Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1873-12-03
agricultural.
December Hints.

December Hints.
Now. >hapher.l-l 10 your helpless charge be kind
Battle the raging year and fiji their pens
With food at VIII, lodge them below the storm.
And watch them strict.
Thomson
Next to providing comfortable home for
the family, the care OF the farm stock is the
most important duty of the New England
farmer at this inclemeBt season. No time
must be lost now till the buildings are all
made tight and warm. 1t is much better
economy to keep out cold with boards, shin
gies and battens, than to feed an extra guam
tity Of hay or grain to keep up the animal
heat
Cows that are to come in next April or
May, should be giving Us good profit for a
couple of months vet. It used to be the
fashion to dry off the cows at the beginning
Of winter
Many people have found out that milk
can be made nearly as cheaply in winter as
in summer. We do not value our time now
as in the busy season, and can afford to give
the ANIMALS all the attention they need II
there arc roots to be fed, it viii be better to
give a lew every day all winter than to feed
them freely awhile and then let them 90
without. Roots should not be fed as an
equivalent for fodder, bat as a condiment or
appetizer. We heard an old farmer say the
other day, that he never meant to winter
cattle another year, without peck of roots
day for each of his animals that cat hay.
lt has been great drawback to the sue
cess OF many farmers IN these northern cOun-
tries, that they eat up IN winter all that is
raised in summer
Ne SIT round the stove too much, many Of
US Farming can't be expected to make US
very rich with u0iy Cavar Or n, 10
work IN a year. If We have planned wisely
and worked faithfully the past summer, we
may well take it a little easier now; but
every day should be made to count us some
thing Absolute idleness we abhor. There
are great many little jobs and chores that
may he done now, that will save time at
more busy season. All the farm implements
should be put in good repair Carriages
can be painted. Many farm wagons and
carts rot out faster than they wear.
The horses and oxen must be kept well
sharpened if they are required to work All
stock should have some exercise in fair
weather. Many horses are spoiled every
winter by standing in the stall too long with
out exercise. Young animals need more
chance to run than mich COWS, yet they like
to have a4rolic occasionally.
If not already done, protect all the horns
from doing injury by fastening on brass tips
Many cases OF garget have been attributed to
overlooking when a sharp horn had done the
mischief. Fowls must be we'll cared for now
if eggs are expected. They will not lay in
cold weather, unless they are cheated into it
by being kept in warm, comfortable quarters
and well fed. Spring is the natural time for
birds TO lay, and if you would have eggs in
winter, you must make them believe that
spring is approaching. Don't keep old fowls
or Inferior birds too long Young fowls give
the best satisfaction generally.
Ice that is made early in the winter is the
best for preserving. If one has neighbors, it
is better to make neghborhood Job of lay
ing up ice. 1t keeps better in a large body
a years supply Of fuel should be provided
now, and laid up under cover 1t is poor
economy 10 burn green wood, especially in
hot weather. Some people say, . better be
out OF the world than out of the fashion -
We say better be out of fashion than out of
dry wood. 1t is no small help to many a
farmer that he can gather a supply of fuel
from his farm without feeling the cost of it,
as II it were bought and paid for in cash.
There Is often a great deal of old stuff that
may be picked up that will keep fire at
small cost Old fences, broken tools. worn
VI.
dead stuff from the woods We believe in
looking over the wood let occasionally, and
taking cut, not only the dead stuff but a
part OF that which is alive. Remove the al
ders, birches, pitch pines and other inferior
kinds, and the more valuable sorts will have
better chance to grow. We have had wood
SO plenty IN this country that we have not
yet learned to value 1t, or to care for wood
land as they do in other countries
Fencing stuff and building materials of all
kinds may be prepared with advantage at
tins season. Ii is very convenient to have
an assortment OF boards aud plank on hand
with winch to make small repairs. Can't
you get out stuff this winter for a fence
around the garden TO keep the hens out. or
around the orchard to keep the hens in ?
Inc pest and soundest apples We saw last
year grown in Massachusetts were from trees
mat stood IN hen yard land then hens are
such nuisance running at large over the
garden, about the door yard, Or in the barn
II the large kinds OF fowls are kept, it does
not cost much more to fence them than cattle.
A fence four feet high is about as good as
one that is higher, and any common laborer
can do all the work. Now is the time to get
the stuff out. and have it ready for use in
the spring.
And while in the woods, think of the bean
poles and pea brush that will be needed in
the garden next spring. We have said that
many OF us Sit round the stove too much in
winter; but this is lot fault with all We
find some farmers that work too much and
think too little.
New and valuable ideas gained by reading
and study during the coming winter, will be
worth as much as any kind of capital we can
invest in. Farmers, as class, depend al
together too much on the weather and too
little ON skillful management, for success in
their business. We do not keep posteI as
well as we might. We should read more
oooks and papers connected with our bust
ness and Ii there is a new potato, or a new
5lGa Oh corn broug ht out, or better style of
DONG any kind OF farm work, or apv advan-
ces whatever IN either theory or practice
mat would benefit us, We should be prepared
to receive them Immediately and not let
them be dozen years finding the way to onr
tarms.-N.. E. Farmer