1874.1 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
3 
production of miik, such as roots, bran, corn¬ 
stalks, clover hay, and three or four quarts of corn- 
meal per day. Warm slops or cooked food will 
increase the flow of milk. Warm and well ventil¬ 
ated stables are also essential. If the cows are 
turned out to water be careful not to let them stay 
out long enough to get chilled. Farrow cows that 
are giving milk should have an abundant supply 
ef rich food. They may have as much as four or 
five quarts of cora-meal a day. If they get fat in¬ 
stead of giving milk you can dispose of them to 
the butcher. Beef is likely to be higher. 
Sheep should have dry quarters. Dry cold is 
better for them than warm, wet weather. Avoid 
close, damp, ill-ventilated basements ; also be care¬ 
ful not to use so much straw for bedding in the 
sheds and yards that the manure will ferment under 
the sheep. Nothing can be worse. 
Swine that are fat must either be sold or put into 
the pork barrel on the farm. The packers have 
matters in their own hands this year. Next year 
we shall get better prices. Last spring or summer 
pigs that are in thrifty condition will pay to winter 
over. Their summer feed when clover is abun¬ 
dant will cost but little, and they will make good 
and cheap pork early next fall. 
Poultry should have fresh meat of some kind 
during the winter. Keep the hen-house clean, 
light, warm, and well-ventilated. Select out all 
the hens and roosters you do not wish to keep. 
Shut them up by themselves and fatten them. A 
fat hen orrooster, even though somewhat advanced 
in age, is not bad eating. Look out for a change 
of roosters. On a farm where a good many hens 
are kept of no special breed it is well to select at 
least one or two roosters of a breed distinguished 
for early maturity and fattening qualities rather 
than of those species valuable as egg-layers. 
Work in the Horticultural Departments. 
Orchard and Nursery, 
Though January will not be thought a favorable 
month to attend to work in this department, yet 
on a second consideration many operations which 
can be done now will suggest themselves to the 
wide-awake orehardist. There will be 
Giems to cut when the wood is not frozen, as a 
larger proportion are likely to live if cut at this 
season than when left until spring, as the severity 
of the weather often injures the buds. Take parti¬ 
cular care to have every variety properly labeled and 
packed in fresh sawdust or sand where they will 
not dry out during the winter. 
Tent Caterpillars .—Look out now for the eggs of 
this destructive insect. When the trees are leaf- 
loss the little hands of eggs glued around the 
lAvigs, usually near their extremities, can be 
readily seen and removed. If this matter is at¬ 
tended to at once much time will be saved when 
other work is pressing in the spring. 
Trees .—If trees were not ordered early in the 
fall order at once, so that there will not be any de¬ 
lay when the time to plant arrives. If there is a 
nursery near by it will often he best to pay an ex¬ 
tra price for the privilege of digging or selecting 
the trees one’s self. In selecting varieties, atten¬ 
tion must he paid to the purpose for which they 
are wanted, whether for market or for home use. 
If for market, select such as are known to succeed 
well in the immediate vicinity, with a fair propor¬ 
tion of early and late sorts. When selecting for 
home use many can he planted which arc of fine 
quality but scanty bearers or poor keepers. 
Rabbits and Mice .—Look out for these animals. 
When a light snow falls they will often do a great 
deal of damage in a short time. Tramp the snow 
firmly around the trunks to prevent the mice from 
injuring the bark. Blood sprinkled upon the trees 
will prevent injury from rabbits. 
Root Grafting can be done at this season. Graft 
at the “collar,” and never on the.tips of roots. 
The best tying material is waxed cotton twine. 
Nursery Stock .—Head back and prune into shape 
during mild weather. 
Map the Orchard. — In winter evenings and 
during very cold days when out-of-door work is 
impossible, a map of the orchard should be made 
giving the position and name of each variety. 
Tliis is important, as labels are liable to he lost, and 
if a map with the names is made it will be an easy 
matter to replace them ; besides, a place with the 
trees correctly named will bring a higher price 
in the market should it ever he offered for sale. 
Injured Trees .—Large limbs are often broken by 
ice and snow; these should be looked after, and 
the wound carefully smoothed with a sharp knife 
and a coat of melted grafting-wax applied. 
Kitchem Garden. 
The amount of out-of-door work which can he 
done this month will depend upon the mildness or 
severity of the season. One main point, however, 
should be constantly in mind, and it is that what¬ 
ever is done now will facilitate the spring work. 
If there is a large quantity of manure to draw it 
can be hauled to the fields as well at this season as 
to wait until spring; besides, if there is a light 
snow on the ground it can he taken out upon a 
sled, thus saving a great deal of labor in the matter 
of loading. Manure for hot-beds may he drawn 
out and placed in piles large enough to prevent 
their being chilled through; if fermentation goes 
on too rapidly the piles can be turned occasionally. 
Hot-Bed Sashes and Frames are to be prepared 
early to he ready for immediate use. The usual 
size for sashes is 6 x 3 feet, hut for ordinary 
far»ily use an old window sash or two will answer 
wul. The frames should be made of inch hoards 
ti o feet high at the rear and one foot in front. 
Tools .—See that all the tools in use about the 
garden are in good condition for the next season. 
They will last much longer if a coat of petroleum 
is applied to the wood-work and the iron and steel 
parts well oiled to prevent rust. There are many- 
convenient implements which can be made by the 
gardener if lie has a little skill in handling tools, 
A roller, marker, and reel for a garden line are 
very necessary in a garden, and can he easily made. 
Cold Frame .—Care must W taken to give ventila¬ 
tion during every mild day. The danger is not 
from freezing, but from the temperature becoming 
so warm as to start the growth before spring. 
Straw Mats for protecting liot-beds and cold- • 
frames during- cold nights may be made during 
leisure times. 
Covering strawberries, spinach, etc., which was 
neglected in the fall may he done now if there is 
not much snow on the ground. 
At the South hot-beds may be started in favor¬ 
able localities, and radish, lettuce, and cabbage 
plants started, while hardy vcgetaoles may be 
sown in the open ground. 
Flower C^ai*cleia anel Idawra, 
During the winter the value of a proper propor¬ 
tion of evergreen trees and shrubs becomes appar¬ 
ent. A lawn on which are planted the various 
species of pines and spruces with clumps of ever¬ 
green shrubs, such as rhododendrons, kalrnias,. 
hollies, etc., makes the place look more home-like 
than where only deciduous trees find shrubs are 
planted. Care must be taken, however, not to 
make the house dark with too many evergreen! 
trees, as then, they give too somber an appearance 
during the summer. Whenever a great depth of: 
show falls it should he carefully dug away from.' 
around the lower branches of evergreens, as its 
weight is liable to break them and destroy the 
symmetry of the tree. 
Shrubs as well as ornamental trees need prun¬ 
ing and manuring the same as fruit trees, and 
if there is little or no snow on the ground the 
present is a good time to do this, as the turf will 
not he cut up by the wheelbarrow now that the 
ground is frozen. 
Plants in pits will need attention during mild' 
days. Apply water sparingly when dry, and give- 
air whenever there is no danger of frost. 
Hedges .—Prune during mild weather; at the 
South it can be done at anytime during the winter. 
Roots of eannas, dahlias, etc., must be looked 
after often, for fear they may become damp and 
rot. As Goon as signs of mold appear remove to 
a dry place. A good place to preserve them is in 
the greenhouse, under the stages, where there 1$. 
hut little or no moisture. 
€wB*eemla<o«sse saaaal Window JPEamts.. 
During the winter months the aim should he to 
have the greenhouse looking its best, and in order 
to do this both plants and pots should be kept 
clean. Dead leaves will render an otherwise beau¬ 
tiful plant a shabby sight. Once or twice a week 
the plants should be looked over and these leaves 
removed ; this, of course, can not he done in a 
large commercial greenhouse where plants are sold 
by the thousand, as the time occupied in doing it 
would he too expensive; but in a private house 
it can be easily done. Pots should never be 
allowed to become covered with green mold; 
this can be removed with a stiff brush and water 
slightly warm, at least if not left too long without 
washing. The temperature of the house should be 
kept at 50° or 60°,with an allowance of 15° between 
mid-clay and night. This temperature is only ap¬ 
plicable to a greenhouse. Stove and orchid houses 
require a greater degree of heat. 
Succulents. — Within the past few years the- 
We should be glad if every reader of the Agri¬ 
culturist who has a bit of land to cultivate would 
resolve that during the coming season he would 
make a strong effort to have a garden where could 
be grown the necessary vegetables and as many 
fruits as space and time would allow. Too many 
farmers look upon the garden as a needless luxury, 
and the consequence is that they, of all other 
classes, have the least variety of vegetables and 
fruits upon their tables. They do not realize the 
benefit ol a proper intermixture of vegetables with 
meat, and how necessary they are to health. It is 
a fact that people living in cities have a greater 
variety of vegetables the year through than the 
farmer. The cost of a garden is but slight, and, 
with the exception of the plowing and carting of 
manure, could all be done by children; besides, 
the interest the work would excite would be of 
great value in preventing their leaving the farm. 
Many a boy who is now a successful farmer dates 
his interest in agricultural and horticultural pur¬ 
suits from the sense of his responsibility while at¬ 
tending to the garden or some department of the 
farm. So we say to all farmers, advance your own 
interests by interesting your children in the garden. 
Fruit Garden. 
Many persons think that if they have one variety 
of each kind of fruit that is enough. This is a 
mistake, and one who thus plants will not experi¬ 
ence half the pleasure Which comes from selecting 
a proper proportion of early and late sorts. Black¬ 
berries and raspberries can he enjoyed for some 
weeks longer if both early and late varieties are 
set out. Winter is the proper time to lay out this 
work, and by carefully reading end comparing the 
statements of the best authorities one can, with a 
proper soil, plant wuli good prospects cf success. 
There are many works upon the different small 
fruits, and all contain something of interest as well 
as value to the fruit-raiser. Trees which have been 
trained as cordons ought to he safe from cat¬ 
tle, and in the case of apricots and peaches will 
be all the better if a little protection is given dur¬ 
ing the winter. Grape-vines may be pruned at 
any time when the weather i3 not too cold. At the 
South the work of preparing the soil and in some 
places planting can be carried on, but at the North 
little outside work can be done at this season of 
the year. For general directions see the hints un¬ 
der orchard and nursery. 
