No. 85.] 87 



culture of ruta-bagas and beets, in this country, — the difficulty of win- 

 ter keeping, — would then vanish. 



Both barn and house cellars should be well coated on the bottom 

 and sides, with w^ater-lime-mortar ; which is a "very cheap and effectu- 

 al way to exclude both water and rats. 



Choice of Implements. — Of those which are much used, the very 

 best only should be procured. This will be attended with a gain ev- 

 ery way. The work will be easier done, and it will be better done. 

 A laborer, who by the use of a good hoe for one month, can do one 

 quarter more each day, saves, in the whole time, an entire week's 

 labor. 



Choice of Animals. — The best of all kinds should be selected, 

 even if costing something more than others. Not ''^ fancy'''' animals, 

 but those good for use and profit. Cows should be productive of 

 milk, and of a form adapted for beef ; oxen, hardy, and fast-working ; 

 sheep, kept fine by never selling the best ; swine, not the largest 

 merely, but those fattening best on least food. A Berkshire, at 200 

 pounds, fattened on 10 bushels corn, is better than a " land-pike" of 

 300 fattened on 50 bushels. 



Having now taken some notice of the necessary items for com- 

 mencing farming, it remains to glance a little at 



SOILS AND THEIR MANAGEMENT. 



Soils are of various kinds, as heavy and light, wet and dry, fertile 

 and sterile. They all require different management, in a greater or 

 less degree. 



Heavy soils are often stronger and more productive than light ; but 

 they require more labor for pulverization and tillage. They cannot 

 be plowed when very wet, nor so well when very dry. Although 

 containing greater or less portions of clay, they may be distinguished, 

 as a class, from lighter soils, by the cloddy surface the fields present 

 after plowing in dry weather ; by their cracking in drouth j and by 

 their adhesiveness after rains. 



Sandy and gravelly lomas, also contain clay, but in smaller quan- 

 tity ; so that they do not present the cloddiness and adhesiveness of 

 heavy soils. Though possessing generally less strength than clay 

 soils, they are far more easily tilled, and may be worked without dif- 

 ficulty in wet weather ; they do not crack nor bake in drouths. In- 



