THIRD ANNUAL YEAR BOOK — PART VI. 421 



large or small, the farm home and its surroundings are of vastly greater 

 importance than any system of crop rotation or improved breeds of 

 live stock. Of what prolit is it if the farmer maintain the fertility of 

 his fields and builds up priceless herds and flocks, and yet fails to secure 

 that most important factor in the building up of true and noble char- 

 acters—the farm home — for who can measure the dwarfing, narrowing 

 influences which constantly emanate from the cheerless, depressing homes 

 found only too often on our teeming prairies and fair hillsides? Or who can 

 estimate the inspiration and noble motives which flow from the pure, whole- 

 some and beautiful farm homes in our land? Hasten the day when every 

 farmer will plan his home and surroundings as wisely and thoughtfully as did 

 this Illinois farmer. No luxury or extravagance in outlay here, but comfort, 

 convenience and beauty. Only a comfortable farm house set in the midst of 

 billowy blue grass, evergreens and noble forest trees, and yet what a haven of 

 rest. Bank stocks and bonds may accumulate in ever increasing numbers and 

 acres may be added to acres, but no investment of the farmer can equal 

 in intrinsic value the farm home such as this one. The motto of this 

 farm can be written in these words: "Richer fields and larger crops, the 

 system of a wisely planned system of rotation and the feeding of the 

 growth of the farm back to the land through live-stock." 



When one by one the grain growers of our land master this one under- 

 lying principle in successful agriculture a new and brighter era will speed- 

 ily come. As shown in the diagram, ten acres of this farm are in perma- 

 nent blue grass pasture and ten acres are devoted to the spacious lawn, 

 orchard, garden and feed lots. Contrary to the generally accepted theory 

 that a farmer cannot afford to "waste time" on a lawn,, garden or orchard, 

 on this farm these interests receive intelligent care and add much to 

 the comfort of the family and the annual income. The remaining eighty 

 acres are fenced into four fields of twenty acres each. This is a hog farm 

 and for convenience in handling the stock in the fields a shed and a well 

 are located in the center of the tract. This shed is unique in design. In 

 the winter it is closed except on the south. In the summer the north sid*e, 

 which is on hinges, is raised and thus a free circulation of air is at all 

 times afforded. Fat hogs weighing over 300 pounds have safely been 

 carried through the hottest weather with no other protection from the 

 sun. 



Oats seeded with clover, clover pasture, soy beans and artichokes 

 and corn are the crops in the rotation which has made this one of the 

 cleanest, most fertile and most profitable farms in the state. One bushel 

 of seed oats per acre is sown broadcast on the land which was in corn 

 the previous year. Clover seed is sown immediately after the oats and 

 is well harrowed in. On this land, quite free from troublesome weeds, 

 this light seeding of oats gives a satisfactory yield and affords the young 

 clover light and moisture in greater abundance. This method of seeding 

 has never failed to give a stand of clover except last year, when such 

 extreme conditions of heat and drouth prevailed. The following year the 

 clover is pastured with hogs the entire season. Few more interesting 

 experiments have ever been conducted than those which have been car- 



