158 HOW TO MAKE THE FAEM PAY. 



the clover, and after it is Avell started in tlie spring, it may be 

 pastured ; this is much better than the old system of summer 

 FALLOWS. That was an exhausting system ; the naked land was 

 baked and burned under the direct rays of the summer sun. 

 The clover fallow does not take as much from the soil as it 

 returns when plowed under or plastered. The clover di'aws 

 many valuable elements from the atmosphere, w4iich it yields 

 up to the soil ; it shades, protects, and mulches the ground, and 

 improves its condition. {See ChajDler III.) But even this rotation 

 of clover and plaster is not enough to maintain the fertility of 

 the soil and produce renumerative crops of wheat. The further 

 fattening of the soil is accomplished by keeping stock. Sheep 

 are the best stock for this purpose, if the best breeds are se- 

 lected. (See Sheep.) Sheep require more care in summer than 

 neat cattle, but in winter they can be housed, and fed with 

 much less expense ; they do not require their grain to be ground, 

 as that for cattle always should be, and they will bring quicker 

 returns in wool and mutton, than an;^other kind of stock, and 

 will add as much valuable manure to the compost as any kind 

 of stock. But whatever kind of stock is kept, whether horses, 

 cattle, shr-ep, or hogs, they should be kept fat, should be fed 

 with grain or oil cake, and never be allowed to grow poor. 

 Give them all they can eat, and a little to spare, for the manure 

 from one fat animal is worth certainly twice as much as the 

 manure from a lean one. For this purpose we recommend the 

 raising of a wide breadth of root crops, their careful preserva- 

 tion and liberal feeding. (See Boots.) Keep not one more 

 animal than you can keep fat; carefully preserve all their ma- 

 nure, both solid and liquid, apply it to the rotation preceding 

 your wheat, let a clover fallow bring it into condition for wheat 

 food, and you have the basis of successful wheat culture. 

 Pheparinq the Soil. We have elsewhere {Cl^apter II.) given 



