854 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
Calendar of Operations for December, 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 will be equally applica¬ 
ble to points further North and South, by making due 
allowance for each degree of latitude, that is, earlier for 
the North, later for the South. 
Explanations .—f indisates the first ; m the mid'dle ; 
and l the last of the month.—Doubling the letters thus:.//; 
or mm, or U, gives particular emphasis lo the period indi- 
cated.—T wo letters placed together, as fm or ml, signifies 
that the work may be done in either or in both periods in¬ 
dicated ; thus, work marked/m. indicates that it is to be 
attended to from the Jirst to the middle of the month.] 
Farm. 
The farm work of this month, differs little from that 
noted in the Calendar for November. Re-read and fol¬ 
low out the hints there given. 
The close of the year is an appropriate time to balance 
the farm accounts, and make a new inventory. This 
■will show your standing from year to year, and enable you 
at a glance to see whether farming pays. If it does not 
pay, with lantern in hand, Diogenes like, search for and 
stop the leaks. And while balancing the farm accounts, 
you may as well balance the grocer’s account current, 
and any other items or bills. Excepting those with whom 
you have a sort of barter account—furnishing them with 
a portion of surplus produce—it is not desirable to keep 
open accounts. “ Pay as you go,” is a good and safe 
rule, which many persons have regretted violating. 
Although but little active labor is carried on, out of 
doors, in the northern States, which seems to bring cash 
returns, yet the farmer who recollects that “to husband 
is to earn,” can save a great deal by proper care and at¬ 
tention, that would otherwise go to waste. At the south 
much of what we call “ Spring work ” is now done. 
Cattle require special care now. See page 364. 
Cellars may need additional guarding against frosts. 
Christmas—May it be a merry one to all, and a feast of 
fat things, in which the poor are not forgotten. 
Fencing Materials— Collect from the woods and 
swamps now that they are frozen over, Rails may be 
split and posts prepared far another season. 
Fodder Racks—See that the feeding yards are piovided 
with them to keep the hay, straw, etc., from being tram¬ 
pled under foot. Cattle food is valuable now. 
Forest Leaves—If any of these are accessible, collect as 
many as possible for bedding and manure. They are 
very valuable for both. 
Hogs — Kill, ff, m, any now fattening. Keep stores in 
good thrift, providing for an increase at the appropriate 
season. 
Ice Houses may be filled in some places, 11. The first 
ice is usually the best. 
Irrigation—Some of the meadows and intervales can be 
overflowed for a short lime to their manifest advantage. 
Cranberry meadows are improved by keeping them 
flooded during the Winter. 
Lumber, Timber, etc.—This may now be got from the 
forests and taken lo the saw-mill. The early snows usu¬ 
ally make the best sledding for this purpose. 
Manures—Push the manufacture of these at this season. 
Use muck, loam, leaves and straw to absorb all the li¬ 
quids of the yards and stable. Cart a large heap of muck 
from the swamp to the stables for Winter use. A free 
bedding of it under horses to absorb the urine, will make 
twice as much manure as w ould be saved where liquids 
are allowed to run to w aste, with no absorbent. 
Marketing Produce—Some of the surplus productions 
may now be sold, unless it is evident higher prices will 
prevail in the Spring. Farmers are apt to hold on to 
grain and other produce until the best market has gone by. 
Poultry require the same treatment as last month, with 
protection from the cold, and gravel or sand to scratch in. 
Give meat scraps from the kitchen. 
Schools are now in session in most districts. Let the 
children attend as steadily as possible, and show them, 
by frequent visits, that you take a lively interest in their 
success. See page 372. 
Sheep—Provide racks for, and feed under cover during 
storms. Keep horned cattle and horses from them. Give 
turnips or carrots, instead of all dry feed. See that they 
are supplied with salt, and provided With a good buck, of 
an improved breed, if possible. 
Tool Houses—Look over the implements stored here, 
during the stormy days of this month. Some of them 
may need repairing, and a few want replacing with new 
ones which can now be made. See that nothing is left 
to rust, and decay, or be buried by unexpected snows 
Turnips— Harvest, ff, any still in the ground. Give pits 
an additional covering and close the ventilators at night 
if there is danger of freezing. 
AVater Pipes and Pumps may need protection from 
frost, m, 11. 
Winter Grain Fields—Allow no water to stand upon 
them nor should cattle or sheep graze them at this season. 
Wood—Make early preparations for cutling and haul¬ 
ing a full supply for the coming year. In snowy coun¬ 
tries it is better to cut in convenient lengths for handling, 
and pile both “ down stuff ” and the standing trees, so 
that the first fall of snow may be improved to sled it home. 
©rcSsard aatd Nant’sery, 
If the directions given last month have been fully car¬ 
ried out, the orchard needs little care now. Excepting 
at the South we would not urge planting during this 
month. Compost may still be applied about old trees to 
advantage. 
To forward the labors of the hurried season in Spring, 
a good supply of stakes and labels should be prepared for 
nursery use. They can be made during stormy days, 
and painted ready for use. The head and division stakes 
in the nursery rows need looking to, that none of them 
are removed or displaced, and if any of the plots or 
squares are not registered in a book, let it be done now. 
It is not enough to trust to stakes and memory. Let a 
plain record be kept of both orchard and nursery. 
Pruning is out of season at the north. Better leave the 
remaining branches until next Summer. We would 
rather remove them now, however, than in Spring. 
Scions may very properly be cut at this season, while 
the shoots are not frozen. Bury in dry earth out of doors, 
or in sand in t he cellar. Mark them carefully. 
Transplanting may still be done, ft, m, but as remarked 
last month, we much prefer the first of November, or 
even the latter part of October. 
Trench, or subsoil and underdrain lands intended for 
early planting in the Spring. Besides permanently im¬ 
proving them, they can be planted much earlier. 
MlJclaeia aM FosSt Sardesa. 
Little can be done in the Northern gardens at this sea¬ 
son, except making drains when frost or snow does not 
prevent. At the South, later garden work can yet be 
attended to such as gathering root crops, etc. Much 
work may also be done to facilitate early operations in 
Spring. Bulbs, blackberries, strawberries, currants, 
etc., can be planted where the ground is still unfrozen. 
Everywhere, North and South, it is well to now layout 
plans for ground, location of beds, etc., so that you will 
be ready to go to work without delay when the proper 
season comes. It is very convenient to lay out an entire 
garden in a plan upon a sheet of paper, and mark down 
the exact location of every variety of vegetables. The 
following directions are in part applicable everywhere. 
Asparagus beds not covered should be protected, ff. 
Bean and Hop Poles, Raspberry stakes and Pea brush 
may be collected from the frozen swamps and stored 
away for the more busy season of planting. 
Cabbages, Cauliflowers and Celery—If any o.f these are 
still in the ground, harvest, If, and store as directed in 
November. 
Cold Frames require especial care during this month. 
They should be aired at all suitable times, guarding 
against the sudden changes and severe freezings by extra 
covering. When steady cold weather sets in, cover with 
plenty of straw or mats, and place boards over to turn the 
rain or molting snows. Leave them in this situation un¬ 
til it moderates. Snow Tailing upon them need not be 
shoveled off. 
Compost and Manures—Now is the time to make and 
collect these. Keep every receptacle or manufactory at 
work by supplying the hogs, cattle, horses, sheep, poultry 
and privies with material to absorb the liquid and gasses. 
Too much muck can scarcely be used for these purposes. 
Decayed leaves also form an excellent ingredient in gar¬ 
den soils. Prepare materials for early hot beds. 
Cutting of Currants, Gooseberries, Grapes and Quinces 
may be made at the present time. Collect them when 
they are not frozen and bury in dry sand In the cellar, or 
in dry earth out of doors. 
Grape Vines—Prune, ff, those not trimmed last month. 
Lay tender vines upon the ground and cover with earth, 
boards or straw. With no covering they are much less 
liable to winter-kill when lain upon the ground. 
Raspberry Canes of the tender sorts not covered in 
November should be protected, If. 
Spinach—See that all is covered with straw or sedge, 
If. A light protection is sufficient. 
Turnips—Harvest and store, ft', any still in the ground. 
Look to those covered in pits, and bank up as the weather 
demands, closing the ventilators at the top. 
Vegetables and Roots for seed—See that a good slock 
of the finest is properly secured for Spring planting. 
Flower iGaB’dcsi ami Eawu. 
Active out door labors in this department were nearly 
brought to a close last month. A little general care is 
all that is absolutely necessary now. If there are any 
unfinished jobs, such as protecting tender plants, putting 
in bulbs, or fixing the walks and lawn for Winter, com¬ 
plete them at once. Perhaps new grounds are to be laid 
out in the Spring. If so, do not leave all calculations 
until that time, and then commence by planting one tree 
here and another there, laying out a drive in one place 
and grading the earth in another. If you do not call in 
the services of a professed landscape gardener, at least 
map your grounds upon paper, lay out the avenues and 
walks, locate the grass plats, groups of trees, flowerbeds, 
shrubbery, etc., and imagine how the whole will look ten 
years hence. If the first attempt is not satisfactory, make 
a second and third trial with the pencil. It is far easier 
to grade and plant on paper than in a lawn, and mistakes 
are more readily corrected on the former. 
Chrysanthemums are just succumbing to the repeated 
frosts. The roots may be divided and reset as long as the 
ground remains open. 
Evergreen Trees and Shrubs—Shake off any accumu¬ 
lations of snow to prevent the Branches from being broken. 
Frames and Flower Pits-Keep closed, and covered 
with straw, mats, etc., during cold and inclement weath¬ 
er. They need not be opened during the month unless a 
succession of fine days occur. 
Roses may stiil be set out where there is no frost in the 
ground. Protect tender sorts, ff, as directed last month. 
Shrubs and Trees, except evergreen, can be planted at 
any time until the ground freezes. They do better when 
planted earlier but if left till now, set out, ff. Protect ten¬ 
der sorts by strawingup, or better still, surrounding them 
with evergreen brush, neatly secured with twine. 
<&a’eeci>=M©asses. 
If there are hot or forcing houses for tropical plants, 
and those intended for Winter flowering, the green-house 
pioper oniy contains a collection of plants wliich are too 
tender to withstand the rigors of Winter unprotected, or 
those which are to be kept growing slowly for forcing at 
any time desired. The temperature should never fall be¬ 
low 35° nor rise during the present month, above 50°. To 
maintain this warmth a little fire heat will occasionally 
be needed, both to resist cold and dry up dampness during 
wet and foggy days. Oniy resort to fire heat when abso¬ 
lutely necessary. Place the shutters on early at night, 
and even keep them on during very severe or snowy 
weather—taking them off as soon as practicable to give 
the plants light. Admit air also at all proper times. 
Very litlle water will be required, but an occasional 
sprinkling and syringing during clear mild weather, will 
be beneficial. Keep everything neat and clean, removing 
decaying leaves and moss from the surface of pots and 
tubs. Bulbs that were put in the ground until this sea¬ 
son, should be potted, ff, and kept in a cool part of the 
house to be carried to blooming apartments as needed. 
Sff©t>II©M§e§ amt <D©asGk"S r atoi'iies. 
These require especial care during the changeable 
w eather of December. A warm, sunny day is frequently 
followed by a piercing cold night, the wind finds its way 
through every crevice, and particular attention must be 
given to the fires, or the temperature of the room will fall 
below'a healthy point. Sometimes, in guarding against 
this, too much fire is left burning and a scorching heat in¬ 
jures the plants. A thermometer and frequent visits to 
the house are requisite. Willi extensive collections the 
houses are divided, or separate buildings are erected for 
plants requiring different degrees of heat, moisture, light, 
etc., such as a camellia house, one for the cacti, anoth¬ 
er for lichens, one for grapes, etc. We can only give a 
few' general directions applicable to all. 
Most of the plants have become well established in their 
Winter pots, and accustomed to their present quarters. 
They are beginning to grow vigorously and many of them 
are forming flower buds. They therefore require more 
water, and fresh supplies of pure air, each day if practi 
cable. Do not open both upper and lower ventilators 
which would create a cold draft. Opening the upper 
ones a few inches will be sufficient. Close early, and if 
the night promises to be sharp or snowy, cover the glass 
with w ooden shutters provided for the purpose. 
Keep every growing plant, and the pot which contains 
it in a clean healthy state. No decaying leaves should 
taint the atmosphere, nor should fungus be permitted to 
grow upon the outside of the pots. Soap and water is an 
antidote. 
Some of the early forced bulbs are beginning to bloom, 
and others may be brought in from cooler apartments to 
prepare them for a succession of flowers. Change the 
water in hyacinth glasses, once a week, at least. 
Grapes require different treatment according as early 
or late forcing is to be practiced. Some vines are still 
laid up, in an inactive state, others are breaking into 
growth, while it is possible to have them in bloom, or 
even setting fruit. Pot culture of grapes is fast gaining 
favor. 
Insects should be kept in check by thoroughly smoking 
with tobacco. Syringe the Walls occasionally to dislodge 
millers secreted there. 
Roses, verbenas, pelargoniums, petunias, etc., should 
