The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1886-01-20

least one-fourth OF its weight Of such water
as thorough seasoning drives out. OF the 12s
cubic feet in a cord of green wood, there is at
least twenty cubic feet of water, weighing
], 2o0 pounds. The teans:er, therefore, draws
over half ton OF needless weight with every
cerd Of wood, which he would avoid II II
were seasoned For evaporating these twenty
cubic feet of water, the strength of the wood
is wasted in changing it from liquid TO vapor.
The latent heat thus required would heat
nearly d hundred cubic feet of water from
freezing TO boiling There is, however, one
advantage in using green wood. For oDen
fire-places largely mixed with other wood,
il regulates the flame and prevents the heat
from rapidly running up the chimney when
a very hot nre is not wanted. But for kind
ling fire on cold morning most people
will prefer the dry fuel 10 the green. Farm
ers should, therefore, cut and split their
wood in time for it TO become well seasoned,
preferring windy and exposed places TO
shady and sheltered ones for piling, where
the evaporation will be carried on rapidly.
In the orchard, some useful operations
may be performed in the milder days Of
winter. Where limbs have been sawed off
in pruning and the wounds left exposed, a
coat of common paint viii be Of great use in
preventing the water or rains from entering
the cracks in the exposed surface and caus-
ing decay. A light brown or white paint is
better than dark color, which absorbs heat
in summer and cracks the wood. For this
reason coal tar, which would otherwise be
useful, does not answer well for this pur-
pose.
Orchards which were set IN autumn should
have all the sorts regis cred in book before
the labels are lost from the trees. If each
kind has been set in rows, the registering
will be comparatively simple and easy. If
this work is neglected and the names lost be-
fore the trees bear, confusion and mistakes
viii be likely to follow.
In some winters mice are abundant, and
when they can get at the bark of apple and
pear trees, they will do great harm in a short
time. \ neighbor had over a thousand fine
pear trees Just coming into bearing girdled
under a temporary fall of snow IN March, in
two or three DAYS. Ground clear of weeds
and grass is less liable to such disasters and
small. compact conical mounds OF earth
beaten smooth late in autumn around the
base of each tree will shut out the mice. But
If the trees have not received this care, spe-
cial attention should be given whenever there
is fresh fall of snow, which should be trod-
den hard around every tree. This will keep
the mice from them.
improvement may sometimes be given to
lawns even in the depth of winter, when
there Is but little snow on the ground Since
hand lawn mowers have come into common
use it is important that ground over which
they are passed be smooth and even. A
rough surface may be rendered smooth by
spreading sand. and depressions rendered
level il not more than an inch or two deep.
The grass will soon find its way up through
the sand, and thus deep hollOws may be
successfully filled. sand hole is easily
kept from freezing in cold wealth sr with two
or three bundles OF straw. In this way sand
is easily obtained for rendering heavy gar
den soils lighter. III lawns require enrich
ing, il may be easily done in open weather
by spreading evenly and uniformly any
finely pulverized manure, which will be
washed among the roots of the grass by win
ter and spring rains and assist a fresh and
green growth. But the practice, sometimes
witnessed, of defacing lawns with coarse
manure in large Jumps, and rendering them
repulsiye instead of ornamental, should be
avoided.