The Nevada picayune., 1885-02-05
AGRICULTURAL.
Farming in Winter.

scdSoh to IdsS WitHOut SOule iin- i provements in the farm. In win. ter, when work does not compel him to be up and doing, he is apt to put off until tomorrow what ought to be done to-day. He ifTgets, or does not consider, that just now there is mo growth of crops-that a continual destruction Of that wealth which the summer season has secured, is going on. If any difference, extra efforts should be put forth while the state of affairs continues to exist. v nicSs the farmer can find some profitable oc equation for the winter season, he must pertorce be content with earning little more than living from year to yeRT. Winter is the season when a farmer that ir ener- getic and makes money, can be most readily distinguished from the shifiless husbandman. It is the season when many implements cah be made, and others planned and arranged for.
 Just now it is important that farm buildings be looked after and az necessary repairs and improve ments about the same be made. Thereis most always something that needs to be done to prevent decay and subsequent loss of property. However particular we may be in the selection of material, CT the manner in which the buildings are
 constructed, the necessary task of repairing is sure 10 result, and
 when this kind of work needs to be done it is a money losing business to delay it for ever so short a time.
 A new roof may be needed on the house or barn. Leaks are very ex- pensive, wherever they are, or however they affect us. About the house they casse the clustering to crumble and fall, the best carpet
 may be spoiled before we are scarcely aware of it, and furniture
 damaged beyond calculation, all through negligence in stopping the leaks. A few shingles misplaced ] in the barn roof may cause serious loss if not repaired in time. Tons of hay which went into the barn in good condition will soon be render ed almost worthless by a leak here and there over the moW. In these days a shingIe roof is mighty un- certain, and remains in good con- dition a very few years at most.
 They must be looked after almost from the very time they are first put on. Where better roof can be substituted it should be done, even at much greater cost. With growing scarcity of good timber for manufacturing shingles and boards the problem of finding some other valuable roofing material is being generally considered by property holders, and it is to be hoped that it may be solved satis- factori.y to those interested in the matter at no distant day.
 Then there are nuisances in the form of rickety porch floors, steps that are rotten and shaky. water spouts out of joint, cave troughs slipping out of fastenings, broken door latches and hinges, to say nothing of the little internal conveniences about the house that our time might be spent upon very protitably. Much of this sort of work may be done on rainy, rough days when it ism agreeable to he out of doors. Too often our farm buildings have been set too near the ground, and the result of this fault is that every few years sills have to be replaced, or the build ing is in half tumble-down con- dition, hardly worth repairing When this sort ofrepairing is done if it is possible to do so, the build. ing should be raised up high enough so there will be no trouble of the same kind in the future. Drive ways into barns and manure piles under the caves are fruitful sources of rotton sills as general thing. The farmer who neglects these things should not grumble about hard times. If the barn is not set in good basement eight or nine feet high, and it is possible to so arrange it, make beginning toward doing this necessary work Draw stone and other suitble ma