Year: 1868

"The summer is passed, the harvest is


cnded,D the equonoctial storm has spent


its force, and the early frost has put = stop


to the growth of every crop; but there


still remains to the farmer, the pleas


ATTEST and fairest season of the year


the Indian summer. In too many in


stances this beautiful season is allowed


by farmers, to run to waste; although


there are few portions of the year that


might be improved to better advantage.


In many instances the farmer can


materially hasten his spring werk, by


getting his fields ready in the fall. 1t
seems to occur to few farmers, that the
fall is a good period to set new fences
and to repair old ones. The ground Is
ordinarily in better order for digging
post holes; while fencing materials are
almost invariably cheaper than in the


following spring. Ordinarily, the spring


is bad time in which to 90 fenclng;
the roads are in a wretched condition
for hauling lumber; the frost is not out
of the ground so that pests can be set,
till after. the fields are ready for the
plow, and then every farmer knows
that his time must be devoted to put
ting in his crop. The consequence of
this delay is that stock are liable TO
tramp down the fields after they are
sown, and are tempted to take sumptu'
GUS meals on the fields of winter grain.
We all know how difficult it is to keep
stock out of field that they have once
become accustomed to going into; and
from this we should learn the advan.
tages ofhaving our farms well protected
in the fall.


Next to the fence, the farmyard should
claim attention. The droppings ef the
cattle, which have been accumulatlng
all the summer; the coarse manure that
was not sufficiently rotted to be carted
out last spring, together with the man
ure that has been thrown out from the
horse stable, should all be taken out to
the field which is to be planted next
season. After the spade and fork have
done their work, the hoe should be
brought into rcquisition, and the yard
should undergo thorough scraping. |


After the farm yard has been treated
in this manner, the farmer will find va
rious apartments where horses, cows,
calves, hogs, and poultry are kept, these
will require a vigorous hoeing and
brushing After this, the floors should
be repaired, and all the cracks closed by
battens, or filled with mortar.


The orchard may be improved in pro
dHctiveness, and the back yard in APP
pearance, if the chips and leached ashes
in the latter are carted off and placed |
around the trees in the former. The
yard will now be in good condition to
receive the wood, which should soon be |
be got up and prepared for winter use


The outer cellar door ordinarily |
opens into the back yard, and probably
if you will look in thereat, you Will find
that there is work to be done there.
Several barrels have fallen to pieces,
and had better be used as fuel. Con-
siderable dirt has accumulated on the
floor, that could be well disposed of in
filing up various holes and ruts about
the lawn or moving field. When this
is done, you will undoubtedly think that
the wall will look better for coat of



Having gone thus far in putting farm
matters 10 rights, it would seem TO be
sin to stop and leave the walks and
drives th at lead from the road to the
house in SO bad condition as many of
them are. The frost has already helped !
you In killing the vegetation that
grew upon them, but You must complete
the job, with the hoe and shovel. Lay
a straight edge along the border, and cut
tho turf by it; then round them up
ard they will be in good con
dition to be travelled over during the
rainy season of the winter and spring