2 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST, 
f January, 
Contents for January, 1868. 
Aphides—.To Kill....23 
Apiarian Progress.18 
Apiary in January. 3 
Apples—IIow Described.4 Illustrations. .22 
Ash Bins.15 
Barns—Dispense with the Big Beam in_ Illustrated. .18 
Boys’and Girls’Columns — “A Happy New Year” — 
Work or Starve — A Look at. the Moon—A Great Work 
—Difficulties in Forging—What the Clock Said—An¬ 
swers to Problems and Puzzles — New Puzzles to be 
Answered.. . 5 Illustrations .. 27, 2S 
Brain Farming. . . 10 
Buffalo—Domestication and Crossing of.2 Ulus. .13 
Clear the Water-Courses. 1G 
Cropping the Aftermath.12 
Draining in Winter—Draining Tools.16 
Editorial Jottings in Europe — Letter from Mr. Judd_10 
Farming—Little Things in.18 
Farm Work for January. 2 
Fences—China-tree in Mississippi. . .19 
Flocks — Shall we Keep up our?.12 
Flower Garden and Lawn in January. 3 
Fruit Garden in January. 3 
Gas-house Lime.16 
Green and Hot-houses in January. 3 
Guano — Peruvian and the Chincha Islands. .4 lllus. .19, 20 
Holidays at Home and Abroad. Page Illustration. .28 
Horseradish — Cultivation of. 23 
Horticultural Departments—Work in. 3 
Household Department — Lap-robes and Picture Frames 
—Deportment at Table—Foot Warmers—Gems or 
Aerated Rolls—Comfort for Housekeepers without 
Help—A Picture in the Backwoods—Home-made Coal 
Sifter — Recipes.11 Illustrations.. 25, 26 
nouse Plans—American Farm. 2 Illustrations. .17 
Ivies—Variegated-leaved. Illustrated .. 21 
Kitchen Garden in January. 3 
Logs — Loading Heavy. Illustrated. .11 
Market Reports. 5 
Mignonette and its Culture . . Illustrated. .24 
Mistletoe. Illustrated.. 21 
Orchard and Nursery in January. 3 
Parasitic Plants—The Mistletoe. Illustrated. .21 
Pear—Mount Vernon . Illustrated . .23 
Post-Hole Borers. Illustrated . .12 
Rhododendron—Why Not ? . 21 
Roads—Farm, Lawn and Highway. Illustrated. .16 
Sport ing of Fruits . ..•.21 
Stock—Wintering on the Prairies. Illustrated.. 15,16 
Straw Mats — Making of.23 
Sugar — Our Supply .1. 19 
The Artist’s Pets. Illustrated. . 1 
Tomatoes — Another Comparison of . 23 
Trees Away from Home.22 
Violets and Primroses.21 
Walks and Talks on the Farm, No. 49—Grumbling 
Farmers—Value of Wheat Straw — Value of Manures 
— Fattening Pigs—Dried Meat as Manure — Mutton — 
Large and Small Farms — Clover Seed.14, 15 
Wheat Culture Extending at the South.15 
Yew — The Golden.23 
INDEX TO “BASKET” OR SHORTER ARTICLES. 
Am. Poultry Soc. Show... 9 
Annual, Am. Horticultural 6 
Annual Register. 6 
Baggage Smashers. 6 
Barrels. Tainted. 7 
Beef, Half Buffalo . 9 
Begonias, Beautiful. 7 
Bene. 7 
Blackberry, Kittatinny.7 
Bones, Steamed.10 
Churns. 8 
Churns, Butter working.. 7 
Clover, Six-leaved... 7 
Coal Ashes. 9 
Coal and Peat Ashes. 8 
Commissioner of Agricult. 8 
Compost. 9 
Compost from Animals.. .10 
Cranberries, Fine.7 
Criticism.6 
Crossing the Atlantic. 8 
Dog Law in Tennessee.... 7 
Essays on Localities. 7 
Farm, II. W. Beecher’s.. .10 
Farming in Florida . 10 
Feed, Coarse or Fine . 10 
Ferns and Wild Plants.... 6 
Fire Kindlings.8 
Fish. Keeping in Moss_ 8 
Foot Warmer.2 III. . 8 
Fruit Clubs, Farmers’. 8 
Fruit in Nebraska. 6 
Fruits from Iowa. 7 
Grape Book, California... 7 
Grape Cuttings. 7 
Grass Seed, Sowing. 8 
Handful of Manure. 9 
Hens, Sour Milk for. 8 
Hog Cholera, Tar for. 7 
Honey. 7 
Horses. Clipping. 9 
Horse Book, Another. . 9 
Horse Crop.10 
Huckleberry Tomato. 6 
Humbugs.6 
Imported Stock, sale of... 9 
Incubator, Artificial.10 
Ivy Eradicating.7 
Kittatinny Blackberry _7 
Kyanizing. 7 
Leather Preservative. 6 
Liming Land.10 
Lobelia, Is It a Poison_ 8 
Long Straight Shot. 8 
Lost Letters and Money.. 5 
Lost Papers. 5 
Manure Pit. 9 
Medusas and Rotifers. ... 6 
Milk, Clotted or Bloody.. 7 
Milking Machines. 7 
Moths in Furs. 7 
Mule Teams vs. Horses.. .10 
Mule, Treatise on. 9 
Ointment, an Excellent... 6 
One Handful of Hay. 9 
Oxen, Collar and Ilanies. .10 
Painting.•.. 8 
Pear Trees, Dwarf. 6 
Peat Questions.10 
Plants and Health. 6 
Potato, Early Rose.10 
Potatoes. Queries. 7 
Poultry, Bad Luck with. .. 7 
Practical Entomologist... 6 
Premiums for Everybody. 5 
Premiums for Grapes. 6 
Queries, a String of.. 6 
Rabbits in Orchard. 7 
Roadwash, Value of . 10 
Roofing. 9 
Rose, Gem of the Prairies 7 
Rose Leaves. 6 
Salt around Gate Posts. ... 7 
Salt Marshes, Imp’m’t of. 10 
Sheep Shears. 7 
Shutters for Ilot-bcds_ 7 
Small Coal. 8 
Starting a Fire. 8 
Street Sweepings.7 
Tan Bark, Spent. 9 
Velvet, to Renovate. 7 
Wallace’s Am. Stud-Book. 9 
Weed, a Bad. 7 
Wood Ashes, Use for _ 9 
Work from Measure. 7 
Workshop, A. 9 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
NEW-YORK, JANUARY, 1S68. 
Thoughts of the New Year are hopeful and joy¬ 
ous, as, heeding the lessons of the past, we press for¬ 
ward in the busy present, eager to try what the hid¬ 
den future has in store. May it be a happy and 
prosperous one to all our readers, many of whom 
we greet for the first time. We might dwell on the 
events of the year that is past with mingled emo¬ 
tions of pleasure and pain, for it has been an event¬ 
ful one,«and joy and sorrow have mingled in the ex¬ 
periences of our readers and of ourselves; profit 
and loss have filled their respective columns on the 
ledger, as deluge or drouth have maintained a, par¬ 
allel account on the face of the country. We turn 
rather to the duties, opportunities, and labors of 
the present. 
The winter gives us long evenings, and many quiet 
hours for reading and thought. Thinking farmers 
are students for whom school always keeps ; their 
education is never complete; they are never too 
old to learn. There is many a man who ridicules 
book farming, and never reads an agricultural 
paper, who is thoughtful in his way, and a very 
good farmer. He is wide awake when facts are dis¬ 
cussed which touch his business; if his neighbor 
raises bigger crops than he can, he finds out how 
it is done; if he has better seed, he manages to get 
some ; if he hears of an improved implement, he is 
pretty sure to find out all he can about it. This is 
like taking a very poor agricultural paper, and only 
reading one number a year, or trusting to your 
representative to send you an Agricultural Report. 
A good agricultural paper enables a farmer to 
talk with a score of neighbors at once about their 
crops and stock, to learn the ways of doing things 
which successful farmers pursue in all parts of the 
world, to learn about new implements, new stock, 
new seeds, etc., muchbetter than in whole evenings 
spent with a neighbor who has been to the State 
fair. If other similar journals increase their sub¬ 
scription lists as rapidly as the Agriculturist does, 
and we hope they do, we must think that those 
smart, successful farmers who arc averse to read¬ 
ing, are fast going out of fashion. 
Farmers' Clubs and Libraries ought to be encour¬ 
aged in every way. Where none exist, they should 
be organized at once, if there are no more than 
half a dozen farmers who would agree to attend. 
Business .—Farmers are not “ business men ” in the 
estimation of the world. They ought to be. A 
merchant’s business is estimated by the amount of 
his transactions rather than by his profits. The farm¬ 
er’s cash account may be small, but if all his“ trans¬ 
actions ” could be put down in dollars and cents, 
he would be surprised at the amount of business 
he is doing every year. The present is the time to 
plan and lay out the business of the coming season, 
and of the whole year indeed. Let us never work 
without plan, remembering that the more thorough¬ 
ly labor, time, wear and tear of tools, and stock is 
estimated in dollars and cents, and the more thor¬ 
oughly a business view is taken of everything, the 
more certain will be the profits and ultimate suc¬ 
cess, if we work on business principles. 
Hints Al»ostt Work. 
Building. —Timber may be gotten out, frames cut 
and fitted, for new buildings, and alterations of the 
interior of houses or other structures may go on as 
well in winter as at any time,labor being cheaper,and 
contractors desirous of having work for the men. 
Frost and Snow .—Look to the protection of wa¬ 
ter pipes, the root cellar, or roots wherever stored, 
against frost. Snow affords excellent defence 
against hard freezing. Never delay path-making 
after the snowing is fairly over. In case of a very 
heavy fall of snow, endangering fiat roofs, etc., 
clear it off immediately, lest, rain falling, the weight 
be greatly increased, and serious damage occur. 
Icj Paths are dangerous to both men and ani¬ 
mals. Coal ashes arc usually the most convenient 
article with which to cover icy spots, but they are 
dirty about the house. Sand is better, sawdust 
still more cleanly, and salt seldom advisable. 
Horses .—Look frequently to the caulks, and never 
let them go smooth-shod, the strains and sprains oc¬ 
casioned by going over slippery ground being the 
frequent causes of spavins, splints, and other lame¬ 
nesses. Horses not exposed to draughts of air, do 
not need blanketing in the stable, except when 
they are warm from recent exercise. Unblanketed, 
they will eat a little more, but have better health. 
Cows .—Dry cows coming in in the spring, need 
just as good feed and care as if in full milk, but the 
food need not be so fattening. Roots are a very 
useful addition to their feed, and they should have 
the liberty of a sunny yard several hours a day. 
Milch cotes require, of course, food and treatment 
calculated to stimulate milk production. 
Young Cattle .—Spring calves are making their 
most rapid growth just when cold weather comes 
on. They should receive very much the treatment 
of older stock, and not be wintered in the yards and 
open sheds. They will eat less, and grow faster for 
warm stabling; besides, their manure will be worth 
more. Their growth will surprise one accustomed 
to winter such stock in the old way. 
Beeves. —Oil-cake will be extensively substituted 
for corn meal as feed for fattening stock this win¬ 
ter. Variety is desirable in feeding, salt is essential, 
regular watering indispensable, and the highest 
degree of comfort most profitable. Great quiet 
and warm stables, with good ventilation, and fre¬ 
quent and regular feeding, are the circumstances 
most favorable to rapid healthy fatting. 
Sheep .—Stock sheep ought to have the range of 
good-sized yards, and the shelter of warm sheds, to 
which they have free access during the day, and in 
which they are confined at night. Ewes will do 
much better for a little grain daily, and their lambs 
will be stronger. Fatting sheep should be pushed for¬ 
ward during this month to be ready for a rise in the 
market. Feed meal with care that all get their al¬ 
lowance ; those that get too much may suffer for ifc 
Swine .—Give brood sows good plain feed, not too 
fattening. If they have made their growth, (and old 
sows are the best breeders,) they do best on really 
poor fore. They will even winter well on clover 
hay, with a few nubbins now and then, if they have' 
good warm pens and plenty of litter. 
Fowls should receive especial care towards the 
latter part of the month. With extra feeding, occa¬ 
sional feeds of chopped meat, or scrap-cake, they 
will soon lay freety, and if one lias warm quarters 
•for young chickens,(a hot-bed frame,with the sashes, 
of course, is excellent, and so is a cold grapery) it 
may be well to set hens as early as the last of this 
month. By employing cocks of the large breeds, 
Cochins, Bramahs, or Dorkings, large broilers may 
be ready for market by the time asparagus is fit to 
cut. It is not worth while, in raising chickens for 
stock or for autumn and winter marketing, to 
have them hatch before the middle of April. 
Manures .—We shall want manure as soon as the 
spring opens, and no one can have too much, if 
properly applied. See “Walks and Talks” on this 
subject, bearing in mind, however, that as we usual¬ 
ly feed the various classes of domestic animals, and 
as they are likely to be fed from one end of the 
country to the other, horse manure is much more 
heating than that of neat stock, that the manure of 
young stock and milch cows is the poorest, that of 
horses and fattening cattle the next best, that of 
swine next, and by far richer, and that of poul¬ 
try the richest of all, not excepting that of man. 
Beef scraps, fresh bones pounded, desiccated flesh, 
and similar things, make the manure of hogs and 
poultry very rich. The dung of birds is superior to 
all other kinds that are used on the farm, chiefly 
because their urine is solid, and is mingled with 
the discharge from the bowels. Its color is usually 
white. Save every particle of any kind that can be 
gathered. Make good broad heaps, and work them 
over, that they shall not heat, and, if possible, work 
muck in very liberally. Keep manure under cover. 
Draining may be done, should the frost leave the 
ground, or be found to be not very deep. See ar¬ 
ticle on draining in winter, page 16, of this number. 
