The Daily state journal. [volume] (Alexandria, Va.) 1868-1874, 1872-12-10

Lsrcm tins American Agrtoulturlst tor Decemberl
WORK FOE THE MONTH.
KITCHEN GARDEN.
Cold FEames.--Do not close the sashes
entirely, except at night, and when the
weather is above freezing remove thom en-
tirely.
Pits in which roots are stored, should
not be covered until really freezing weather
comes, and then gradually, just enough to
keep out frost.
Roots fresh from the ground are the best.
The season of digging may be prolonged by
covering the bed with litter, to prevent the
ground from freezing. Store q quantity in
dry earth in the cellar, to use while those
outside are not accessible.
Spinach, Lettuce, etc., which are to re-
main in the open ground during the winter,
should BIO covered with leaves, hay, or
other litter.
Rubbish.--If there is no snow upon the
ground, the dry weeds, old vines, and
everything which will prevent the easy
working of the plow, may be burned, and
the ashes saved for use the next season.
BEAM oles.--Do not allow these to re-
ter they may be made to do service for sew
than one season, though occasionally, with
care, it will do the second spring.
eeds.--Thrash out and clean all that
remain, and see that each variety is sup
piled with proper label and date. Keep
in cool room, where mice will not trouble
them.
ORCHARD AND NURSERY.
1rees.--Young trees need care at this
season, whether newly set or not, rs there
is great danger from mice and stray cattle.
The gates and fences should be properly
secured, and when light snow falls, il
should be firmly trodden down around each
tree, to keep the mice from gnawing the
bark. It is good practice to raise a
mound Of earth, q foot high, around the
trunk of newly-set trees, as support for
them during the high winds, as well as
security against mice.
Rabbits are prevented from injuring the
trees by sprinkling blood upon them, or
wrapping them with tarred paper; the for
mer is, however, the best.
Pruning.-If any pruning is to be done,
1t is better to select mid days during early
winter than to delay until spring. Where
large limbs are removed, the wounds
should be covered with varnish of gum.
shellac, or with melted grafting-wax.
Cions.-When the trees are not frozen,
cions may be cut, labeled, tied in small
bundles, and stored in earth or sawdust.
Grating is very easy method of stocking
an orchard with good varieties of fruit, and
the operation has often been explained.
Watsr. Should any water stand upon
the surface of the orchard, surface drains
should be opened.
po.3 laof3.ao TIL, 49,, Z L..
doors, when the weather IL too cold to
admit Of working outside. The varieties
should be kept separate place the grated
roots in boxes with earth or sand.
Seeds of stone-fruits must be buried, if
not already done, III order to expose them
to the action of the frost. If the quantity
is small, they may be buried in boxes in
the open ground, where they are subjected
to alternate thawings and freezings.
Coscs.--Where hay is scarce and straw
and stalks abundant, it will pay well to cleT
the latter for cows and mix mill feed and
eorn-meal with it. Keep the cows in
moderately warm, well-yentilated stable,
clean it out every day, and turn out the
cows twice day to water, and let them
stay out an hour OF two when the weather
is favorable. But avoid letting them get
chilled in storms.
Sheep.-The best way to feed hay to
sheep is to cut it into chaf by horsepower.
1t ia little trouble to feed, and
there is little or no waste. And
we are not sure that it is not better to cut
up straw and stalks also, and feed them
with little meal as we do cattle. The
first point in the management of sheep is
to provide dry quarters I'd, to avoid over
crowding; 81, to litter lightly and regular
" every day; and 4th, to guard against
any fermentation Of the manure under the
sheep. Give fresh water every day, and
salt regularly. Feed literally before s,t1s-
dotca. Let there be straw or other food in
the racks for the sheep to cat during the
night.
SOWING PLASTER IN THE WINTER.
When plaster is cheap and the mill is q
considerable distance from the farm, and
you have no convenient place to stow away
the plaster, it is a good plan to draw it in
the winter and sow it on tho clever at once.
If there is not too much snow on the land
this can easily be done. Our own plan is
to put boy to drive, and a man on each
side the wagon-boX, and one behind, and
scatter the plaster with free hand as the
horses walk along. We SOW two or three
bushels per acre. A little of the plaster
may be carried off by the melting snow in
spring, or blown to the fences with the
drifting snow, but not enough to occasion
any serious loss. And it is certainly q
great convenience to draw plaster on
sleigh rather than in the spring. when the
roads are almost impossible, and the fields
80 soft that you cannot take team onto
them without injury.