212 THE FAT OF THE LAND 



ness in that way. The nine milch cows which 

 I bought to complete the herd cost, delivered at 

 Four Oaks, 11012. 



All the grain fed to cows, horses, and hogs, 

 and a portion of that fed to chickens, is ground 

 fine before feeding. The grinding is done in 

 the granary by a mill with a capacity of forty 

 bushels an hour. We make corn meal, corn and 

 cob meal, and oatmeal enough for a week's sup- 

 ply in a few hours. All hay and straw is cut 

 fine, before being fed, by a power cutter in the 

 forage barn, and from thence is taken by teams 

 in box racks to the feeding rooms, where it is 

 wetted with hot water and mixed with the 

 ground feed for the cows and horses, and steamed 

 or cooked with the ground feed for the hogs and 

 hens. 



Alfalfa is the only hay used for the hens, and 

 wonderfully good it is for them. Besides feed 

 for the hogs, we have to provide ashes, salt, and 

 charcoal for them. These three things are kept 

 constantly before them in narrow troughs set so 

 near the wall that they cannot get their feet into 

 them. 



We carefully save all wood ashes for the hogs 

 and hens, and we burn our own charcoal in a pit 

 in the wood lot. Five cords of sound wood make 

 an abundant supply for a year. I think this side 

 dish constantly before swine goes a long way 

 toward keeping them healthy. Clean pens, well- 

 balanced and well-cooked food, pure water, and 



