1877.] 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
4=11 
horse. The cut hay is thoroughly wetted in a box; 
the meal is scattered over it; a handful of salt for 
each horse is added, and the whole is well mixed 
with the shovel. It is then divided equally. A 
similar custom prevails in large stables, where hun¬ 
dreds of animals are kept; for economy and good 
results in every way, it can hardly be surpassed. 
Live Stock. —For hints regarding the management 
of the stock, refer to last month. If it is remem¬ 
bered that an animal which begins the winter in 
good condition, is kept so more easily and cheaply, 
and will come out better in the spring, than one 
which begins it in poor order, and if this rule is act¬ 
ed upon, few mistakes will occur. 
Salt should be given regularly ; it is a very effective 
preventive of disease ; but it should be given mod¬ 
erately. One ounce for a horse, ox, or cow, and 
one dram for a sheep or a pig, is a good daily allow¬ 
ance. It is only safe to trust to any animal’s in¬ 
stinct to choose its own supply, when salt is kept 
constantly before it; otherwise, in its greediness, 
it will be apt to take too much. Taken in exces¬ 
sive quantities, salt is an acrid poison. 
Lights in the barn should be carefully used. Nine- 
tenths of the fires which occur, are caused by care¬ 
lessness. Never light a lamp in the barn. If many 
lights are used, have an outhouse, which stands 
by itself, kept expressly for the supply of oil, and 
the filling and trimming of the lamps, and let no 
light ever be used in it. Only a perfectly safe oil, 
that will not explode if the lamp or lantern is upset, 
should be used; and the oil should be kept in 
tin cans with a safe method of drawing it, by a tap, 
or one of the patent nozzles used by the best oil 
makers. A case of such cans or single cans of oil, 
can be procured of any dealer in the country who 
keeps Devoe’s or Pratt’s oils. 
Rules for Health for animals, are very simple and 
plain, and need strict observance at this season. 
Observe perfect cleanliness in stable, yard, barn¬ 
yard, and all their surroundings; keep the skin 
clean ; use only clean water for drinking ; keep the 
body and the lodging places dry, and not too warm; 
let them breathe only pure air; eat only nutritious 
and digestible food, and not too much of that; keep 
them quiet, and do not suffer them to be irritated; 
avoid exposure to cold, wet storms, and if this can 
not be helped, dry the skin, using considerable 
friction, with a coarse cloth, then cover with a 
blanket, but not before, and give a warm drink as 
soon as possible after it. When the system is fe¬ 
verish from cold, give a saline cooling laxative. 
Notes on Orchard and Garden Work. 
To a large share of our readers November is the 
month in which the out-door labors of the year are 
brought to a close. These, and those also in a i 
milder climate, will find occupation in caring for 
the products of their orchards and gardens. One 
of our most successful market gardeners says that 
he can teach any one to raise as good crops as he 
himself does, but he can not teach another how to 
convert the crops into money. In our Notes we 
have little to say about the selling of produce—and 
that, all will agree, is one of the important points. 
The marketing of fruits and vegetables will be so 
modified by one’s locality and surroundings, that 
no general advice can be given. While it is better 
for one man to sell his apples, onions, carrots, or 
other crops as soon as harvested, another will find 
it more profitable to store his produce and sell it in 
small lots through the winter. These are matters 
which each must consider for himself—and they 
are of sufficient importance to demand a careful 
consideration. Another point about marketing- 
growers are too apt to overlook small markets near 
home, and to send their produce to the large cities 
where, though prices may rule higher, the expenses 
are much greater, and the net returns are likely to 
be less. Wherever mild weather prevails, much 
of the work suggested in the Notes for October, 
will be timely now, and these should be consulted. 
Orchard and Nursery. 
In advising fall planting, we have at the same 
time pointed out the conditions of climate and soil 
necessary to success. By no means plant trees 
where the ground is already partly frozen, or where 
it is likely to soon freeze for the winter. If trees 
are received, and the conditions are not favorable, 
it is better to heel them in, as directed last month. 
On the other hand, there are many localities in 
which trees may be advantageously set this month. 
Young Trees, whether planted this fall or last 
spring, will be benefited by having the earth drawn 
to them, in the shape of a mound or cone, 12 to 18 
inches high. The soil should be free from sods or 
litter, be compacted firmly to prevent washing by 
rains, and the surface made smooth. A mound of 
this kind will protect the trees from mice, and be 
of great service to those newly planted, in enabling 
them to resist the action of the wind. 
Mice often greatly injure young trees; the mound 
above advised will protect them, except when the 
snow forms a covering under which +hev can work, 
and attack the tree above the mound. In this case, 
and with all trees small enough to be injured by 
them, the snow should be trampled down firmly 
after each fall. Of course it is trouble, but not 
near so much as to plaster and patch injured trees 
in the spring, and those who will not take the 
“trouble,” should not plant fruit trees at all. 
Rabbits are also to be guarded against. The old 
advice to shoot a rabbit, cut it open and rub the 
trees with the flesh, is good ; it is founded upon 
the distaste of the rabbit for all animal food, but 
the end is accomplished in an easier manner. Where 
blood is obtainable, the trunks of the trees are 
spattered or smeared with it, by means of a swab 
made by tying a few corn husks to a stick. Some 
rub the trees with a piece of liver for the same pur¬ 
pose. Tarred paper tied around the trunk, or corn 
stalks, or pieces of lath set side by side, and bound 
on by a piece of annealed wire, are effective, but 
hardly so practicable when the trees are numerous. 
Keeping Fruit. —The conditions required are a 
uniform temperature, as low as may be without 
freezing, and dryness. The cellar of the house 
should not be used for storing large quantities of 
fruit, if it can be avoided, and if used, there should 
be ample ventilation, to carry off the carbonic acid, 
given off by the fruit in ripening.- The tempera¬ 
ture of 35° to 40° is best, and when the thermome¬ 
ter shows above 40°, the outer air, if colder, should 
be admitted. Apples, properly picked and barreled, 
need not be disturbed until wanted for use or sale. 
Store pears in boxes or drawers, where they may be 
occasionally inspected,as they often ripen unevenly. 
Cider of the best quality is usually made this 
month, as the low temperature allows the fermen¬ 
tation to go on very slowly. 
Fences and Oates are to be looked to, and made all 
tight and snug for the winter. 
Stocks for root-grafting should be taken up, and 
put in the cellar, either heeled-in with earth, or set 
in boxes, with the roots covered in the same manner, 
Cions may be cut at any time after the leaves fall 
—the sooner the better. Label carefully, and pre¬ 
serve in a cool place in sand or sawdust. 
Surface Drains should be made, to carry water 
away from nursery rows, from young orchards, or 
wherever pools of water show them to be needed. 
IFniit Garden. 
The care to be given currants, gooseberries, rasp¬ 
berries, and blackberries at this season, was men-' 
tioned last month. Cuttings of currants and goose¬ 
berries may still be put in, if the ground is open. 
Blackberries and Raspberries multiply by suckers, 
which may be taken up, and set where they are to 
grow ; but this is not rapid enough for nursery¬ 
men, who multiply them by root-cuttings, and 
though the'plants thus raised are smaller, they are 
much better than suckers, as they have more 
abundant roots. Nurserymen grow them in large 
quantities in a regular cutting bench, with bottom 
heat, but the amateur and others, who need but a 
few, can raise them without artificial heat. The 
roots must be secured before the ground freezes. 
Take up the needed plants with all the roots be¬ 
longing to them, and cut up all the roots, from the 
size of a lead-pencil, to half that size, or less—no 
matter how much larger—into pieces one to three 
inches long—the smaller, the longer. Have ready 
a box—such as a common soap-box—in the bottom 
of which are several inch holes, put some straw or 
moss on the bottom, then an inch or so of light 
sandy soil, or sand, put on a layer of root cuttings, 
then a layer of soil or sand, another layer of cut¬ 
tings, alternating until the box is full. Put on the 
cover, and bury the box in a dry place, where wa¬ 
ter Will not stand, below the reach of frost; see 
that the box is well covered, and the earth rounded 
off, and it will be well to lay over some old boards, 
to keep off excessive rains. When opened in the 
spring, the roots will be found callused, furnished 
with buds, and all ready to grow when planted out. 
Pears in the fruit-room need frequent inspection. 
In our own experience all the earlier varieties have 
matured from a week to ten days earlier than usual; 
should this be the case with the later kinds also, 
great care will be needed. Extra fine specimens of 
Beurre d’Anjou, Beurre Clairgeau, and other showy 
varieties are sent to market in boxes containing a 
single layer of selected fruit, each specimen wrap¬ 
ped in soft white paper. 
Grapes, to keep, must be of keeping kinds, and 
treated as directed last month. Those having small 
quantities, and no fruit house, can succeed fairly 
by placing them in a dry and cool cellar, or in a 
chamber that can be kept cool by opening the 
windows, and in which a little fire may be made, 
should there be danger of freezing the fruit. 
Grape Vines. —The pruning should be finished up 
before cold weather comes, if possible. We can 
add nothing to the Notes of last month. Every one 
who would treat his vines properly, should have a 
work on the subject. The manner of growth being 
well understood, any intelligent person can prune 
his vines, each according to its needs. All the 
wood that is to be used for propagation, should 
not be allowed to dry, but be made at once into 
cuttings, and tied in bundles, which are to be cov¬ 
ered with sand or light soil in a cold cellar. 
Strawberries are to be covered when freezing 
weather sets in ; it will do no harm to wait until 
the surface is frozen. Straw and salt-hay are the 
best materials, corn-stalks or leaves will answer. 
MitcSacm anti 3Iurlc«t Garden. 
Should the present be a mild month, nearly all 
of October’s Notes will be seasonable now, and we 
avoid repetition by referring to them. We especial¬ 
ly commend, with emphasis, that portion of the 
general introduction under “Notes on Orchard and 
Garden Work,” that refers to doing spring work — 
or that which is generally and worse than uselessly 
left until spring— now. 
Parsnips, Horseradish, Salsify, and Scorzo?iera, be¬ 
ing perfectly hardy, and mostly improved by freez¬ 
ing, are usually in part left in the ground until 
spring. Sometimes they may be dug during a mild 
spell in winter, but it is not safe to trust to the 
occurrence of this, and enough for family use dur¬ 
ing the winter, should be taken up before the 
ground freezes. If a digging can be made during 
the winter, then those lifted now will, except the 
horseradish, be acceptable to the cow. See what 
was said last month of the preservation of 
Roots in Pits, and on keeping those for daily use. 
On a farm where there is a root-cellar, there is 
but little trouble with the roots for the kitchen. 
Asparagus Beds. —Though the plant is perfectly 
hardy, it will come earlier and stronger if the bed 
is well covered; this is not practised in field cul¬ 
ture, but in the kitchen garden it is well to put oa 
four inches or more of coarse, littery manure. 
Rhubarb. —If the ground is still open, and new 
plantations are desired, it is better to make them 
now than in the spring, as it starts so early that the 
buds may be injured if left until then. Set 3 or 4 
feet apart each way, according to the variety, and 
give each root an abundance of manure at setting. 
If it is desired to force rhubarb for winter or very 
early spring, the roots must be taken up before the 
ground freezes. Keep in a box of earth until it is 
desired to start them. Put a root in the bottom of 
