Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1866-10-25
Agricultural.
Shortening the Winters.

ut into practical operation the following
suggestions in regard to making long
winter short, which we take: from our con-
t.,mporary, The CuItirator and Country GEN
Hemaa. Indeed many of them who are not
yat prepared with suitable shelters and 9TH
erwise for winter, cannot begin TO soon.
We often hear complaints of the length
of our northern winters. Farmers who can
not turn their: cattle to pasture until the
middle of May and who have TO begin fod-
dering them by the middle of November at
the latest, sometimes look with envy at the
condition of those farther south, whereisev
cral weeks are gained at each end OF the
winter season. II would be much better
II, instead Of these vain regrets, they would
determine to manufacture or modify Circum-
stances TO suit their wishes and purposes
There are several ways i'll which this may
To-: proftably done.
J. Several weeks are often lost early in
epring in waiting for the soil to become dry
This is great waste Gf valuable time, at
,eriod when every day is Of much import
auce. This waste can be we'll appreciated
hut there is another loss of formidable
character, OF the heat which should warm
the SOIL but which goes merely to evapo-
rate the water. The surplus water in one
foot in depth Of soil often amounts in spring
- three inches-cqual To more than three
thousand cubic feet per acre In undrain-
cd land most of this passes off by the slow
process of evaporation, carrying off a vast
quantity of heat which otherwise should 20
to warm the soil. The amount of heat thus
l,,st may be better appreciated by stating
that it is equal to that afforded by the burn
,ug Of twelve cords Of the best seasoned
wood, and with no escape or waste of heat
Every water-soaked ten acre lot, therefore,
must require all the heat that could be de-
lvcd from 100 cords of the best fue-over
200 cords for each 100 acre farm, to evap-
crate its surplus water in spring. Good
and regular tilc-draining will carry off this
Surplus water in three days-after which,
all the heat Of the sun will 90 towards
warming the soil. We have had occasion
the past spring to observe the difference
between the condition of well drained, but
naturally heavy soil and an adjoining piece
remaining undrancd The first was in fine
condition for working in less than week
after it was thawcd 1t was necessary to
wait nearly one month before the other
could be plowed, and even then it was cold
and clammy. 1t will therefore be safe to
say that at least three weeks are gained in
NV VI Wv HSS44 y u4LN1Ni III
heavy soils.
,. We scarcely need allude to the great
mitigation of the severity of winter on all
domestic animals by providing good shell
ter When we have contrastcd the condi-
tion Of those animals which enjoy warm
stables and tight sheds, and are protected
hy tall screens of evergrcens surrounding
the yard, with those which are foddered
rom stacks III open fields, we do not won
der that the owLers of the latter complain
Of the long and severe northern winters.
3. The same class of managers complain
Of the slow growth of their pastures in
spring, and find that they are unable to
turn out their animals from the barn-yard
until the middle OF Mayor even later. They
could easily gain from one to two weeks
by providing better and richer pastures
that is, by seeding down heavily with grass
on land which has been well manured or
by top-dressing old grass fields, and espe-
c!ally by protecting the plants which form
the sod from the action Of cold winds in
winter. This may be effected by top-dres-
sing with coarse manure in autumn, by a
thin and even coating Of refuse straw, and
especially by not allowing the grass to be
closely graZed on the approach OF winter
Any one may satisfy himself on this point
by observing the rich and heavy growth oi
carly grass III fence corners, and III Other
sheltered or enriched spots while open pas
lures have scarcely begun to turn green.
t. Belts Of eVergreens, on the more eX
posed lands, will do much towards lessen
ing the effects Of sweeping winter winds, ,tC
protect herbagc and cause it to grow latel
IN autumn, and come on earlier in spring
An eminent florist once remarked that many
tender plants, commonly requiring the pro
lection Of a grcenhouse III winter, woulC
survive, without injury, if planted in woods
where the shelter from winds, and the GOV
crIng afforded by leaves, nearly prevented
the ground from freezing. The same effect
although i'll less degrep,is afforded by occa
sional timber belts across farms
.. Dairymen, who are unable to make
other than poor white butter in winter arc
but little Of it, and who complain Of winter
"s an unpropitious season, may overcome
much Of the difficulty by good supply o
carrots, turnjps, bccts &c, which Will cua
lie the good manager to manufacture as
rich butter in winter as at other seasons o
the year
An observance of the foregoing five par
tculars, namely, undertaking. shelter. en-
rIchcd pasture lands, timber belts. and 6
good suppIy Of succulcnt food for COWS
as well, perhaps, as some other points o
good management will reduce the effects
Of the severity Of our northern winters, t,
an amount equal to at least three degrees
OF latitude, and sometimes much more Ler
them be carefully weighed and adopted il
Practice Country Gentleman.
PoTTED MEATs.-It sometimes happens t.