\MEKICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
saw-dust, spent tan and the refuse of almost any manu¬ 
factory in your neighborhood. Road scrapings, sods, or 
even common soil carted into the yard as absorbents of 
liquid manure, will always pay richly for the trouble. 
Marketing produce can usually be done to advantage 
during this month. Attentively examine the “Market 
Review,” as it appears from month to month in the Agri¬ 
culturist. This is prepared with much care, and will 
greatly assist the farmer in estimating the proper time at 
which to sell. 
Plowing heavy soils in open Winter weather will usu¬ 
ally improve them by turning up the hard pan to the 
slaking influence of frost, besides killing burrowing in¬ 
sects and roots of pestilerous perennial plants. 
Poultry—Keep in warm quarters, feeding well while 
the ground is frozen or covered with snow. Cellars under 
barns or other buildings, or an excavation made in the 
side of a hill with a roof over it affords good shelter during 
Winter. Give meat, also pounded oyster shells, or lime, 
to keep up the supply of eggs. Boiled potatoes and buck¬ 
wheat-cakes, alternating with grain are good food. 
Roads—Keep them open to public travel even if snow 
storms are frequent. It shows a lack of public spirit to 
see a community obliged to leave the highway blocked 
up by snow drifts until thawed out in the Spring. 
Salt—All farm stock should have salt once a week at 
least. Salt hay will answer the same purpose. 
Sheep—Provide suitable shelter separate from other 
stock. Give a few cut roots each day. See page 16 
Tools—Many of those wanted another season may be 
made or repaired during the stormy days of this month. 
Vermin, such as rats and mice are unprofitable animals. 
Keep only a small stock about the premises. Terriers, 
ferrets, cats, traps, strychnine, and arsenic are the proper 
antidotes. A small bounty on their tails will usually set 
the children astir, and rats too. 
Wood—Cut and draw from the swamps while they are 
frozen and the sledding or carting good. Have a full 
year’s supply, not only at the door,but cut, split and piled 
away under cover if possible, before the Spring work 
commences upon the farm. Remember the annoyance 
of having men called from the hay field to get oven-wood, 
or the breakfast delayed on account of only green stuff 
for fuel. 
Oi’cliard and Nursery. 
Little needs to be done here during this month, at the 
North. In the Southern States ground may be dug and 
otherwise prepared, and both orchard and nursery trees 
set out. Pruning may also be commenced in mild lati¬ 
tudes, where there is no danger of hard freezing to crack 
the waunds. We dislike Winter pruning at the North. 
Keep all kinds of stock from orchard and nursery. 
Cattle are fond of the tender shoots which they seriously 
injure by browsing. Larger trees should not bo used as 
rubbing posts. Alio w no water to stand upon any of the 
grounds. 
Large, choice trees can be moved in Winter by digging 
them up with a mass of frozen earth attached. The earth 
may be six to ten feet across according to the size of the 
tree. Oxen and chains, or ropes will be necessary to draw 
them to large holes previously dug to receive them. This 
is an expensive way ef moving trees, but is usually very 
successful when properly done. It is only advisable with 
valuable fruit, or choice ornamental trees desired for im¬ 
mediate effect. 
Clear off moss, rough bark, ai.d'scale, from orchard trees, 
also caterpillar or other eggs found on the branches. 
Mice often girdle trees, especially along hedges 
and stone walls or fences. Trampling snow very com¬ 
pactly around the trees after each fresh fall will usually 
protect them. 
Cut Scions when there is no frost in them, and bury in 
sand in the cellar, for Spring use. 
Prepare stakes, labels and tallies for another season, to 
have a full supply ready when you are too busy to pro¬ 
cure them. 
for early use. If very early vegetables are wanted the 
beds may be made, 11, but February and even March is 
soon enough for ordinary purposes. 
Mushrooms will only succeed at this season when under 
cover, and protected from frost. A few prepared boxes 
may be kept in the cellar or green-house. 
Raspberries covered last month should be examined 
occasionally during mild or thawy weather. Renew the 
covering where the earth has been washed away. 
Plow clayey grounds in open w eather, leaving the soil 
in ridges to be acted upon and pulverized by frost. 
Flower Carden and Fawn. 
The directions of last month being attended to, there is 
little to do at present, save guarding shrubbery, especial¬ 
ly evergreens, from being broken down by an accumula¬ 
tion of moist snow, or ice upon the branches. A gentle 
shake will usually relieve the tree or shrub from its 
burden. Where the branches are spreading it is a good 
plan to tie them in, or pass strong twine around the whole 
spirally to keep them compact. 
If new grounds are to be laid out in the Spring this is a 
good season to form the plans and execute the drafts. 
Some of the main walks may be graded if the frost is not 
too severe, and hardy shrubs and deciduous trees may* 
even be planted whenever the ground will admit ofwork- 
ing. 
See directions under “ Orchard and Nursery,” for 
moving large trees while the ground is frozen. Those 
fine evergreens in the skirts of the forest may now r be 
moved to the lawn with safety. 
Prepare labels and stakes for Spring use, tying them in 
neat packages to facilitate the operations of a busy season. 
Examine the flower pits and frames and admit 1 air every 
mild day, but keep closely covered duiing heavy frosts. 
If covered with snow, leave it on for a Winter protection. 
At the South where there is little frost, trees and shrubs 
may be planted, layers and cuttings put in, grounds laid 
out and dug, or trenched, and hardy annuals and peren¬ 
nials sown. 
Grceii-Ilonses. 
As most of the plants in these houses are merely to be 
kept from frost or in a moderate stage of growth, they re¬ 
quire less care than in lording houses. The temperature 
should, however, be kept tolerably even, never below 35°, 
and not above 50°, if there is a IIot-House for forcing. 
To do this some fire-heat will be necessary in this lati¬ 
tude, which will also be required, lo dry the atmosphere 
during rainy and foggy weather; carefully avoid a high 
heat. Long continued moisture is very injurious in a 
Green-House. 
Every thing should be kept neat, sweeping, dusting, 
syringing and washing both plants and floors frequently, 
removing all decaying leaves, stalks, moss and weeds 
from the pots, and stirring the earth in them frequently. 
In very frosty weather the houses must be kept closed 
and even covered with mats or shutters for days together, 
opening the upper ventilators for fresh air upon the return 
of a mild clear day. Carefully exclude damps and fogs, 
which are fruitful sources of mischief. 
The pots will need turning occasionally to prevent the 
plants from inclining strongly towards the light. 
Bulbs placed here for keeping are now growing moder¬ 
ately. Carry them to the parlor or forcing house as want¬ 
ed forblooming. Watermoi erately, unless a rapid growth 
is desired. 
Insects will need looking i fter, or they will be multi 
plying now. Treat them to tobacco fumes and soapsuds. 
Oranges, Lemons, Oleanders and Myrtles beginning to 
grow will need moderate waterings, and more light. Ex¬ 
amine the trunks for scale or other insects. 
Water moderately, most of the plants in this collection. 
They require very little, while in a state of rest. As they 
push into growth increase the quantity and give more 
frequently. 
Calendar of Operations for Jan. 1859. 
[We note down sundry kinds of work to be done during 
the month, not so much to afford instruction to practical 
men, as to call to mind the various operations to be at¬ 
tended to. A glance over a table like this will often sug¬ 
gest some piece of work that might otherwise be forgotten 
Or neglected. Our remarks are more especially adapted 
to the latitudes of 38° to 45° ; but wall be equally applica¬ 
ble to points further North and South by making due 
allowance for each degree of latitude, that is, earlier for 
the South, later for the North. 
This table will be much fuller, and more important, 
during the planting season when there is a greater variety 
of work to be done. 
Explanations.—/ indicates the first; m the middle : 
and l the last of the month.—Doubling the letters thus:/', 
or mm , or U, gives particular emphasis to the period indi¬ 
cated.—Two letters placed together, as fm or ml, signifies 
that the work may be done m either or in both periods in¬ 
dicated ; thus, work marked. fm.. indicates that it is to be 
attended to from the first to the middle of the month-! 
Farm. 
With a good shelter for his household, and for his farm 
stock, provisions and fodder in abundance, and a mind in 
keeping with the quietude which reigns about him, the 
thrifty farmer may now sit contentedly before the fire 
while the wintry blasts sweep by his door. He has no 
need of going out every few hours, with shovel in hand, 
to see if the sheep are buried beneath a drift, or the calves 
perishing with cold. He has ample time for reading, and 
to mature plans for the year now commencing, and es¬ 
pecially to close up all accounts of the past season. 
Let New-Year’s day be a new starting point, and, with 
the experience of former years fresh in memory, let a 
strong effort be made to render the acres doubly produc¬ 
tive at a slightly increased expense of tillage. 
The Calendar of last month will mainly answer for this 
with a few additions. 
Barns and stables require especial attention, for through 
them passes much of the Summer’s toil. Remember “ to 
save, is to earn,” and suffer nothing to be wasted upon the 
floors, in the mangers, or yards. Chaff and coarse fodder 
will readily be eaten if run through a hay cutter and mix¬ 
ed with ground feed. Use dried muck or saw dust 
for absorbents in the stables which both benefit the 
stock and increase the manure heap. 
Breeding A nimals of all kinds require careful attention, 
but not over-feeding. Give them a good shelter in com¬ 
fortable quarters. 
Cattle thrive better, on less food, when comfortably 
housed, than when so exposed as to require a large quan¬ 
tity of fodder to keep up the animal heat. Read the ar¬ 
ticles on page 358 of last number, headed “ Look out for 
Incendiaries,” also on “ Feeding Racks for Cattle.” 
Feed a portion of the roots stored in the cellar, giving 
turnips to milch cows after, rather than before milking, 
or they may flavor the milk. Carrots are'better on this 
account than turnips. 
Cellars may need some extra protection to keep out 
frost. Spread mats or straw over root and potato bins 
where frost can not be excluded from the cellars. 
Corn—Unless seed was saved, as it should have been, 
at the l-ime of harvest, select it, ff, from the best in the 
bins.... Grind or cook any fed out so as to get the full 
benefit of it. 
Fencing Stuff—Secure a good supply of posts, rails, and 
board timber while the swamps are frozen. Posts may 
be holed or pinned together, and gates made during stormy 
days. 
Hemlock and Oak Bark—Market early, that which was 
peeled last Summer for tanning purposes. 
Hogs—Warm, snug and dry quarters are now wanted 
for hogs. Keep the pens well coated with muck, leaves, 
straw or saw-dust, for bedding and manure. Clean out 
often. Provide fur Spring pigs by turning in the male, ff, 
if not already done. 
Horses—Take good care of these noble animals, since 
Winter with its fine sleighing and sledding scarcely 
affords a season of rest. Through heat and cold, sun, 
rain, and snow, upon the road for a pleasure drive, or 
to market the surplus produce, in the woods for lumber 
or fuel, or carting home the distant purchased manure, 
the horse has an almost daily.task, and richly merits kind 
humane treatment and generous food. Cover with 
blankets when not using, give good bedding at night and 
a liberal allowance of grain, alternating with carrots 
where they can be had. 
Lumber—Many farmers have a surplus of pine, hem¬ 
lock, cedar, and various kinds of hard wood lumber, which 
they can now get out for railroad ties, ship-building, fur 
niture, or carpenter work. Preserve the young and 
thrifty trees from injury as timber is yearly growing more 
valuable. 
Manure—Continue to make, f, m, 1, even at this in¬ 
clement season. By keeping every manufactory well 
supplied with muck, double the usual amount of equally 
good manure can be made. In the absence of muck, use 
MstcSien and Fruit Garden. 
At the North a snowy mantle covers these, and pre¬ 
cludes many out-door operation. This covering serves 
an admirable purpose in colder climates, w here it pre¬ 
serves many plants which would be killed without some 
protection. In the far South indications of Spring are al¬ 
ready visible, and the gardener is busily engaged pre¬ 
paring his ground and putting in early and hardy seeds. 
In every locality, all should be done that can be done to 
forward the Spring work. 
Bean, Hop, and Grape vine poles, pea brush, &c., should 
be procured now. They can be brought from the forest 
with the Winter fuel. 
Cold Frames—Watch them as directed last month. 
Cabbages, cauliflowers, letmce, spinach, &c., placed in 
them for Winter keeping, will need frequent airings in 
mild weather, and close covering with mats or straw dur¬ 
ing very cold weather. 
Hot Bed Frames and Sashes—Have them in readiness 
Slot-Mouses and Conservatories. 
These will require much care during the present month 
as everything is now growing rapidly. Fires must be 
tended with a careful hand. A few moments neglect 
might cause irreparable damage. The temperature should 
be as even as possible, in most collections about 75° or 80°, 
varying somewhat in different houses according to the na¬ 
ture of the plants, degree of forcing, &c. The tempera¬ 
ture is more inclined to' fall at night, to guard against 
which, there is danger of the opposite extreme by too 
great a fire. Plants bear several degrees more heat in 
sunshine than in dark cloudy w'eather. 
Air—It is quite important to supply fresh air to take the 
place of that rendered impure by the heat of the furnace, 
and grow th of plants. To avoid a draft of cool air, admit 
it through the upper ventilators during the middle of the 
day, in clear w eather. 
fizalias are now growing finely or beginning to bloom. 
Syringe and water more freely 
