50 LA SALLE COUNTY, ILLINOIS. 



ed means at my command in starting in life) compare favorably 

 with that of the average young man of this country. 1 think if 

 I owe success to any one rule more than another, it is to the fact 

 that whenever a crop was ready for the market I sold it, took the 

 money and paid my creditors, who always appreciated a prom- 

 ise that was fulfilled at the time of maturity. This rule followed 

 up enables a man to redeem his promises, gives him a repu- 

 tation that causes every one to repose confidence in his word, 

 and enables him to purchase at generally cash figures. The 

 fact is, farmers can not afford to be speculators, as they have 

 not the means to hold property for a series of years. Nine 

 times out of ten the man who sells when his crop or stock is 

 ready for the market gets the best prices, besides saving inter- 

 est and reputation. 



The farm I own consists of 340 acres. It is quite flat, as 

 most of the land is in this part of Illinois. Ninety acres was 

 purchased in 1856, at 112.50 per acre ; $19 per acre was paid 

 for eighty acres in 1863, and $37.50 per acre was paid for 170 

 acres in 1872. I determined, when starting in life, as soon as 

 I was 3;ble to abandon grain raising, and as soon as my means 

 would allow to arrange my farm so that I could raise and feed 

 cattle to advantage. 



STOCK. 



For ten years my energies have been bent in this direction 

 In traveling over the country I hare obtained and utilized, 

 every plan that would save labor in handling, and make my stock 

 comfortable and profitable. At the present time I have 125 

 head of cattle that feed on 190 acres of land. I generally 

 grow eighty acres of corn, which I feed during the year, buy- 

 ing as soon as what I raise is all fed. I also feed from 100 to 

 150 head of hogs. I have no particular rule for feeding stock, 

 but I always keep one point in practice, and that is to well feed 

 every thing I own, and keep it in a thriving and fattening con- 

 dition. From the time of birth to the time of shipment, I aim 

 to feed as much ground feed (corn and oats mixed) to my sows 

 and pigs and young calves as they will eat without wasting. 



