2 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST, 
[January, 
Contents for January, 1872. 
Birds—Golden-winged Woodpecker. Illustrated. .13 
Boys and Girls’ Columns—The Doctor’s New Year’s 
Word—Snow-birds—Game of Succotash—Something 
about Games—Teaching Zip to Read—How Minnie 
Washes Dishes—Aunt Sue’s Puzzle-Box. 
4 Illustrations.. 37, 28 
Briar, Sensitive. Illustrated. .21 
Cabbage Plants in Mild Climates, Wintering. 111 ..22 
Cows, Effect of Steaming Food for.11) 
Elements, Defense against... ..23 
Farm Work in January.2, 3 
Farmer’s Dog-Cart. Illustrated.. 15,10 
Flower Beds, Laying out. . Illustrated. .23 
Flower Garden and Lawn in January. . 4 
Forage Plants, California.3 Illustrations. .IS 
Fowls, Plymouth Rock.IS 
Fruit Garden in January..-.. . 3 
Greenhouse and Window Plants in January.4 
Heavy Sod—What it will do.2 Illustrations.. 1G 
Household Department—Sewing Machine Accessories 
—Home To,pics — Children’s Dresses — Convenient 
Cutting Board.10 Illustrations. 23,26 
Ice-Houses that will Keep Ice. 10 
Ice, Tools for Cutting.3 Illustrations. .17 
Jumper, To Make a.. Illustrated. AG 
Kitchen Garden in January. 3 
Mallow, Viscid. Illustrated. .21 
Manures, What are Artificial.19 
Market Gardening in Maryland.22 
Market Reports. 4 
Ogden Farm Papers, No. 24—Price of Cattle—Making 
Butter—Hay.10, 11 
Orchard and Nursery in January. 3 
Orchards in Cold Climates.22 
Owl, How to Catch an. 19 
Peperonias as Basket Plants. Illustrated. .22 
Phosphates, South Carolina.3 Illustrations. .20 
Poultry—an Egg Farm.4 Illustrations. .11, 12 
Rocks, Blasting and Breaking.3 Illustrations. A” 
Roots, Cutting. Illustrated. .10 
“ Sea-Beans ” .2 Illustrations.. 24 
Sheep, Causes of Disease in.10 
Sheep, Imported Ncgretti. Illustrated.. 1 
Stock, How to Improve.19, 20 
Sub-Tropical, Bit of..... Illustrated. .24 
Walks and Talks on the Farm, No. 97—Raising Beans 
—Manure — Corn - Husking — Rotation — Under¬ 
draining . 14, 15 
Window Garden for Cold Country Houses.22, 23 
INDEX TO “BASKET,” Oil SHORTER ARTICLES. 
Advertising, Art of.6'Horse Blowed in Knees.. 0 
Almond upon Peach.6 Horses, How to Kill Old. 9 
American Entomologist.. 5;IIorsc Swinney. o 
Ashes of Hemlock Bark.. 5 How to Ascertain Noon .. 8 
Asparagus Beetle. ... S Honey-Locust Seeds. 0 
Ayrshires or Jerseys for Hundred per Cent Interest 7 
Butter. 9 Iron Kettle, to Prevent 
Bacon without Skippers.. 0| Rusting. 5 
Barley Crop, Good. 9 Iron, to Weld. 5 
Bee Notes for Jan.9, 10 Lamp, Perkins & House’s 5 
Bermuda, Exhibition in.. S Lands. Pacific Railroad... 8 
“Best and Largest of any !Leather, to Stain. 7 
other Variety ”. SjLime a Manure. 0 
Best Clover to Sow on LiquidManure, Value of.. 8 
Poor Land.SjLupin.. .. 5 
Blue Gum—Eucalyptus... 7|Mangc, Cure for.5 
Cabbage Lmise.7 Marengo Crabs . 6 
Calf, Howto Raise a. ... 7 Marl from Iowa.7 
“ Cancer Plant”.9 Meal, Cotton-Seed. 7 
Cattle, Dry Murrain.SjMedicinal Plants. 0 
Cattle, Inflam, of Brain... 6:Mr. Sheldon Stephens_ 7 
Cattle Licks.Simons.b 
Cattle, Warts on.0 Oranges. Florida. 9 
Chinese Yam.8 Our Staff. 8 
Churn, Best. 8 Paint—Farth Implements. 8 
Churn,What is the Best?. 7 Pa. Fruit Growers’ As’n.. 7 
Corn, Freak in. 7 Pigs, Food for. 9 
Cnrn.Judson’s Branching. 7 Pigs of the First Litter.. . 5 
“ Crabs ”. ... . . 5 Plaster and Salt.. 5 
Cracked Heel. 0 Potatoes, Peerless.5 
Crib-Biting and Wind- Potato Seeds. 9 
Sucking, Cure for.7 Poultry, Fattening. 0 
Cundurango. 5 Power for Sewing Mach.. 0 
Curb, Cure for. 7 Red Ink and Pencil.9 
Dent Corn at the North... 0 Refuse of Glue Factories. 0 
Deodorizer, Patent. 9 Saddle-Cloth... . G 
Ditching Machine. 8 Scales, Advantages of_ 9 
Draining, Cost of.8 Scales. 7 
Drain Tiles, Round Stones G Shall the Boy Climb?.7 
Dye, A Permanent Red... 8 Sheep, Grinding Grain for 9 
Eggs, Queer. 7 Sheep Skins, to Tan.8 
EvergreenSeedsandPlants 9iShorthorns, Bell’s History 5 
Ewes. Prolific. fi^iplion, How to Use a_ 7 
Farming, Profitable. 5 Snow. 10 
Floor for House without a Stable Manure, $2perload 8 
Cellar, Best. 7jStock, Best Field-Pea for. 5 
Flower Seeds Gratis.7 Strawberry Queries. 9 
Fowls, Age to Market._ 9[Subsoil from Utah....".... 8 
Fowls Sneezing.! 8 Sundry Humbugs.8, 39 
Garden, Manuring. 9 Tanner, Wants to be a.... 0 
Geographies, School. 8 Tile Machine Wanted.0 
Grape-vine, “Missionary” 9 Timothy Seed, Growing.. 9 
Guessing. 5 Tobacco. 7 
Ilay, How to Measure_ 7 Trees and Rabbits.0 
Heifer, Precocious. 5 Uneven Pulling. 0 
Hedges, Thorns for. 9 “U. S. Banking As’n”... 5 
Hen-lice, Smoking out_ 9 Walks and Talks. 8 
Hogs.Worms in. 7 Wheat for III.. BestWintcr 9 
noosier School-Master... 5.Wheat. Lime for.9 
Hoove, Remedy for. 5 White Daisy.8 
Calendar for January. 
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Boston. Eng¬ 
land, N. York 
State. Michi¬ 
gan. Wiscon¬ 
sin, Inu'a. and 
Oregon. 
M. r. Cltg. Cl. 
Philadelphia, 
Mew Jersey, 
Penn., Ohio. 
Indiana, and 
Illinois. 
Washington. 
Maryland, 
Virginia,Ken¬ 
tucky, Missou¬ 
ri, and Cali¬ 
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PHASES OF THE MOON. 
MOON. 
BOSTON. 
N. YORK. 
WASn’N. 
cha’ston 
CHICAGO. 
|D. 
3d Quart.. 3 
NetvMoonllO 
1st Quart.. 17 
Full.125 
Ft. jr. 
5 15 ev. 
10 14 m. 
17 18 m. 
0 SO ev. 
H. M. 
5 3 ev. 
10 2 m. 
7 6 m. 
0 IS ev. 
II. M. 
4 51 ev. 
9 50 m. 
6 54 m. 
0 6 ev. 
H. M. 
4 39 ev. 
9 38 m. 
6 42 m. 
11 54 m. 
H. M. 
4 9 ev. 
9 8 m. 
G 12 m. 
11 24 m. 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
NEW YORK, JANUARY, 1872. 
We can not tell whether it was in the spring, 
summer, autumn, or winter that the “ evening and 
the morniug was the first day;” and, consequently, 
we do not know when the old year ends and a new 
year commences. There are, however, as good 
reasons for commencing the year in the dead of 
winter as for commencing the day in the dead of 
night. Both are purely arbitrary. Some would 
have the day commence in the morning, and the 
year in the spring. We«think it far better as it is. 
The best preparation for a day’s work is a good 
night’s sleep; and much of a farmer’s success the 
coming year will depend on how he spends his 
winter. It is the period for preparation. It is the 
time to think aud plan; the lime to close up the 
work of the old year, and get ready for the new. 
Hints iibuiit Work. 
The great work of life is to discipline and educate 
ourselves. The end of each year finds us better or 
worse. No matter how prosperous the year may 
have been, if we are less patient, more inconsider¬ 
ate, conceited, proud, and selfish, our time has been 
ill-spent; hut if we are growing men—growing in 
love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, good¬ 
ness, faith, meekness, and temperance—we are pros¬ 
pering. We may have seen hard times, but we have 
not lived in vain. We are better men. A farmer’s 
best field is himself. This field can be plowed and 
cultivated just as well in the winter as in the sum¬ 
mer. The commencement of a new year is a good 
time to top-dress it, or, if need be, to break it up 
and commence a new rotation. Kill the weeds, 
and be careful to sow good seed, and plenty of it 
Energy, industry, forethought, patience, and tem¬ 
perance are always profitable crops; temperance 
in eating, drinking, sleeping, and working. Many 
farmers work too hard; they arc intemperate in 
this respect. Many more are too anxious. They 
have not faith enough. Some are too hopeful. 
They hope for good crops without using the means 
to obtain them. 
Pay your Debts. — Or, at any rate, ascertain exactly 
what you owe. A running account not unfrcquently 
runs away with a farm. If you are in debt, and 
have anything to sell, dispose of it at onec, and 
pay your debts. Nothing deadens a man’s energy 
and destroys all manly feeling like little delits- 
You will feel like a new man when they are paid. 
Be Prompt. —Credit is very desirable to any ener¬ 
getic man, and nothing tends so much to secure 
credit as promptness in meeting all obligations- 
The way to get credit is to use it, and not abuse it. 
Prices are Low, Wages High, and Profits Small— 
The-two former are beyond our control; and we 
can not hope to obtain good profits unless we raise 
large crops. Ten bushels of wheat per acre does 
not pay, and never ought to pay. Thirty bushels 
per acre, even now, affords a living profit, and forty 
bushels affords profit enough to satisfy any man. 
Farmers arc Manufacturers, and compete with 
eacli other. The farmer that can manufacture the 
best articles at the least cost is the one that makes 
the most money. His skill and knowledge must 
be directed to this object. 
Thorough Cultivation is always profitable on aH 
land that is cultivated at all. This is true whether 
we adopt high farming or slow farming; whether 
We live east or west, on high-prieed or low-priced 
land. If we work it at all, we must cultivate it 
thoroughly. 
Think of these things, aud get ready for the work- 
Write down all that you intend to do the coining 
year. Writing is a great help to thought as well as 
to memory. Write down exactly how you propose 
to do the work, and what with, and when. 
If you have never kept a Diary , now is the time to 
commence. Nothing is more interesting and use¬ 
ful than a well-kept record of everything done on 
the farm, state of the weather, condition of the 
stock, and what you are feeding, etc. 
Make an Inventory of everything on the farm and 
in the house, with an estimate of its value. Do it 
carefully and thoroughly. In case of fire, it will 
he a great help in settling insurance claims. 
Attend to your Insurance. —See that it is not run 
out, and that the companies are sound. 
What do you do with your Ashes? —Many fires 
originate from carelessness in placing ashes in bar¬ 
rels, or throwing them in a loose heap where they 
come in contact with wood. Provide a suitable 
place for them, either of brick or iron. 
Animals must receive constant and regular atten¬ 
tion. They can not he neglected for a single day. 
Bc careful to give them abundance of fresh water, 
and avoid as much as possible compelling them to- 
drink water that is full of melting snow or ice. 
Provide some kind of shelter for all animals. 
Horses that are doing nothing can be wintered on 
good, bright straw, with four or five pounds of 
corn per day, cheaper than on hay. If they are 
worked regularly, they require higher feeding; say 
ten pounds grain, ten pounds hay, and ten pounds 
straw per day. On a grain-farm, where straw or 
corn-stalks are abundant and hay is scarce, one 
third hay, and one third straw and stalks, cut up 
together with one third the weight of corn-meal 
mixed with it, makes a cheaper and more nutritious 
food than more hay and less grain. 
Cows do far better on stalks than on straw. They 
do not like the latter. Our stalks were so well 
cured last fall that, after the cows were taken from 
the pasture and fed in the stables on 6talks, they in¬ 
creased in their milk and the quality of the butter 
improved. Cows that are giving milk will pay for 
a little corn-meal, say two quarts per day, mi addi¬ 
tion fo the stalks or hay. Keep the stables clean 
and well ventilated. In stormy weather it is best 
to keep them in the stable all the time, except to 
turn them out twice a day to water. Many farmers 
only water once, aud this will do when they run in 
the yard for two or three hours, but otherwise it is 
far better to water twice. Give than time enough to 
drink. Cow's arc not like horses in this respect. A 
horse will drink at once all lie wants, but a herd of 
cows need longer time and more or less humoring. 
Sheep will cat straw better than any other stock. 
With good, bright straw and half a pound of com 
