The Daily state journal. [volume] (Alexandria, Va.) 1868-1874, 1873-01-23
evening State Sal.rmal.
THURSDAY EvENG, JAN. 90. 1873
FARM WORK FOR JANUARY.
From the American Agriculturist.l

luIely ueCeSSary lOT inc uedltn vi INC latni
ly. The fruit and vegetables will also keeT
better. 1t is very convenient to have Q
thermometer hanging in the cellar, ant
whenever the temperature rises above 45 .
door or window, or both, may be opened
even on the coolest days, for few min.
utes, provided the stream of cold air does
not fall directly on anything easily affected
by frost. How low you may safely re-
,7ace the temperature in the cellar depends
on its construction. If it is "a warm cell
lar" it will do no harm to keep the door
and windows open until the temperature OF
the cellar is down to within few degrees
Of freezing but if the cellar is at all LA
BILE to freeze in cold weather, it will not be
safe to reduce the temperature so low, be-
cause if very cold, windy night should
follow the potatoes might be frozen.
Should there be danger of this, a kettle or
two of boiling water sprinkled about the
cellar floor before going to bed will do
much to prevent frost. Water in freezing
gives out heat. And we have had our cis-
tern in the cellar freeze over an inch thick,
while potatoes in the same cellar were not
injured.
apples should be examined, and those
commencing to decay removed from the
shelves or barrels, and placed by them
selves, for immediate use. 1t should not
be forgotten that a decaying apple that
touches another apple will soon rot it but
more than this, the presence of decaying
fruit in cellar has tendency to induce
decay even in fruit that is not in direct con-
tact with it. Remove all affected fruit from
the cellar as soon as possible.
Anin1ats must receive regular, and ire
gular, attention. They cannot help them
selves. Their daily wants must be sup
plied-and these vary somewhat according
to the weather. 1t is here that the intelli-
gence, promptness and experience of the
farmer manifest themselves. Where there
is much stock to attend to, and only say
two persons to do the work, it is important
to know what to do first This will vary ac-
cording to circumstances. In our own case,
commencing say at half-past five in the
morning, the horses are first attended to,
the stable cleaned out, and the horses fed
and watered. Then feed and milk the
cows. Then break fast. The first thing
after breakfast, or about sunrise, feed the
sheep their grain, clean out the racks, and
give fresh straw or hay. Then feed the
pigs, attending to the youngest first and
tlOu iCSu Viz pouiely % hsIlO u dius hieCl
this, clean horses, pump water for the
sheep, clean out the cow-stables, and water
the cows, clean out plg-pens, and do what
ever is necessary to make them con4ortable.
Cook food for pigs, slice turnips for the
sheep and manges for the COWS and pigs,
and get everything ready for next MORN
ng's feeding. This is great point. Much
work can be done before breakfast, provi-
ded everything is ready to your hand.
Horses.-f possible, find something for
your teams to do, Avoid expos
ing them to severe storms. Use the brush
freely, and feed more or less grain. 1t is
cheaper than hay. A common mistake is
to keep horses in the stable for days or
weeks, and then perhaps take load of
grain or wood eight or ten miles to market,
and when there let them stand out in the
cold. The horses are weak from want Of
exercise and nutritious food, and when
they get home they are in an exhausted
condition. Grain is perhaps then given
them-and the end is indigestion, collie,
and death. A warm bran-mash might
have saved them. But steady work and
liberal feeding are the true preyentives.
COaoS.-There are an unusual number of
farrow cows in the country. II they are CIV
ing milk, and.are good cows, feed literally,
and continue to milk them. If served now,
they would calve next fall, and new mich
cows at that time often bring good prices.
FarTow cows, when well fed, give very rich
milk. Cows expected to come in early in
spring are usually allowed to 60 dry this
month. This is the practice of the writer.
Some of our associates advocate high feed
ing and milking to within few weeks of
calving. 1t depends much on the breed
and the mode of feeding. Breeding and
feeding for milk, and milk alone, for gene
ration after generation, is one cause Of
abortion. Our own aim is to get the cows
in good, strong, healthy condition during
winter, and we feed grain enough to keep
them about half fat-say two or three
quarts of corn-meal per day mixed with
cut feed.
Young Stock should dlacays be fed liber-
ally, and provided with comfortable quar-
tiers.
Keep the Cops Clean by the free use of
the card or currycomb and brush. If you
do not "believe in it," try it on a few cows,
and let the others 60 dirty. Yea will soon
be satisfied that it pays to make the cows
clean and comfortable.
,S,cine.-Sell all that are fat, and turn
your attention to the young and breeding
stock. We shall probably have better
prices for pork next year, and shall get pay
for good breeding and good feeding. Last
fall's pigs should have the best of food,
and warm, dry, well-ventilated pens. Keep
them clean, and give supply of fresh
water. Let them have access to mixture
Of ashes, salt, charcoal and sulphur, and,
better still, superphosphate made by mix
ing ten pounds of burnt bones with ten
pounds Of water, and then stirring in ten
pounds of sulphuric acid. Mix this with
the ashes, etc., and let the pigs have all
they will eat. 1t is especially good for pigs
troubled with tumors caused by eating too
much corn. Breeding sows should have
plenty of exercise, and food enough to keep
them ina good, healthy, thrifty condition.
Sheep.-Keep them dry, giving breeding
ewes as much exercise as possible, but
avoid exposure to storms, especially of
rain. Keep the weak sheep in separate
pens from the strong, and the lambs sepa-
rate from the old sheep, and feed them
better. See "Hints" for last month.
: Grain is cheap.-Half pound of grain
per day to each 100 lbs. overweight will
not hurt either horses, COWS, or sheep,
but, on the contrary, will do them great
deal of good, and pay far better than feed
ing hay or straw alone. Fattening animals
may have one pound of grain per day for
each 100 his live-weipht This is the