Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1884-02-25
agricultural Department.
FEBRUARY ON THE FARM.

FEBRUARY ON THE FARM.
Early mbs.-Those who have
proper shelter and understand the
business, make the raising of early
lambs very profitable, but those who
do not, have good shelter, and are
not acquainted with the business.
lose, rather than make money by hav-
ing lambs come early. Lambs that
come early need close attention, and
to do we'll must have good, dry,
warm quarters. and yet extensive
enough to give them good chance
to exercise and to keep the air as
pure as possible. An early lamb, to
secure the largest profit possible,
must be kept in a thriving condition
to secure this the mother must be
kept healthy and we'll fed, that the
lamb may have plenty of milk. The
lambs should have an apartment
where they can go in and out by
themselves and eat meal whenever
they are hungry. February is the
most difficult month to carry early
lambs through, as they require con-
slant watchfulness, especially during
the first few days after they are
dropped, and during very cold wealth
er until they are two or three weeks
old.
The Poultry Yard-There is no
stock on the farm that will pay bet
ter than poultry when well taken care
of. February is month which is so
changeable, that to keep the fowl
comfortable requires the constant at
tention of some one. When the
weather is pleasant the laying heus
should be permitted to go out in the
warmest part of the day, but if the
ground be covered with snow, long
paths should be dug or ploughed out,
leave the ground bare the hens may
be perm tilted to run in them. Laying
hens should never be permitted to
stand on the snow or in pools of wat
Ell, but they should be kept on ground
as dry as possible.
Hens that are properly kept will
each lay four OF five eggs in week
during this month; but the slightest
neglect Will stop them, and when
once they cease to lay in cold wealth
er it requires several weeks of the
best of care to get them to laying
again. 1t is important at this season
of the year to furnish laying hens
with plenty of gravel, pounded bones
and pounded oyster shells; also, sew
eral kinds of good sweet grain dali
ly ration of fresh meat and some
cabbage leaves, or some chopped hay
moistened in warm water, never for
getting to keep them supplied with
pure water.
Plans for the coming season.
During the leisure hours of winter
the farmer should carefully consider
what crops it will be best to grow
next season, and not leave this inn
portant work to be done after the
busy season opens, and he is SO
pressed with work that he cannot
give the subject that serious thought
which it is necessary to come to cor
rect conclusions. If he decides in
r the winter what particular crops are
,, to be grown, he has time to get the
| right kind of seeds, and also to test
them to ascertain their terminating
qualities. When it is decided to SET
trees or hrubs, there will be time to
engage them before all of the best
, ones are Sold
1t is true, sometimes the farmer is
compelled to make his crops conform
e to the popularity of the season, sc
= that he may decide to plant some
!, other; but even then he may gain by
laying out his plans a. his leisure
+ for he can decide what is best tt
f plant if the spring is early and warm
n and also what to plant if it is lat
. and cold.
A writer in the MnnchpStpr Mir