The Perrysburg journal. [volume] (Perrysburg, Ohio) 1853-1861, 1857-01-01
Stieptjfr, aSrirnItaraI, 5Atrbapital
j. AUSTIN SCOTT, Editor.
Winter on the Farm.


Cold Winter, bleak and fierce, has come
Tiny snow-hAkes insinuatingly creep into ev-
cry crevice, and deck alike the larlor and tire
barn with their funny shapes. Old Boreas
howls and shakes the Aeecy clouds till they
drop hoary, frozen sweat. The horned part
Of the animal creation, their long hair pend
ant with icicles, hurry round the hay tricks
and barley cribs, ladened with the luxuries of
verdant seasons. Young horses, excited by
this novel freak Of nature, play an'ic tricks,
and make foam Of the white earth covering.
Old 'grunters' snore in their pens, n squeal
over tubs of corn. dodgers and American pud-
ding. The woody qurdrupeds with Saxon
independence paw away the snow and browse
upon the deadened herbage. Ohsr!icleer
and "hincles' contend tor their wonted rest
Ing places, on apple trees and pig styes, aud
the water bipeds Of the ieathered race poison
the food Of "neat cattle" by the cUntamna-
tion of their broad feet in search Of clover
heads and corn nubbins.
So goes the rural world, despite the opin-
ions aud admonitions of editors and profess
siunai men. IT'S sad indeed that men will
waste themselves. and, stupi6ed, trust to the
treachery OF winter. Why not provide sheds
and stalls for milch kline and working ox-n,
and furnish comtol table rendezvous for the
younger stock The expense, to be sure, is
bumeIhng, but with those who are not able
to build permanent establishments, tempora-
~ projections may be erected by placing
wooden crotches firm in the ground and
laying poles IN t. en-, against which may be
placed plank or raj S. These, when covered
with. straw, will be fund to add much to the
,nil m.nt Of sheep and young cattle, es-
peclally when il is desirable 10 winter them
In the open field 10 save the cartiIg of hay
or straw, which may have been stacked at q
dstapc, from The iarm buildings. Ii is of.
ten preferable TO adopt this method when the
manure is needed in the neighborhood of the
stack. But animals should not be ALLOW ed ,C
range over fields when the ground is soft, fol
the soil sustains great injury from being
poached when wet, the extent of which viii
be very perceptible in the crop which may
follow. Suitable racks should also be furn
ished for the reception Of fo ider. These sim
pie ar. ange menls will be found under straiten
ed circumstances, both economical and con
veuient.
And then those porkers which are wadin!
to their knees in the mud, fairly stiffene1 b
tie cold, and obliged to consume an equa
amount Of earth with the few golden ear
which are grudgingly hurled at them Sue
is inconsistency while, if the nourishin
element be allowed a passage between tn
whirling stones of country grist mill, an
then nine-tenths thoroughly cooked in a cau
dron or other large kettle the nutritye valu
will be greatly enhanced. Moreover, a com
Portable house, with fine bed Of good clea
straw. will not be entirely disregsrded by an
'gentlemanly hog These are not tabled fact!
but from my own observation | have pro,
ed that squealing has not.a very corpalentii,
effect upon either two or four legged swine.
Colts should be provided with dry place
being battered or shut within enclosure
which furnish ample protection from the il
clemency of the weather the only hoC
should be a thick layer of dry straw, whic
must be renewed as often as necessary ft
their comfort. These young st,eis Of whiC
every farmer is proud, need double care
their skins being thin, and bodies small, the
are easily chilled by the cutting winds, an
the pinching frost in this their first expeI
ence of "hard tines
The practice of exposing animals 10 ''ev
ry wind that blows" and allowing their Goa
TO be covered with snow and lad, n with ic
is inhuman and ought not to be tolerated.
No fowl ought to share with them in the
meals; ducks and geese in particular shou
be confined 10 their own sphere of sxisten
which most men think borders close upC
81 Inhalation. However, it is not advisable
enter into war of ex exermnalion, if
chance man is SO lucky as 10 possess an e
MHsi0Sth wife, who is highly endowed wi
muscular talent, for in such case she mig
be able TO Cain him, which, am inclined
,hilk k, would be just, if he refused to pu
chase otherwise the requisite amount
"softs." Let the festhered animals have thu
own abode. If it is profitable to keep thel
the possessor will certainly be remunerat
ii lie furnish the N reasonable comforts
Rural Nan TorIyr