4 = 4:2 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
[December, 
Contents foi’ December, 1871. 
Calendar for Decembei'. 
Balsam Apples and Pears. Illustrated. .402 
Barn—Mr. Sargent’s.3 Illustrations. .455. 450 
Birds—The Cow-Bnnting. Ulicslralfd. .451 
Bones—Utilizing them.457 
Boys and Girls’ Columns—The Doctor Makes a Prop¬ 
osition— About Christmas Presents — The Doctor 
Talks about Indians—A Trick of the Gulls—Aunt 
Sue’s Puzzle-Box—Answers to Correspondents. 
7 Illustrations. .465, 466 
Cactuses in Winter. .461 
Care of Implements.457 
Chinese Quince.. Illustrated.. 459 
Country Roads and Bridges. 4 Illustrations. .449, 450 
Crimson and White Mignonette..459 
Don’t Cover too Early. 459 
Drying up Cows. ... .456 
Early Shipping Tomato. 460 
Egg Farm.2 Illustrations. .448, 449 
European Larch...!...460 
Experience with Egg-plant..460 
Farm Work in December.442 
Flower Garden and Lawn in December.443 
Folding Chicken Coop. . Illustrated. .455 
Fruit Garden in December.442 
Grease for Galls on Horses. 455 
Greenhouse and Window Plants in December.443 
Home-made Sleds. Illustrated. .454 
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II. M. 
II. M 
II. M 
II. M. 
II .M 
TI.M 
II. M. 
1 
F 
7 10 
4 20 
8 16 
7 5 
4 34 
8 21 
7 0 
4 39 
8 27 
2 
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4 29 
9 16 
7 6 
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9 25 
3 
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10 17 
7 7 
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10 25 
4 
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5 
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morn 
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morn 
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sets 
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15 
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7 12 
4 39 
8 47 
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9 52 
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11 5 
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24 
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7 27 
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25 
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rises 
7 23 
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rises 
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4 44 
rises 
27 
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7 28 
4 34 
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7 23 
4 80 
5 21 
7 18 
4 45 
5 28 
28 
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7 29 
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6 10 
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6 16 
7 18 
4 46 
6 21 
20 
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7 29 
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7 0 
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7 14 
7 18 
4 47 
7 19 
80 
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7 29 i 4 37 
8 9 
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8 13 
7 19 
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31 
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7 30 4 37 
9 11 
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9 14 
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4 48 
9 17 
Hoodwinking the Crows. Illustrated. .451, 453 
Household Department — Some Novel Chairs—High- 
Chairs—Hints for Santa Claus—Children’s Books— 
Feminine Underwear — Sauces and Garnishes — 
Christmas Goose—Making Shirts—Buttons—How to 
Cook Sturgeon—Dried Apple Parings —Scalloped 
Oysters.2 Illustrations. 463, 464 
How I make a Hedge... 461 
How to Strip a Hide...456 
Insects—Great White Leopard-Moth.. .3 Illustrations. AW 
Japan Pear. Illustrated. .462 
Kitchen Garden in December., .443 
Market Reports.444 
Milk—How Much does a Quart Weigh.456 
Milk-Mirror in Jersey Cows.456 
Movable Feed-Rack. Illustrated. .454 
Notes from the Pines—Sheldon Pear—Moore’s Con¬ 
cord Corn—Peerless Potato—The Late Roses—Light¬ 
ning as a Landscape Gardener—Christmas Rose— 
Winter State of Plants — Winter Pears — Keep¬ 
ing Geraniums — Parsnips — Judson’s Branching 
Corn. 460, 461 
Ogien Farm Papers, No. 23—Selling Stock—Pigs— 
Selling Butter at a High Price.447, 448 
Oiling Axles.457 
Orchard and Nursery in December.443 
Ox-Yokes.,.2 Illustrations. .455 
Plowing and Cultivating by Steam.. .Illustrated. .457, 458 
Selling Fruit and Vegetables by Weight.461 
Sheep Pens and Racks. Illustrated. .453 
Slaughtering Pigs. Illustrated. .454 
Smoke-house and Oven. Illustrated. .455 
Snow-Plows. Illustrated.. 454 
Sorrel.462 
Trial of Working Oxen. Illustrated. .441 
Useful nand Cultivator. Illustrated. .461 
Walks and Talks on the Farm, No. 96—Success of 
a German Farmer—Seeing a Point—Manure from a 
Ton of Bran—White Mustard—Grade Cotswolds— 
Winter Work—Pride of Labor.452, 453 
Winter Care of Sheep. . .457 
INDEX TO “BASKET,” OK SHORTER ARTICLES. 
Artesian Wells.447|New Pump.445 
jtucuba—Akebia.446 Northern Pacific Rail- 
Bee Notes.4*47 road... .447 
Best Slock for a Farmer.446 Number of Feet in an 
BickneH’s Village Build- I Acre..446 
or.445 One Hundred Pounds of 
Bricks and Leather.446 Pork.446 
Cedars.446'Onc of Many.446 
Chesapeake and Ohio |Osage Orange.446 
‘ 446 
..447 
.446 
.447 
Rai 1 road.445 Pea t. 
Crops and Prices.446 Plowing Sod Land_ 
Curing Cats.447 Prilling Stumps..... 
Dogs Killing Sheep. AARlT>niii„r 
Double Geraniums. 
.446 Rolling Land for Corn. 
.446 Rolling Spring Grain_446 
Farming in Mexico.447[Sniffles in Hogs.446 
Forest Trees, Bryant’s.. .446[Sows Losing Appetite. . .446 
Fowls for Exhibition_445jSpecial Premium.444 
German Edition. 446 Sprain of Sinews.447 
Good Pig.446 Sundry Humbugs.446 
Good Returns from Shcep447lThcmas’ Harrow.444 
Grease from Bones.446 Time to Haul Lime.446 
Hearth and Home—Fic¬ 
tion.445 
How Much Lund for a 
Cow.447 
How much Oil-Meal.’... .447 
Hydraulic Rams.445 
It will Pay.446 
Mortar—Lime and Sami.447 
Transplanting Ilickories.447 
Trophy Tomato Preminm415 
Union is Strength.414 
Violets.446 
What Books to Read. .. .447 
When to Apply Lime, etc.447 
Woolly Taste of Miftton.440 
Young Pigs.44 (? 
PHASES OF THE MOON. 
MOON. 
BOSTON. 
N. YORK. 
wash’n. 
cha’ston 
CHICAGO. 
Id. 
3d Quart.. 5 
New Moon 11 
1st Quart.. 18 
Full.>20 
H. M. 
2 2 m. 
11 18 ev. 
3 57 ev. 
4 51 cv. 
II. M. 
1 50 m. 
11 6 ev. 
3 45 ev. 
4 39 ev. 
n. m. 
1 38 m. 
10 54 ev. 
3 as ev. 
4 27 ev. 
II. M. 
1 26 m. 
10 42 ev. 
3 21 cv. 
4 15 ev. 
II. M. 
0 56 m. 
10 12 ev. 
2 51 ev. 
3 45 ev. 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
NEW YORK, DECEMBER, 1871. 
This month closes the thirtieth volume of the 
American Agriculturist. During these thirty years 
it lias labored earnestly, and in a good degree, we 
trust, effectively, for the advancement of American 
agriculture and the improvement and interest of 
American formers. We can not complain of a want 
of appreciation. No agricultural paper ever before 
attained half the circulation of that enjoyed by the 
American Agriculturist for 1871. We have reason to 
expect a still greater number of subscribers for 
1872. No editors ever had more liberal publishers, 
no publishers ever had more willing editors. What 
we have done in the past is nothing in comparison 
with our hopes and intentions for the future. Wc 
believe in ourselves and in our readers. We have 
faith in good forming; and we are endeavoring to 
show our faith by our works. The agricultural 
editors of the Agriculturist are practical formers. 
We live on the farm, and our monthly “Hints 
about Work” are the result of our own experi¬ 
ence and observation. The year now drawing to a 
close lias been, in many respects, a discouraging 
one to formers. Butter, cheese, pork, and beef are 
low. Wool has done a little better and the pros¬ 
pects are encouraging. Those formers who sold 
their sheep and bought cows, will probably now 
sell their cows for half what they cost, and buy 
sheep at double what they got for them. We urged 
our readers not to sell their sheep, and cautioned 
them against rushing into the dairy business. We 
would say now: If you have sheep, keep them; if 
you have cows, do not sell them. It is a good time 
for any one to buy cows who proposes to establish a 
permanent dairy. Select the best, get a good bull, 
and aim to improve the herd. There is still money 
in the dairy business. Pork-packers lost heavily 
last winter. They will try to get back their money 
the present season, and the probabilities are that 
we shall be obliged to sell our pork below the cost 
of production. In a year or two it will be out¬ 
turn. The low price of pork will increase con¬ 
sumption at borne and abroad. American limns, 
bacon, and barreled pork will be introduced into 
new markets and to thousands of now consumers 
in different parts of the world. We lose money 
by the transaction, but we shall get it back in the 
end. Those formers will make a mistake who sac¬ 
rifice good breeding stock. 
It is never so dark as just before dawn ; and dark 
as have been our prospects the past season, we mis¬ 
take the signs of the times if a bright day is not 
rapidly approaching. We shall get better prices 
for all our products. 
But good prices alone do not make good times. 
Wc need good crops, good stock, and a less cost of 
production. Now is a good time to think and talk 
about these matters and lay plans for the future. 
“We need more capital.” Certainly we do—and 
the same is true of all occupations, in trade, com¬ 
merce, or manufactures. But what is capital ? It 
is simply labor , or the means of procuring labor; 
We have heard formers bemoan their lack of 
capital while they spent several hours a day, in 
winter, smoking and talking around the stove at a 
village grocery. Many farmers need enterprise 
and pluck much more than they need capital. 
Hints al»ont "Woi-lc. 
Make the House Comfortable. —We have no patience 
with a man who allows the windows to rattle in 
the casements, while with a hammer, a few nails, a 
lath or two, and a little putty, he could, in an hour 
or two, make the house snug and comfortable. 
We believe in thorough ventilation, but it should 
be under our control. There are thousands of 
homes where the inmates spend a wretched winter 
simply for want of a little attention to such mat¬ 
ters. See that the outside doors fit snug. A storm 
house inclosing the door most exposed, or where 
the family are going in and out frequently, is a great 
comfort. A damper in the stove-pipe prevents the 
heat from going up the chimney, and saves fuel. 
See that the wood-house is well supplied with dry 
wood ready for the stove, and that there is some 
kindling always prepared read}- for use. Where 
coal is used, and in the absence of charcoal, have 
a barrel of dry corn-cobs ready for starting fires. 
Let the family room be well lighted, and make 
home attractive to the young people. Let there he 
no lack of good books and useful papers. Pleasant 
winter evenings at home constitute one of the great 
charms of country life. It is here that character is 
formed, and the future usefulness of our children 
in a good degree determined. 
A comfortable family room, warm beds, nutri¬ 
tious food, and plenty of sleep, will enable a farmer 
and his family to spend the winter pleasantly and 
profitably. There is plenty of work to be done, 
and the cold, instead of benumbing the faculties, 
will stimulate exertion. Do not spend your winter 
days by the stove, or in complaining of hard times. 
Attend to the Animals.—Next to the family the 
most important duty is to make our domestic ani¬ 
mals comfortable. There is great profit in it. 
Warmth is, to a certain extent, equivalent to food. 
And, what is of far greater importance, it saves 
digestion. It is sometimes said, when speaking on 
this subject, that corn or hay is a costly fuel, but 
this does not tell half the story. When an animal 
is exposed to storms,and loses an excessive amount 
of heat, this heat has to be supplied from the 
blood or from flesh and fat. And good meat, fat, 
or butter is certaiuly a very expensive fuel to burn 
in the animal stove. Many farmers who think it a 
great waste to burn “ body maple” in tlie house, 
allow their cows to burn butter in the barn-yard. 
This is precisely what thousands and tens of thou¬ 
sands of formers do every winter. We implore 
every reader of the Agriculturist to provide some 
shelter for his animals—if it is nothing more than 
a shed of evergreen branches or corn-stalks. 
Oivc the Animals Enough to Eat. —Next to ex¬ 
posure, one of the most serious drawbacks to 
profitable stock feeding is the want of a liberal 
and regular suppty of nutritious food. Many for¬ 
mers can not be made to understand that an animal 
cats a large amount of food merely to keep it alive, 
and that all the profit the owner derives from keep¬ 
ing the animal, comes from the food eaten in ex¬ 
cess of this amount. If straw will keep an animal 
alive, all the profit of keeping the animal is derived 
from liny or grain fed in addition to the straw. 
Feeding Cuttle ami Sheep on the bare ground may be 
