HOW TO RESTORE THE OLD FARM. 



117 



X L phosphate, or any other equally good and reliable 

 fertilizer, if you can obtain it. I have used the X L 

 phosphate for many years, and it has never disappointed 

 me. On land where there is but little grass to turn 

 under, better broadcast from 200 to 300 pounds of phos- 

 phate, and harrow it in before planting. The corn 

 comes up large and strong, with a dark, healthy green 

 color : it soon carries it out of the way of the cut-worm, 

 and is sufficient for its rapid growth until the rootlets 

 reach the mass of decaying vegetable matter turned 

 under, which is one of the best fertilizers to make an im- 

 mense growth of corn. The corn will be ten days earlier, 

 and twice as large, for the phosphate. In short, about 

 200 pounds of standard fertilizer to the acre in the drill 

 will pay, no matter how much stable-manure you may 

 have. The labor saved of preparing, composting, and 

 distributing the stable-manure will pay for and apply the 

 phosphate, so that whatever fertilizing material there is 

 in the phosphate actually costs nothing. 



1 5 acres, planted and fertilized as above, will produce 

 at least 300 tons of corn-fodder. After planting is 

 finished, build two Silos after the plan on page 73, but 

 larger, say 15 feet wide, 12 or 15 feet high, and 30 to 35 

 feet long : they will cost about $80 to $100 for cement, 

 lumber, and extra labor in laying the wall, besides the 

 labor of the farmer and his team. Now the man who has 

 followed my plan thus far, and Ensilaged his corn-fodder, 

 will find himself, at the approach of winter, with ample 

 forage to keep 30 cows the year round, or to winter 60 

 head, or five cows and 250 to 300 sheep. If he has 

 money enough, and his wife is a strong and able help- 

 mate, and they fancy dairying, let him buy 25 good new- 

 milch cows, sell butter, and follow the advice given Syl- 

 vester with swine. 



