Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1866-02-13
Agricultural.
w ork for February.


The Wood Lot receives a. this season more
attention than al any other. Ali agree to the
disturbances OF cutting hrewood In the winter,
but IN regard TO falling timber Tor other pur-
poses, there Is considerable dissent. Trees that
nave ceased to grow rapidly, only cumber the
ground. Such are usually recognized with
case, by the peculiar mossIness of their trunks,
and the scattered dead limbs, and with little
calculation they may Dc teled without In turing
growing timber. No trees should be cut now
Ior tImOer, which leaf early and require
only few days to fill them with
sap, like the maple, birch, beech etc. Sticks
OF hard wood Tor wagon tongues sleighs, farm
implements, ETC., may be cut now, ana may be
''sticked up" that pied with sticks between
them, so that the air may circulate among mem
mat they may season uniformly. 1t Is very
portant that
Waste of Fuel.-One way in which farmers
often waste fuel, Is by chopping the logs INTO
suitable length Tor the stove, instead OF wing
them The waste in chips, DO we'll iauor,
considerable. Another waste comes from allow
ing the wood, after being prepared Tor fuel, to
lie out OF doors tor several months exposed TO
all weathers. Wood should not sarIly
be housed while green ; alter the WINDS
OF March and April have blown through 1t, 1t
should be got under cover. Otherwise 1t be-
comes 'dozy and loses much OF It's value. Ii
housed early, it will remain hard, almost like
anthracite coal, and viii last very long.
Oraions that nave frozen should be kept from
thawing by covering them with hay. a freez-
ing does not lnJure them, but frequent freezing
ana thawIng dispOses them TO decay. MarkeG
gardeners do not take the trouble to put brush
10 their peas, but IN private gardens il not only
contributes to neatne5s, but increases the yield
TO gave all out the very dwarf kinds support.
Lima, and other beans also need something to
run upon.
fencing NuJ, specially that for posts,
should De split out, peeled, and piled up to sea-
son before being set; and the is true of
bean and hop poles, wood for grape treilises,
stakes, ETC., TO insure durability. Good sled
DING must be improved TO haul timber of all
kinds out OF the woods, or to and from the saw
mill.
DdhAGs and other roots stored In the cellar
need to be looked to occasionally. Ii they
shrIyel somewhat from dryness, no harm Is
done, but If there Is any inoIcatIon OF mould or
rot, they must De removed to dryer place to
prevent deterioration.
Brush and Poles are best got in winter
Nothing looks more slovenly, than these II cut
after the leaves have developed.
Ra,l5arb may be forced to give early stalks
lake up the roots and place them III tubs or
boxes OF earth IN warm place, and they will
soon throw up leaves at the expense OF The roots
Ice HOUSES AND FILLING.-Some of the cheap
est, most carelessiy knocked together houses IT
the Ice Is only Will packed, keep is excellentiy,
While some built at great expense, which lack
good drainage or ventilation, or something else,
keep 1t but TWO three months. Ice houses
ought 10 be filled, If possible, In very cold
weather, alter the interior of the house mas be-
come thoroughly cold anu when the Ice itself
Is not only perfectly dry, but very cold. 1t
talns this cold a long time, and besides, if the
cakes are well cut aud closely packed with the
InterstIces chiuked full of ice dust or snow "a
few paIlfuls OF water may be dashed on, which
Will immediately freezs and make the whole
nearly solid mass. Cakes ihus frozen together
Will nevertheless crack apart easily when the Ice
Is needed In summer. Inc ice cakes should be
cut with right angles, and OF Uniform sizes, 50
that the layers may nc tie of the house as
nearly as possible, leaving about inches ali |
around, to be filled with straw OF saWdust close
~ packed. Ii Is usually best 10 lay bed OF
tdnbark or straw, some three inches thick upon |
level floor OF boards but Ii the floor be of rails
or OF boards Iaid unevenly upon the ground, the |
Ded should be p or inches thick. The floor |
should never be OF matched boards, for It must |
allow water to pass through freely. In large |
Ice houses the practice OF setting the cakes OF |
ice on the edges, Is frequently advocated lie |
see no reason 10 perier IE In small houses for If
the Ice De carefully packed al the thawing will
take place at the exterior of the mass When
nlIed, the Ice should be Covered with a thick |
layer of straw.
MAKING A SOLID Mass OF ICE-VVhap q en-,