Jmprir to imprafc tjje Jf miter, tlje fortarr, atto % planter. 
AGRICULTURE IS THE MOST HEALTHFUL, THE MOST USEFUL, AND THE MOST NOBLE EMPLOYMENT OF MAN,— WASHINGTON. 
oisano£ judd, a. HE., > ra n<n/m <' $ 1.00 per annum, in advance. 
EDITOR AND PROPRIETOR. $ ©S) I all ASr&Jlo t SINGLE NUMBERS 10'_CENTS. 
VOL. xv. —No. 14.] NEW-YORK, NOVEMBER, 1856. [NEW series— No. 118 . 
iVgpThe Office of tlxe American Agricul¬ 
turist is on tUe 2d floor at 191 Water-st. 
(near Fulton). 
Ipg’-All Business and otlicr letters should 
be addressed to ORANGE JUDD, 
No. 191 Water-st., 
Ncw-l'ork City. 
H.v** Personal Letters, or those for tlie Editor only should be 
marked Private. 
See About the Baker’s Dozen, 
page 333. 
WOKK FO R THE MONTH. 
“ Yet one smile more departing distant sun, 
One mellow smile through the soft vaporing air, 
Ere o’er the frozen earth the loud winds run, 
Or snows are sifted o’er the meadows bare; 
One smile on the brown hills ami naked trees, 
And the dark rocks whose summer wreaths are cast, 
And the blue Gentian-flower that in the breeze 
Nods lonely, of her beauteous race the last. 
’ Yet a few sunny days, in which the bee 
Shall murmur by the hedge that skirts the way, 
The cricket chirp upon the russet lea. 
And man delight to linger in thy way, 
Yet one rich smile, and we will try to bear 
The piercing winter frost, and winds and darkened air ’’ 
Bryant. 
How silently has the sun stolen south¬ 
ward, looking in now at windows, and cast¬ 
ing his warm beams upon carpets that were 
unblest with his smiles all the summer long. 
The gorgeous drapery of the forest has gone, 
and the maples and walnuts no more flame 
in gaudy red and yellow. Here and there 
only an oak, tenacious of its russet leaves, 
reminds us that the foliage has had its reign, 
and that the summer is ended. The leaves 
lie scattered through the forests, and by the 
road side, and give back a lonely sound to 
the tread of the hunter. The nuts have been 
gathered, or lie scattered among the burrs, 
and shells. The blithe squirrel with tail 
erect, and comfortable memory of his win¬ 
ter hoards, barks cheerly among the boughs. 
His knot-hole in the hollow chestnut, or oak, 
is his castle, and thither he retreats when 
the dogs pursue him. 
There is a cool bracing atmosphere at 
morning, and the white frost lies glittering 
upon the grass as the farmer goes forth to 
his morning duties. The cattle still glean 
something from the fields, though the glo¬ 
rious green of the aftermath is gone. Work 
out of doors is no longer pressing, and the in¬ 
dustrious man now appreciates and enjoys the 
fruits of his summer labors. The fire-board 
has already been removed from the hearth 
for the winter, and the blazing wood throws 
an air of cheerfulness over the happy family 
circle. The winter school has begun and 
the younger children are already at their 
studies. The older will soon follow, as 
soon as the last harvest work is done, and 
the old wall reset. What occasion has the 
farmer for cheerfulness and thanksgiving, 
as he looks around upon his comforts. A 
kind Providence has blest him in his basket 
and his store. His barns, and granaries are 
full, and his cellar stored with vegetables. 
His bins are full of apples, and his meat bar¬ 
rels, if not already stocked, have their filling 
in certain prospect. Sleek porkers revel in 
hominy and clean straw, and beeves stuff 
their round bellies to make rounds of beef. 
The young pullets with combs of fiery red 
have deposited their first egg, and made 
noise enough for a whole litter. Thrift and 
plenty are on every hand, and now if there 
be a contented mind, what home so happy as 
the farmer’s. No famine-price of bread 
can mar his peace. He has corn and meat 
to sell. No rogue can run away with his 
capital. His bank is one of earth and its 
deposits never mysteriously disappear. 
The long evenings have come, and gath¬ 
ered around the blazing hearth, with wife 
and children, he may enjoy life. He has 
cultivated his acres diligently, and he may 
nov/ cultivate his mind and heart. He has 
his journals and books, and can read the 
accounts of horticultural and agricultural 
exhibitions such as he has not been able to 
visit. He can read up the political speeches 
that were necessarily laid aside during the 
harvesting of corn and potatoes. He can 
turn from the present to the past, and study 
the history of former generations. 
November is to us one of the most enjoy¬ 
able months of the year. The fine bracing 
air, neither too hot nor too cold, gives a zest 
to all labors and pleasures. The storms of 
the wild equinox are over, and those of 
winter have not yet commenced. The beau¬ 
tiful soft haze of the Indian summer robes 
the distant hills and throws an air of en¬ 
chantment about every prospect. 
But in the few sour and stormy days that 
come we have a foretaste of what is in store 
for us. The sun grows lower in the south¬ 
ern horizon, and can not much longer with¬ 
stand the onward march of winter. Let his 
departing smile admonish us 
TO SET OUR HOUSE IN ORDER. 
Winter will soon be upon us with its 
drifting snows, its driving rains, and terri¬ 
ble frosts. If the roof is not tight, call in 
the carpenter and fix it the first fair day. 
Already the leaks have spotted the paper 
upon the walls, and the carpet upon the 
floor. This is poor economy. Stop the 
leaks. Last winter, possibly, the potatoes 
were frost bitten in the cellar, and bushels 
were thrown away as useless. The pump 
pipes perhaps were frozen and burst. Now 
take time by the forelock, and bank up all 
around the house before the ground is frozen. 
Better have the cellar windows darkened 
with straw, or sea weed, than to have frost 
doing such mischief. Now is the time for 
this work. 
TIGHT BARNS 
also are an item of great importance for the 
health and comfort of cattle, and for the 
easy conscience of owners. If you would 
rest well in the zero nights of January, make 
provision to shelter all the stock upon your 
farm. Cracks should be battened, and the 
barn be made so tight, that ventilation at the 
top will be necessary. It takes much less 
hay, and provender to winter cattle in a 
warm stable, and they come out sleek and 
fat in the spring. It is not yet too late to 
bring 
WATER IN TO THE VARD. 
There is great waste of manure, and flesh 
on the part of cattle, and of lime and labor, 
on the part of the owner, in driving cattle a 
half mile to water in the winter. A barn is 
frequently commanded by hills in the neigh¬ 
borhood that will furnish an abundant sup¬ 
ply of water. A lead pipe laid below frost 
will introduce it, and save time and money. 
STORING ROOTS. 
This should now be attended to without 
much delay. Severe frost injures the keep¬ 
ing quantity of most of the roots. They 
should be harvested in dry weather, that 
they may be as free from dirt as possible. 
All leaves should be carefully removed from 
them, that there may be nothing left to de¬ 
cay. The unpleasant smell arising from 
turnips in the cellar is generally owing to a 
neglect of this precaution. Ventilation is 
important, and they should be put up in nar. 
row bins to prevent them from heating. 
Potatoes should be stored in a dark cellar 
safe from frost. They are more injured by 
light, and frost than other roots. Assorting 
them is good work for rainy days, if that have 
not been already done. The smallest pota¬ 
toes cooked, make good beef and pork. The 
middling size we use for seed, and the lar¬ 
gest are for market and the table. 
White field turnips will stand the frost and 
even continue to grow until they freeze into 
the ground ; but their keeping quality is in¬ 
jured by the frost. Pulled in October be 
fore hard frosts, they do not become pithy 
so soon. The tops should be close cut to 
prevent sprouting. 
Beets are injured by frost below 25°. The 
