The Potter journal. [volume] (Coudersport, Pa.) 1857-1872, 1861-10-23
few Ean "ChnreS.v

done in its appropriate season, and done
well. Some jobs can not be deferred un-
iii Spring, and others can be done now
better than then.
One item, for many farmers, is the
draining of swamp o. bottom lands. They
are rich in peat, or mari, or muck, which,
if rightly used with manure, almost doub-
les the value of pure stable dung. Now
is a good time to drain those lands, while
the low grounds are comparatively dry,
and before the heavy Fail rains set in.
Cut good broad bitches straight through
them, leading into some natural outlet,
where the water will have free channel
and good fall. Cut the sides OF each
ditch sloping, so that the soft dirt will
not crumbe and cave in and otstruct the
channel In short time, this drained
land will bear up teams, and so allow the
farmer to haul out many load of fertil-
izing material for the hungry uE lands.
Or, if the hauling cannot be done now,
let the muck be thrown up In heaps to
dry, so that it can easily be loaded up and
drawn out in Winter. Let every unem-
ployed team bring forth the rich deposits,
and draw them into the barn yard for
composing, or take them out to the billy
lands, where they can be exposed to the
air and frost, and perhaps mixed with
lime, and so be got ready for next year.
Another item relates to shelter for
stock We are no advocates for fancy
architecture in the barn-yard. Our rich
neighbor, who paints his commonest
barns and cattle sheds a pure white, does
it on his own responsibility. He seems
to like TO see his Short Horns and Berk-
shires rub their dirty noses against his
snow-white lead This is not to our taste.
Yet We advocate comfort for cattle, from
the most british grunter up to the noble
horse. Keep them comfortable, both in
Winter and Summer Keep them grow
ing. or at least improving their condition,
so as to be always ready for market, ready
Tor use, or at any rate, in such a condi-
,on that it will be satisfaction to looF
at them
To this end, let the farm buildings
undergo a thorough examination this
month, and let material be provided for
repairing item. THIS leaky roof must be
shingIed, or at least patched. Those
loose boards must be nailed on, or if old
and rotten. new ones must supply their
place Yonder, the seams have opened
too wide between the half-seasoned boards;
they sFould be battened up The floors
In these stals are beginning to give way :.
they are worn and half rotten. Now.
right off, before those oxen and valuable
horses have broken through and sprained
their legs, we must put in some new
planks may be, some new joists beneath
TO support them. And these sheds around
the yard and that l(an-to, need righting
up. That wide opening at the northwest
cornor, between the long barn and the
corn house, should be boarded up; the
wind and snow drive in there unmerei-
fLl y during the Winter
Along with this work. let there 90 a
thorough cleaning up. The manure SO
apt to accumulate under the barn floor,
must be got out and wheeled into the
corner for composing. The heaps in the
corners of the sheds, and around the barn
doors, the drinking trougbs. and gates,
should be scraped up and deposited where
they will not waste This will make the
buildings sweeter and pleaSanter, and the
yards will be cleaner to the feet all through
the rainy months.
The stock need looking to before they
are taken into their permanent winter
quarters Not few firmers keep them
lying ont too late, and on too short COM
mons. Between this time aud December,
there will doubtless be much good pas
turage, but after the froSts have become
severe, the grass is not very nutritious
1t may be abundant, but after it has been
several times frozen, it is little better than
SO much straw Cattle often grow poor
while Standing knee deep in such fodder
Probably, the cold rains, aud sleeping on
the cold ground, have something to do
with their leanness
Let it be repeated here. that stock
should seldom be allowed to stand still in
their condition; they should be kept
growing if they arc young, and improving
if already grown. If under-fed or poorly
fed, they recover but slowy-if at all
Let them have good food all through the
Fall; give them shelter by night and in
long storms, if they desire it. Bring
them into their winter quarters strong
and healthy So shall it be well with
thee, a d with thy fccks and thy herds.
-1merican Agricmittrist.
HinIprine RpnG In the Gtnlor