1300] 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
About Frost. 
A knowledge of the laws which govern frost, 
is of great importance to the farmer and garden¬ 
er. In a friend’s grounds last year were several 
grape-vines, some trained on trellises in the open 
garden, and others on walls and fences. In the 
desolating frosts of June, those on the trellises 
lost both their foliage and fruit, while those on 
the walls and fences lost only a small part. Those 
on a wall which had a cornice projecting a foot 
wide over the vines, were not injured at all. 
Where, however, a stray branch projected from 
the wall more than a foot, it was frost bitten up 
to that very point. And all the young tomato 
and other plants on that border outside of the 
projection of the cornice, were cut to the ground. 
These facts illustrate the principle to which we 
wish now to refer. In a cool and clear afternoon 
in May, the gardener has learned to predict a 
frost at night, unless clouds, or a wind arise. 
When the sky is clear, the heat of the soil passes 
off into the upper air without obstruction, but if 
there are clouds in the sky they throw the heat 
back. Sometimes, the gardener finds frost on 
his plants, when the mercury of the thermome¬ 
ter is several degrees above the freezing point, 
because the air on the surface of the ground is 
colder than that above. 
On windy nights, even with a clear sky, there 
is less danger of frost than in calm weather. The 
wind does not prevent radiation of heat, but it 
orings in warmer air from above, and causes it 
to sweep along the ground and impart to the soil 
a portion of its heat. 
As clouds intercept the heat and cause it to de¬ 
scend to the earth, so any other substance placed 
over the soil will produce the same result. The 
ground under the branches of trees in a forest is 
less frozen in Winter than on an open plain, chief¬ 
ly because these branches obstruct radiation of 
heat. So in a garden, the branches of a tree or 
bush have often been noticed to protect tender 
plants from Spring frosts. 
The cornice on our friend’s wall, which pro¬ 
tected his vines, did not shield them from “ the 
fall of the frost,” as the expression is often used, 
but prevented the rapid radiation of heat. Heat 
radiates in every direction, and nearly half the 
heat from such a vine was intercepted and re¬ 
turned by the wall and the cornice. 
On any cold night when frost is apprehended, 
all we need to do, is to place over our tender 
plants something to obstruct radiation. A thin 
cambric handkerchief has sometimes protected 
tender plants, while all else around was killed. 
It is best generally to place the covering a few 
inches above the plants. 
Burning Charcoal in Kilns. 
We gave in our last, some account of the com¬ 
mon mode of preparing charcoal in raised mounds 
or pits. This process is not economical of wood, 
but has in its favor, that the wood can be burned 
where it grows, with little expense for carting. 
A better method for those who have capital, is 
to build kilns of brick expressly for this purpose. 
We have occasionally seen these in the vicinity 
of iron furnaces, where large quantities of 
charcoal are used in smelting ores. This is the 
common method in the old iron districts, where 
wood in the immediate vicinity is becoming 
scarce. The kilns are built near the furnace, and 
the charcoal is burned by those who run the fur¬ 
nace, as a matter of economy. Frequently large 
tracts of woodland are purchased mainly for this 
purpose. The wood is cut and corded, and after 
seas'ohing, is hauled to the furnace. These brick 
walled kilns are made either rectangular, or 
circular, according to the taste of the builder. 
A single wall of brick is strong enough for this 
purpose. The walls should be run up anout nine 
feet high, and then be arched over with brick. 
Two tiers of wood can then be set, one above 
the other, much in the same order as in the com¬ 
mon coal pit. 
Occasional holes of the size of a brick both at 
top and bottom, are left for ventilation. This 
gives the burner perfect control of the fire. The 
usual capacity of these kilns is from forty to fifty 
cords, which are burnt in about three weeks. 
The yield is from fifty bushels to the cord and up¬ 
ward, according to the dryness of the wood used. 
This is an advantage of about twenty five per 
cent over the common method. A usual esti¬ 
mate is, that twenty five cords of dry wood, or 
thirty cords of green wood, will make a thousand 
bushels burnt in a coal pit. The cost of the pro¬ 
cess of burning in kilns, including the filling, coal¬ 
ing, and discharging, is about one dollar a hundred 
bushels. Coaling in the woods can not be afford¬ 
ed short of two and a half dollars a hundred. 
With these hints, every one will be able to tell 
whether it will pay to put up a kiln or not. For 
men who work iron furnaces, or who have occa¬ 
sion to use large quantities of charcoal in their 
business, it is undoubtedly the cheaper method 
of supply. It might also pay farmers who have 
large tracts of woodland and a good market for 
charcoal within ten miles. 
- - * < ■ 
Suspending Slaughtered Animals- 
The simple method of suspending and elevating 
slaughtered animals, given on page 332 of last 
volume (Nov. No.) has called forth several other 
methods. Some four or five have given a plan 
similar to the one here sketched, the drawings of 
which were forwarded to the Agriculturist by 
Mr. Sam’l Schooley, of Clinton Co., Ohio. Provide 
three rails, or better, three round poles, say 12 
feet long, or of such length and size as may be 
required for the animal to be suspended. Lay 
these down on the ground as shown at A. Two 
of them are to be chamfered off (not shown in A,) 
and the other fitted between them, and the three 
joined at the angle by a loose pin of iron or strong 
wood. One or more pins, p, p, for the gambrels, 
are to be put into each of the two poles, and a 
cross-bar, c, for a handle into the other one, as 
shown in the cut A. The joining of the three 
pieces is not well shown in the engraving. 
To use the apparatus, lay the frame over the 
animal, place the gambrel upon two opposite 
pins, and then raise up the three pieces, as shown 
at B. The apparatus is very simple, is easily 
made, can be carried from place to place, and be 
packed away by simply taking out the pin. Mr. 
Schooley says, a man with a hoy, or at most two 
men, can readily elevate the largest beef carcass. 
Protection of Sheep—Tax the Bogs. 
[We ask especial attention to the communication be¬ 
low. Let some public spirited individual in each county 
gather facts and statistics, and the mass of people will bo 
startled at the result. We suggest that every Agricultural 
Society appoint a standing committee on sheep-killing 
dogs, to report once a year, or oftener. —Ed ] 
To the Etliloi of the American Agriculturist . 
I notice in the current January Agriculturist 
the remark : "We cannot keep sheep on account of 
the dogs." In many parts of the country, that 
has been, and is supposed to be an inevitable 
evil attendant upon that department of hus¬ 
bandry. But there is a remedy and a power ia 
the agricultural community to protect their in¬ 
terests in this most profitable and pleasant de¬ 
partment of their industry. 
In Massachusetts and Connecticut, laws have 
been enacted levying a tax upon dogs, of $1 
each, and on every slut $5 ; each dog thus taxed 
is registered in the Clerk’s Office of the town 
where owned, and must also wear a collar, with 
the owner’s name on it. Every dog not thus 
taxed, registered, and collared, may he killed by 
any one. Sheriffs, Constables are required to 
kill them, or, after request, are liable to pay a 
fine if they refuse. Any one keeping or harbor¬ 
ing an unlawful dog, is liable to a fine of $10. 
Dogs thus taxed, etc , are protected from de- • 
struction under severe penalties. If found 
destroying sheep, their lives are forfeited, and 
the owner required to pay all damages. The 
moneys thus levied, constitute a fund with which 
to pay for destruction of sheep by dogs unde¬ 
tected Every State in the Union should have 
such a law, and farmers must work for it. 
Two years ago, having learned that one man 
in this county had ninety sheep killed in one day 
by two dogs, and bis neighbor $100 worth of 
Cotswolds (I believe,) at the same time, and by 
the same dogs, with the assistance of a few gen¬ 
tlemen, in different towns of Southern Berkshire, 
I commenced gathering facts. I bad reliable in¬ 
formation, from farmers who had suffered, that 
in this half of the county, in the five preceding 
years, dogs had destroyed sheep to the value of 
two thousand five hundred dollars! Men were in¬ 
credulous when I told them this, until I showed 
them the items and names. These were laid 
before a full meeting of the Housatonic Agricul¬ 
tural Society, and a vote passed, unanimously, 
requesting our Legislature to pass a law similar 
to the one now in force. After this the Massa¬ 
chusetts State Society took the matter in hand, ' 
and, in consequence, the first enactment was 
modified, and made more efficient. The result 
has been very satisfactory ; the law works well. 
According to ascertained facts, the farmers of 
Berkshire County suffered a loss of one thousand 
dollars annually by the ravages of dogs among 
their sheep. Still the evil bad existed so long, 
that many thought there was no remedy, and 
some who had sheep killed, even in the sheds, 
only a few days before my requesting the par¬ 
ticulars, neglected to answer my letters. 
Farmers in the Legislature were afraid to take 
hold of it at first, from fear of unpopularity, and 
only when influenced by a strong public opinion 
and numerous petitions, did they move. 
All I have to say to my brother farmers is, go 
to work by circulating petitions to your Legisla¬ 
tures ; and, if need he, gather up facts, to show 
the reasonableness of the demand for protection, 
and refer to the enactments of Connecticut and 
Massachusetts as good precedents. It may cost 
a little time and trouble, but it will pay well if 
you wish to raise sheep. Then a good flock, 
with good care, will yield a good profit. 
Berkshire Co ., Mass , Jan , I860. F. \\ iiiting. 
