| a considerable majority of the nights. 
| of rain varies between one-tenth of an inch and nearly 
distance north, and with a southerly exposure, 
but having an altitude of 600 feet above sea-level, 
is twenty-four days later; an excellent arable 
soil, at the same distance north, and at 600 feet 
of altitude, but with a northerly exposure, may 
be twenty-eight days later ; and a sour, spouty, 
undrained soil, situated in all respects hke this 
last, may be’ fully thirty-two days later. 
JANUARY. 
Phenomena, — January is generally the coldest 
month inthe year. The thermometer usually ranges, 
in this month, between 20° and 50°; it has some- 
times fallen to 12° or 10°, or even so extremely low 
as two or three degrees below zero; it has occasion- 
ally risen so high as 58°, or, in one recorded instance, 
to 64°; and it probably has a mean height, on the | 
average of many years, of about 33°. In severe sea- 
sons, the maximum of cold frequently occurs about 
the middle of the month, and is, in many instances, 
followed by such sudden rise of temperature and ac- 
companying fall of rain as to occasion great and mis- 
chievous freshets from the melting of the snow. The 
barometer, in January, has a mean range of 1°50 
inches, and a mean height of about 29°80. Snow or 
rain falls, in the average of many years, on between 
14 and 15 days of January; and frost prevails during 
The quantity 
34 inches; and the quantity evaporated during the 
month is about half an inch. In ordinary winters, 
January has a great prevalence of westerly winds ; 
and in very mild winters, it is often characterized by 
high winds from between the south-west and the 
north-west, accompanied by frequent rains. 
In the first week of January, the laurustinus con- 
tinues to bloom from December, and sometimes so 
many as twelve or twenty species of our ordinary 
flowering plants are scantily and unnaturally in bloom, 
| either by prolongation from autumn or by anticipa- 
tion of spring; in the second week, the hazel begins 
to show its catkins, the honeysuckle begins to bud, 
and the Christmas rose and the winter aconite burst 
into bloom; in the third week, the chickweed and 
the daisy expand freely into flower, and the primrose, 
the polyanthus, and sometimes the auricula show 
some bloom in sheltered situations ; and in the fourth 
week, the mezereon begins to bloom, the pansey and 
the sweet-scented violet expand, and the white but- 
ter-bur, the sweet-scented coltsfoot, and the archangel 
show a considerable quantity of flower. The most 
frequent or prominent flowers and fruits of the month, 
are, in the parterre, winter aconite, Christmas rose, 
primrose, polyanthus, wallflower, alpine alyssum, pe- 
riwinkle, cyclamen, violet, anemone, crocus, and 
perennial navelwort; in the shrubbery, laurustinus, 
arbutus, pyracantha, Glastonbury thorn, alaternus, 
pyrus Japonica, mezereon, and spurge laurel; and in 
the greenhouse, hyacinth, jonquil, polyanthus-nar- 
cissus, mignonette, lily of the valley, pink, rose, tu- 
lip, geranium, and a profusion of Cape heaths. 
In the first week of January, earthworms and 
some species of helicidze or common garden snails 
make their appearance; in the second week, the 
wagtail appears, and the redbreast, the mistle- 
thrush, and the nuthatch, make attempts at song ; 
in the third week, the lark challenges attention; and 
in the fourth week, some common house flies appear, 
the hedge-sparrow and the large titmouse sing, and 
| garden snails and slugs become numerous. in the 
warmer parts of the garden. ‘‘ The groves may be 
voiceless; no gushes of song ring from the copse or 
| greenwood; but the feathered creation is still active, 
| of spring or summer. 
and in many spots their numbers greatly exceed those 
Urged by hunger, millions 
CALENDAR. 
upon millions,—countless multitudes, come pouring 
down upon us from the frozen realms of the north, 
where the sources of vegetable life are completely 
locked up, and where, consequently, it is impossible 
for them to exist. Amongst these are vast numbers 
of the tringe (sandpipers), anatide (ducks, swans, 
&e.), and a vast number of hard-billed birds, such as 
fieldfares, redwings, &c. The great period of migra- 
tion takes place from September till November, ac. 
cording to the latitude the birds have summered in, 
and the severity of weather experienced in the north. 
But it is the web-footed tribe which more particu- 
larly fall under the notice of the sportsman and the 
naturalist in this month. The great bulk of these 
visitants have arrived in November, but the weather 
on the coast being still open, they resort to the sand- 
banks and mud-flats at the debouch of large rivers, 
where they live upon the small fish, bivalves, and 
crustacea, which abound there, as well as upon the 
more tender alge or sea- weed. The north-eastern 
winds which come sweeping over the ocean at this 
time drive them from the open sea, and they flock to 
the first land they make, distributing themselves in 
ditches, rivers, and swamps, and, in very severe 
frosts, confining themselves to large rivers or unfro- 
zen springs. Here, the sportsman, who has no easy | 
task of it at this season, in the spots which these 
birds frequent, may occasionally start a mallard, a 
widgeon, a teal, golden-eye, shoveller, pintail, or 
other bird, and, if the weather be unusually hard, a 
wild-swan or wild-goose.” 
The Farm.—In January, the ewes of some breeds 
of sheep, begin to lamb, and require an unusual de- 
gree of care. In storms, deep snows, and very wet 
weather, sheep should be baited on hay; and, during 
severe or prolonged frosts, they may be very advan- 
tageously fed on cabbages. On enclosed farms which 
support stock chiefly on the grasses, and do not make 
large provision in turnips or cabbages, such ewes as 
have in former years lambed in January should be 
drawn off from the flock, and put into rouen, to give 
early lamb. Cattle which run loose in the yard or 
yards, should be well attended to, regularly supplied 
with straw or other provender, kept upon a dry and 
clean litter, and always permitted access to abun- 
dance of pure water. The thrashing should be so 
proportioned to the stock of lean cattle, as to make 
the supply of straw for the yards always sufficient, 
and yet equally distributed throughout the winter. 
Straw for provender ought to be cut into chaff, and 
mixed with hay; and when cattle are in low condi- 
tion, they should receive some more nutritive food, 
particularly turnips, cabbages, and well-saved bean- 
straw. If any cows are to calve in January, they 
ought, for about a month before calving, to be taken 
into the house from the straw-yard, and baited twice 
a-day with potatoes, cabbages, turnips, carrots, or 
some other varieties or mixture of green food. Last 
year’s calves should now receive hay and either tur- 
nips, carrots, or potatoes,—and should be thoroughly 
well-fed, and kept perfectly clean by means of litter; 
for, if otherwise treated, they will be arrested in 
their growth, and will not derive adequate advantage 
from eyen the best feeding of the following summer. 
Yearling calves should feed apart from two-year-old 
steersand heifers, for they require more nourishing food. 
The winter fattening of cattle is at the busiest in Jan- 
uary; and may be conducted either by carrying turnips 
and other green food to a very sound and dry grass- 
field, or by placing the food in mangers under open 
sheds in the farm-yard, or by giving it in the house in 
the manner of strict stall-feeding. 'The first of these 
methods requires dryness of climate, shelteredness of 
situation, and very eminent soundness of pasture, and 
hence can very seldom be advantageously practised ; 
and the second and the third require a profuse use or 
litter, and the most thorough attention to cleanliness 
