AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST, 
FOR THE 
ITarm, Grar-cien, and. Honseliold. 
‘AGRICULTURE IS THE MOST HEALTHFUL, MOST USEFUL, AND MOST NOBLE EMPLOYMENT OF MAN.” —Wabhinqtow, 
ORAXGi: JUDD, A.M., 
PUBLISHER AND PROPRIETOR. 
O/Kce, 41 Park Row, (Times Buildings.) 
ESTABLISHED IN 1842, 
TUe present Circulation is 100,000 Copies. 
SI.50 PER ANNUM, IN ADVANCE 
SINGLE NUMBER, 15 CENTS. 
For Contents, Terms, etc., see page 356. 
VOLUME XXIII—No. 12. 
NEW-YORK, DECEMBER, 1864. 
NEW SERIES—No. 215. 
Entered according to act of Congress in the year 1863, by 
Orange Judd, in the Clerk’s Office of the District Court of 
the United States for the Southern District of New-York. 
8®- Other Journals are invited to copy desirable articles 
freely, if each article be credited to American Agriculturist. 
Notes and Suggestions for the Month. 
Capricornus (represented by the Rocky Moun¬ 
tain goat) is the “Zodiacal sign ” for December. 
The labors of this month are confined, so far 
as concerns proper' farm operations, chiefly to 
the barn and stock yards. There is, however, 
no lack of employment, for the old year’s af¬ 
fairs should all be squared up and full prepa¬ 
rations made for beginning the new year aright. 
Accounts. —There is no more important task 
for a farmer or any other individual to set himself 
about, than learning exactly how he stands in 
his pecuniary relations to the world in general. 
All values which may he represented by dol¬ 
lars and cents should be included in taking the 
account of stock. Estimates should he made as 
low as can he done with fairness when in one’s 
own favor, and when not favorable he put up to 
the highest figure they will bear. Whenever 
practicable, closeup running accounts, pay debts, 
and if possible do henceforth a cash business. 
Buildings. —Observe hints for previous months. 
Be tidy in all things, especially about the house 
and barns. During the winter study plans for 
improvements in buildings, or for new ones. 
In making plans for buildings it is well for sev¬ 
eral persons to draw them entirely independent¬ 
ly of one another, after discussing the different 
requirements thoroughly together, so that each 
may know what is to be included in the plan. 
Cattle. —Keep clean, use the brush or card 
frequently, shelter all kinds of neat stock. Keep 
no more than can be kept well, and he taken 
through in good order for work, for milking, or 
for growth; every pound lost must be regained 
before one gets much profit from his stock. 
Cranberries .—Let water on whenever this is 
practicable and keep them submerged all winter. 
Draining.— So long as the ground is not frozen 
hard and is dry this work may he continued. 
Farmers' Clubs. —Do not forego the benefits of 
a good club, if your own efforts will aid effectu¬ 
ally in keeping one up in the neighborhood. 
• Fencing Stuff, etc. —Begin early and get out all 
that will be needed, and pile it up for seasoning. 
Fodder. —See articles on the philosophy of 
feeding in the present number. Economize fod¬ 
der of all kinds by cutting it up, soaking or 
cooking it in some way, and by sheltering the 
animals. Feed nothing on the ground, but 
have good racks, or at least some contrivance to 
keep it from being trampled upon and wasted. 
Grain Fields. —Look to the surface draining 
before the ground freezes up hard, otherwise 
there may he serious damage done by washing 
during heavy rains or thaws. Wet soil heaves 
most in freezing. Keep cattle off and fences up. 
Eogs. —See articles on slaughtering, page 338. 
Give hogs a chance to keep clean. Feed and 
shelter so as to keep them constantly growing. 
Horses. —Look to the shoeing. Never drive 
a smooth shod horse in slippery weather. Keep 
horses of all ages well groomed, in light, well 
ventilated stables. Blanket whenever heated by 
work or standing exposed to drafts, not usually 
when standing in the stable. Too warm blank¬ 
eting in the stable is a frequent cause of disease. 
Ice. —The first thick ice is usually the best. It 
will pay to clear off the snow from spots on 
private ponds so that the pure ice, free from 
snow, may be obtained. Good ice may often be 
cut by Christmas time. Get it in on cold days. 
Manure and Much. —See article on page 336. 
Muck may he dug to advantage during the 
early winter and laid in heaps to freeze—moving 
it to solid ground while the swamp is frozen. 
Poultry. —Look at the prices of eggs and 
chickens in our market tables, and see if it will 
not pay to provide a hennery where fowls 
will lay in winter. See pages 335 and 337. 
Roots. —Keep frost from root cellars by extra 
earthing up if necessary, and give additional 
protection to the pits—preserving ventilation. 
Sheep. —The keeping of sheep—especially fine 
wool sheep—has become almost a mania in 
some parts of this country. Take notice that 
the coarse grades of wool bring, proportionally, 
far higher prices—in some cases absolutely high¬ 
er than fine wool, and that neither wool nor 
mutton brings prices proportionate to the rise 
in price of gold. There is great profit in sheep 
raising, and the American Merinos are excel¬ 
lent. So are South-downs and the Long-wools 
where the circumstances are adapted to them. 
Feed under good warm sheds, in racks, and 
let the sheep do their own cutting up of the 
fodder and grinding the corn. See that water 
is always accessible, and keep salt before them. 
Tools. —Look out early for new implements 
of the best kind, and keep all in good repair. 
Wood .—The early winter should see. work 
laid out in the wood lot, to fill the time when 
nothing else in on hand. Timber may he cut 
and sledded, or that hewn and hauled in which 
was best cut early in the autumn and seasoned. 
Work in tlie Orchard ami Nursery. 
Out door work is confined to a few opera¬ 
tions and the horticultural calendar is of neces¬ 
sity brief. The nurseryman can now be prepar¬ 
ing for his spring sales. Trees temporarily 
heeled in should have their roots well covered. 
Those who intend purchasing trees for planting 
in spring should send orders early, as in all well 
regulated establishments they are filled in rota¬ 
tion, and the earliest orders are soonest put up. 
Cions .—Cut during mild weather, handle care¬ 
fully, and preserve in damp sand or earth. 
Fruit. —Late sorts are to he kept as cool as 
possible. Remove to the cellar only when there 
is danger of freezing. Look over specimens 
ripening in the fruit room, and remove those 
coming in eating to a warm room to ripen up. 
Cutting Bach .—Young nursery stock will need to 
be cut hack and brought into shape. See p. 345. 
Manure and Mulch .—The manuring of trees 
may he ’done any time up to early spring. 
Give a good coat of coarse manure as far out as 
the branches extend. It has been suggested 
that peach trees may be kept hack late enough 
to avoid spring frosts, by giving a heavy mulch 
on the roots after the ground is well frozen. 
Mice and Rabbits. —These often destroy young 
trees, especially when there is a light snow for 
them to work under. Tramp the snow firmly 
about the trunks. Shields of tin or sheet iron, 
stiff paper, or cloth, have been recommended. 
It is said that rubbing with fat pork, or any 
other animal fat, will prevent rabbits from gnaw¬ 
ing the hark. Traps and shot guns are helps. 
Preparing the Soil .—Drain where needed, when¬ 
ever the weather allows. Plow deeply. Make 
holes for trees in prepared soil deeply worked. 
Root Grafting. —This can be done in-doors. 
See page 344; and also page 20 (last January). 
Work in tlie Kitchen Garden. 
The clearing up should have been done be¬ 
fore, hut if there are still rubbish, poles, stakes, 
or anything in the garden that interferes with 
its neat look, put it in its place. In mild weather 
plow deep and expose the soil to the action of 
frost. Ridge stiff soils as directed last month. 
Asparagus. —If the beds have not been^ilready 
covered, give a thick blanket of stable manure. 
Celery. —Harvest'any remaining out, as direct¬ 
ed in Oct. Calendar, or cover the trenches well. 
Cold Frames. —Give as much air as possible 
on mild days, and cover the sash with mats 
or shutters at night. Keep tlie mice out. 
Compost. —The heaps should increase rapidly 
