The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1877-01-10
FIRM, GARDEN AND HOUSEHOLD.
Orchard md Nursery.

closed against stray cattle, which may
destroy Young trees, by breaking Of
limEs, or il many cases swapping of
the whc?c tree and thus completely ruin
it.
Young trees set this fall should have
a mound o. earth, q foot or more in
height, raised around the foot of the
stem, to steady them during heavy
winds and prevent their being thrown
by frost. This is less trouble and better
than stakes.
MICE AND RABBITS. After snow
storms tramp the snow firmly around
the franks, to keep away mice. A strip
Of tarred paper, a foot or more wide,
tied arouLd the base, will prevent both
rabbits and nice from gnawing. Blood
sprinilel upon the trunks is the best to
keep Of rabbits on a large scale. Trap
Or shoot all rabbits found in the orch
ards Il garden, as they destroy shrubs
as we'll as trees.
Pruning nay be done during spells Of
mild weather, provided the cuts are COW
cred with q coat of paint, melted graft.
Ing wax, or slellac varnish, to protect
the surface from the weather.
CIoNs.-Cut 1T any time when the
trees are not frozen, and store in saw
dust or sGrd in the cellar. Have every
variety labeled IS soon as cut.
HEELED IN TREEs.-There is no dan
ger Of loss if the earth is properly work
ed il around the roots and the air is e1-
cluGed. If there is danger of water
settling around the trees during the
winter, make drains to carry it of.
Clean away rubbish, so that no mice can
find a ~harboring place among them.
Peach stones should be buried in q
dry place, SO as to have the full effects
OF the frosts. Put plum and cherry
stones in boxes with earth.
RooT GRAFTINa.-Store the stocks in
earth il the cellar, and during cold and
stormy days graft thom, taking care to
keep the varies distinct.
Winter Oats.
Of late we have noticed several ar
titles eoing the rounds of the agricul-
tural press, the writer's Of which speak
highly OF what are termed "winter
oats" From the tone of these articles,
as well as from inquiries received from
correspondents asking for further infor-
nation in regard to these oats, we are
inclined to believe that many persons
are mislcd into thinking that they are
new or distinct varieties from those
known to our Northern farmers. But
these so-called winter oats receive thelr
name from il common practice of SOW
ing this grain in the fall in many parts
OF the Middle and Southern States, in
stead OF the spring, as is the general
practice in colder ATTITUDES. The oat is
what may be called a half-hardy animal,
and whore tho winter is not too severe it
my be sown with safety in the fall, and
tho plants will come out in spring yer
more vigorous than if the sowing was
delayed to the latter season. Some of
our Southern farmers who have con
siderable experience in this matter as
sure US that fall,sown oats are always
more certain and far less liable to rust
than those sown in spring.
OF course, there are different varieties
cultivated in the South as we'll as in the
North, some being better adapted to the
climate than others; but those original
ing in Vermont may prove after trial to
be just Us good a winter oat as one pro-
unced in Georgia. There are nc dis
tinctive characteristics by which winter
oats can be distinguished from spring or
summer cats ; but, through repeated
trials certain sorts are found to succeed
better in the South when sown in the
fall than IN spring, and to these the
above name is applied.
Farm Work.
REGULARITY OF WoRK.-The fine
weather las enabled farmers to finish
up their fall work, and push on with
that for spring. 1t would be we'll to
keep on as long as the weather remains
favorable, for we know not what spring
ma bring forth. Work should be done
with regularity, and not by "fts and
starts" 1t this season the hours of
work may bs shortened, and the days
labor be finished at four o'clock. There
is much work chat may be done indoors;
reading, studying, planning for tho fu-
ture, which are all equally as necessary
to be done as blowing and digging
drains. By appOrtioning the time to
different laborS, enc may often get
through moro work than in other ways.
System is everything in planning work,
and goes q great way in doing it. By
economizing the time, there may be five
hours daily set apart for reading.
About the house everything should be
done to make things snug, and all requi-
sitions made by the housekeepers at
tended to at once. Winter time is an
exacting period for housekeepers, and
everything should be done to relieve
their necessary work Of much of its
weight. Fuel should be put under
cover, and properly prepared for con-
venient Use. Drains should be made to
carry off water {; a place provided for
Stops and waste, where they may be
saved for use as fertilizers; the cellar
thoroughly cleaned, whitewashed and
protected; shelves put up where needed;
porches for protection around the doors
and we'll should be made, and all these
done without considering that any undue
calls arc made upon the patience or the
time of the farmer or mechanic. The
home should be considered first
Agriculturist.
Cooking the Fodder for Dairy Stock.
A correspondent writes that he has
been advised to adopt the practice Of
cooking food for his dairy stock the
coming winter. He desires to know
"if there are any objections that have
been urged against the practice, and il
so, what they are"
While the cooking Of food for stock
hes been warmly urged by various
writer's in this country for a number Of
years past, the practice does not seem to
be received with especial favor by farm
ers, or at least it has not spread to the
extent that we should naturally suppose
it would if all the advantages claimed
for such feeding can be relied upon.
What seems most remarkable in connec.
ton with this practice is that it has
never found general favor in England,
where cattle foods ore comparatively
dear, and where the economy of feeding
is made q study by scientific and practi-
cal minds. The English feeder prefers
TO cut his straw and coarse fodder into
chah, mingling with it pulped turnips
and allowing the mass to slightly fer