Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1883-12-07
AGRICULTURAL.
Winter Fruit.
tP. N. Augur. State Pomologist OF Connecticut, tr
New England Homestead.1


My opinion is that in this climate no
one who owns a rod of laud should be
without home grown fresh fruits any
month in the year.
Strawberries may cover six weeks from
June ! cherries occupy full! month
from June 10 raspberries, blaokberries,
and currants together may jill in from
June 25 to September. Grapes, with
skill in culture, packing and keeping may
run from August 20 to Easter. Pears
come in from July to May, peaches from
August to November, and apples the
full year, commencing with the Early
Har vest and others, and ending with the
Roxbury Russet and other late sorts. So
each month may count on fresh fruits,
from skilled growers.
Bnt what shall our, Thanksgiving month
have in hest condition for the table, COW
ering the weeks from October to Decem-
ber .? Well, of apples. Fall Pippin speci-
mems weighing from to 16 ounces, pick
ed early, handled carefully, and kept in a
dark cool room, neither too damp nor too
dry "a chilly room in a basement is best),
will give about the ultimatum for good
November apple. Fine specimens Of the
Fameuse or the Shiawassee Beauty, or
Hurlburt, or Hubbardston Nonsuch may
also come in for variety. For cooking,
the Rhode Island Greening may now, as
later, fill the bill. Aud the Pound-Sweet.
in its way, ia largely called for and ap-
precisted.
Well kept specimens of the Orange or
Pear ounce for baking or stewing are ad
mirable. For cooking and as a sauce
with meats, the cranbury is now in its
perfection. and ever welcome.
But, let us CON to field less occupied.
but of no less merit-November pears.
And here observe that with good facil-
tiles for keeping, many of our October
pears may easily be kept till Thanksgiv-
ing. Yet it is not my purpose to describe
these, but more especially the varieties
which pertain to November. The Beurre
d'Anjou in October, November and De-
cember is what the Bartlett is in Septem-
ber All honor to Marshall p. Wilder
for it's introduction, which is only one of
his many good works, but certainly one
which entities him to lasting remembrance.
As a grower, the Beurre d'Anjou is all we
can ask, an abundant bearer, and it is
needless to say the fruit is superb both
in appearance and in quality. If a man
has only place for two pear trees, my
choice for him would be Bartlett and An
jou, and yet should be sorry to be lin
tied to two varieties. AS a splendid No
vember pear 1 mention one other which
has not been sufficiently known as yet
but which is certainly entitled to more
attention, Doyenne Du Comice. This
pear would suit many tastes even better
than Beurre d'Anjou. Downing describes
it as being moderately vigorous. 1 find
the tree less vigorous than An Onon-
daga or Sheldon, and yet under good cul-
ture its growth is satisfactory. 1t needs
good garden culture. Downing continues,
"Flesh white, fine, melting, little but
terry, juicy, sweet, rich, slightly aroma
tic, very good or best core small, Octo-
ber and November" One Of our best
Connecticut pear growers said to me,
"Comice is my best November pear. 1t
is too good to be overlooked, and yet not
a variety to bear neglect. This pear at
, its best is large, beautiful, e1cellent-a
rich accompaniment to Thanksgiving
table"
Grapes in November Surely the fruit
Of the vine may be richly enjoyed in No.
, vember and later. Grapes carefully cut
from the vine before biting frost, care.
, fully sealed at the cut ends in melted
wax, packed in 20-pound boxes in alter.
nate layers of cotton and grapes, and
then placed in steady temperature as
+ low as may be safely and conveniently OBJ
tanned, will keep much beyond e1pecta'
: tions and be excellent. The late keep
ing varieties are Diana, Isabella, Wilder,
( Barry. Salem, Agawam, Catawba, Yer
gennes, jefferson, Prentiss and Pockling.
ton. AS rule the tough skinned varis.
g ties keep best.
Winter work.
IA W. Cheeveg in New England Tarmerl
i In extreme cold weather the air Of {
stable is changed so rapidly that there i.
8 very little danger from being too close
4 Many of our best milkmen now partition
}. off their cattle stalls from the other por
tions of the barn with tight boarding, sC
r. that in the coldest weather they may bt
4 kept comparatively close. The warn
f bodies of herd of cattle are like so many
!. stoves with fire in them, and they viii
s keep n tight room above freezing even il
the very coldest weather, but fthe stable
is open to all the rest of the barn, with
Il its great floor space reaching to the ridge
, " pole, or if the outside walls are as opei
l. as corn crib, then the heat from thcs,
!, living stoves will be so rapidly dissipatet
y that the animals will stand shivering will
cold. A large portion of the food takei
&c by animals in winter goes to keep then
h warm, and if we would economize foo,
's we must see to it that our animals don
have to warm the outdoor air. Pin
II boards if they do not make food will SAT-
g. good deal, if put where they can have
chance.
,s Before this the cattle should all hav
"a been taken in from the pastures and pu
10 upon their winter food the change fror
- green TO dry being made gradually. A
e no season is good food more needed tina
y, when cattle first come in from the pas
.n " lures. They have been for months az
W customed to green, succulent food, an
os now to change suddenly to all dry foe
Vi der, and that of poor quality, is n rea
ly dangerous experiment, and one thu
dc too often terminates in impaction OF til
n manifolds or third stomach, resultin
in finally in the death of the animal. Goo
et rowen or early cut upland hay, roots
any kind, sweet or sour apples, and sma
-, pntatoes in moderate quantities, will
m man excellent to feed at this time. One
'e' the benefits to be derived from the fee
ing of ensilage is the keeping Of the d
es- gestive organs in ahealthy condition whit
es. dry food must be the principal ingredie
nd in the daily ration. There can be l
'u- doubt that light feeding of ensilaI
we daily through the winter will be bene
to any animal that likes it. The mistal
up il any, has been in feeding it too excl