Year: 1864

I. THE HoUsE-In northern latitudes,
dwelling houses should be banked with
earth about the basement walls to protect
the cellar from frost and to keep out cold
winds from under the floors Of all the rooms;
and in all latitudes there should be raised
collar of earth about the walls, especially
in winter, to turn all surface water
and prevent it from settling about
the foundations where it might freeze and
damage the wall, or damage the wall by
its danlpness even where it would not freeze.
If the doors and windows do not fill their
places tightly, tack in strips of list or felt
or wooden cloth, so the wind will not sing its
spiteful jubilee in your ears and cause the
burning of an extra amount of fuel to keep
the room comfortable. Ventilation is a
good thing, but we do not believe in al
lowing the winds to play hide-and-seek
through a house, just as they like. VI
course the broken panes have been mended
before this time, so that old hats and other
scare-crow ornaments no longer garnish
the windows.


III. The CELLAR.-By this time the gar
den vegetables should all be in place, snug
ly stored in their bins, boxes, barrels, &c,
and ranged for convenience around the side
of the cellar so that the housekeeper can
get her daily supplies of the several varie-
ties without lifting one package off another
or climbing over one to get at another
Where large quantities of vegetables are
stored in cellar under dwelling, there
will be generation of foul vapor which
will be likely to seek an outlet up the eel
lar stairs, which generally open into the
farmers living room. To secure ventilla-
ton in the cellar, cut hole three or four
inches across in the floor near the stove or
fireplace, and put in a tin or other metal
pipe, letting the upper end into the stove
pipe or chimney so as to secure draft, and
the foul vapor will be sucked up and dis
posed Of If the cellar is over damp or IN
danger of freezing, small stove might be
placed in it and attached to this escape
bpipe, then a little fire once in while would
correct the atmosphere of the cellar and Sc
cure it against frost.


III. The BARN-The prudent farmer will
provide for the comfort of his domestic ami
mails, and the most economical handling
and consumption of their feed. Both OF
these objects will be subserved by having
dry feeding and sleeping grounds for the
stock, where they will be protected against
the rains and storms which sweep across
the fields, and from the mud and filth which
may accumulate under foot. To feed cattle
in the mud is slovenly, but to Oblige them
to lie down in the mud is barbarous. If the
soil is low and soft, so that dry places can
not otherwise be secured, let their bedding
places be paved OF floored so as to give
them comfortable resting places and moi
compel them to sleep where they will curse
their keeper all through the winter nights
If there are not sheds sufficient to cover the
cattle from the storms and lumber is toe
dear or scarce to build them, set up posts
Law on poles, and make roof CT straw, let
ting the roof run down to the ground or
three sides, and the beasts will bless you
with their mute but eloquent eyes, and you
will enjoy your own warm bed all the
better for knowing that your cattle are al
so comfortable.


WINTER WALKs.-There are several little
institutions about house which must bt
visited every day during the winter, and il
is very desirable to be able to perform thest
visits dry shod, without going to the trouble
to put on stoga boots, especially by the wo
men in their house shoes. Where the
ground is flat and soft and is not provided
with permanent walks, fasten in place {
track of rough plank or slabs or split tim
bers, meeting at the ends on ground pieces
so they will not sink in the mud and get OIL
of place; this will save many wet footant
a chance for cough, if not something
worse, besides securing the everyday com
fort and neatness of the household. You
men in cowhide boots may not think S,
much of these little things, but the womer
and children in their lighter foot gear are
made to feel the lack of such conveniences
They cost but trifle and pay for themselves
a hundred times over during a single win