8 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
18M.] 
condition, and rather gaining than falling o)F in 
flesli. Milk to within six weeks of calving before 
beginning to dry off. Should cows calve during 
this month, provide warm, well-littered box stalls. 
Cows with calf should have some grain—corn-meal, 
bran, or oil-meal. They do better, calve easier, 
have better calves, and give more and better milk. 
Young Cattle .—Give young cattle all the corn¬ 
stalks and hay they want to eat, and with good 
shelter they will thrive. If lousy, wash them with 
a moderately strong solution of carbolic soap, fol¬ 
lowing the directions accompanying the package. 
Beeves should have warm quarters, where they 
will not be excited or disturbed by occurrences 
about them, and should be fed, if for the spring 
market, with all that they will eat of corn and oil- 
meal mixed, and with roots and hay, to give va¬ 
riety, or with other fattening feed. Quick fatten¬ 
ing is the most profitable, and they need very little 
exercise, if any, so long as they have good appet ites. 
Sheep which are fed for slaughter need to be 
sorted, so that the stronger ones shall not get 
more grain than is their share, or than is good for 
them. Sheep are easily thrown “ off their feed ” 
by over-feeding. Give turnips and oil-cake with 
corn, and occasionally hemlock boughs, if these 
can be easily got; all sheep are fond of them, and 
they are a healthy variation of their diet. Examine 
all sheep for ticks, lice, and scab, and, if necessary, 
apply carbolic soap in the form of strong suds, 
thrown into the parted lleece through a quill in the 
cork of a bottle; it will keep the vermin in check. 
Swine .—The high price of pork will tempt 
farmers to get tlteir store pigs in condition for 
slaughter. This is not worth while unless you 
have abundant provision made for a large stock of 
young ones. Sows will eat good clover hay and 
corn-stalks, if sweet, and may be kept in good 
order on comparatively little feed besides. 
Poultry .—Eggs are high. The flesh of poultry 
brings a fair price except when a glutted market 
is followed by a thaw at this season. To secure 
eggs in winter, fowls must have light quarters, 
where they may spend not only the night but se¬ 
vere days in comfort, protected from both cold and 
wind. Light barn-cellars or enclosed “hovels,” 
where manure is thrown from the stables, are 
places which almost every farmer can arrange. 
Feed well; watch for roup, or any such disease; 
remove wheezing fowls or those with colds, and 
give them tonic and stimulating diet. Give fowls 
soft feed—mashed potatoes with meal or wheat 
screenings, swelled oats, or cracked corn, well 
soaked, during the day, mingling it with cayenne 
pepper now and then, and feeding corn, barley, 
buckwheat, or other hard feed at evening. Water 
ought not to freeze in the lien-liouse except on the 
severest nights, and the house, roosts and nest- 
boxes should be kept as clean as in the spring or 
summer. Dry earth is useful as a deodorizer. 
Work in the Horticultural Departments. 
As we commence our monthly notes for another 
year, it is with the accompaniments of a rousing 
fire within, and the music of sleigh-bells without. 
It is now the time for fireside horticulture. We 
do not now allude to window plants, but to the 
horticulturist himself. Out-door work is, for the 
most part, “laid by,” and now is the time when 
the cultivator himself needs to have his brain turned 
over and fertilized. It is necessary to change ideas 
as well as seed, and many a sound old stock of ex¬ 
perience would bear all the better fruit if it could 
be engrafted with some new notion. Let the journ¬ 
als which were put aside half read, at the season 
when work was pressing, be brought out for thor¬ 
ough perusal. See if you have the best and latest 
work on the branch you are most interested in. 
There are but few books upon horticulture so 
stupid that a wide-awake man cannot get a good 
idea from them. There are but few cultivators but 
have some experiences that arc worth learning— 
and what better way is there in which to learn what 
is going on in the world than to begin with your 
neighbor and compare notes with him? So with 
—- -...- ———- . ...— 
reading, visiting, and planning, the days which are 
too rigorous for out-door work, may be made 
among the most profitable of the year. 
Orchard and Nursery, 
Animals must be kept out of young orchards. 
Tight fences and securely closed gates will do much 
to exclude domestic animals, including man. 
Mice and Babbits are the most troublesome 
among the wild animals. Tramp down the light 
snows around the trunks of the trees. Sprinkle 
blood near the base of each tree, to keep off rab¬ 
bits. See item in “ Basket ” on the use of corn¬ 
stalks for the purpose. 
Cions can be cut if the trees are not frozen ; mark, 
and store in sawdust or moss in a cool cellar. 
Pruning. —Though winter pruning is objected to 
by good authorities, if we had an old orchard that 
needed treatment, we should go at it in winter 
when there is plenty of time. Painting over large 
wounds, or covering them with melted grafting- 
wax will prevent injury from rotting. If trees are 
properly shaped when young, it will seldom be 
necessary to do much pruning. 
Insects. —One of the worst enemies of the orchard- 
ist is the Tent-caterpillar, but it is, fortunately, 
one of the easiest to keep in check. The eggs may 
now be seen near the ends of the twigs, glued in a 
broad band-like cluster. Remove the eggs and 
there will be no caterpillars, as another crop will 
not be laid until next summer. A pole pruning 
implement of some kind is convenient for this. 
Manure may be spread upon the orchard. We 
sometimes see trees manured by a heap placed direct¬ 
ly around the trunk, where, if nota positive injury, 
it is of no use. Spread it evenly over the surface. 
1’ruin 
Those who have only a limited space must plant 
their fruits and vegetables as they best cau; but 
where circumstances will admit of it, by all means 
have a separate garden for small fruits and dwarf 
and other trees of small growth. It is impossible 
to grow vegetables properly in the close neighbor¬ 
hood of trees and large shrubs ; besides this, the 
trees and shrubs are likely to suffer for the want of 
proper nutriment. Select a well-sheltered spot, 
with good deep soil; drain if necessary, and set it 
apart as a fruit garden. Strawberries, raspberries, 
currants, gooseberries, grapes, pears, etc., can be 
produced in abundant supply. Were small fruits 
in abundance, there would lie fewer discussions 
of the question, “Why do boys leave'the farm ?” 
A mild spell will allow of the pruning of such 
grape-vines and gooseberry and currant bushes as 
were left at the regular autumn pruning. 
liiitclieii CHiimlen. 
At the North we can do but little this month, 
except when vegetables are forced under glass. In 
Southern States the hardy vegetables may be sown 
whenever the soil is in good condition, and the 
temperature averages about 45°. The beet, carrot, 
parsnip, parsley, cauliflower, radish, turnip, onion, 
leek, cress, spinach, cabbage, etc., are hardy. 
Seeds. —If the seed be poor in quality, or not true 
to its kind, it is worse than useless. Look over 
the stock on hand, and reject all about the identity 
which there is any doubt. The vitality is easily 
tried by planting a given number in a box of earth, 
and keeping in a warm room until they germinate. 
If three-fourths come up, the seed may be consid¬ 
ered good. Decide early what seeds are wanted, 
and order. Stick to tested kinds for the main 
crop, and invest in novelties for experiment only. 
Manure. —-Tlie heaps should be turned over when 
the steam issues copiously. Cart manure to those 
points where it will be handy for use. 
Hot-beds are to be prepared for. Sashes may need 
repairs in the way of painting and glazing. In 
some parts of the South they may be put in opera¬ 
tion. The safest rule for all latitudes is to start 
the hot-bed six weeks before the time at which 
the plants can be set out with safety. 
Straw Mats will be needed to cover the glass of 
the hot-beds during cool nights. We have fre¬ 
quently given directions for making them. 
Cold-Frames .—If the snow covers them while the 
plants are frozen it need not be removed, but if the 
weather is mild when the fall takes place, it should 
be swept off. Give air every mild day, and endea¬ 
vor to keep the plants as dormant as possible. 
Flower Garden and Lawn, 
Many plans for the improvement of places will 
be formed. If one has abundant means, and but 
little knowledge of such matters, it will be safest 
for him to employ some landscape-gardener of ac¬ 
knowledged taste to lay out his grounds. The 
great mass of people are, however, obliged to both 
plan and execute themselves. To such our advice 
is, do not attempt too much in the way of adorn¬ 
ment at once. Do not copy the plans for expensive 
places which will be difficult to carry out, and 
which, if laid out, are not likely to be kept in 
order. Make a plan of the place as it is, and see 
what can be done to improve it, and at the same 
time retain as many of its present features as arc 
desirable. Houses are gencrallv set too near the 
road, which much restricts the space in front, and 
this space is generally divided by a path directly 
from the road to the front door. It is often the 
case that a side entrance from the road can be so 
arranged as to avoid breaking up the space directly 
in front of the house, and thus a lawn of moderate 
dimensions can be had. A smooth, level lawn is 
the first thing to be provided for. Make only such 
paths as are necessary, and if pleasing curves can 
be given to them, it is better than to have them 
straight. Shrubs, trees, and flower beds arc to be 
provided for, and for these no definite directions 
can be given. A common mistake is to so surround 
the house with trees that distant views are quite 
shut out. A little judicious cutting away will 
often open a beautiful landscape to view. All such 
plans should be made long in advance of the work¬ 
ing season, and be well considered in all their rela¬ 
tions before the work of laying out is commenced. 
Plants in pits, cold-frames, and cellars, should be 
looked to, and aired when the weather will allow. 
Plants thus stored will seldom need water, but 
should they become very dry, give a small quantity. 
Bustle Work will afford interesting employment 
for those who have some taste and mechanical 
skill. Seats, flower stands, and the like, can be 
made out of very unpromising material. Cedar, 
Laurel, the Wild Grape, and others, afford available 
stuff for the purpose. 
Slakes , labels, and all garden conveniences, 
should be prepared in advance in abundant supply. 
C«roei»-Saonse «iEa<l ^V5 bb«1<i>w 
The temperature of the green-house, where 
plants are expected to grow and flower, should 
reach 60 or 65° in the daytime, and may sink 10 ol¬ 
io 0 lower at night. If plants are only stored for the 
winter away from frost, then the night temperature 
may go down to within a few degrees of freezing. 
Ventilation is to be given whenever it can be done 
without injury by cold. Plants in rooms suffer 
greatly for the want of fresh air, and the success 
with plants in modern, close-built houses, is much 
more rare than it used to be in less carefully closed 
structures. In providing for a change of air, 
sudden chilling of the plants must be avoided. 
Dust is one of the great drawbacks to the health 
of house plants. The table on which the plants 
stand may be so arranged that wires or rods, to 
support a cloth, may be attached to it, and thus 
provide a dust protector while sweeping is being- 
done. Shower the plants as often as practicable. 
Insects .— The Gren-fly, or Aphis, and the Red- 
spider are the principal insects that infest house 
plants. The first is to be treated to abundant 
smoking with tobacco, and the other will soon be 
rid of if the foliage is thoroughly wetted everyday. 
Water only when the earth shows signs of dry¬ 
ness. More plants are injured by over watering 
than by too little water. 
Bulbs will now be coming forward. Give plenty 
of light. Cut away the flowers as soon as they fade 
