CROP — STOCK — METHODS. 357 



around us, and in this, the noblest and best occupation on earth, 

 farming, we should adopt system and order in our operations. 



CROPS. 



I practice rotation of crops ; follow corn with small 

 grain, and Summer fallow every third or fourth year. I save 

 all the manure, and put it on the land. I have raised all the 

 crops usually grown in this latitude. The corn crop pays tne 

 best. In 18G5 I was appointed correspondent for the United 

 States Department of Agriculture by Commissioner Newton, 

 and am still continued to this date. I have received seeds of 

 all the improved cereals and vegetables, also grass, trees, pota- 

 toes and artichokes, and have carefully tested them, and sent 

 them abroad over the county. The Department is doing a 

 good work, notwithstanding the slurs thrown upon it by many 

 newspapers. It should receive more liberal help from Congress. 



STOCK. 



I feed all my grain to cattle, hogs, horses, and fowls. I 

 am familiar with many of the popular breeds of cattle and hogs, 

 but prefer the Durham cattle for beeves, and the Ayrshires for 

 milk and butter. A cross between the Berkshire and Poland 

 China hogs gives good results. If hogs are to be kept over 

 one year, get Poland China, if they are to be killed at one year 

 or under, the Berkshires are the best. 



METHODS. 



My plan with cattle is to select smooth, straight, thrifty 

 native cows, regardless of their milking qualities, and cross with a 

 Durham bull. This makes the most profitable grade of cattle 

 for a small outlay of money. I keep about forty head of cattle, 

 seven or eight horses, and a few hogs. My children raise from 

 four hundred to seven hundred fowls every year. I have a large 

 rack in my stock yard, and keep it filled with hay or straw. The 

 cattle will eat night and day. I give my domestic animals all the 

 salt they want the year around. I raised twelve tons of Mangel 

 Wurtzels one year, and thought they were a paying crop, even in 

 this land of corn. I milk from twelve to fifteen of our best cows, 



