Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1874-12-25
Agricultural.

I'M 'iNlEl''--A WflIcf III tHe RurGl At0 York
'r gives this as his mode Of keeping tender aow-
ers through the winter:
During the fall Of 1872 had constructed a
pit, dug in the ground ten feet long. six feet
vide, and five and half feet deep. A frame
was then coustructe,; longer and wider than the
pit, four feet high at the back (the pit facing
south) ana twenty-eight inches in front. Il yyas
made Of the best white oak timber and DlaDked
on the inside. After placing it over the Dit. the
dirt that had been thrown ont, was eubaDked
against the framing all around toils fall height.
Fear sashes were made nearly large enough to
cover the pit-5akin. IA panrs Of glass, six bv
nine INCHES. The sides and bottom cr the nit
were then piastered on the earth with GOOD ce
rn"nE after this had dried the planking was
whitcwasEei wGi.e the cement was allowed I,
retain lis original dark color. = email pair Of
steps was made about eighteen inches wide (yerv
neat and stroug) as a WAY to enter or reach the
bottom Then somewhat similarly coastructed
shelves were made for the Gog-ers 70 rcst upon.
that could be moved in or out in q few minutes
as there are no rails or screws to hinder one mo-
meat. THIS was taken out in summer for the
flowers. We have wide boards cut the length Of
the width Of the PIT to lay over the top as a pro-
lection 10 the glass against hail and snow
storms, besides adding warmth to the flowers.
The winter following the fail of 1872 was m
usually severe in this climate, the Thermometer
sinking far below zero many times. but as cold
as 1t was, it ha | not the slightest elect on the
flowers; for III early spsing We had the bud and
bloom in abundance. This winter OF 1879 was
unusually mild and they were in bloom the
whole winter. All the trouble We had with them
was after they were put in the pit. to remove all
or part Of the boards 10 admit the Iicbt an!
sun any day that promised 10 be fair. Once
week they may be watered; late in the evening
the boards are replaced. This is about all tue
trouble we have with them and at an expense of
iorty-iVe dollars, with a space sufficient for two
hundred and fifty average boxes
Then we grew early plants, such as cabbage,
tomatoes, peppers and SUCH things as are usual
ly transferred to the vegetable gardens, all with
. out troublesome bugs, flies, stove furnaces. ex-
peu7e and time-thngs that most pel-,ra don't
want and do not know how to manage II thew
have them.
How TO FATTES CATrLE.-The following is an
extract from communication from r. A. Steele
a prominent stock raiser of Krusas. TO the Droy-
ers' Jo'Tnal:
The price Of cattle fattened for market de-
penda on the symmetry Of the animal. as the fat
| style, as the shippers term it. want here to
state that good blood is important, bu; not ab-
so.uteiy necessary to make what is termed 4
good seller Ia order to fatten a steer to bring
the highest market price he must be kent in a
growing condition from a calf and no ease Al
lowed to grow hungry. It j. the starving the
first and second winter which willis and shrivels
up steer, that causes him to be sold at a re-
duccd price. No amount Of feedinc Will make
him 4 fiIst-class seller, no difference what his
color or blood. : + RIBS il 10 theory, but
4 fact deduced from observation, as I have test
ed the pljn several years.
1t will and does pay to feed corn to calves and
yearIings. They start on grass in the spring
strong and vigorous. You are then able 20
market your cattle the spring they are three
years old, weighing 1900 pounds, which is heavy
enough to bring the first price. The best steer
/ sold in 1872 was Il common native. He had
! all he could eat from 4 calf and was never hun
/ Cry He was handsome animal, and worth
( more per pound than anything shipped in ~
I He weighed in Chicago $50 pounds age three
( years. / have steer calf eleven months Old.
from very ordinary cow. The calf now weighs
cog pounds. think 10 will weigh, when three
| years old, 800 pounds. do not wish it under
stood that l am not in fovor Of improving ths
! blood as well As
Z PIAGTFP
/ of the New York Tribune saws that about so
! years ago his father had three acres Of clover.
About half was fresh-looking, rank and large.
the other half was short. ta7ruv yellow. with
| dead and puny leaves. lie could not remember
any treatment Of the land that could have made
the difference, but afterwards recoIlected that
three years previous he had corn there, when.
having two thirds Of barrel Of plaster left, he
/ put il as far rs it would reach. and then three
/ years after sowing more than doubled the Weld
( Of clover. Subsequently the adjoining field was
in clover, and at growing time in June, standing
on 4 knoll about two hundred yards distant.
every row where corn had been plastered five
years before could be distinctly traced. This
proves that this cheapest os all fertilizers il the
most permanent in its effect upon the soil.
+ WHAT 4 ToUyG LADY DID.-In Concord a
farmers daughter during the past year had the
care of his poultry yard. IN the spring she
commenced with about sixto fowls of the COM
mon breeds, inciudiu" one Dominique rooster
and several hens of that stock. She also had
two roosters Of the partridge Chochin breed.
From these she raised three hundred and Rfty
chickens. When YOUNG she fed on cracked corn
but when fattenin@ them gave whole corn and
Indian meal. During the season she sold eggs
10 the amount Of 800, and from September 90 to
January Il, she got ready for the market one
hundred and fifty pairs of chickens, which she
sold for $3.50 She thinks the Dominique much
tbs best for market, but they are not hardy when
young. She has some hens of the partridge
Cochin breed which weigh six. seven and eight
pounds each. It will be seen from this state
men: wha: may be done by proper attention TO
poultry, the profits being, perhaps, larger than
B ouy N hsr branch of E,r