1870 .] 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
4-43 
Cows. —It is almost criminal to dry a cow off be¬ 
cause one is too lazy to milk. Milk to within six 
weeks of calving - , 'before beginning to dry a cow; 
that is, if the chief Value of the cow is to give milk. 
'Young Stock should have the range of a good, big, 
warm yard, with fodder racks about in it, or under 
the sheds, and they should have good warm stables 
or sheds secure from snow and wind. 
Swine. —It is not often profitable to feed hogs 
after the weather is right cold. Kill, unless you 
are watching the market, as soon as they are lat 
enough, without reference to the moon. Get ready 
during a north-east rain or snow storm, and be 
ready to slaughter when the wind changes and we 
get clear cold weather. 
Sheep. —Absolute regularity in feeding is to be 
aimed at, and the flock must be so divided that the 
stronger will not get more than their share. It is as 
bad for them as for the underlings. The latter have 
at least a good appetite, the former often beoome 
.surfeited and fall off in condition accordingly. 
Give sheep always plenty of hay or straw, and an 
abundance of bedding, but keep in some portion of 
the yard and shed a hard standing place where they 
can stand or lie and cool their feet, which often be¬ 
come heated if the sheep are obliged to stand all 
the time upon soft well-littered ground. 
Bedding for horses and cattle may be used in great 
abundance, and yet not rapidly consumed, if it be 
carefully shaken out, and only the foul portions re¬ 
moved. In cold weather plenty of bedding is a 
great-comfort. We prefer a mixture of leaves and 
straw cut a foot long for horses, and sawdust and 
leaves for cows. 
Protection to Cellars. — Place boards against any 
portion of the sills or weather-boarding of build¬ 
ings, the cellars of which need banking around to 
keep out the frost. It is only necessary to be per¬ 
fectly sure that no frost shall enter the cellar to do 
any harm ; and it is worth while to bear in mind 
that too much earth will do no harm. Windows 
are best closed with coarse litter from the stables, 
stamped down aud covered with sods or boards. 
Work iii the Horticultural Departments. 
With shortening days and increasing cold, our 
notes gradually grow briefer. Still there is seldom 
a winter month that does not afford a few mild 
days, and allow us to do something that will save 
precious time next spring. Now comes the time 
for reading, and no money gives a better return 
than that expended in books. We are frequently 
asked if this or that book is worth the money. Of 
course there is a choice in books, but we never yet 
saw a work on horticulture that was so thoroughly 
poor that it did not contain some hint or idea that 
made the money it cost a good investment. 
Orchard and Nursery. 
The care of young trees is of the greatest im¬ 
portance, as they are liable to injury, not only from 
wild and. domestic animals, but from the human 
animal as well. 
Fences and Gates. —It is a very common custom 
with many, as soon as snow covers the ground, to 
disregard all established roads and paths, and drive 
or walk in the most direct line to their destination. 
We have known many young trees to be injured by 
this custom. See that fences and gates secure young- 
orchards from human marauders ; and if trees are 
exposed to injury by passers through the grounds 
around the house, drive dowu protecting stakes. 
Young Trees should have mounds of earth, a foot 
high, drawn up around them, as it steadies them 
during heavy winds, and helps to ward off the mice. 
Mice are, however, effectually guarded against by 
the use of tarred paper, as suggested on page 461. 
Rabbits are also kept at a distance by the use of 
tarred paper. Blood is much used at the West for 
the same purpose, and various protective shields, 
such as corn-stalks and laths, bound to the trunk 
with wire, are found to be serviceable. 
Pruning .—Whatever pruning is to be done, had 
better be disposed of during mild days, than to 
wait too late and be caught by the awakening of 
vegetation in spring. If large limbs are to be re¬ 
moved, make a smooth wound, and cover it with 
melted grafting wax or paint. 
Cions may be cut at any time when the trees are 
not frozen, and may be preserved in sawdust or in 
damp moss; or they can be buried in a box in a 
place where water will not stand. Take every pre¬ 
caution to have the varieties properly labelled. 
Heeled-in Trees. —There is no risk in heeling-in 
trees for the winter if it is properly done. The 
earth must be thoroughly worked in among the 
roots, and no spaces be left for air or water. Bank 
up the earth well and smooth it off, and see that 
there is no litter near by to afford shelter to mice. 
Water. —Open the needed surface drains, to pre¬ 
vent water from standing in the orchard. 
Root-grafting is carried on in-doors when the 
weather will not allow of outside work being done. 
The greatest care should be taken to keep varieties 
distinct, and the grafts, when done, should be put 
in boxes with earth and placed in the cellar. 
Seeds. —Peach, plum, and cherry stones, if they 
have been dried, must be exposed to the action of 
frost. When the quantity is small, it is sufficient 
to mix them with earth and expose them in a box 
in a place where they will be frozen and thawed. 
Fruit Garden. 
Grape-vines should have been pruned last month ; 
but the operation may still be performed in mild 
weather. Young vines should have a mound of dry 
earth drawn up to them. It is better to lay down 
all vines, whether tender or hardy, as long as they 
are young and flexible. It preserves the buds and 
increases the general vigor of the vine. Bend 
them down and throw a few inches of earth over 
them. Wood from the prunings should be cut into 
suitable lengths and buried where it will not dry. 
Strawberry Beds. —The covering should be done 
as soon as the ground is slightly frozen. The object 
is to prevent the injurious effects of freezing and 
thawing; and the earth, rather than the plants, is 
to be covered. 
Raspberries.— Bend down the tender kinds, and 
throw a few inches of earth over the canes. 
Kitchen. Garden. 
Roots. —If the hardy roots, such as salsify, pars¬ 
nips, horseradish, etc., are not all dug, some litter 
may be put over them to keep the ground from 
freezing and to prolong the season of digging. 
Store a lot in earth in the cellar for use when the 
out-door stock is not accessible. 
Spinach, Sprouts, Shallots and Leeks will need a 
covering where the snow does not afford one. 
Covmng of Pits in which roots are stored should 
proceed gradually. Do not cover too soon, but 
when really freezing weather comes, put on enough 
litter to keep out frost. 
Cabbages. —If the crop is not already secured, 
store as directed last month. 
Cold Frames. —Avoid too much boat. Air every 
day, and when the temperature is above freezing, 
remove the sash altogether. 
Seeds. —Thrash and clean all that remain uncared 
for, and see that all are correctly labelled, not only 
with name but date. Store where the temperature 
is low and even, and mice cannot destroy them. 
Flower CSstcden and Lawn. 
Protection should not be overdone. Half-hardy 
plants do better if a few evergreen boughs are 
stuck around them than if they are strawed up in 
the old-fashioned way. Tender roses are best 
treated by laying them down and covering with sods. 
This is only practicable in places well drained. 
Climbers , not entirely hardy, like the Wistaria, in 
northern localities, should be taken from the trellis, 
laid down and covered with earth. 
Evergreens. —Youug specimens often need a slight 
protection until they become well established. A 
little care for a few years will often save a speci¬ 
men which will afterwards prove perfectly hardy. 
Cedar or other evergreen boughs tied in among the 
branches answer an excellent purpose. 
Snow often injures evergreens if allowed to re¬ 
main in their tops. Shake it out while still light. 
Trellises, Seats, and all wooden garden ornaments 
should be put under cover. They will last much 
longer if they have a good coat of petroleum. 
Pits, Frames, and Cellars. —Plants wintered in 
either of these need to be kept in a dormant state. 
Do not allow them to be too wet. It is safer to let 
them get too dry. Do not look for growth, but 
simply endeavor to sustain life. 
Clear up whenever an opportunity occurs, and 
do not wait until spring to remove the debris of 
last season’s operations. 
GreenluHise and Window- Plants. 
Heat, water, and air are the things to be provided. 
Dust and insects are to be guarded against. 
Heat. —Most plants will survive if the tempera¬ 
ture gets below 40°; but no healthy growth nor 
bloom can be looked for at a lower average daily 
temperature than 00° or 05°. It is better that the 
night temperature should fall 15° less than this. 
One difficulty with plants in our dwellings is that 
they are as hot at night as during the day. 
Water. —Give water only when the plants need it. 
A plant with its roots constantly in mud cannot 
thrive. It is better to wait until the flagging of a 
plant shows that it needs water than to keep it con¬ 
stantly soaked. Sprinkling or showering should 
be done as often as possible. Take the plants to a 
sink or a bath tub and give them a good dousing. 
Air. —Do not bo afraid of opening the windows 
whenever the outside air is not freezing. Give air 
every day when it is safe to do so. Not 011 I 3 ’ will 
the plants be benefited, but the atmosphere will be 
the better for human lungs. 
Dust is a great obstacle to the successful growing 
of plants in the house. The showering we have 
recommended will help remove it, but all smooth¬ 
leaved plants, such as Camellias, Ivies and the like, 
should be occasionally sponged to keep the foliage 
clean and healthy. 
Insects. —Don’t have any. If the plants are daily 
looked over, and the thumb and finger properly ap¬ 
plied, they will be kept in check. If a plant is bad¬ 
ly infested by the green fly, put it in a box or under 
a barrel and smoke it thoroughly. If the red spi¬ 
der appears, as it will be apt to do in hot and dry 
rooms, smoke will not help it. Remove the plant 
into hospital and shower it daily. Frequent wet¬ 
ting and a moist atmosphere is the best remedy-. 
Swindling- l^iui-secynaen. —A New Jer¬ 
sey nurseryman writes that last spring he received an 
order for 500 trees from J. D. Wilson, of Fort Lee, who 
gave as reference Mr. Peter Ileiiderson. Knowing Mr. 
Henderson, and supposing all right, he sent the trees, but 
can get no response to repeated letters asking pay for 
them. Mr. Henderson informs us that he gave no per¬ 
mission to refer to him, and moreover, that he never saw 
nor heard of any such Wilson, and that the above case is 
one of a score of similar cases. An operator in Plain- 
field, N. J., obtained over $5,000 worth of nursery stock 
from various nurserymen by a similar dodge. The swin¬ 
dlers shrewdly calculate that many- nurserymen will not 
take the trouble to inquire directly of the parties referred 
to, and thus they pick up a good deal of stock which is 
often sold by them by another swindle ; viz., by claiming, 
under other names, to be the agents of some leading nur¬ 
sery establishment. As their stock costs nothing, they 
can sell it cheap enough to secure a quick sale. The 
lesson taught is that nurserymen must learn the charac¬ 
ter of those ordering stock, either by direct application 
to the parties given as references, or by- other means. 
Qea»t5mg - the — We 
have, of late, seen notices to the effect that “ so and so 
says in the Agriculturist.'' mentioning one of the editors. 
Such notices are of course kindly intended to be compli¬ 
mentary to the persons referred to, hut they would prefer 
not to be individualized in this manner. The Agricultur¬ 
ist is an institution , and should be quoted as such. What 
credit is given it, belongs to all connected with it. 
