The Agricultural Papers of George Washington 



every thing else, system is essential to carry on business well, 

 and with ease. 



Feeding 



The work-horses and mules are always to be in their stalls, 

 and all littered and cleaned, when they are out of harness ; 

 and they are to be plenteously fed with cut straw, and as 

 much chopped grain, meal, or bran, with a little salt mixed 

 therewith, as will keep them always in good condition for 

 work ; seeing also, that they are watered as regularly as they 

 are fed ; this is their winter feed. For spring, summer, and 

 autumn, it is expected, that soiling them on green food, first 

 with rye, then with lucerne, and next with clover, with very 

 little grain, will enable them to perform their work. 



The oxen and other horned cattle, are to be housed from 

 the first of November until the first of May ; and to be fed as 

 well as the means on the farm will admit. The first (oxen) 

 must always be kept in good condition, housed in the stalls 

 designed for them; and the cows (so many of them as can 

 find places), on the opposite side. The rest, with the other 

 cattle, must be in the newly-erected sheds; and the whole 

 carefully watered every day; the ice, in frozen weather, be 

 ing broken, so as to admit them to clean water. 



With respect to the sheep, they must receive the best pro 

 tection that can be given them this winter ; against the next, 

 I hope they will be better provided for. 



And with regard to the hogs, the plan must be, to raise a 

 given number of good ones, instead of an indiscriminate num 

 ber of indifferent ones, half of which die or are stolen before 

 the period arrives for putting them up as porkers. To ac 

 complish this, a sufficient number of the best sows should 

 be appropriated to the purpose; and so many pigs raised 

 from them as will insure the quantity of pork, which the 



