Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1880-10-16
Preparing for Winter.

In countries where snow flies and the
ground freezes, and remains frozen from three
! to five months in the year, the words at the
head of this note have a very wide signi6-
cance In such countries the farmer must
have many things attended to, OF which he
takes no heed in this country. His barns
must be we'll battened to keep out the driving
snow his stables must be made warm and
comfortable for his horses and cows; his eel
lars under his barns must be banked
and secured against frost, that his beets, car
rots, parsnips and potatoes designed for stock
feed shall not be frosted. The same care and
attention must also be given to the cellars
under his house, that his vegetables for table
USE his apples, pears and other winter fruits
may not be frozen In those countries, too,
the farm implements-the mowers, respers
and thrsshing machines-must be taken
apart, cleaned and put away for shelter and
protection from the weather. Then. too, the
plows, harrows and seeding machinery are
laid aside, not TO be used till the snow has
gone in the spring, and the land is in fit con-
dition for spring cultivation. Now in this
State, or in the valleys of this State, there is
but little danger from frost from which we
need protect our stock or cur stock
feed, but we have storms of rain and
cold winds that are nc less injurious to
our work animals aud mich cows than
would be the frosts and snow-storms 1t is
true we need not bank up our cellars to
keep our vegetables intended for stock feed
or for ourselves from freezing, but if we
would have these in good condition we must
gather them and put them in dry, cool places,
protected from the weather and secured with
ventilation, to guard against heating and
sprouting. Our apples and pears must be
taken from the trees before they have become
too ripe, and laid carefully in shallow bins or
on shelves or boxes, away from the dampness
and beyond the influence of the suns heat, or
they Will rot or become too ripe and mellow
before we want to use them. If we want
grapes for winter use, we must pluck them
from the vines and, carefully asserting out
the bruised berries, either pack them in dry
saw-dust or hang the lunches up carefully in
COOi, uIy pIacoS, 1HOubu we 10 NOV SAp peri
ence the same cold weather, our houses re-
quire to be looked after with the same solicit
tude for the comfort Of our families
as in the coolest of climates We need
just as good and dry wood for cooking with,
and to warm our sitting and dining-rooms, as
we were accustomed to have in the countries
of our nativity, where the snow flew and the
ice frozs for six months In the year. Our
mild climate is apt to make US careless about
many things looking to the comfort and
health Of our domestic animals and ourselves
but We must not forget that it pays TO be well
prepared for winter even in California.
Though we are just at the threshold of the
busy season for seeding, and are therefore
getting ont our cultiyating tools and nachin-
cry fer use, we should not neglect to house
and protect our harvesting tools and nachiR-
cry from the weather and the storms. Our
work Of preparation for winter is different
from that required in cold climates, but it is
none the less urgent and necessary. We
have only to adapt ourselves to the different
conditions and circumstances, and live up to
them, and we will find that care and atten-
ton to necessaries will pay in this country as
well as in any other.