RENOVATING OUR FARMS. 49 



post contain many tough sods, always taking good care in. 

 composting that the fertilizing gasses do not escape. "With 

 this kind of hus])andry, year by year, the grass crop will 

 increase and your stables (if not needed to be enlarged) will 

 be filled with the choicest kind of hay, and your stalls filled 

 with cattle and sheep. 



That sheep tend largely to improve and reclaim our ex-- 

 hausted lands, there can be no doubt ; they not only clean it 

 of all the running vines and bushes and other useless plants 

 and weeds, but will leave it with the green grass springing 

 up among the rocks and in every nook and corner ; and if 

 any part can be plowed, do not hesitate to do it, expecting a 

 rich and bountiful harvest. There is no animal raised upon 

 our farms that will do so much towards reclaiming and 

 renovating the pasture land, or by which we can realize so 

 much and ready profit as from the sheep. If we would 

 improve our farms, in most cases we should feed to 

 our stock all our ha}^, grain and vegetables, and thereby 

 return to our farms a larger portion of the croppings again 

 to the soil. Experience and observation has taught us that 

 our farms not only require their yearly returns in manures 

 and fertilizers for their yearly crops, but the care of the hus- 

 bandman at all times. 



The plow cannot be used too often prior to putting in the 

 seed, and as soon as may be after the seed is up the culti- 

 vator should every few days be run through the corn and 

 potato field, and the dryer the ground the oftener, until the 

 plants are too large to admit of its working ; and when we 

 are deficient of manures to keep our fields in the proper state 

 of cultivation, in the months of June and July, when the 

 grass is green, plow under the grass on one or more acres as 

 you have time and opportunity, and soon after go over the 

 ground with the cultivator or harrow, but do not disturb the 

 sward. The next season plow crosswise of the piece, then 

 harrow and sow to oats, and when in the greenest state plow 

 them under, taking care that none are left uncovered. The 

 4 



