
as possible. Improve every thaw to attend to this. 
It is the expansion of water in the soil, and not of 
the soil itself, that rends the roots of plants, and 
winter-kills them. 
Fencing—Add to the stock of materials if needed, 
and commence repairs as early as may be. 
Fuel—Have a year’s supply ready for the stove. 
Spring will bring work enough without this addi¬ 
tional labor. Besides, dry fuel is best, and the 
cheapest. It always takes the heat of a portion of 
green wood to dry out the moisture from the rest. 
Grain—Thresh, ff, any remaining, before more 
loss is suffered from rats and mice. Secure abund¬ 
ant supplies of good seed for Spring use. 
Grain Fields—Keep all stock from feeding or 
trampling them. 
Hired Men—Engage good trustworthy hands for 
the ensuing season. One or two dollars per month 
is a small matter compared with the loss and vexa¬ 
tion caused by ignorant or careless help. 
Hogs—Warm, cooked food is economical, Keep 
them in good appetite by occasional changes of diet. 
Give potatoes, meal, a little chopped hay steamed, 
refuse vegetables, etc., with grain and meal. Keep 
the pens clean and well littered with leaves or straw. 
Horses—Follow directions given last month. 
Read article “ Two Honrs with Mr. Rarey ” on a 
subsequent page. 
Ice Houses—Fill, ff, if not completed 
proper drainage and ventilation, Secure 
Lime and Plaster—Get at leas** 
these home during Winter ' .» a few barrels of 
in Spring, and upon the ' , to sow on your wheat 
A strip sown throv' pasture fields and meadows, 
show good; res>’’ -gh each field, will most likely 
larger ©5pe- -ats, or at least indicate whether a 
UO,t pa'" mditure for these fertilizers will or will 
See “Liming Land” on another page. 
Manures—Make and save all possible. Cart out 
and deposit in heaps in the field in suitable weath¬ 
er. Fine compost may be advantageously applied 
to meadows now, thus securing an early and rapid 
growth in Spring; the surface will also be less cut 
by drawing it while the ground is frozen. Read 
articles on page 46, this No. 
Maple Sugar.—Prepare necessary apparatus. Com¬ 
mence making as soon as the sap will flow. Shal¬ 
low evaporating pans are best. 
Poultry—Observe directions given last month. 
Guard against vermin by occasional fumigation of 
nesting places, and whitewashing the roosts. Re¬ 
move the droppings to the manure heap, or mix 
with plaster, and reserve them for the garden or oth¬ 
er choice plots. 
Seed—Make ample provision for seed corn, spring 
wheat, oats,, and whatever else will he needed. It is 
better done now, than in the hurry of Spring. 
Sheep—Provide ample shelter separate from oth¬ 
er stock. Keep them in good condition with roots 
or grain added to hay. Breeding ewes will bear 
stronger lambs and be less enfeebled thereby, if 
properly treated through the Winter. 
Tools—Put all in complete repair. Procure im¬ 
proved implements for the coming season. On many 
farms one or two extra hands may be saved by in¬ 
troducing labor saving contrivances. 
Orchard and Nursery. 
Little can be done in this department until the 
ground is in order for transplanting. The earlier 
that operation can be commenced, the more favor¬ 
able for the trees. Should a warm spell occur quite 
early, it will be well to keep choice fruit trees from 
too rapid vegetation, by shading the branches from 
the sun, and, if practicable, retaining snow about 
their roots. Thousands of trees have been destroy¬ 
ed by too early swelling of the buds, which were 
killed by succeeding frosts. This is, of course, not 
applicable on a large scale, hut favorite trees and 
shrubs may be easily guarded. 
If in early transplanting, trees are frozen, bury 
them root and branch in earth; they will sustain 
less injury if thawed gradually. Have every thing 
in readiness for Spring work in the nursery. 
Cions will soon be needed. Procure choice sorts 
any time this month when not frozen. Label each 
sort distinctly and keep until wanted for grafting, 
in sand in the cellar. 
Insects are more readily reached now than later 
in the season. Scrape the trunks and main limbs 
of trees infested with bark-lice, and scrub with 
moderately strong lye. 
Manure—Draw out and spread under the trees as 
far as the roots extend. It is of less benefit when 
all of it is applied directly around the trunks. 
Pruning—Remove only dead wood: and, small 
suckers at this season : leave the main work until 
August or September. 
Select from catalogues choice assortments of trees 
for transplanting as soon as the ground will permit. 
See article “ Which are the Best Apples?” on page 
49, this No. 
Snow—Remove from the branches of h 
ing trees, before it splits them dow p spread- 
Stakes, labels, tallies, packi’* ~ L ‘ 
Have a good stock in rep'’’ -^S b a 8' s > mats, etc.— 
ing the busy season - -uiness for Spring use dur- 
of nursery planting or sales. 
Kite** 
aen and Fruit Garden. 
jB- 
.spring work in the garden may be forwarded dur¬ 
ing this month by preparation of implements, seeds, 
etc. At the South, the seeds of early vegetable# 
may be sown, and in this latitude hot-beds can be 
started the last of the month, for the earliest plant¬ 
ings of tomatoes, cabbages, lettuce, etc., for the first 
marketing. For family use it is better to defer this 
until March. 
Cold Frames—Admit air during mild weather. 
Guard against sudden freezing, particularly when 
they are unprotected by a covering of snow. Spread 
over them mats or straw. 
Cuttings of Currants, Gooseberries, etc., may be 
made whenever the wood is not frozen. Keep 
them covered with sand in the cellar. 
Fences—Repair old, and make new where needed. 
Provide convenient gates and secure them with 
proper fastenings.* Keep all well coated with paint; 
now is a good time to apply it. 
Grape Vines—Prune, ff, if not done at the proper 
time in the Fall. 
Manures—The best results are obtained when 
these are finely divided and intimately mixed with 
the soil. Provide abundance of stable manure com¬ 
posted with muck, guano, poultry droppings, night 
soil, etc. For fruit trees, leaves, or sawdust saturated 
with urine is an excellent application. 
Prune Currants and Gooseberries if neglected un 
til now ; save the cuttings for propagation. 
Rhubarb—For earliest use set a few roots in box¬ 
es and place them in the green-house, or a room 
where fire is kept. That in open ground can be 
hastened by covering with horse manure. 
Seeds—Examine the list for free distribution 
from this office, printed on a subsequent page, and 
select desirable parcels. Procure and study cata¬ 
logues of reliable seedsmen whose advertisement# 
appear in the appropriate department. Test sam¬ 
ples before purchasing largely. They are easily 
sprouted if good, by laying them on cotton in a dish 
of water kept in a warm place. 
Tools—Provide a full -supply of improved kinds, 
and repair old. 
Trees and Vines—Cleanse from moss, insects, 
rough scaly bark, and wash with weak lye. 
Trellises and Arbors—Provide for vines and trail¬ 
ing plants. Repair and paint all needing it. Neat¬ 
ness adds to the marketable value of any place. 
Flower and Fawn. 
A snowy mantle still covers the northern gardens, 
and about the only care the grounds now require is 
to see that the evergreens and shrubs are not in¬ 
jured by an accumulation of snow upon their 
branches. If pruning has been neglected until this 
late season, it should be performed at once, during 
mild weather. Cuttings of roses, altheas, honey¬ 
suckles, and other shrubs, or climbers, for propa¬ 
gating in the Spring, may be taken while pruning. 
In the Middle States, and further South, the swel¬ 
ling buds give evidence of approaching vegetation ; 
and preparing the ground, spading, trenching, ma¬ 
nuring, and in some eases, planting, are the order 
of the day. The ornamental trees and shrubbery, 
excepting evergreens, should be set out as soon as 
the ground will permit: they thrive better, espec¬ 
ially the early flowering sorts, and it is also very 
desirable to have this -work done before the hurry 
of the season comes on. 
Hot-beds may be made for seeds of early 
