536 DODGE COUNTY, MINNESOTA. 



and passing my fingers among the plants, loosening the dirt 

 around each stem, removing the crust if any has formed, and 

 replacing with fresh, moist earth. This will disturb the striped 

 bug and give the vines a good start. Frequent hoeing after- 

 ward is all that is required. 



CABBAGE. 



In raising cabbages I have found that in addition to the 

 frequent stirring of the ground, it is an excellent plan to occa- 

 sionally sprinkle a pinch of salt over each head. It will keep 

 the cabbage worm from doing damage, and add much to the 

 number and quality of the heads produced. 



STOCK. 



In raising stock, of course, one of the chief considerations- 

 is the growing of grass, both for pasture and hay. In this 

 northern climate where the Winters are so long and severe, the 

 latter is especially important. I have unusual facilities for 

 •cutting wild hay, which for wintering stock I consider in 

 some r^pects even superior to tame. If cut early and well 

 cured^t is clean, free from dust, sweet and nutritious. And I 

 believe that cattle and horses (the latter particularly) kept 

 upon the wild hay, are more healthy and less liable to disease 

 than those wintered on timothy and clover. 



MEADOWS. 



I was told by Western men, when I first commenced cut- 

 ting my meadows, that they would soon run out, and in a few 

 years would luiidly be worth cutting. This has proved to be 

 the case, where the old plan of cutting the sloughs the last of 

 August or first of September, was practiced, or where the 

 cattle were allowed to run upon and feed down the second 

 growth. My practice has always been to commence cutting 

 my wild grass by the fifth or sixth of July, and thus have my 

 haying out of the way before the harvesting of grain began. Of 

 course quite a heavy second growth will be produced before 

 frost. This I never allow the cattle to feed upon ; nor do I 

 permit it to be burned off in the Fall. The result is that a 



