PLANTING AND HARVESTING. 555 



has been no open or tile draining done here. My first break- 

 ing was done on the bottom land near the river, extending each 

 year in area, toward the bluff. The past season I sowed one 

 hundred and forty-five acres of Spring wheat, ten acres of 

 Winter rye, twenty-five acres of oats, ten acres of corn, nine 

 acres of barley, one acre of potatoes, besides devoting one acre 

 to strawberries, raspberries, currants, etc. The cost of raising 

 per bushel, is as follows : wheat fifty -five cents, rye thirty-five 

 cents, oats fifteen cents, corn fifteen cents, barley twgnty-five 

 cents, potatoes fifteen cents. 



I use a sixteen inch sulky plow, worked by three horses. 

 I find it more economical than a walking plow, and it does 

 better work, besides being easier on the team and man to plow 

 the same number of acres. I use a broadcast seeder, twelve 

 hoes. I consider it preferable for drilling. I have a harrow 

 of my own make, with eighty-two teeth of one-half inch, 

 breadth ten and one-quarter feet, teeth slanting. 



I use McCormick's Advance reaper (combined), which I 

 consider more economical than a harvester or binder, as I can 

 get grain bound by hand at the average cost of the wire per 

 acre, and I also have a mower in the same machine. I usually 

 finish harvesting grain before haying commences, except the 

 tame grasses. I stack where convenient or the necessity of 

 the land requires manuring, and await the finishing of haying. 

 After haying I thresh and sell my wheat on the first market 

 that offers me enough to cover expenses of harvesting, retaining 

 the remainder of my small grain until the midwinter or Spring 

 market. My corn is fed to hogs and marketed before the 

 holidays, as I do not think it pays to fatten hogs in cold 

 weather. 



HOGS. 



There is a great diversity of opinion as to the best breeds 

 of hogs here. My favorites are the Bifield and Chester Whites 

 crossed, although I have Magie and Berkshire. I commence 

 fattening as soon as corn is glazed, giving plenty of pure water, 

 and shelter from sun and rain. I keep but few together. 



