240 KENDALL COUNTY, ILLINOIS. 



Having as briefly as I could, given the details of my 

 buildings, I will give now my 



METHODS OF FARMING. 



The farm is divided into four fields with necessary feed 

 lots. One lot is in grass for pasture, and is intended to be kept 

 in good condition for cows the whole season. The cattle are 

 changed into the meadow after the first crop is off and the 

 grass well up. I pasture new seeding late in the Fall if it is 

 rank or if there is not enough of ordinary pasture. In seeding 

 down we now use mostly oats. I prefer to seed with wheat or 

 r3'e, but as we do not sow much of these grains, we have to be 

 content with oats. I sow thinner than for the best results for 

 the grain alone. There is too much leaf and shade if sown 

 thick that will smother the young grasses out. Half of one 

 large field is put in corn, and the other half seeded with small 

 grain. The next season the whole field is seeded and ready 

 for .pasture. 



When I wish to seed down my land, I very often plow up 

 but half the field after it has been in pasture two or three 

 years, spreading fifteen or twenty double box loads of manure 

 according to the quality of it. 



WHEAT. 



I stir the ground — corn stubble, usually, — about five 

 inches deep, dragging down stalks first, or cutting them with 

 stalk-cutter. Harrow twice, then sow on seed. Follow with 

 harrow three times more, if I intend to seed it to grass, sowing 

 the grass seed before the harrow goes over the last time, and 

 rolling. Three draggings may do on some land, if it is plowed 

 well by the sulky plows. I sow all by hand. 



FOR OATS 



we plow an inch deeper, and finish as for wheat. 



FOR CORN 



we plow still deeper. If sod, use . pulverizing harrow both 

 ways, and before it dries I harrow the first way again. Har- 

 row with Scotch harrow once or twice, just before planting, 

 which, to insure the crop from cut-worms, should be deferred 



