~tf THE FARMER'S MANUAL. 



The time of sowing all your spring grains will de- 

 pend much upon the season, with this general rule, 

 the earlier the better, with proper security against 

 frosts; be sure to catch a dry seed-time if possible, 

 the difference in the value of your crop, will richly 

 repay a strict attention to this part of good farming. 

 Hemp will do to be repeated successively, for many 

 years, with high manuring ; but all the other crops as 

 above, should be sown after corn, or potatoes, or 

 upon stubble land, ridged in in the fall, and perfect- 

 ly free from weeds, or their seeds, or upon turnip 

 grounds after stubble. Select a warm rich piece of 

 ground near your dwelling, of 1, 2, 3, or 4 roods, ren^ 

 der it rich with horse or hog manure ; plant this with 

 English white potatoes, they will answer to begin to 

 dig in July; these, when steamed, or boiled, will serve 

 for early food for your hogs, and bring them forward 

 for early pork, and save your corn in the fall. 1 can 

 say that 4 pigs, which averaged 27lbs. in the middle 

 of July, by this mode of feeding, averaged 180lbs. 

 at Christmas following, with a very trifle of corn, 

 excepting the last month, they then had corn altoge- 

 :her, to harden the pork. This will be found one of 

 ihe cheapest modes of bringing forward pork-hogs. 

 If the expense of fuel in boiling is an objection, let 

 it be remembered, that one or two gallons of water 

 are sufficient to steam a hogshead of potatoes, if they 

 can be placed over the steam, and covered with bran, 

 or Indian-meal, which is perfectly dry, of 4 or 5 

 inches thick, so as to prevent the escape of the 

 steam : before one gallon of water is exhausted, the 

 whole hogshead will be boiled fit for the table ; let 

 these be mixed in your swill- barrel, or tub, with the 

 bran, or Indian-meal, and placed near your hog-pen 

 for ready use ; a good pen full of fat hogs in the fall, 

 makes the purse and the family rich through the 

 year; and the rich manure they will afford you, with 

 a little attention in carting in earth and litter, will in- 

 crease your next crops more than the hogs expend^ 



