60 TAZEWELL COUNTY, ILLINOIS. 



thing into the ground." Just now the rage is for wheat in the 

 cereals, and sheep in stock. 



Both have " paid" for the last few years, and if not made 



exclusive will still pay. 



GRAIN. 

 Corn (maize) is the chief crop in this the central 

 part of the State. For a rotation of crops we use oats, rye, clover 

 and timothy, all to be fed to cattle, sheep and swine. I have 

 satisfied myself that we can make it profitable to use the hoe 

 in cutting out weeds and grass even after we have laid our 

 corn by. Fall plowing pays well, and the more manure we 

 scatter on the surface of our fields the better for the coming 

 crop. It is not only bad economy, but absolute wastefulness 

 to neglect or ignore the manure piles. 



MANAGEMENT OF STOCK. 



Short Horns for Central Illinois are doubtless the best. For 

 breeding they must not be too fat. Our State and County fairs 

 should offer premiums for cattle direct from pasture only. 

 The cattle that are taken to our fairs are generally worthless 

 for breeding purposes. 



^ SHEEP 



are among the best and most profitable stock that can be kept 

 on the farm. My choice is the Cotswold for flocks of from 

 fifty to a hundred. For massing in large flocks the Merino is 

 better. 



HOGS. 



For early maturity, to which we are fast coming, I find 

 the Berkshire best. I care very little for " buildings" for pigs 

 or hogs, but shelter in stormy weather is, of course, desirable. 

 May pigs, with change of pasture and corn soaked twelve hours, 

 will insure fine shoats for market in November, free from 

 disease. 



HORSES. 



We shall never have a perfect farm horse until we com- 

 bine weight, muscle and vigor in the same animal. Perhaps 

 the Percheron-Norman approaches this combination as nearly as 

 any other. Some prefer the Clydesdale, others still the Ca- 



