Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1847-04-01
GREEN MOUNTAIN FREEMAN.

and hope prepares the furrow for the seed
" Hope is on the wing" but fruition is as GER
tain for the farmer as for any class.
Snow, snow use up the snow with sleds for
wood and for hauling rocks. If heaps of rocks
are not yet bare, they soon will be, and you can
handle them without mittens. Cut up the re-
mainder of the wood at the door, and store it in
as soon as you can. 1t may not kindle quite so
readily as it would if exposed to the weather for
a month after splitting but it is believed to have
more spirit and life when it is dried wholly in
the wood shed.
Bows must now quit the school and begin a
gradual seasoning for summers work. But lay
not your books wholly aside. Read evenings
for one hour instead of lounging at stores and
shops where you are in the way of customers
Mind how the words are spelled in your books,
and you may be able to communicate your ideas
on farming to the publisher of an agricultural
paper.
Make it your practice to write plain hand ;
one that may be read without tedious study. 1t
is uncivi to tax a correspondent half hour S
labor to decipher what you might have made
quite plain in half that time. Bad writer's apol-
ogze, and plead a Udnt Of time. Are they sure
their readers have always time enough A plain
hand is better than any flourishes. Initiate the
printers types they never cut capers' when they
are set for use and they are more easily read
than the most handsome curves that can be seen.
Use the steers little now, before they are
sent away to pasture. Use them gently and
have all patience with them. If they have suf-
fered you to handle them in barn or in the yard ;
if you have practiced carding their necks and
backs, they will let you approach them with a
yoke and bows. If they are too Independent,
drive them into stable and yoke them there
And to make the yoke agreeable give the steers
something to eat from your hand A nub OF
corn, potatoe, or an apple, will make them for
get the yoke, and they will soon hold up their
heads as high as when at large
Avoid whipping, ifpossible but if force is to
be used, have a switch that will Jingle, instead
of a club that will bruise. LII tempered team
sters have wens on their oxen's noses and necks,
caused by bruises that entitle the fellows to seat
in the penitentary. Learn to command your
own temper and you will the more easily COM
mand the obedience of cattle.
Farmers must be careful not to over drive
their teams in March Heavy loads on sleds are
sometimes stuck fast in the mud Three tons OF
of green wood are not easily drawn on bare
ground Never load heavily at this time in the
year. Oxen are more often injured in March
than in the summer months, for they cannot bear
the first warm days so we'll The mercifu
man is mercful to his beast"
Cows that calve early need much attention il
March 1t is barbarous to keep them tied by
the head when they are expected soon to bring
forth their young Turn them into the cowyard
ifyou have no pen in the barn, rather than keeE
them at stanchion in bow or chain. Cow.
that have constant access to water will seldom
drink too much at time but if your COW ha:
been long confined in the stable, be cautions how
you let her have water from the trough at the
time of her calving.
1t is customary to add something to her drink
to take off the chill of brook water. A small
shovel full of embers thrown into pail of water
are thought to be useful for the cow Corn
roasted in the ear is thought to be good Ashe
make weak ley of the water while they give i
warmth Cows are not generally displeaseC
with such drink Care must be used not tC
oyerfeed during the first day. The COW may be
permitted to drink her first drawn milk in case i
is not ovcr rich, or if the quantity is not unusual
ly arge.-Ploughman.