1871.] 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
3 
the range of farm lanes or small pasture lots be¬ 
sides roomy, well-littered slieds iuto which they 
should be shut at night. Ewes should have 
some grain daily, and be constantly improving 
in condition uutil yeaning time. Fattening 
sheep should be kept in closer quarters, and as 
quiet as possible. See that all get tlicir just por¬ 
tion of the feed. There is more danger of over¬ 
feeding in giving corn-meal, than oil-cake. 
j awine must be kept dry and warm to do well in 
winter. Brood sows need to be kept nearly fat 
enough to kill; the brood will thrive for it. Store 
pigs need more feed in proportion than brood sows 
even, for they grow rapidly and require some exer¬ 
cise to keep them healthy. They will eat a good 
deal of hay—clover hay—if it is fed to them. We 
give it when they begin to be impatient for feeding 
time to come, and find a few small locks will 
keep them busy and contented. 
Fowls. — Good feeding and warm quarters will 
produce eggs. Keep the houses clean and dry. 
Use kerosene upon the roosts to kill lice, and some 
disinfectant if the fowls look dumpish and have 
colds; giving some tincture of iron in the water 
and Cayenne pepper with the food. 
Manures .—Workup all the litter, leaves, muck, 
sawdust, and every thing that can decay, in liberal 
quantities into the manure. The heaps should be 
worked over and mixed, so as to give the mass the 
greatest uniformity, unless indeed it is desirable to 
keep different kinds of manure for especial pur¬ 
poses. The careful saving of poultry-house ma¬ 
nure mixed with a little, say twice its bulk of earth, 
or with sawdust and plaster, well rammed into old 
barrels, will afford a fair quantity of excellent 
guano, equal to that of the Peruvian Islands. Al¬ 
lowing fowls and turkeys to roost on trees and un¬ 
der out-buildings and sheds, which are in constant 
use for other purposes, involves a total loss of this. 
Ice .—In gathering ice, be sure there is a deep bed 
of straw to place the first layer upon. Wheat chaff 
is said to be excellent. The object being to bed 
the ice upon a non-conductor of heat, which will 
let the water pass off freely. Cut the cakes as 
even as possible, so that little space will be wasted 
by chinks ; brush the cracks full of ice chips and 
dust, free from dirt, especially round the sides. 
The more solidly ice is packed upon the sides, 
which are exposed to thawing, the better. 
Tools .—Send for Catalogues of tools and imple¬ 
ments. If possible, visit large establishments 
with a view to see improvements and whatever 
there is that is new, whether you buy or not. 
Pursue the same plan in regard to 
Seeds .—Get seedsmen’s Catalogues, and in some 
particular every year improve, or endeavor to im¬ 
prove, the crops you raise by introducing superior 
kinds. Witii painstaking, one’s own stock may be 
constantly improving, but this requires much care. 
Keep seeds in bags, nets, or baskets, hanging up 
so as to be out of the way of mice. Stone jars, 
tin or any close boxes are very bad for seeds, as 
they gather moisture and therein become spoiled. 
The Markets .—The close of the war can hardly 
have any other effect upon our grain and produce 
markets than to send prices up. Those who are 
likely to need meal or bran would do well to buy; 
while we can but think that it will pay those who 
want to sell to hold a while for higher prices. 
Draining may be done in many places during al¬ 
most the entrre winter. Springy ground never 
freezes deep, and this crust is soon thawed by the 
warm water underneath. In ditching, begin at the 
outlet and workup, carrying the drain half its depth 
or less at first, thus drawing off a good part of the 
water, after which it will be easier to deepen it. 
Surface Rocks , or those which have been dug un¬ 
der and exposed, may be woken to pieces very 
well by blasting in any but the coldest weather. 
The drilling will create so much heat that water 
will not freeze in the holes, even when it will 
upon the surface. 
Cutting off Bogs .—When the surface is only 
partly stiffened, swampy land may be entered and 
conveniently worked upon, either in grubbing out 
roots or in cutting off bogs, leaving the surface 
smooth and level; and, if properly drained, a slight 
top-dressing of sandy loam with a very light seed¬ 
ing of red-top and timothy in the spring will in¬ 
sure good pasturage after it has half a year’s start. 
- «-4 -— «0 O r m -- 
Work in the Horticultural Department. 
Our notes upon work and the hints we throw 
out from month to mouth, of course vary with the 
season in their applicability to different latitudes, 
and of course always some part of them is applica¬ 
ble to the conditions of some part of the country ; 
but, as a whole, they will prove fresh and valuable 
reading to all interested in garden work in its 
many branches. They are intended to point out 
the things necessary to be done, and give sugges¬ 
tions as to the way of doing them. Even the most 
experienced need a reminder of this kind, especial¬ 
ly when there are many details to be looked after. 
One of our largest gardeners has a record made of 
each day’s doings at his establishment; and with 
all his extensive experience he finds it necessary to 
refer frequently to this diary as a guide. In mak¬ 
ing up these notes we are obliged to have several 
distinct classes of readers in mind; those who cul¬ 
tivate entirely for profit, and those who grow 
plants for the love of it, and without regard to 
gain; those who are familiar with tiie ordinary 
operations of horticulture and only need to be re¬ 
minded of the season in which to do them, and 
those who essay the simplest operation for the first 
time. Besides the routine directions, it will be 
found that each month we incorporate much that 
is new under the different divisions, and answer in 
general terms many letters of inquiry. Horticul¬ 
turists have always been in advance of farmers in 
availing themselves of the recorded experience of 
others; and we now have,not only general treatises, 
but many excellent works upon special subjects, in 
which the various processes are treated more in 
detail than they can be by general writers. Every 
intelligent gardener will have some standard work 
upon the subjects in which he is specially interest¬ 
ed. A glance at our book list will show that there 
are a plenty of such works. He is a poor gardener 
who does not do better this year than he did last, 
whether his operations extend over acres or are 
confined to the narrow limits of his dooryard. 
tlrchard and ATn-sei'y. 
The setting of a tree or plant of any kind involves 
a promise to take care of it. Unless these condi¬ 
tions are accepted, plant no more trees. 
Young Trees , from the beginning, need constant 
supervision. Were the trees properly planted, no 
stakes will be needed; but if from careless plant¬ 
ing or accident, any tree has been thrown out of 
the perpendicular, straighten it up and tic it to a 
stake, or tie the tree between two strong ones. 
Order Trees early; if one lives near a nursery it 
will sometimes pay him to give an extra price for 
the privilege of digging his own trees. 
Rabbits are troublesome, especially when the 
snow is on the ground. Among the various pre¬ 
ventives blood has been found the easiest of ap¬ 
plication, and as efficacious as any. One sprinkling 
will last all winter. If blood cannot be obtained 
readily, rub the trunks of the trees with liver or 
bloody meat, but this is more troublesome. 
Mice work under cover; keep all rubbish away 
from the trees, and tramp down light snows. 
When there are not many trees it will pay to clasp 
the base of the trunks with a girdle of old tin, or 
sheet iron. 
Horses or Cattle often do much damage in young 
plantations, and must be kept out; indeed, hogs 
are the only animals ever to be allowed in the 
orchard. There are some annoying wild animals. 
Insects can now be successfully headed off. The 
eggs of the tent-caterpillar seem to be especially 
arranged with a view to their ready removal. If a 
swelling is seen near the end of a twig, it should 
be looked to, as it is likely that there is a deposit 
of eggs glued in a band around it. These clusters 
are readily seen while the trees are leafless, and 
may be removed by the aid of a step-ladder, on- 
trees of moderate size ; and on larger ones a pair of 
shears may be arranged at the end of a pole to 
work by a string. Any time and labor required to 
remove these eggs will be profitably expended. 
Nurseries .—The young stock is to be headed 
back and brought into shape. Never let two limbs- 
start so near together as to form a crotch. Make 
every preparation for the spring trade, and have all 
packing material and labels ready for use. 
Manure may be carted out while the ground is 
frozen, and be ready to spread in spring. 
Labels on trees received from the nursery are, for 
safety, bound on tightly. In this time of leisure 
go over the orchard and see that no strangulation 
can result from tight wires. 
Cions arc to be cut at any time in winter when 
the trees are not frozen. Be careful to tie the sorts 
in bundles and to label every parcel. 
Root Graft at any time during winter, and set 
the grafted roots in boxes of sand or earth. 
Fruit, Garden, 
AVhoever contents himself with a single variety 
of strawberry, currant, or other fruit, gets only half 
the satisfaction his garden is capable of affording, 
or, if he cultivates for market, only a portion of 
the profit he might otherwise receive. 
Grape-vines that were not pruned in autumn, do 
now in mild spells, and do the same with 
Cun-ants and Gooseberries .—Keep the bush open 
and shorten in the new growth. Cuttings may be 
made of the prunings by dipping the lower ends in 
mud and setting them in a cool cellar. See that the 
Winter Covering of strawberry and other plants 
is not blown or washed off. If leaves are used, they 
may require a little soil to be thrown over them. 
General Work , such as protecting trees, remov¬ 
ing the eggs of insects, is hinted at under Orchard. 
Siitchcn Gnrdcii. 
The amount of out-of-door work will be govern¬ 
ed by the season and the locality ; wherever any 
thing can be done to facilitate next spring’s oper¬ 
ations, it should be attended to while work is not 
pressing. At least the one important article of 
Manure —the key to success—can be accumulated 
and hauled to where it is to be used. Fresh ma¬ 
nure for hot-beds, and composted manure to apply 
to the ground, need different treatment. Well de¬ 
composed manure may be taken to the spot where 
it will be needed, and left in small heaps, while 
that for hot-beds should not be in so small heaps 
that it will be chilled through, but it should be 
kept in a state of fermentation. As soon as a heap 
shows signs of heating, A should be turned over, 
and each turning will much improve its quality. 
Plants which are growing in 
Cold Frames will need attention. If the weather 
is very cold and the plants are frozen, it is not nec¬ 
essary to remove the snow from the frames, but 
a light fall of snow, followed by mild weather, 
must be immediately removed. Give air abund¬ 
antly, as it is the object to keep the plants as hardy 
as possible. 
Hot-beds for raising seedlings are to be started 
about six weeks before the time at which it will 
be safe to set out the plants. Sashes should be got 
ready; paint, if need be, and replace broken lights. 
Straw Mats are of great use in covering hot-beds 
and frames at night. There are several ways of 
making them ; they should be a foot longer than 
the sash and of its width and a half wider, so that 
two mats may cover three sashes. 
Covering of celery and roots in pits, do now. 
At the time we write, the middle of December, it 
seems as if this might be delayed for some time. 
Lettuce, where there is a demand for early plants, 
may be forced in a hot-bed. The bed should be ex¬ 
cavated at least feet deep, and this be filled 
with fermenting manure and covered with soil. 
