116 GENERAL CONSIDERATIONS 



stock is the production of a home supply of manure. 

 When cattle or other domestic animals are properly 

 handled, we get good value for the food consumed 

 in the milk or meat produced, and we also get back 

 at least three fourths of the fertilizer value of the 

 food in the form of manure. Many farmers are con- 

 tent to buy and feed cattle when the advance price at 

 which they can be sold no more than pays for the 

 food consumed as they consider that the value of the 

 manure secured constitutes a good profit. This 

 feature of stock raising should be carefully con- 

 sidered in connection with what has been previ- 

 ously said in regard to the raising of leguminous 

 crops for soil improvement as part of a crop rota- 

 tion. The best possible use to make of a leguminous 

 crop is to feed it to live stock. The legumes make 

 rich feed since they contain so large a per cent of 

 nitrogen, and when the crop is properly saved and 

 fed the farmer gets a full return for its food value, 

 and in the manure saved he has nearly its full fer- 

 tilizer value as well. The average Southern farmer 

 will make no mistake if, after setting aside sufficient 

 land for gardens and orchards for supplying his own 

 table and selling to his less provident neighbors, he 

 shall divide his other fields in such a way as to 

 secure in his rotation at least two crops of cowpeas 

 or other legume every three years and shall keep 

 enough hogs and cattle to consume the legumes and 

 other waste products. The amount of corn, cotton, 

 or other staple crop sold will, in a series of years, 

 from the improved condition of his soil, be fully 

 as great as if all his land had been devoted con- 



