»s^=
-a?
y Entered according to Act of Congress, iu .Tanuary,'lS67,byT. A. Bland, in the Clerk's OCUeof the District Court of the United States for the District of Indiana
I©
Volume II—No, 3—Terms, $1 per Tear.
INDIANAPOLIS,  INDIANA, MARCH 1,1867.
T, A. BLAND, Editor and Proprietor,
Contents of March Number.
Work for the Month  41
Scientific Farming, No. 8  42
The Vegetable Garden, No. 2  43
WhatanAxeDid  41
Exhaustion of Soil  44
Eating when Exhausted  44
Our Book Table  45
Asparagus  Growing  45
Successful Editors  45
Noble Words  43
Grape Culture  4b
Dwarf Pear Culture  41)
Discussion on Strawberries  41;
Strawberry Culture in Southern Illinois  47
l'lainflcld Horticultural Society  47
Huntsman's Favorite  43
Fruit Prospects f.  43
Letter from Fort "Wayne  48
A Talk with the Farmers  43
Dome stic Economy  4:1
Various Notices  40
Agricultural College Fund   50
Book Farming  50
An Eloquent Passage  51
Peaches Killed  54
Barberry Hedges  51
The Lamb Knitting Machine  51
Farming the Best Business  51
Brevities  51
I/ulics in the Sanctum  52
Notes on the February number  5-2
Our Appropriations  50
Fortune Teller Wanted   53
Premium Pictures  53
Herald of Health  53
The Farmer as a Premium  5:;
Anecdotes of Sir Isaac  53
Market Reports  53
Make up Clnbs  53
Four Times Tempted  54
Tlie Days of Yore  54
The Suicide—Poem  55
Two Little Pairs of Boots—Poem  55
French Detective's Exploit  . 55
Boecher a Religious Man  55
The Best Inheritance  55
INDEX TO ADVERTISEMENTS.
Business Notices —Bryant, Stratton & Co.'s
Business College —Nansemond Sweet Potatoes—Vick's Illustrated Catalogue —Plants
for Spring Trado—A Sixtv Pound Cabbage—
Onion Seed and Onion liaising—Strawberry
Plants—How to Raise 10!) Bushels of Corn to
the Acre—Indiana Fire Insurance Co  50
Branson's Hand Loom—Lamb Knitting Machine—J. & P. Gramling, Clothiers—Gardening for Profit—Gregory's Seed Catalogue—A
Remarkable Strawberry—Agents Wanted—
College Script, 60 cents an acre  57
Indianapolis Agricultural Works — Novelties
and Specialities—Nansemond Sweet Potatoes
—China Tea Store—Surprise Oats—Agricultural Implements—Real Estate Agency—The
Herald of Health  5S
North Western Farmer, Prospectus—Cane Seed
—Terre Haute Nurseries — Christian Record,
Prospectus—Bloomington Nursery  59
ADVERTISEMENTS ON COVER.
Grover & Baker Sewing Machines—Singer Sewing Machines—William liromwcll & Co.—Chandler
& Taylor—Union Noveltv Works—Areating Bread
Pan—Buggies House—Downey & Brouse. Printers
— Highland Home Nurseries—Ten Brook, Pierce &
Co.—Craig Microscope—Central Hotel—Challenge
Washing Machine—Indiana Seed and Agricultural
Implement Store—E. C. Atkinson A Co.—Travser
.<c Robinson. Pianos—Artificial Arms and Legs-
It. Ii. Chamberlain, Engraver—Hume & Adams,
Carpet store.
m-mffimsimmk
lor the Xorth 'Western Farmer.
AVork for the Month.
"We are so constituted that every season lias
its pleasures. Winter is no exception to the
rule, for with it we always associate, in our
minds, rest from physical labor, ample leisure
for mental cnlture, new books, new and inter-
resting studies, as well as social mingling of
relatives and friends.
But when spring draws nigh, we feci that we
have had enough of winter, and we cheerfully
bid farewell to the latter, and cordially welcome
the former. We grow impatient for "seed time,"
and hail with delight the transient sunshine as a
bright and sure omen of tho season of fruits
and flowers. It is true we may look for "March
winds," boisterous weather, and portentous clouds, with rain and mud, yet an occasional fair day will afford the ruralist sufficient
opportunity to commence the labors of the season in real earnest.
THE   FARM.
Accidents.—Some farmers are continually
meeting with accidents, bad luck in every shape
and form, a horse is crippled, a cow is fiittn
dercil, the dogs kill the «hcep, and the pigs die
with the cholera or mange. Such men often
speak of their misfortunes, as matters of course,
"born to bad luck," and therefore, no use in
trying to better their condition. Sow we believe that every man is rewarded according to
his works, "whether they be good or wluthei
they be evil," and consequently that patient
care, and intelligent well directed effort will always meet with satisfactory results.
Barns.—These hoadquaiteis of the farmer^
winter work arc often sadly neglrotid. W<
can tell the character of the proprietor, fur neatness nnd order, much belter by examining l:i-
barn, than wc could by manipulating his cranium ; and our opinion is certainly cmitied to
some respect, as we have brought both these
means to bear on the subject. See that all tin
doors are substantially hung, with ample means
of securely fastening them. When it is de.-ira-
ble to keep the door open, it should have :i
convenient fa>tening for that purpose, and
thus prevent damage to tho door, or those Inning to pass it, from wind. We knew ot a
Nantucket whaler spending a long life on the
ocean, who in ltis old age retired to his farm foi
security and repose, but was finally killed In
the darning of his barn door in a truit of wind.
Keep everything neat and tidy within ; see that
granaries are rat proof. Grass seed may often
be saved to good account, though generally not
so pure as desired for the principal crop.
Bees,—by the middle of this month, strong
stands may be removed to summer quarters, on
some fine day. Weak stands would do indoors
for a week or so later, without the weather is
very favorable.
Cattle,—see directions for January and February. Remember that good nursing through
this month will save many a victim from March
winds and the crows.
Hogs.—Sows should have a comfortable house
to themselves, with good bedding, (not too
much) full two weeks before dropping their
young. A little care and attention with very
young pigs, is often amply rewarded with a gentle mother; but with wild and vicious ones,
more harm is generally done than good, in trying (o help take care of them. At such times
sows are often injured by too high feed ; corn if
allowed at all should be dealt out in very sparing quantities. A little kitchen slop with a
good supply of bread scraps, is much the best
for a few days, after which they should be gradually introduced to full feed. "A hog will
root," if he has the opportunity Many devices
are in practice to prevent this bad habit. Hog
tamers are plenty. Wo however prefer putting
rings in their noses. This, though very rough
work, is fine fun for the boys, ourself included,
[•'or the purpose of illustrating our plan, we will
just insert a ring, for the benefit of the bystanders. The operation will be antemortem, on scientific principles, but wc must look sharp End
not allow piggie to get hold of our fingers, or it
will not be so exceedingly funny after all. Our
case of instruments, will consist of a pair of
pinchers, and a very strong taperingawl, five or
six inches in length, together with a small but
very strong rope, eight or ten feet long, with a
-lip noose in one end. Now with our pigs in a
small pen we are ready for operation, with our
pocket full of ringsbent in the shape of a letter U.
We shall want two assistants; who must catch
the " pig by the cars," lift him up a little; pig-
gio out of self respect will open his mouth to
squeal—just what wc want, as Ave pass the slip
rose over his upper jaw, {maxillary supcrioris)
tnd tighten it, then lead him up to the fence or
some permanent object anil hitch him safely, he
will shake his head a few times, and then brace,
hack with all his niiaht. generally holding his head
quite steady through the operation. The operator then takes his position, -landing astride the
pigs back, so as to assist still further in steadying him, and with the awl make a hole through
his gristly rooter large enough for the ring,
ivhich is immediately introduced upon its witli-
lrawel; the ends of the rings are bent so as to
overlap each other, then seize them with the
pinchers, and with the awl in the ring to steady
it, it is twisted securely together making a complete ring.   Then loose the rope and the job is
©.
fl