thence  it  in  made  to  flow  to  auy  dcaired  place.  ' 
The  spout  from  the  water  course  is  constructed 
with  a  gate  wliich  is  opened  only  for  the  piu’pose 
of  spreadujg  the  liquid  manure  or  for  irrigating 
tlio  laud,  'fho  field  having  a  good  natural  drain¬ 
age  never  gets  too  wet. 
Jlauurial  irrigation  has  not  been  extended  be¬ 
yond  the  garden.  Another  ycai'  1  shall  be  able 
to  take  It  over  the  twelve  acres.  On  most  of  the 
twelve  acres  for  two  years  I  have  tiled  clear 
water  irrigatiou,  and  have  doubled  (he  yield  of 
grass,  in  the  garden,  I  obtainid  a  growth  of 
V)cet«,  mangolds,  corn,  cucumbers,  water  melons, 
citron  and  stiuash,  four  limeys  as  great  as  on  the 
same  kind  of  land  wi{U<}nt  lhcli<]nid  application. 
’J'ho  whole  cost  of  tliis  convenience  diws  not  ex¬ 
ceed  fifteen  dollars.  In  tills  renpeet  I  am  fnrtu- 
iiatcly  locatei  A  few  farmers  may  be  similarly 
sitnatixl.  ami  many  may  bo  able  by  artificial 
ponds  or  cisternn  to  wash  (heii-  sluVdc  liquor  on 
to  an  acre  or  more  of  land,  wblcb  if  kept  moist 
through  the  season,  will  produce  from  two  to 
three  (hovisand  bnsliela  of  Iwots.  euougb  to 
feed  a  dozen  or  inoi'c  beml  of  cattle  ihiring  the 
six  montlis  of  the  year  that  they  arc  away  from 
grass.  R-  a-  ^t. 
Thf.ke  arc  exceptions  to  all  rules,  and  our  cor¬ 
respondent  correctly  classifies  the  above  experi¬ 
ence  as  one  of  them.  The  nianmial  irrigation 
which  does  not  pay  even  in  England  wliere  Labor 
is  cheap,  is  that  wliich  demands  carts  and  horses 
and  drivers  and  laborious  distribution.  'iVlierevf  r 
nature  and  natural  forces  can  Ix^  mado  to  do  tbi.s 
woi'k,  or  any  other,  slcillful  farmers  will  utilize 
them  for  tliat  purpose.  A  great  many  fields  are 
naturally  inigaisvl  and  mamiri'd  by  the  overflow 
of  rivers  in  early  Kjiring.  'iMierever  this  pro- 
CCRH  can  h(!  cheaply  extendeil  it  should  Lc 
dom*  hy  .all  means.  Wo  think,  however,  it  is  ex- 
j  jiecting  too  much  from  an  ordinary  stream  to 
I  Itave  it  iiTigate  and  fertilize  a  twelve  acre  lot. 
— [Eds. 
tected)  died,  But  did  this  slight  covering  of 
earth  prevent  the  low  tempei'ature  ?  It  is  prob¬ 
able  that  in  this  case  tliese  plants  bad  to  with¬ 
stand  quite  as  great  a  degree  of  cold  as  those  not 
protected.  Is  it  not  very  likely  that  the  damage 
known  as  ••  wintei'-killiug”  often  proceeds  from 
evaporation  rather  than  from  a  low  tenijicratlne  ? 
During  the  whole  winter,  moisture  is  ev.aporated 
or  given  off  by  the  stalks  and  branches,  but  if 
from  any  cause  this  ev.aporat  ion  or  loss  exceeds 
the  supply,  the  plant  dries  up  and  death  ensues. 
Diuing  much  of  last  winter  a  high  wind  increased 
the  evaiX)ratlon  or  loss,  while  a  hard  frozen  soil 
diminished  the  supply.  I  think  a  few  years  of 
observation  will  convince  my  readers  that  whidy 
weather,  when  accompanied  by  a  frozen  soil,  is 
quite  as  productive  of  winter-killing  as  low  tem- 
ix^ratme. 
operations.  It  does  not  cost  ten  times  as  much 
to  food  ten  cows  as  it  does  to  feed  one,  nor  twice 
as  much  to  care  for  fifty  bead  of  cattle  as  for 
twenty-five.  With  Largo  buildings  suitably  ar-  ' 
ranged  food  may  bo  cut  and  steamed,  while  the 
expense  is  entmdy  too  great  for  small  ojwratious. 
This  does  not  necessaiily  imply  large  fanns, 
though  tlicac  large  fcciliug  establishments  will 
generally  go  with  thorn,  and  the  feed  Used  be 
grown  on  the  farm.  The  only  successful  winter^ 
fooding  which  wo  believe  in  is  that  whorein 
grain  and  hay  consmuod  on  the  faim  brings  as 
much  profit  as  if  sold,  and  if  this  is  so,  excepting 
the  cost  of  transixirtation,  there  is  as  much  profit 
in  feeding  bought  grain  as  tlmt  grown  on  the 
farm.  Whore  huge  winter  feeding  is  pi  ucliccd 
on  a  small  farm  the  tendency  will  be  to  grow 
roots,  and  possibly  grain  at  home,  buying  the 
com  needed,  and  also  such  other  grain  feed  as 
may  be  tliought  best-  This  is  the  method  wisely 
pursued  liy  some  Eastern  farmero  who  luive 
found  by  oxpcric-nco  that  they  caimot  grow  corn 
as  cheaply  as  WcsU>ni  farmers  will  lay  it  at  their 
doors.  Tliis  heavy  feeding  and  bujing  of  corn, 
bran,  or  other  fi.xsl  rapidly  incre.asea  the  fertility 
of  the  fann,  eiiubling  it  to  produce  more  and 
more.  This  is  one  secret  of  the  success  of 
John  Johnston  as  a  farmer.  For  many  3'car8 
he  fattened  sheep  cvoiy  winter,  and  never  but 
once  did  be  fail  to  receive  a  profit  on  the  corn 
and  other  feed  cousuuied  besides  the  largo 
amount  (>f  valuable  manure.  Tlie  richness  of 
Ml-.  Johnston's  farm,  livaliug  tlie  best-managed 
fanns  of  England,  is  doubtless  duo  to  this 
manugement.  Otlior  farmers  of  oui-  atxpiaint- 
nuco  make  a  good  thing  every  winter  fattening 
cattle,  and  others  still  by  keeping  cows  and  selling 
the  milk.  It  is  a.  la<!t  tliat  by  skillful  manage¬ 
ment  and  wl.-ift  selection  of  stock,  farmers  can, 
and  do  make  more  nionoy  in  -winter  than  they  do 
by  Ihcu’  summer  operations.  This  is  w-)iat  we. 
call  superior  farming,  and  those  who  would  rival 
it  must  learn  to  adopt  sLmflm-  methods,  making 
no  season  of  t  he  year  barren  of  profit,  but  each 
continuously  productive. 
SWEETS  FOE  THE  SWEET, 
Wk  have  to  g<d  our  honey  in  the  old  fashioned 
way  by  smoking  out  the  bees,  for  they  hived  so 
fust  and  so  many  that  there  could  hardly  bo 
found  boxes  and  kegs  enough  to  put  them  in.  So 
this  fall  some  of  tlie  poor  tilings  had  to  die,  for 
they  would  not  allow  ns  to  rifle  their  ticaBures 
mmiolested.  Such  a  time  as  wc  had!  I  stuck 
sweetly  to  every  door  all  morning,  and  clung 
tniacionsly  to  the  clinir  hack.  But  we  finished 
at  last,  and  May  carried  the  full  crocks  to  tho 
ccll.ar  there  to  await,  “a  few-  nice  buckwheats 
liot  from  the  griddle," 
Then  I  began  to  look  around  for  the  children. 
Tho  day  was  a  golden  October.  Simbhino 
glimmired  through  tho  ciimsou  and  yellow 
maples;  sunshine  glistened  the  late  autumn 
flowers  as  if  for  a  parting  benediction  and  £bim- 
mored  along  the  piles  of  yellow-  pumpkins  that 
lay  ready  to  be  boused  in  tlio  garden.  A  j'cUow 
butterfly  glanced  by  as  i  skirted  on  the  warch, 
or  saw-  my  >-ellow-bau-ed  laddie,  wee  Non.irAN, 
petting  his  share  i.if  sunshine  and  honc-ycomb. 
I’or  in  Ids  hand  he  held  a  lump  like  amber, 
li-anslue»-nt  and  beautiful,  but  over  his  head  hi 
threatening  attitude  were  tlirce  or  lour  angiy 
Ijees,  He  cried  luslly,  but  eontinuoil  eating,  and 
finisJicd  his  prize  In  (he  face  of  his  asaailants. 
Wu  L  and  .Tamie  tho  .iVi-abs  of  tho  family,  each 
had  a  hive  to  scrape,  aud  seemed  to  me  enjoying 
tho  sum  of  all  human  happiness  as  they  sat  see- 
i  n.".wing  on  the  truck  with  big  mouthsfuU  cf 
I  luscious  honey. 
“  Poor  bees,”  wo  said,  and  Stanton,  who  is 
1  our  bco  man  and  kxiks  after  the  liivltig,  w  as  very 
regi'ctful.  though  \'ery  fond  of  tho  sweets.  lie 
I  la-opounded  Sajison's  riddle  aa  he  sat  with  his 
'  honey  jroised  in  the  center  of  a  largo  beef  bone 
i  from  which  we  had  cut  the’  meat.  And  tho 
I  glorious  day,  tlie  mUd  Indian  summer  am,  the 
(  content  of  a  finished  season  was  pleasant  to  ouv 
'  soils,  and  w-e  said,  “Even  this  cold  climate  L 
1  sometimes  a  land  of  milk  and  honey." 
)  Annie  L.  Jack. 
CHAKCOAL  FOE  SICK  ANIMALS, 
EFFECTS  OF  FEOST, 
T.  J.  Edge,  Chester  Co.,  Penn.,  writes  as 
follows  in  the  Country  Gt-ntleman Many  of 
my  readers  huvi-  no  doubt  ncited  tlio  unequal 
elfectfl  of  late  sj-ring  or  early  fall  frosts.  In 
pomo  cares  the  crop  in  one  field  suffers  more 
than  in  another.  A  few-  hills  licrc  and  tliero  in  a 
cm-n  field  ai-o  kiilod  to  tlie-  groimd,  or  iii  some 
ca.scs  oue  stalk  in  a  hill  i.s  killed  and  tho  others 
Iloaj-  or  white  frost  is  essentially  froz<-n 
MANUEIAL  lEEIGATION, 
My  ex^xirienco  is  so  directly  opposed  to  the 
conclusions  of  the  wi-itcr  of  the  ai-ticle  in  the 
late  Kitral — headed  "  Liquid  Mamu-hig  not 
Practicable ’’--that  1  am  obliged  to  say,  that  iu 
one  instance  be  is  mistaken,  for  by  exiierieiu'O,  I 
know  it  to  be,  not  only  jiracticable,  but  highly 
profitable.  Tliis  instance  however,  may  be  the 
one  exception  to  the  general  rule.  Aud  j-et  I  hf* 
lievo  there  are  thousands  of  acre.s  of  land  in  the 
State  of  New  York  that  might  receive  maimrial 
irrigatiou  with  little  more  exiienso  than  has  been 
incurred  in  this  instaiico.  I  now  have  in  mind 
several  barns  so  located  that  tho  liquid  nuimire 
from  (lie  stahles  could  be  delivered  with  nearly 
tho  conveuionec  that  llu?  same  matori.-il  is  taken 
from  my  stable  to  the  level  land  below.  If  it 
could  ho  delivered  on  hutono  aero  of  laud,  with 
good  inatmal  or  iii-Liliei.al  di-.ainagc — increased 
crops  w-onld  pay  a  ten-fold  profit  over  the  ex¬ 
pense  the  fii-sl  year.  Lest  (ho  opiionentx  to  hy- 
di-opathio  farming  should  get  inipaticut,  let  mo 
assure  them  hero  that  I  have  neitlier  tanli,  water- 
cart  nor  pump,  and  tliat  tho  solid  inannre  from 
my  stable  is  a])]fiie  l  to  the  land  without  being 
w-a,shed. 
When  I  came  into  possession  of  tho  faiiu.  the 
barn  was  sheltering,  instead  of  cattle,  eight  oi- 
nino  large  nsdes  which  Horved  as  foundation  and 
field  tho  hnilding  just  high  enough  from  the 
ground  to  afford  a  delightful  retreat  for  sti-iiy 
dogs,  cats,  rats,  skunks  &c.  Now-  insteail  of  the 
rocks  and  vermin  afon-said,  it  shelters  a  dozen 
head  of  sleek  oattlo  and  beets  and  mangolds 
onoiigb  to  feed  them  through  the  winter.  If 
space  would  iiermit,  and  I  could  bo  allowed  to  di¬ 
gress  fur  enough  to  tell  how  cheaply  these  com¬ 
fortable  quarters  wore  built  by  fann  hands,  when 
other  w'ork  was  not  pressing,  and  how  my 
pn anises  woro  graded  by  dii-t  ih-awn  from  under 
the  barn  in  a  manner  tliat  fully  compensatod  for 
tlio  Labor  bestowed  in  maldng  tho  improvement. 
I  might  be  rcw-iuded  by  learning  that  some  one 
else  had  been  induced  to  go  and  do  likew-isc. 
For  tho  present,  let  it  suffice  that  the  cattle  arc 
in  tlie  stable,  comfortably  resting  on  a  clay  plxt- 
form,  held  to  its  place  by  a  5x6  inch  timber,  be¬ 
hind  w-liich  i.s  a  trough  which  receives  Uie  drop- 
ping.s  fi-ora  the  cattle  and  tho  Uqaid  manure. 
The  latter  is  conducted  out.  and  away  from  tho 
stable,  by  a  drain  in  the  clay  soil.  Iloiug  com¬ 
pelled  to  sns}X-nd  work  a  fow'  days  on  the  drain, 
the  liquid  ran  out  of  tlio  terminus  and  found  it.s 
way  to  a  thriftj-  honey  locust  hedge,  killing  it  tho 
.  same  day  it  reached  it,  as  effectually  as  tliough 
j  it  had  b^n  boiling  w  ater  or  lire.  Bv’  this  I  was 
taught  how  largclj’  the  article  needed  diluting 
before  applying  to  ilie  soil.  A  few  rods  further 
on.  across  the  highw-av,  a  basin  was  dng  in  a 
escape, 
dew-,  and  any  cause  which  would  increase  thede- 
Tjp|>Wr  of  di  w,  wonld  also  Increase  the  amount  cf  1 
B-ost,  and  hence  of  damage.  We  know  that  the  | 
deposit  cf  dew  is  inlluouccd  hy  a  variety  of  local  j 
cLrcuinstarwes.  Two  similar  soils,  one  compact  1 
and  the  other  made  loose  by  mechanical  niccns, 
will  show  a  verv  material  diffoi-caco  in  the  ' 
amount  of  dew.  The  greater  the  difference  in  ^ 
temjieratiu-o  betwcpii  the  soil  and  the  nii-,  the  j 
greater  will  be  the  deposit  of  <lew.  TJsnally, 
low  and  moist  sltuatimw  increase  the  amount  of 
due.  Spots,  which  fi-om  local  causes,  maj-  bo 
protected  fi-om  the  wind,  w-ill  receive  the  most 
dew,  and  all  these  causos  have  probably  an  equal 
effect  upon  the  amount  of  IVo.st,  aud  hence  on 
tho  extent  of  the  damage. 
It  is  equally  true  that  ifiants  of  the  same  kind 
show  very  different  results  after  exposure  to 
frost.  After  we  carefully  examine  these  effects, 
I  tliiuk  wo  will  conclude  that  they  arc  owing, 
jnoslly,  not  to  any  diffci  cnt  degree  of  frost,  or  of 
coustitutional  vigor  in  the  plant,  hut  to  tlie 
manner  in  wliich  the  frost  is  removed  from  tlio 
plant.  If  two  tomain  plants  are  exposed  to 
tspial  degrees  of  white-  frost,  and  If  before  sun¬ 
rise  oue  of  them  is  jn-otected  hy  two  strips  of 
board  on  the  mmth  and  east  .sides,  the  chances 
are  that  it  will  not  suffer  at  all,  or  at  least  not  to 
the  sanio  degree  a-i  tlie  one  not  so  protected. 
Any  plan  bj-  wiiich  the  frost  can  bi?  removwl 
without  prodneing  too  great  an  increase  in  the 
temix'ratnrc  of  tho  plant,  will  be  cfl’eetual. 
Dasliing  wltli  cold  water,  tliaw-ing  in  the  shade, 
or  covering  with  earth,  all  produce  similiar  re¬ 
sults  in  similai-  ways. 
It  is  also  evident  that  local  causes  have  much 
to  do  in  influencing  tho  effect  of  sevorc  cold 
upon  plants.  llalf-hoi-dy  plants,  having  a 
Bouthern  or  southeastern  exposure,  often  suffer 
worse  during  winters  of  unusual  severity,  than 
plants  of  tlio  same  kind  with  a  northern  or  north¬ 
western  exposure.  This  Is  probably  due  to  tho 
fact  that  iu  the  fii-st  case  tlio  plant  has  no  pro¬ 
tection  from  the  rising  smi,  whoso  rays  strike 
the  plant  and  jn-odnee  that  sndden  change  of 
temiicratnre  wiiicli  proves  so  injurious.  In  tho 
Bocond  case,  the  safety  Li  due  to  the  reverse  state 
of  affaire.  The  plant  is  in  some  measure  pro¬ 
tected  by  its  position  from  this  sudden  change  of 
terapoi-ature,  and  does  not  attain  the  same  de- 
gi-ee  of  w-nrmtli  until  its  surroundings  have  also 
been  wanned. 
Last  winter  was  unusually  productive  of 
“  winter-killed "  i-a.spbei-i-iea  and  grapevines, 
and  this  has  been  cliarged  to  the  low  tempera¬ 
ture  which  several  times  prevailed.  Easpberiy 
plants  with  an  inch  or  two  of  earth  on  them 
came  out  safe,  while  others  close  by  (not  so  pro* 
HOW  TO  gECOEE  PEEMTIJM  HONEY 
Dn.  P.  A.  Baker  in  the  Beekeeper's  Maguzino 
publishes  a  plan  to  Bccure  tho  largest  quanlity 
and  the  best  honey  which  is  w-ell  worthy  of  liial. 
The  pilan  is  amply  to  keep  a  v  ery  strong  colony 
queeiiless  during  the  period  of  tile  greatest  flow 
of  honey.  All  apiarians  know  that  a  airgin 
ew  ai-in  will  work  with  more  energy  in  building 
comb  and  storing  liouoy,  than  one  with  a  full 
I  pupifly.  It  !.■«  not  uncommon  for  sU-ong  families, 
I  with  everj-thing  needful  for  stoiing  honey  insm- 
plus  boxes,  to  lonf  about  the  hive,  until  a  fow 
empty  framCH  are  given  between  the  full  ones, 
]  when  they  will  soon  be  filled,  but,  being  in  tho 
i  queen's  chamber,  she  itnmodialely  pei-forma  her 
I  maternal  duty  and  you  get  no  honey.  The  law  is 
iramut.ablc,  iu  (heii-  allowing  no  empty  space  be¬ 
tween  broad  combs,  and  the  law  impelling  tho 
I  liees  to  fill  tlie  spaco  with  comb,  sots  with  like 
'  force  in  Indioating  to  tho  queen  Ler  duty.  By 
virtue  of  cause  and  effect,  if  the  entiie  hive  is 
,  made  into  space,  it  is  hut  fulfilling  that  law  for 
thc  boos  to  prompllj-  fill  it  with  comb  and  honey, 
if  per  chance,  it  is  in  abundant  supply,  but 
madam  quecii  lieing  present,  we  must  allow  a 
considerable  force  to  assist  in  attentions  to  her 
royalty;  dethrone  lier  and  supply  the  colony 
•with  material  to  moke  a  new  one,  and  yet  allow 
none  to  matiu-e  for  a  period,  and  wc  shall  have 
'  our  boxes  filled  with  the  beauteous  nectar.  The 
j  operation  is  to  jiut  two  krge  swarms,  without 
'  queens  or  comb,  into  a  liive  filled  with  empty 
'  Bectional  frames  or  honey  hoxea,  and  give  ouo 
^  broad  comb  at  one  end  of  the  hivo,  end  beforo 
the  new  queen  ia  hatched,  remove  the  comb  and 
give  tliem  another.  When  the  second  has-  bo- 
come  fertile,  tho  greatest  flow  of  honey  being 
^  over  i-emovo  the  hoaoy  frames  or  boxes  aud  fill 
j  the  hive  -ivitli  combs  or  empty  frames  as  tho  fall 
I  season  for  honey  may  indicate.  The  queens  and 
‘  broad  combs  can  be  utilized  to  td%'»ntage,  which 
I  any  intelligent  apiaxian  -will  understand, 
PEOFITAELE  WIN  TEE  FAEMING, 
The  great  drawback  on  successful  Noi-lhern 
farming  lies  iu  the  tact,  that,  for  six  months  in 
tho  year,  nature  i.s  at  a  stand  still.  ITiere  is  no 
production  and  consumption  goes  on  with  acceler¬ 
ating  ratio,  years  ago,  w-e  used  to  hoar  an  old 
song  which  strongly  illnslrates  the  thsadvautago 
of  farming  in  tlio  older  Rtatos.  It  is  tho  argu¬ 
ment  of  tho  farmer  wiUi  his  mfe  to  persnade 
her  to  ••  go  'Wc-it.'* 
For  here  we  must  labor  each  day  in  the  Held. 
And  the  wUitoi-  consuiaua  all  the  sumiuer  uoili 
yield." 
When  the  eonnti-y  w-as  new-,  there  was  no  lack 
of  labor  for  the  farmer  in  even  tho  coldest 
weather,  Cle-aiiiig  the  land  of  trees  and  stumps 
and  preparing  for  next  season’s  operations, 
fm-niahed  abundant,  and  most  profitable  employ¬ 
ment.  Thotigb  the  oompoiisation  was  small, 
there  was  never  lack  of  something  to  do.  Small 
earnings  induced  economy,  and  naturally  ro- 
Bulted  in  prosperity  if  not  wealUi.  Of  late  years 
all  this  is  changed.  Farmers  in  winter  find  verj- 
htlle  to  do,  and  it  usually  costs  any  luiin  more  to 
hve  idly  tliau  when  employed.  The  'pi-oblem  of 
the  is  to  Bnd  some  constant  and  pn-ofltable 
employment  for  farmers  during  the  -winter  sea¬ 
son,  and  a  confessedly  hard  problem  it  must  bo 
conceded,  -when  tliousands  of  farmers  fail  to 
make  money  oven  in  the  gi-owing  season.  Yet 
we  believe  it  can  lie  done,  aud  is  done  by  thou¬ 
sands  of  farmers  in  the  feeding  and  fattening  of 
stock.  Where  animals  are  merely  kept  in  ‘  *  store  " 
condition  through  the  -winter,  tliere  is  certainly 
no  profit  but  an  almost  entii-c  loss.  Tlie  animal 
may  bo  worth  a  tiille  more  in  spring  than  in 
fall ;  but  unless  there  is  a  positive  gain  in  milk, 
wool,  growth  or  fat,  there  is  slender  chance  for 
proflt.  The  wisest  economy  in  feed,  with  wann 
shelter  is  also  needed  to  make  liberal  feeding 
profitable,  and  herein  is  the  advantage  of  large 
