Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1871-02-16

FEBRUARY ON THE FARM.-It is about
time that the "back of winter was broken. -
Exactly what that means the readers OF
the Plouqhmen can tell as well as we can.
1t is one of the " old saws" and must
mean something. We may, perhaps look
forward to brighter season, for the win
ter is wearing away, though if the last Of
it is not worse than the first we presume
it can he endured. But there is no wiping
out the fact that the evenings are growing
shorter. The Old Farmers Almanac is
sufficient authority for that if it were not
plain to the senses. And it has its lessons
1t shows Us that there is certain amount
of winter work that is not yet finished up
and that it is best to be making calcula-
tons for spring when the work will be
more pressing, when ploughing and plant
ing will demand our attention and chop
ping firewood will go hard.
We have always thought that most
farmers could accomplish great deal
more in winter than they do. How much
might be done to increase the manure pile
every winter. Proper attention to bed
ding cattle, occasionally forking over
manure under the barn, the free use of
sand, and other absorbents in the stalls,
getting up a few loads of leaves and
spreading them regularly in the cattle
pens, in thousand ways, In fact farmer
can plan to increase the aggregate amount
and value of the manure heap.
But there ought to be plan about all
the work of the farm. In this winter
weather the chores, of course, occupy oon-
siderable time, and demand the first atten
ton. All the cattle need pretty close
watching at this season, COWS and young
stock especially. You know the old say
ing that an animal we'll wintered is halt
well summered. 1t should be the study
of every farmer to winter his cattle well,
to try to have them come out in the spring
in thriving condition. There is a vast
difference in this respect among farmers
Some winter much better than others. In
the hands of some, cattle seem to thrive
naturally and without any great effort,
while the reverse is the case with others.
We need not repeat what we have so
often said about the free use of roots OF
some kind at this season. A few of them
every day will sweeten large mass OF
the second quality of hay. They make a
very palatable change and go far to pre-
serve the health and spirits of the animal.
They are to cattle what apples are for
boys, good thing we'll bestowed Most
farmers come rather short of turnips or
ruta bagas, on account of the drought,
and many lost their mangolds also, but so
far as our observation went, the mangolds
rather had the better of it, for they made
rapid growth after the fall rains. For
tunately the frost held off late and the
roots continued to grow till they were
pulled from the ground.
Those who were so unlucky as to get
the cattle disease into their herds have
had plenty of winter work to do, and
they will find that it is not over with yet
Great caution will be required to cleanse
their barns and to clean out their yards,
before they can be safe in putting in
sound cattle. 1t is not certain that frost
will destroy the virus. If it does not, and
if the people and the Cattle Commission
do not succeed in getting rid of the disease
before spring opens, and cattle begin to
be moved to a much greater extent than
at the present, we may expect lovely
time of it. We hope it will be checked
stopped, eradicated, before May, but per
hars it is hoping against hope. Canada,
and perhaps New York, will have enough
left to pour down upon us, even If succeed
in getting it out of our own stock, so that
il is evident farmers will have to exercise
great care for long time to come. One
thing is certain, that if it breaks out IN
spring when cattle go out to pasture and
necessarily travel the road much more
than at this season, it will become much
more general, and the prospect of ever
getting rid of it entirely will be very much
essened.
We do not feel disposed to create IN
necessary alarm, but it is plain that if we
cannot stop it under the present favorable
circumstances, with the cattle all in the
harm, the chance of stopping it at all will
ba very small. We hope. therefore, every
thing will be done that can be to rid
ourselves Of it soon, so that when the
spring opens we can go about our business
without let or hindrance."
Do not fail to get up all the tirewood
you will want. and make liberal allow
auce at that. We are in favor of keeping
a years supply of wood on hand and
we'll housed for use. 1t is just as well
after getting started, and especially if you
have room to house it, which not every
farmer has. Did you ever consider what
economy there is in using dry fuel over
and above using it green or half dried
If wood is green or full Of water you
have to expend certain amount of heat
in expelling the moisture and all this
amount is so much loss.
The TeehaologiSt says one cord OF wood
cut and split fine, and corded up beneath
shelter while it is yet green, will furnish
more heat after it has become seasoned
than two cords of the same kind of wood
which has been continually exposed to the
alternate influences of storms and sun
shines. Here is something for farmers to
think of. A saving of one-half of the
amount of wood usually consumed by those
who have left their fuel out of doors is
important item, not only in the absolute
amout of wood that may be saved, but in
the labor that is required to work it NJ.
More than this, contemplate the conven-
fence and luxury of a quick, lasting and
hot fire when compared with the perplex-
tiles incident to the incessant kissing and
simmering of poor fire; and the stewing
and frying that must be endured before
one can get the fire up to a baking heat.
This is matter worth thinking Of be-
cause the fuel consumed is something of
an item when the labor of preparing it is
taken into account.
We need not say that the ashes should
be carefully saved to apply to the land in
the spring. We do not suppose any intel
ligent farmer is so foolish as to sell wood
ashes. 1t Is a great deal better to buy
them, and they are worth more to use than
the ashman will pay you for them. We
say save all you make and buy all you
can, and if you have to pay twenty or
twenty-five cents bushel for good pure
wood ashes you had better take them.